Episode 110: Tiny Negatives, Giant Opinions

Episode 110 of the Camerosity Podcast, subtitled "Tiny Negatives, Giant Opinions," turns its attention to the 110 Pocket Instamatic format and other 16mm subminiature cameras—a topic the regular crew (Anthony, Paul, Stephen, Theo, and Mike) admitted they didn't expect to generate much interest, but which drew a full roster of guest voices: A.J. Gentile, Edward Michelet, Eric Schneck, Fernando from Germany, Greg Harp, Ira Cohen, Pat Casey, and Will Pinkham. The discussion opens with the history of 110 film, introduced by Kodak in 1972, before moving into fan-favorite cameras like the full-system Pentax Auto 110 SLR, the Minolta 110 SLRs, the Canon 110ED, and the German Agfamatic 6008 Makro Pocket—a camera so appealing that Theo bought one for himself mid-recording.

The group digs into the format's inherent shortcomings, including its tiny negative size, film flatness problems caused by the lack of a pressure plate, and the unreliability of certain models like the Rollei 110. They also trace how the limitations of 110 paved the way for Kodak's short-lived Disc film format, which in turn led to the development of T-Grain emulsion technology still used today in stocks like Kodak T-Max. Beyond mainstream Pocket Instamatics, the conversation ranges into 16mm subminiature cameras from Minox, Yashica, and the Soviet manufacturer KMZ, as well as oddball entries like the Tasco binocular camera and the Voltron Star Shooter 110, with Stephen expressing particular fondness for the latter. Other topics touched on include 110 slide film (Kodachrome and Ektachrome), problems with projecting 110 slides in standard projectors, reloading 110 cartridges with single perforations and speed notches, and other subminiature systems like the Minolta 16 and Kiev 30/330. True to form, the episode veers off-topic into a discussion of camera batteries, including Kodak's K-type battery and proper storage practices.

Overall, the episode serves less as a single-product review than a broad, opinionated roundtable celebrating and critiquing the entire 110 and subminiature camera category—highlighting standout premium models, format-wide flaws, and the surprising depth of listener enthusiasm for these small-format cameras.

AI-generated summary. May not capture every detail — read the full article below for the complete picture.

We have returned with the tiniest episode we’ve ever done, covering 110 Pocket Instamatic and other 16mm subminiature cameras. This was a topic which the Camerosity crew had no idea would be so popular, but our loyal listeners came through and delivered a full show of giant opinions about cameras which make tiny negatives!

On this episode, Anthony, Paul, Stephen, Theo and Mike were joined by A.J. Gentile, Edward Michelet, Eric Schneck, Fernando from Germany, Greg Harp, Ira Cohen, Pat Casey, and Will Pinkham where everyone spoke about their favorite Pocket Instamatic and 16mm subminiature cameras.

We started things off with a bit of history and moved into one of the most consistently popular 110 cameras, the full system Pentax Auto 110 SLR. We talk about other premium 110 cameras like the two Minolta 110 SLRs and the Canon ED, along with a really neat German camera called the Agfamatic 6008 Makro Pocket, a camera that was so awesome, it inspired Theo to buy one while the show was recording.

We talk about challenges with the format, including its extremely small size, the lack of a pressure plate, and how 110 opened the door to the ill fated Kodak Disc format which in turn, brought us T-Grain film still used today with film stocks like Kodak TMax.

We cover a wide variety of other cameras, including some interesting 16mm cameras made by Minox, Yashica, and KMZ in the Soviet Union and even a few bizarro ones like the Tasco binocular camera and the Voltron Star Shooter 110. It wouldn’t be a Camerosity Podcast episode without us getting off topic, and for this episode, our diversion ended up being all about camera batteries!

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you! Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show. We LOVE people who are into shooting or collecting cameras, no matter how long you’ve been doing it, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, the Camerosity Discord server, and right here on mikeeckman.com. We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

The next episode is coming soon, and as of this writing, we don’t yet have a topic, but I am sure it will be something to stretch your GAS budget even farther than before. We will record Episode 111 on Monday, June 29th at 7pm Central Daylight Time, 8pm Eastern Daylight Time, and 6pm Canada Saskatchewan Time. For more time zones, please consult the World Time Buddy calculator and plug in your time. Make sure you set your calendars and look out for the show announcement at the usual locations and be prepared to join us!

In This Episode

The History of 110 Film / Kodak introduces Pocket Instamatic in 1972
Limitations of the Cartridge Design / Film Flatness Issues
Pentax Auto 110 SLR / Lenses Lack a Diaphragm
Best 110 Cameras: Canon 110ED, Minox 110, Voigtländer 110
Agfamatic 6008 Makro Pocket, Minolta Weathermatic 110, Pocket Fujica 110
The Unreliability of the Rollei 110 Camera
European Perspectives on 110 / Agfa’s Significant Investment in Premium 110 Designs
110 Slide Film / Kodachrome and Ektachrome in 110
Problems Caused by Projecting 110 Slides in Standard Projectors
Reloading 110 Film / Single Perforations / Film Speed Notches
Which Cameras Can Accept Reloaded Film
Other Subminiature Cameras: Minolta 16, Kiev 30 & 330, Vega 2
Who Was the Target Audience for 110 Film?
Kodak Was a Film First Company / Comparisons to Disc Film / T-Grain
Tasco Binocular Cameras / A Horse Race Radio Camera
Mike Wants a Cyclops Binocular Camera / Theo Bought an Agfamatic 6008 During the Show
Stephen Loves the Voltron Star Shooter 110
Where to Buy Batteries / Kodak’s K-Type Battery / Storing Batteries

Links

The Camerosity Podcast is now on Discord! Join Anthony, Paul, Theo, Stephen, and Mike on our very own Discord Server. Share your GAS and photography with other listeners in the Lounge or in our dedicated forums. If you have questions for myself or the other guys, we have an “Ask the Hosts” section as well where you can get your question answered on a future show! Check it out! https://discord.gg/PZVN2VBJvm.

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group, Instagram page, or Discord server.

Order Your Very Own Camerosity Podcast T-Shirt! – https://www.zazzle.com/z/tbykl0hg