peculiarities at type 110 camera

[AgX]

peculiarities at a type 110 camera

I got a Hanimex mini 110 EF camera in my collection.

Type 110 film camera, fixed-focus, -aperture and -shutter speed. Galileo-finder. Sliding switch to choose between 3Group Standard lens and a sliding 2Group lens attached in Tele-setting. Cocking and transport by Minox/Agfamatic-principle. Shutter behind the lens. Incorporated electronic flashlight, activated by seperate sliding cover.

The only peculiarity at first sight is that sliding flashlight cover.

Further inspection shows a battery cage that can be taken out, unique for type 110.


Then I realized a foil window behind the shutter, something I never saw at any camera (and started all this...)
At dissassmbling it turned out that the foil window is a swinging grey-filter activated by a film-speed indicator.
But also by the flashlight cover(removed when flash is on.)

Further it turned out that the whole Standard lens assembly is sliding during cocking(?). The idea behind it I still did not work out (but probably have for re-assembling).

Shutter is very delicate. Then there is a swinging aperture on the standard lens. It is operated by the flashlight cover (removed when flash is on).



A seemingly plain simple plastic 110 with a lot of pecularities at second and third sight.


It's design drawback is its Polystyrene body. Due to possible overtightening and the leverage action of the Minox-style cocking one screw tore out the threading in the body, got lose and was sticking out a fraction of a milimeter, scratching the sliding body part. Resulting in a lot of abrasive dust.

 

[Alex Muir]

I had a nice Canon all-weather 35mm compact camera that was let down by plastic construction. The door latch has snapped, possibly due to the pressure in the back caused by the all round seal? Some parts really need to be metal to be durable.
Alex

 

[summicron1]

I remember selling those in my brief time as a camera salesperson in the 80s -- cute design, especially with the push-pull and so forth, but they did strike me as cheaply built. Most of the low-cost cameras sold back then really weren't made to last very long.

My Minolta 16-II, on the other hand, still ticks along nicely. It's made out of metal.

 

[AgX]

As indicated inside it got a lot of delicate mechanics. But that push-pull part has its shortcomings.


That it can be done well proved the Agfamatics and the Minox EC.