Rubix for 16mm Film (Patents) - Rubix 16

Introduction | Rubix (Inexpensive) | Rubix (Deluxe) | Rubix 16 | Rubix 16 (patents) | Rubix 16 (patents, Rubina) | Rubina | Rubix III

See "Spy Camera" page 64-65 Michael Pritchard and Douglas St. Denny.

Rubix cameras were made by Sugaya Optical Works in Japan. The cameras are better made than most of the post war Japanese subminiature production and shaped like a  tiny Leica. Unlike the earlier Rubix 'Inexpensive' and Rubix 'Deluxe' the Rubix 16 is 16mm camera using film in cassettes (in pairs, one for the take up of the exposed film). It is not a "HIT" or 17.5mm camera but is part of the family of Rubix/Rubina cameras.

The film can be perforated along both sides as the negative size is 10x14. The camera appeared in 1949. It has a has a fixed lens mount. The top plate is located on the right side, and the film winder on the left. The shutter release and shutter speed selector were mounted on the lens, rather than on the camera body as before. The shutter speed selection was reduced to a range across  B, 1/25, 1/50 and 1/100 and the aperture range f3.5-f16. The lens has variable focusing from 2 feet to infinity. The tiny accessory shoe was removed. The film counter is marked to 50. The frame counter window, showing it's roll film roots, is covered over. The base has a tripod socket and is removed to insert the pair of cassettes.

Some have a chrome finish and others a dull nickel finish. Another difference is that one has a chrome name plate (above) that only has the pointer for the shutter setting marked and the other a black name plate with "SUGAYA OPTICAL Co.LTD." and in script "Rubina". The lens is marked "HOPE ANASTIGMAT 1:3.5 F=25mm". Some have "Made in Occupied Japan" on the plate covering what was the frame counter window and are not engraved "PATENTS" on the top plate. The front plate is marked "SSK".