Issue with Fuji Superia 200 110 film

Huss · Apr 28, 2021

I just bought a Pentax Auto 110 and it came with a stash of Fuji Superia 110 film. Dated 2006 but claimed to be frozen.
I actually was more excited about the film.

However... there seems to be a problem with it. The first cartridge would not advance in the Pentax - it was very tight and then suddenly the Pentax free wheeled. The advance lever would turn, but the film did not move. The Pentax was fine, as other brand films still work fine in it.
When I examined the problem cartridge I noticed that some of the teeth in the gear had sheared off. I figured this was a one-off, put the film in my Rollei A110 where it advanced - very roughly - until exposure #10 where it locked up.
Took that film out, camera is fine.

So.... I took another Fuji cartridge from this batch and loaded it into the Pentax. Film advance lever super tight again and this time I did not go any further as I did not want to risk damaging the camera. Took the film out and put it into the Rollei. Would not budge. Did not want to risk damage so took it out.

What are the chances that this whole batch has some sort of mfg flaw that it will not work in these cameras? I don't really want to open any more of the boxes (18 unopened, 19 total left) just to find more of the same.

Both these cameras work fine with Lomo films, and Fukkatsu.

foc · Apr 29, 2021

Who unfroze the Fuji film?
My reason for asking is that moisture could have formed on the film and/or backing paper and this caused the film to stick.

A simple way to check this is to hold the 110 film cartridge with the film facing away from you (you are looking at the back of the cartridge with the Fuji label)
Put a finger against the film area and see can you move it to the left and does the film move also (like you are winding it on). You should see the numbers move through the little window.

I would avoid trying to force it in the camera as it could cause damage to the wind on. (IIRC the wind on gear in the Pentax) but you don't want broken teeth or plastic shavings from the film cartridge fouling up the camera.

Let us know how you get on.

Huss · Apr 30, 2021

So the second cartridge was a failure too.. I tried to break free the film before loading it, but unfortunately broke some teeth off again. Even though it was maybe a third of a tooth on the three teeth that I damaged, it was enough to prevent the film from loading. 2 films trashed, 18 left....
The third one - also stuck, But this time I was much much more careful and managed to break the film free from whatever was binding up. It loaded, advanced and shot through the Pentax with zero issues, and is now getting developed. I am actually very interested to see how it will come out seeing it is Fuji Superia, that is from 2006..

I also took apart the roll that just failed to see if I could figure out what was amiss. The film and the backing paper were not stuck together. At all. Looked perfect. So somehow something was sticking between the film/backing paper and the spool side that it was in. I was hoping to see some tell tale signs on the inner plastic of the container but there were none. The gear/sprocket end was fine because it rotated freely backwards and then forwards before the slack was used up.

Anyway, the Pentax Auto110 really is fun to shoot so I'm going to be using it a lot more.

foc · May 1, 2021

I am glad you got the film to work and I would love to hear how they turned out, maybe you could post an example.

At least you now know the film and backing paper is not stuck but it's annoying that there were no tell tale signs as to why the cartridge was sticking when you broke it open.

Would it work for you to try and move the film a little before loading the cartridge like you did to free the third one?

Huss · May 1, 2021

foc said:
I am glad you got the film to work and I would love to hear how they turned out, maybe you could post an example.

At least you now know the film and backing paper is not stuck but it's annoying that there were no tell tale signs as to why the cartridge was sticking when you broke it open.

Would it work for you to try and move the film a little before loading the cartridge like you did to free the third one?

I'm going to gently break free any that are sticking before I load them, but it has been hard to be gentle as the ones so far have really been stuck!
I'll get the film back today and see if it produces acceptable results.

So weird, never experienced this before, or heard of it!

removed account4 · May 1, 2021

Hi Huss
Really bummed to hear of your troubles. I had an auto110 and loved it, and I had a ton of 110 Superia I put through it. Loved that too oh did I mention I loved that camera!

I never freeze film. Personally I think the whole freeze film and paper is a conspiracy and as long as the not like over 80-90F and like 80% humidity nothing will happen to film or paper, even if it has been 20 years ( personal experience) ... . but I can imagine your issue was emulsion getting moist and sticky and wrecking up the works ...
such a great camera ...Glad you figure out a remedy to your problems!
John

Huss · May 2, 2021

Hey John!
Yeah I love it, it is so fun to use!
I opened two more Superia packs, and those were stuck too. As I now expect. I managed to free them up without damaging the plastic gear teeth so they are ready to be used.

removed account4 · May 2, 2021

hey Huss
do you have the pan focus lens? that and the zoom were like the only ones I wished I had and never made it to my kit.. that tele is one beautiful and giant piece of glass --

great news about the film / cartridge.

have fun!
John

xya · May 3, 2021

I'm waiting eagerly for the results from the lab. I only had unfrozen superia which was grainy and with a heavy orange tint.

I managed to get all of the lenses, including the pan focus and the zoom. I made a web page for all of theses here https://www.subcompactcam.com/110_pentax_auto.htm . a quote from my site corcerning the pan focus lens:

As far as I can see, the PF lens is just an 18mm lens set to about 3m. On Wikipedia they say this lens is set to F6.3. There is no device to preset the camera to F6.3, the rear of the lenses are the same. As you can fire the camera with the back open, I would say that the PF lens also opens to F2.8 in low light. Both lenses indicate an F2.8 aperture. So I think the F6.3 setting is a rumour. I tested both lenses on film and on an A7 Sony camera in APS mode. To me there is no difference except that the ordinary lens is more versatile. So the PF lens seems just to be a hype...

Huss · May 3, 2021

Success with the Fuji film! Only issue is the stoopid thing needing to be unjammed before I can use it!

Pentax Auto110, 24mm 2.8, Fuji Superia 200 expired 2006.

It is such a bummer this film has been long discontinued as it is quite a bit sharper than Lomo Tiger, and I find the colours a little nicer.

Huss · May 3, 2021

Also that black strip on the top is on the film itself, along the entire length. Not sure where that came from, as the Pent\ax doesn't do that with other films.

Huss · May 3, 2021

Huss said:
Also that black strip on the top is on the film itself, along the entire length. Not sure where that came from, as the Pent\ax doesn't do that with other films.

Replying to myself, I think that black strip is from the trap door action of the camera shutter/mirror.

Huss · May 13, 2021

Got a stash of Superia 110 (40!) from KEH.
No issues with the film advancing . Wonder if there was a production glitch with the other batch.

Huss · May 24, 2021

Shot four more 'rolls' from the original batch. All were stuck and had to be broken free. But all work wonderfully. Still so weird they all have this issue.

Issue with Fuji Superia 200 110 film

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