Pentacon K 16
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The Pentacon K 16 is a small camera for cassettes with mid-perforated 16mm film, made by the East German maker Pentacon. The K 16 was being developed from 1977 and approx. 285 000 cameras were assembled by the Pentacon factory in Helfenberg from 1978 to 1987, with the production hitting the 100 000 mark on June 30, 1981.[1]
The cassettes (called Kassette 16) are not compatible with western "pocket cameras" due to patent limitations[2] and were made only by the East-German film maker ORWO. Two types of film were initialy available - Orwo NC 20 (i.e. 80 ASA) color negative film and Orwo NP 20 black and white panchromatic negative film. A modern C-41 process color film was also apparently made in the later period. To allow processing films and enlarging pictures in both East and West European laboratories, the film was provided with double perforation - along the edge (Kodak standard) and in the middle (ORWO standard), the latter being used for film advance in the camera.[3]
Except its hot shoe for an electronic flashgun the camera is similar to many so-called "pocket cameras" for type No. 110 film cassettes: reverse Galilean viewfinder, shifter in the bottom for film advance and shutter cocking, and a limited set of exposure settings. It is equipped with a fixed aperture 27mm 1:8 fixfocus simple triplet lens. A two leaf shutter offers four shutter speeds between 1/30 and 1/250 sec. plus B mode, selectable with a shifter in the top with help of a weather symbol scale. An unusual feature for a 16mm camera is the mechanical exposure counter visible through the top. It is a camera for "Ostalgie"-Collectors[4] since it bears the inscription "Hergestellt in der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik" (=manufactured in the German Democratic Republic).
Specifications:
- Film type: Kassette 16
- Number of pictures per film: 20
- Frame size: 13x17 mm
- Lens: 27 mm (as 54.6 mm for the 35 mm film), 1:8, coated triplet
- Angle of view: 43.2 degree
- Shutter speeds: 1/30 s - 1/250 s, B
- Aperture: 1:8, fixed
- Exposure range: 11-14 EV
- Focusing: fix focus, from 1.5 m
- Flash sync for electronic flashes: 1/30 - 1/125 s
- Flash sync for flash bulbs: 1/30 s
- Film advance: manual
- Tripod socket: 1/4”
- Cable release socket
- Dimensions: 135x30x57 mm
- Weight: approx. 250 g
Notes
Links
- Pentacon K16 user manual (in German) at Manualslib.de
- K16 at lippisches-kameramuseum (archived) (in German)
- K16 at submin.com
