Last updated 19th May 2005Plaubel, Frankfurt-am-Main attempted to launch a 16mm camera in 1958. They used the name Makinette which they had already given to several 3x4cm roll film cameras they manufactured in 1929.
The Makinette 16 is an oblong box design similar to the later Rollei 16 and like Minolta 16 (I/II) cameras and Mec 16. It is a high quality subminiature camera for 12x18mm on unperforated 16mm film. It has a coupled range finder and coupled selenium meter. Film transport slide also opens up view finder. Ennalyt f1.9/29mm in synchronized metal curtain shutter B, 1/30th - 1/125th. Like the Mec 16 the whole top lifted off to reveal the loading mechanism. The film is loaded in a twin cassette, like the Minolta 16.
Agfa was not interested in making the un-perforated 16mm film in special cassettes. The rights of manufacturer where sold to E. Leitz, Wetzlar and the plans and sample are on display in the Leica Museum, Wetzlar.
The demise of this well thought out design was possible due to the fact that Japan had been producing oblong box 16mm cameras since 1940 and this design would have been prohibitively expensive to manufacture.
One of possibly five proto-types was auction at Cornwall for 3900USD in 1998.
Last updated 19th May 2005