Does anyone shoot 110? Lomography sure thinks so, fooling aside it’s a unique medium and one that is deserving of some better cameras and this new lomo product may be just that
Many times I have reloaded old 110 cartridges with 16mm film as it’s the exact same size. The sprocket holes from the movie film are the only difference. I suppose I could use microfilm to do so in the future, but it was an experiment rather than a plan to do it often. I agree about the low quality of 110 for sure. I feel Pentax is on the right track for enticing new young folks interested in film photography to dip their toes into film and still feed their Instagram addictions. I hope Pentax is successful with it and moves on to releasing a new interchangeable lens full frame 35mm camera or three for the rest of us “old timers”.
I shoot a lot of 110 and I'm happy to have a brand new camera option. Of course you can get higher quality results with 35mm or digital or just about anything else, but when you are shooting with a 110 camera, the most accurate capture of a moment isn't the goal (at least it's not mine.) 110 started as an easier and cheaper alternative to 35mm film and now it's maybe exactly the opposite--harder to find, harder to process, and frame-for-frame probably more expensive to develop and scan. For me, it's not a nostalgia play. There's a lot that I enjoy about 110. It's a conversation starter when someone sees a goofy or tiny camera. Getting results you're happy with requires some thought and practice. The final images have a quality that you might be able to reproduce in digital post but you come by naturally with the format. And yes, even the failures are part of the hobby. I understand why people often want to dunk on something like 110, but then there's always someone somewhere who wants to dunk on film photography at all. It would be great if folks could honestly try to understand why things like this appeal to a certain audience and if not, at least let them enjoy what they enjoy.
Speaking of 110 (and 16mm) I have designed and 3d printed reusable cartridges for both 110 and Minolta 16mm. I need to finish my design for a 35mm film splitter and upload those to printables or thangs. Other people have designed development spools that work with both 110 and 16mm. If you're interested I can just upload what I have. The cartridges I have printed work great, but every printer is a little different.
That would be “awesome” to upload a 3d print file for 110 cassette/cartridge. Would definitely be interested. printables has a good development reel “16mm 110 film development spiral”: loads on the bottom half, then put on the top half and process. Scanning is simple with thinbegin's "110 film holder" with space for magnets.
Film was always expensive. Back in the 80's/90's I was spending around $200 a week on film, paper, and chemicals. Despite shooting mostly 4x5 and 120/6x6 with some 135, I always also shot 110 for personal use. The cameras were always small enough to be take-everywhere cameras, and just like choosing MFT and 1 inch sensor cameras today, the small size of the cameras means they are shoot anywhere, no questions asked, cameras. Films seemed to be finer grain than the current Lomography offerings, and quality was better than you think. I shot Verichrome Pan B&W, Kodak Gold, and Kodachrome. This new Lomomatic 110 is very welcome. Electronics improves on the limitations of many of the old 110 cameras, and like the Minoilta 110 Zoom SLR, gives a certain amount of manual control over exposure. I mostly dislike the Pentax Auto 110, because despite having great lenses, it is totally an automatic camera. I hope the Lomomatic 110 is a hit as it might encourage other film manufacturers to reintroduce new film types into 110 format. Kodak Gold 200 would be brilliant, for example, and Ektachrome in 110 would be fabulous, and I would love T-Max B&W, or even Delta 400. New film camera at all price points is important because rapidly aging film cameras won't last forever. New cameras will inevitably goose film sales. Film may be expensive, but it provides an important need such as larger formats with high resolutions, infra-red, etc, that allows more creative options for photographers.
I appreciate your willingness to acknowledge you gained a new perspective or point of view from your comments (Pentax and half frame) It requires an open mind and I experience a genuinely open mind so seldom. Good on you!
Making a new 110 camera is a bizarre choice. I see at least a couple 110 cameras every time I go thrifting and they’re always dirt cheap. But I think I’m doing the thing you touched on where I think because I would never spend 100+ dollars on a 110 camera, no one will. And (unfortunately) that’s just not true. If it makes 110 film cheaper in the long run I guess it’s a good idea but I don’t see that either.
I think the Lomomatic 110 actually will be one of the best new film cameras on the market when it comes out. What else can you get new for $90 that does auto exposure and actually has good image quality? I was very surprised by some of the sample images they showed, seems like Lomography actually used a good lens for once. It's true that 110 is more of a hassle than 135, but at least you can reload the cartridges in theory, and even available 110 film is not super expensive, here you pay 8.90€ for 24 exposures. 4:35 consider that the Instax cameras are (as far as I know) the most successful current day analog cameras, and a single image of those costs noticeably more than one on regular film.
Back in the day when 110 was new, the only reason that it was viable at all was because of the convenience. Granny had a little camera that would slip in her purse, was super easy to load and unload, and film and developing were relatively cheap. Today, with all the cell phone cameras and digital point and shoot, it will never be more than a novelty. If the hipsters think it's cool, it might have some limited success, until they get bored and move on to the next fad. And the Pentax 110 is a cool camera. I remember looking at them when they were new, but I just couldn't justify spending that much money on something with that limited usefulness. Today I might buy one, but it would be as a collector's item that would rarely see actual use.
Speaking of Pentax... Have you ever seen an ME Super with a screw mount? I have one that I recently acquired and I can't find any information on it being a production release. I thought you may know something, based on your experience with the ME Super. I am a big fan of the camera because it was the only model I used for taking pictures when manual focus was the only way. Let me know if you want to see pics of what I am referring to...
Look very closely at the lens mount. It may have the k mount to m42 adapter in it. I have that adapter, it's really small and it locks into the camera flush. A ME Super lens mount does not say "Pentax Japan" the adapter does. The adapter is a little tricky to get off. There are 2 notches one has a black spring you need to pull towards the center of where the lens would go. Then turn it counter clockwise, just like a lens.
@@generic0000 Wow! Thanks for the explanation. You are right, and I was able to remove it once I knew what it was. Now I just have to get the camera sorted out. It's winding but the shutter isn't cocking. It may take some tinkering, but I think the camera is fixable. Thanks again!
I can see how a half frame camera can be useful cuz I have an Olympus pen F and it's great for occasions I feel like I wanna shoot a lot on a tighter budget you can't beat 72 images per roll with anything else
