FINDING SUBMINI CASSETTES

If you are looking for cassettes for a submini camera that is still being made, you're in luck because that means they still make the cassettes. This would apply to Minox, Tessina, Kiev, and perhaps others. Check with the manufacturer or distributor for details.

For everyone else, you have several options in finding cassettes. First, you can check out the SWAPMEET section of the SUBCLUB for individuals who have cassettes for sale. You can also place an ad for free. You can also check local used camera stores and camera shows, although these are unlikely to produce much, especially if the cassette you need is unusual. But through word-of-mouth and perseverance you should be able to find what you need. Remember, don't get greedy -- you only need one cassette (or a cassette pair) to use the camera. You can also check Shutterbug on a regular basis and stay in touch with the "big city" camera shops that deal in older cameras. One guy who has a good selection of cassettes for sale (empty) is Jerry Friedman at 419-353-0025. His last list showed that he had Ducati, Gami, Minicord, Minolta, Ricoh, Rollei, Edixa, Steky, Tessina, and Darling cassettes.

You can also try EBAY auctions at WWW.EBAY.COM But EBAY requires caution. First, you might not find the cassettes you are looking for right away. In addition, the price might be very steep. Third, you might only be able to find the cassettes you need by buying a cmera WITH a cassette. Last, but not least, there are unscrupulous sellers on EBAY that sell bogus, junky cassettes that may not fit in your camera and can actually do damage. One guy, Al Doyle of the Subminature Times (SUBTIMES) ,is the worst offender. He either takes your money and does not send you anything, or he sends you junky, rip-off cassettes. He has sold so many of these pieces of crap that other, uninformed people sell them thinking they are genuine. For more details, check out the NEWSTAND.

It's not too likely that the cassettes from one cassette style will fit in a camera using a different type of cassette, even if the film size is the same. This has been known to happen, however, and if you are creative and handy, you may want to look at others types of cassettes to see if they will fit in your camera or can be made to fit with a little elbow grease!

And for heavens sake, if you find submini cassettes that you don't need -- ANY cassettes, of ANY type (assuming they are genuine) -- snatch them up and let us know how people can get them! Contact us at xkaes@aol.com.

If you need details on how to reload your submini cassette, check out the DARKROOM section of the SUBCLUB.

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