Keystone 16mm Camera Help!

[nicole greene]

I got a Keystone Executive K51 16mm movie camera from a friend. I'm familiar with vintage analog still cameras but have yet to use a movie camera. I'm eager to put it to use and I was checking out the features, but I can't seem to figure out how to focus this camera. There is no focusing ring on the lens, nor is there any indication of distance settings from the subject. The top of the camera has 3 settings for wide angle and telephoto, which changes the view in the viewfinder. Maybe this is the key to my concerns?! Does anyone have experience with this camera? I do not own the manual and there is no manual online.

Thanks!!!

[Dom Jaeger]

Is it a C mount camera? Try unscrewing the lens anticlockwise.

 

It could be fitted with a fixed focus lens, which were typically cheap lenses set to focus about 10ft away and relying on depth of field to cover from about 6 ft to infinity (depending on the f stop). Made for beginners if you like.

 

Any C mount lens should work, you'd set the viewfinder to roughly match the focal length. Wide would be around 10-15mm, medium around 25mm, and telephoto maybe 50 or 75mm. These sorts of cameras weren't reflex, you needed to focus using the distance scale on the lens (if using a focussing lens). And of course the aperture also needs to be manually set, using a light meter or just guesstimating according to the weather.

 

I believe that camera takes magazine cartridges which were discontinued years ago. People have reloaded old magazines, but it can be tricky. There's probably info online about how to do it.

[nicole greene]

Thanks so much for your info! After all the research and buying 3 16mm film cartridges I found that you are correct about the magazines and my film doesn't work for this camera! Very frustrating. Thanks for all the info!

[Simon Wyss]

Not everything is lost, you gained already some experience with older cameras. There are people who fumble way worse, see the guy holding a Filmo?

 

[Pavan Deep]

I am pretty sure the Keystone Executive K51 16mm has a c mount, just try and unscrew it might be a bit tough, especially if no one has ever taken it off. For the magazines you could find out more here www.toeppenfilm.com . What lens does it have? Some lenses like my Cineraptor don't need focusing as long as the subjects about 1 metre away.

 

Pav

Edited October 28, 2017 by Pavan Deep