Pentax auto 110

[shaloot]

<p>Let me just start of by saying wow! I had no idea that the camera was so tiny! It's ridiculous how small it was and when I saw it in the shop I thought it was just a little toy model of a Pentax camera... I could have that on a key chain. It's probably the best thing to use for street photography... though if using it in DC people might think you're an old skool spy...<br>

But anyways the store owner told me there is no auto 110 film to be found anywhere, which I thought was a shame. Does anyone have this camera or have had experience using it? What are they like in terms of picture quality? And if that film is still available in some areas?<br>

It looks like a really fascinating camera, and the guy had it on sale for $70...</p>

 

[michael_elenko]

<p>I had the complete Auto 110 presentation in an aluminum case for a while before selling it to Hin Man. I view that camera, the lenses, and the whole design as a work of industrial art. That was Pentax unique core competency. I very much wish that they could come out with a digital off shoot of that basic design, it is so much fun to use.</p>

<p>Last time I checked you could purchase Fuji 110 film online and have it processed. There seems to be a <a href="http://home.comcast.net/~youngds/110Cameras/Resources110/Resources110.htm">cult </a> of sorts around this film format.</p>

<p>ME</p>

[jgredline]

<p>It's funny to read and see this thread. Just last night I was looking at few on Eekbay and considered buying one. My wife and I used one back in the early 80's..It seemed everyone had one. can you still get film for it?</p>

[paul_noble]

<p>I have a Pentax Auto 110. I don't use it much, but it is cool, isn't it?</p>

<p>Yes, film is still available. Kodak makes one emulsion and Fuji makes at least one. The last time I looked a few months ago, Walmart still carried it. There is no B & W or slide film available in 110 any more, just color print film.</p>

<p>There were about six or seven lenses available, all of which show up on ebay from time to time: two 18mm lenses, 24mm (normal), 50mm, 70mm, a zoom (I forget the focal lengths, but it was something like 40-70mm). One of the 18mm lenses was a fixed-focus version. The depth of field is so great on that lens that they decided it would be cheaper and easier to remove the focusing mechanism.<br>

<br />There was also a motor drive and two different flash units for the Auto 110. There was even a second model, called the Auto 110 Super, which offered a few improvements, but was basically the same.</p>

<p>Walgreen's used to carry it, but I haven't looked in a year or so. If all else fails, there's the internet. The Frugal Photographer <a href="http://www.frugalphotographer.com/">http://www.frugalphotographer.com/</a> carries 110, as well as 126 and other obsolete, hard to find sizes. They can also develop it.</p>

<p>Paul Noble</p>

[hinman]

<p>I have a blog post on <strong><a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pentax-auto-110.html">Pentax Auto 110</a> </strong> when I bought from Michael a complete package of auto 110 with 3 lens kit and flash. My boys love to play with them but I later sold it due to too many cameras and lens. I have the LBA and CBA addiction and I continue to find no cure but to manage it in trading gear with a rental fee in selling to other Pentaxian friends to enjoy.</p>

<p align="center"><strong><a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pentax-auto-110.html">Pentax Auto 110</a> </strong></p>

<p align="center"><a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pentax-auto-110.html"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3051/2451612318_5608280fae.jpg" alt="" /> </a></p>

 

<p align="center"><a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pentax-auto-110.html"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2114/2450785817_8ab3d0b01a.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /> </a></p>

<p align="center"><a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pentax-auto-110.html"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/2468916332_f30e3cf9ed.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /> </a></p>

<p align="center"><a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pentax-auto-110.html"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/2468091893_6209778f20.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /> </a> <a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pentax-auto-110.html"> </a></p>

<p>Resources linked in my blog page:<br /> <br /> </p>

<ul >

<li>Recommended labs for film development

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.frugalphotographer.com/catPhotoLab.htm" target="_blank">http://www.frugalphotographer.com/catPhotoLab.htm<br /> <br /> </a> </li>

</ul>

</li>

<li>Info on 110 films

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.frugalphotographer.com/info-110.htm" target="_blank">http://www.frugalphotographer.com/info-110.htm</a> </li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.frugalphotographer.com/cat110.htm">http://www.frugalphotographer.com/cat110.htm<br /> </a> </li>

</ul>

</li>

<li>A great detailed page on 110 from Rick Oleson

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-116.html" target="_blank">http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-116.html<br /> <br /> </a> </li>

</ul>

</li>

<li>Sample images taken by 110

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.pbase.com/cameras/pentax/auto_110" target="_blank">http://www.pbase.com/cameras/pentax/auto_110</a> </li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.pbase.com/nickinnagoya/pentax_auto_110&page=all" target="_blank">http://www.pbase.com/nickinnagoya/pentax_auto_110</a> </li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

[brendonmeyer]

<p>Wow, that <em>is</em> neat. Was thinking of hitting some pawn shops this weekend looking for some lenses, will have to keep an eye out for stuff like this.</p>

[orly_andico]

<p>The ironic thing is that 4/3rds sensor is <strong>the same size</strong> as the 110 (13x17mm, pretty much half-frame). So why do DSLR's have to be so huge? even Olympus can't get them small enough..</p>

<p>The Pentax 110 shows that you can have a small SLR, with short registration distance, even smaller than the Olympus designs which use Porro prisms.</p>

[jgredline]

<p>OK, Now I want one! I am off to eekbay</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/1387989-lg.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[steve_t.1]

<p>Wow! We are coming full circle here, aren't we?</p>

<p>What household in America (or any other industrialized nation for that matter) didn't have a 110 camera, or two, or three, in the house a generation ago?</p>

<p>Sure is a cool little retro rig there, someone show off some shots sometime. But as far as having a small camera to shoot with, I'm all set up with the modern day versions (Panny LX3 and Fuji A700), which granted, likely won't last a generation or more like this little Pentax has. But I still have a early 1990's Fuji 35mm p&s, and of course the venerable and mighty K1000 if I desire cranking off a roll of film.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>I had wanted a Auto 110 at some point last year but after looking at the state of 110 film/processing availability the idea lost some of its luster. I also saw one in a case at a camera shop recently but I think it was just for display.</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>I had one and I used it on our trip to China back in 1982 (picked up the tele-lens in HK on the way in. It was my first SLR but I got some decent shots (probably 1/roll-- but I shot over 100 rolls ;~) I'm trying to find some way to get those negatives digitized--the consumer places can't handle 110.<br>

It developed some issues and I finally gave it away last year. It's a neat little thing but I could never put up with that tiny viewfinder now. </p>

[brendonmeyer]

<p>Ahh yes, Steve T. I knew I had seen the 110 film before, and knew we had a camera that used it a long time ago but your post spurred me to look it up. There was a point where pretty much everyone you knew had one of these things, or some variation thereof, as there were a few different types. Basically the long, flat cameras like The Instamatic.</p><div></div>

[jgredline]

<p>Brendon, you sample there is exactly what I had back in the day. Anyway, as much as I would like one, processing is a problem where I am at. No place to have it done and it does not make sense for me to mail it off. Oh well.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>Brendon, I had a red one pretty much like that one when I was a teenager. Before that I had a Kodak 126 that I probably only shot a few rolls on. I don't know what happened to it, but I don't think it ever brok.</p>

<p>I think the 126 was like this one (image <a href="http://www.daylightmagazine.org/blog/2008/12/15/273">from here</a> ). I guess that as they started making smaller 35mm cameras, first to die was 126, then 110. Not that these cameras were fair to the film--doing little more than meeting it halfway. They had cheap fixed focus and as far as I know relied mostly on hyperfocal focusing & film latitude since focus, shutter speed, and aperture were fixed. That "No Settings" '<em>feature</em> ' pretty much says it all. Unfortunately the cost of film and photoprocessing back then was such that I wasn't going to be doing much experimenting.<br>

<img src="http://www.daylightmagazine.org/files/imagepicker/m/Matthew%20Siber/Kodak_Instamatic_X-15F_sm.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="188" /></p>

[matthew miller]

<p>Yes, I have <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=3763961">Dave Hollander</a> 's Auto110. Thanks so much again, Dave! The CVS drugstore down the street stocks 110 film, and will end it in to Kodak to be developed. I've taken a couple of rolls with it, and something is definitely wrong with the shutter. (It sticks open.) Haven't gotten around to having it fixed, but I do intend to eventually.<br>

As for digitization: looks like ScanCafe <a href="http://www.scancafe.com/services/negative-scanning">will scan 110 negs</a> , but at $0.99/frame it hasn't seemed worth it, at least not until I'm getting really good results.<br>

Although I <em>am</em> getting good use of part of the kit: the cap from one of the lenses is 30.5mm and fits perfectly on the DA 40mm Limited's lens hood, replacing the way-too-finicky metal screw-on cap with a nice, official Asahi Pentax squeeze-side-tabs cap. Much better quality than the cheap e-bay 30.5mm cap I'd been using before. :)</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Hey, great to hear from you, Matt! I'm glad to hear that it's working for you--sorta. Thanks also for the lead on ScanCafe--it looks perfect for my purposes (especially the "pay only for the scans you want" part!) </p>

[steve_t.1]

<p>Not that it matters... just correcting myself from my earlier post. That should be a Canon A700, not a Fuji A700. Although I do have a Fuji digital camera sitting around, circa 2000. Nice little lump of coal that thing is. Maybe in 30 years someone will have a fascination with it and I can sell it to them...</p>

[joe_jackson4]

<p>Yeah, it seemed pretty much everyone had one of these cheapo 110 cameras as a kid:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ozcamera.com/hanimex110.html">http://www.ozcamera.com/hanimex110.html</a></p>

<p>The pics were just rubbish, TBH, no matter how carefully I cleaned the lens... :) And nah, nothing's changed.. :)</p>

 

[zane1664879013]

<p>I went to the trouble of scanning 110 negatives on a Canon 8400F flatbed once. The results were no better and often worse than just scanning the prints. If the prints are in good condition, I wouldn't bother with the negatives.</p>