A simple stick ballpoint pen or the Montblanc Meisterstück that I am using to prepare the first draft of this blog can write the same words. However, the pens are not the same and one may cost 19 cents and the other has a list price of $480. There are cameras that use 110 film that are simple point and shoot boxes whereas there are others that allow the user to make adjustments and use techniques that are typical of those associated with sophisticated cameras. The types of cameras may use the same film, but they will produce different results.
Enter the Pocket Instamatic
When a new product is being introduced, the level of secrecy is high. The originating company knows that others will follow suit with similar products and a big splash early means a marketing advantage for a period of time. Kodak was fully aware of that situation so the 1972 introduction of the Pocket Instamatic cameras and the 110 film that they use followed that protocol. The products included models that were simple box types such as the Instamatic 10 and 20 that had no adjustments whereas the top model, the Instamatic 60, featured rangefinder focusing, electronic shutter, and a built in exposure meter. The Instamatic 30, 40, 50, and 60 utilized a unique battery known as the K battery. Initially the only source of 110 film for the cameras was Kodak so the new product launch was a doubled-barreled approach.
My Start with 110
It was not long after 110 cameras were introduced that I knew that I needed one (well, at least I convinced myself that I did). I was already using a sophisticated single lens reflex 35mm so I wanted a 110 camera that would provide at least some flexibility. My choice was the Pocket Instamatic 60 which was the top Kodak model, and as I recall the list price at that time was almost $100. That camera was for some time the most sophisticated model available that used 110 film.
Because my son and I were doing black and white film processing, it wasn’t long before I expanded into 110 work. About that time a Kodak representative was present at an open house event at a local camera store so I took some of my 8X10 B&W prints to show. The Kodak rep was very complimentary and said that the prints that I had were comparable to prints produced at Kodak. The fact that I now have three Kodak 60s reveals my affection for that camera. The 110 camera that I now use most is a Pentax Auto 110 that is a single lens reflex that can accept interchangeable lenses.
Other Factors
With the great success of the 110 format, Minolta, Pentax, Rollei, and others quickly joined the consumer chase. Moreover, cheap models were also produced that had many names. Although 110 cameras were a big hit for some time, companies eventually started producing simple point-and-shoot cameras that used 35mm film. The area of a 35mm negative is 3.78 times as large as that of a 110 negative so it doesn’t take much imagination to see that to produce a print of 4X6 inches the 110 negative must be enlarged to a much greater extent. One of the other factors contributing to photos taken with 110 cameras that are not sharp is that the small cameras are easy to move while taking a picture. Consequently, photos from a relatively simple 35mm camera may be sharper than those from a comparable 110 camera. Excellent photos can be made with a 110 camera, but the camera needs to have a good lens that can be focused and the camera must be used carefully to avoid camera shake. Also, digital cameras were grabbing an increasing share of the market and film photography waned.
Current Interest
With a greater range of 35mm films available and better picture quality, interest in the 110 format declined and manufacturers quit producing 110 cameras and film. It seems now that only Lomography is a reliable source of 110 film stocks, but several varieties are available. Fortunately, Brooktree takes a special interest in 110 format and stocks the film and provides expert processing as shown in the photos.
If you want a 110 camera, new models are available from Lomography and many older models can be found as used cameras. Some of the better cameras that originally cost up to $100 are now available for a fraction of that cost. No, 110 film photography is not dead and I have recently added a few 110 cameras to my collection. To learn more about photography using 110 cameras, the May 29, 2025 blog by Hunter Wiseley should be required reading. Carefully used, a 110 camera can give surprising results and be a real memory maker.
So, does a 110 camera interest you?
With Lomography film and Brooktree processing it certainly interests me.
– Jim House
