Pentax auto 110 and 16mm film

Alan W · Oct 26, 2012

I've been interested in the pentax auto 110 for a while now and finally took the plunge and bought one with 3 lenses for a very reasonable price.Now that I've looked and marvelled at the size(or lack of) I've decided to use it,if I can,with self loaded 16mm black and white film.I have no experience whatsoever in the 110 department,but I believe that a 110 cartridge can be opened and loaded with 16mm film in the dark.I've googled some stuff related to this on the net and some of it is helpful and some not,for the members here I have some questions-in the hope that someone here has actually done what I'm planning to do.Buying unperforated 16mm film,getting some 110 cartridges and rigging the pentax auto 110 to shoot the stuff.I can modify a patterson reel to fit 16mm.recommendations for 100-400 speed film.Any experience,suggestions etc would be appreciated.

graflexboy · Oct 27, 2012

Alan W said:
I've been interested in the pentax auto 110 for a while now and finally took the plunge and bought one with 3 lenses for a very reasonable price.Now that I've looked and marvelled at the size(or lack of) I've decided to use it,if I can,with self loaded 16mm black and white film.I have no experience whatsoever in the 110 department,but I believe that a 110 cartridge can be opened and loaded with 16mm film in the dark.I've googled some stuff related to this on the net and some of it is helpful and some not,for the members here I have some questions-in the hope that someone here has actually done what I'm planning to do.Buying unperforated 16mm film,getting some 110 cartridges and rigging the pentax auto 110 to shoot the stuff.I can modify a patterson reel to fit 16mm.recommendations for 100-400 speed film.Any experience,suggestions etc would be appreciated.

Hi there. Welcome to the world of 110! I have a Pentax Auto 110. They are amazingly sharp shooters!

If you want to jump in and take pics without reloading (a bit tricky, some cartridges don't snap open where you want) there is a black-and-white 110 film being sold now. It's the Lomography (gasp, I know) 110 Orca B&W film. It is 100 speed.

I bought 2 carts, shot, but not yet developed, so I'm no help on results.

Back to reloads:

Note--if you use 16mm double perf film, your Pentax may try to stop film advance at each perforation. Plus, you'll lose some image area due to the perfs along one edge.

I used non-perforated 16mm film. I actually used some microfilm (Agfa Copex Rapid, I think). Needs special low contrast developer as this is very high contrast film otherwise, meant for copying archive documents.

There is TONS of info on these Yahoo Groups:
SUBMINI-L
110respoolers

Also at
www.subclub.org http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/darkroom.htm
www.submin.com
http://www.submin.com/
photo.net (on the Minox forumhttp://www.photo.net/minox-camera-forum/)

EDIT: These cameras really only "read" 2 film speeds. This is from a notch (or lack of notch) on the right edge of the cartridge. This explains the how & why:
http://retinarescue.com/110cassette.html

And there's a bunch more, I'm sure. I'm posting this from my phone--hard to remember all my bookmarks that are on the laptop!

PM me if you like. I'm no authority, but I'll try to help.

--Micah in NC

Alan W · Oct 27, 2012

Thanks for the links Micah-I hadn't seen them before.I'm interested in loading my own film into a 110 cartridge.Do some open easier than others?

removed account4 · Oct 27, 2012

hi alan

someone here on apug posted this
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

it really isn't hard once you open the cassette

good luck !
john

nexus757 · Oct 27, 2012

Unlike many 110 cameras the Pentax auto 110 does not require perforations in the film, so you can pretty easily slit down 35mm film to 16mm and reload old cartridges. You can do it without the backing paper, but re-using old backing paper is even better. An article about this is here: http://subclub.org/darkroom/roll110.htm I use the "Al Spoil" film slitters: http://www.subclub.org/sponsors/goathil2.htm You see them on ebay pretty often. It helps avoid emulsion scratches if you pull a second, already slit film, under the emulsion as you slit.

graflexboy · Oct 27, 2012

John & nexus757 are correct.

I used film reloads sold by Joe McGloin at Goat Hill Photo before I was brave enough to try sitting my own strips.

When you slit film, get a length of wooden dowel rod or cut a notch in a yardstick's edge to be a film length guide. Measure your old film strip when you crack open a 110 cassette. Probably about 18"?

I also wanted to say the Pentax takes 2 throws of the film advance lever for each frame.

--Micah

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk 2

graflexboy · Oct 27, 2012

Alan W said:
Thanks for the links Micah-I hadn't seen them before.I'm interested in loading my own film into a 110 cartridge.Do some open easier than others?

Yes, some say Kodak carts are more difficult to open. I think the Walgreens or Konica seemed to open better. Not sure on Fuji, I use them for the factory loaded film.

Micah in NC

k.hendrik · Jan 2, 2017

Have a Pentax auto 110 too! But also 1 box 100ft Kodak 7266 Tri-x BW reversalfilm(single perf) + 1 box 100ft Kodak 50D/7203 Vision3 color negative. For BW I have Hc110 or D76 and for the colorfilm I have a C41 kit. Can I use these developers or do I need different soup ?
Thanks.

kb244 · Jan 2, 2017

k.hendrik said:
Have a Pentax auto 110 too! But also 1 box 100ft Kodak 7266 Tri-x BW reversalfilm(single perf) + 1 box 100ft Kodak 50D/7203 Vision3 color negative. For BW I have Hc110 or D76 and for the colorfilm I have a C41 kit. Can I use these developers or do I need different soup ?
Thanks.

For Tri-X you can use HC110/D76 which is your typical B&W developer.

The 50D/7203 is ECN-2 Chemistry, not C-41. Can do it, but might not be the optimal result you'd expect.

Video above of ECN-2 film developed in C-41.

Edit: Far as I can tell, you can't machine process ECN-2 film in a C-41 processor because the anti-halation layer will hurt the machine. So that has to be removed before it can be processed in that manner (hence probably why the video above was 'hand developed'). But I don't know if 50D/7203 has the rem-jet backing or not.

ic-racer · Jan 2, 2017

The perforations in movie film will enter the image area of 110 format.

A film splitter can solve the problem.

k.hendrik · Jan 3, 2017

Thanks !

Theo Sulphate · Jan 3, 2017

Maybe I can get some advice about film positioning. I've used Lomography's color film in my Pentax 110 (made by them, not a reloaded cassette) and noticed the plane of focus as seen on prints is considerably closer than my expected focus point (e.g. I focus on books 4' away but the print / negative shows the focus was at 2-1/2'). This tells me the film was positioned further back than it should've been. The cartridge is being held tightly by the back. I think if I could've inserted a thin shim behind the film, it would've helped.

I'm not sure if this is an issue with that particular cassette or not.

ic-racer · Jan 3, 2017

One reason why I have not gotten into 110 (in spite of the beauty of the Pentax 110). I use 16mm cameras, because, even the lowly 16-P has a proper pressure plate.

graflexboy · Jan 4, 2017

Theo,

I have not experienced back focus with my Pentax 110. Have you checked your camera with other films? Maybe another brand, like an expired Fuji cartridge? Though the colors will shift, an expired film of another manufacturer might be a good test. If focus is also off with other brands of film, I would think the camera needs adjustment or repair.

I'm hoping it was just an isolated problem with that one cartridge. I have some Lomo Orca 110 ready for my Pentax!

I hope you get the problem resolved!

--Micah in NC

Theo Sulphate said:
Maybe I can get some advice about film positioning. I've used Lomography's color film in my Pentax 110 (made by them, not a reloaded cassette) and noticed the plane of focus as seen on prints is considerably closer than my expected focus point (e.g. I focus on books 4' away but the print / negative shows the focus was at 2-1/2'). This tells me the film was positioned further back than it should've been. The cartridge is being held tightly by the back. I think if I could've inserted a thin shim behind the film, it would've helped.

I'm not sure if this is an issue with that particular cassette or not.

Theo Sulphate · Jan 5, 2017

graflexboy said:
...
Maybe another brand, like an expired Fuji cartridge? Though the colors will shift, an expired film of another manufacturer might be a good test. If focus is also off with other brands of film, I would think the camera needs adjustment or repair.
...

Yes - I think you have a good point and I hope you're right. I did find a very old still-wrapped 110 cartridge (I think it's Fuji).

The Pentax 110 is such a nice system - I can carry the camera & three lenses in a small pouch or large pocket.

OptiKen · Jan 5, 2017

This thread has re-sparked my interest in 110 cameras. I have one of the Minolta 110 SLR Zoom cameras from years ago and without having a proper spool for the film, I failed miserably at my attempt at developing.
The camera was relegated to a box in the closet after that.
This past weekend a friend brought me a box of exposed film he had found while cleaning out his recently deceased mother's home and asked if I could develop it with hopes of finding some hidden family treasures therein.
Besides the disposable cameras and a Super 8 cartridge (still trying to figure what to do with that), there was a couple of rolls of 110. I ordered a used 110 developing reel from the bay and will make another attempt at it.

This thread has me dusting off the camera I have and looking to reload the cassettes if I can get them open without destroying them.
Even worse, I just ordered a Pentax 110 for $20 from eBay. If the description is accurate, I'll have a fine 110 shooter. If not, Goodwill will have an extra bonus in the collection box this month

Pentax auto 110 and 16mm film

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