Kiev 30 and Minolta 16 cartridge interoperability

charlotteRF · 2025-04-07T01:31:21-0400

A lot of conflicting sources if Kiev 30 cartridges can be used in Minolta 16 cameras, some claim they are identical, some claim not, is there is a definitive answer?

Donald Qualls · 2025-04-07T13:13:38-0400

It's simple. Minolta cartridges (and copies of them that were sold when Minolta 16 was in production) will work in all Minolta and Kiev 16 mm cameras. Kiev Vega cartridges are dimensionally identical to Minolta cartridges. Kiev 30, 303, etc. cartridges have a reduced takeup spool diameter to allow a longer film strip to fully advance into the takeup chamber, and will not fit in Minolta or Kiev Vega cameras.

In theory, one could modify a Minolta by replacing the advance fork with a narrower one to make that camera compatible with later Kiev cartridges, but the counters would still run out at 20 frames instead of continuing to (IIRC) 30 as the Kiev cameras do.

Source: I own multiple Minolta cameras, and one each Kiev 30 and 303.

xkaes · 2025-04-07T21:29:46-0400

Donald is right on, but there is more to the story than just what cassettes will work in which cameras because Minolta and Kiev changed the size of their negatives over time. This adds a fly to the ointment -- how much film to put in the cassette! To help straighten it all out, you can check out this SUBCLUB page:

http://www.subclub.org/shop/casminki.htm

charlotteRF · 2025-04-08T01:18:12-0400

Donald Qualls said:
It's simple. Minolta cartridges (and copies of them that were sold when Minolta 16 was in production) will work in all Minolta and Kiev 16 mm cameras. Kiev Vega cartridges are dimensionally identical to Minolta cartridges. Kiev 30, 303, etc. cartridges have a reduced takeup spool diameter to allow a longer film strip to fully advance into the takeup chamber, and will not fit in Minolta or Kiev Vega cameras.

In theory, one could modify a Minolta by replacing the advance fork with a narrower one to make that camera compatible with later Kiev cartridges, but the counters would still run out at 20 frames instead of continuing to (IIRC) 30 as the Kiev cameras do.

Source: I own multiple Minolta cameras, and one each Kiev 30 and 303.

Thanks for the tip, Kiev cartridges seem much easier to find.
I have 3d printed Minolta ones, but the lack of light sealing makes my overly shaky hands struggle doing the entire process in the dark.
Not to mention, tape seems to struggle to adhere to the inner reel.

If I swapped the reel/spool/call it whatever of the Minolta 16 and the cap, into a Kiev one, then that would work, just less film length?

xkaes said:
Donald is right on, but there is more to the story than just what cassettes will work in which cameras because Minolta and Kiev changed the size of their negatives over time. This adds a fly to the ointment -- how much film to put in the cassette! To help straighten it all out, you can check out this SUBCLUB page:

http://www.subclub.org/shop/casminki.htm

Thanks, I need to make something up to help me better measure it in the dark bag, I end up undershooting a bit just trying to wrestle with a ruler.

Donald Qualls · 2025-04-08T07:16:26-0400

charlotteRF said:
If I swapped the reel/spool/call it whatever of the Minolta 16 and the cap, into a Kiev one, then that would work, just less film length?

I haven't tried this, but...

The spool and cap would fit into the Minolta camera, but I wouldn't count on the Minolta cap (original or 3D printed) fitting correctly on the Kiev cassette base. No harm in trying it to check fit, though.

I also don't see the benefit if you have trouble with the tape sticking to the 3D printed Minolta spool.

Kiev 30 and Minolta 16 cartridge interoperability

charlotteRF

Donald Qualls

xkaes

charlotteRF

Donald Qualls

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