Mega vs. Micro - Side-by-side photoshoot with the Pentax 6x7 and the Pentax Auto 110
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- čas přidán 15. 02. 2024
- #filmphotography #mediumformat #110film #pentax #pentax67 #pentax110 #chattanooga #vintagecamera #filmcamera
I thought it would be fun to do a side-by-side comparison shoot with the Pentax 6x7 and the Pentax Auto 110. Both are interchangeable lens SLRs representing extremes on the scale of size. So, I'm off to downtown Chattanooga, TN. I think the results will surprise you.
Totally enjoyed the juxtapostioning of a David and Goliath camera shoot-out. Both performed well. I have the same 6x7 Pentax, and it is a royal pain, but does great work. As always, your videos are interesting, entertaining, educational, and just a pleasure to watch.
Thanks so much! I actually thought about naming the episode “David and Goliath”. Would’ve worked, I think!
The 110 shots feel almost pictorial. Actually rather nice quality. And good enough for small prints. Quite frankly the first time I've ever seen 110 pictures that aren't muddy or low contrast etc.
Thanks! This camera pushes the 110 format about as far as it can go. It’s certainly not bad for what it is.
The vast majority of 110 cameras had a fixed shutter speed and often a fixed aperture too, meaning they rarely captured a correct exposure without flash. The lab tech would have to rely on the latitude of the film in order to produce a legible print, hence most 110 prints looked terrible. The Auto-110 of course had a proper electronically controlled aperture and shutter and should in theory nail exposure every time.
You nailed it about how crappy the usual 110 are/were. Not really much of a camera.
As someone who worked in a photo lab in the 90s, I will forever flinch when I see even the mere mention of 110 film. It was a pain to process, needing to be removed from the cassette and loaded into a different cassette for loading into the machine, and it gave *terrible* quality prints every single time. I think it's safe to say the folks bringing 110 into the lab were not using higher-end cameras like that Pentax or other cameras with actual glass lenses, but rather the super-cheap plastic hunks of junk that seemed to dominate 110 usage then. It's also fair to say they did not have your eye for composition. So I have to take my hat off and say good job getting some nice results from that stupid format! 🤣
Great story! I think the cartridge format - whether we’re talking 126 or 110 - was just an overall good idea that failed in execution. Without the use of a pressure plate holding the film flat during exposure, it was plagued with inconsistent results. When you add into the mix all the cheapo cameras that used it, well, it was hit and miss at best. I think Pentax got everything they could out of the format with this camera though. If they’d released it about 5 years earlier, it could’ve been a huge hit. As it turned out though, they were late to the game and couldn’t compete with the (much more consistent) 35mm point and shoots that were being introduced. But it’s still a fun camera if you temper your expectations :-)
I'm a lab tech and I hate 110. I can absolutely confirm I've never seen such good results come in (yes there are still people shooting it, on point and shoots with expired film). Now I'm tempted to buy the pentax auto and the orca film and see if I can get anything good!
You should try it out. Lomography also sells color stocks in 110, too. Haven’t used one yet, but I have some ready to go.
Many years ago, when I worked at a newspaper, I read an article by a photographer who used the Pentax Auto 110 for daily work. The idea was intriguing, but I couldn't see any benefits for adding another format to our 35mm operation.
That’s an interesting idea, but I’m with you on that. Add the fact that its flash capabilities are very limited makes that a questionable choice of gear for the job, IMO. It was noble attempt on Pentax’s part, but that format was probably already half dead by the time they released this.
Thank you. A family friend had a Pentax Auto 110 and your video brought back memories of him. I in turn carried my much larger Spotmatics and much bulkier lenses.
Glad it served as a pleasant reminder. Thanks for watching!
Interesting camera that 110 is. I wasn't aware it even existed. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching! I don’t think the 110 was very successful. It was a noble attempt by Pentax to instill some credibility to that format. But it was sort of late to the party. I think most people had moved on to 35mm point-and-shoots and, heaven forbid, the Kodak Disc format would soon take aim at the mini-cam market.
Good video! Was hoping to see some color film too. I think the characteristics of the color film would be exaggerated on the 110.
I did pick up some color film for the 110 - just haven’t shot it yet. I’ll probably do that when I get to the stand-alone episode for it. I’ll have one coming up with the P67 in a few weeks, and I plan to do some color with that one, too.
The Pentax 110 is one of the more interesting novelty cameras, you can buy a complete kit still for quite cheap. The 110 is fun within its limitations, just don't expect any good images from it.
Exactly. Realizing the limitations can absolutely improve your results. To me, the 18mm wide for this camera is the biggest disappointment. Hard to focus because every little detail is so small in the finder. My favorite lens, though, is the 50mm tele. Perfect range. And the 70mm isn’t bad either.
Got to know how to use them. 🐊
Thanks for that comparison at the end. My initial thought (before the comparison) was that the tonal range was much better with the 67, but that could be attributable to the difference in film stocks. I expected the difference in resolution, so no surprise there.
I used to carry the little Elph film camera. The tiny negatives were just OK for 3x5 prints. Anything larger and the images degraded substantially. But it was easy to carry in the tankbag of my motorcycle.
I have an Auto 110 that I picked up years ago, but never shot. It was a curiosity to me and I was not aware that film is available. Still, I think that camera will go into the sell bin. I have too many.
I have one minor nitpick on the dome composition. I expect you did this on purpose, but I think cutting off the flagpole hurt the image a little. I figure you did that on purpose to get what you wanted, but would really like to hear your thoughts on that image.
The images seem to have a slightly warm tone. Is that intentional?
Sorry for all the questions. I'm still learning.
It was a fun comparison. I expected little to nothing from the 110, but it didn’t do too bad.
As for the Dome Building shot, yes cutting the flagpole off was intentional. And I hated doing it, because that certainly leads your eye out of frame. But, it’s a rather tall pole, and including it’s entirety forces the main part of the subject (the dome) down too far in the composition. And I thought that would be even worse since there was no wind to blow the flag. It was just hanging there. If it had been flying, it would’ve helped balance it out. Great question!
That was a very clever video. I would not thought of making a comparison between the two because other than being: Pentaxes, black, interchangeable lens SLRs there isn’t a similarity. But interestingly you made legit comparisons! I really enjoyed watching.
I think I have seen bigger Moon Pies than that 110! Did you let the 110 meter all of the shots?
Thanks for taking the time to make the video. You are a natural teacher.
Thank you! That is quite the compliment, and I do appreciate it. I had no idea what to expect as a result once I decided to do this video. It was a fun one. For the 110, there is no manual control. It’s totally automatic. So I’d say it did a pretty good job on the exposures. There was only one shot that I think was influenced by backlighting, but it wasn’t off by very much.
“Moon pies bigger than the 110”….lol
Excellent video. I always love videos where the person is shooting with a 6x7. I'm pleasantly surprised you can still buy film for the Auto 110.
Thanks! I think Lomography makes just about all the available 110 these days. I’m glad to have it, too!
6x7 mlu tip- if you keep accidentally tripping the mlu, don’t advance your film until you are ready to shoot
Yep, that would fix that issue for sure. Thanks for the tip!
Great video, but wish you did a few more of the side by side shots at the end
Yes, I should’ve put a few more of the side-by-side shots in there. It was an interesting comparison, for sure. Thanks for watching!
You'll be hard pressed to find a 110 winder with an intact battery door - the thing broke if you looked at it the wrong way.
Good to know! Seems like battery doors on some of this old gear wasn’t engineered well enough. Now we’ll add the 110 winder to the list.
1.I love your accent so much
Many thanks for the accent appreciation! As they say, it is what it is, lol. Yes, Pentax really hit just about every format except Large, and gave it their best shot while doing so. Minolta comes next closest - since they also had two 110 SLRs, albeit without interchangeable lenses. I wonder if Pentax had any 126-film cameras? I’ll need to check that. But those cameras were just like most other 110s with a single shutter speed and not much aperture control (if any). With those awful cameras, the 110 format was doomed anyway. I think larger negatives will have greater capacity for an expanded tonal range to some degree and greater capacity to capture detail. Once you get as small as 110, the relative size of the grain to the subject may start to play a part and obscure the fine details and variation in tones. Or maybe that’s just an illusion that I think I see sometimes. When they first released the Auto 110, Pentax took out a full-page ad in the photo mags and included a full-page enlargement made on Kodachrome. Man I wish I could run some 110 Kodachrome through this thing!
@@vintagecameradigest minolta auto zoom has a good autoexposure tho for what I’ve seen, you should definitely revisit those little cameras too if you get a chance. I’ve come to grow quite fond of weird stuff like that because it leans the camera toward a niche. 126 film seems to be an American phenomenon so I would be surprised but at the same time I wouldn’t be with all the cool stuff Pentax has made. Cool thing about pentax and Minolta is you can go wayyyy back to the 30s and 40s prewar they were already making cool cameras, so there’s tonnes of old stuff just floating out there :3 you should do a video comparing all the middle formats too, like 35 vs large format and drop in a few 6x7 examples too to compare with x3
@@vintagecameradigest I wish we could shoot Kodachrome at all :( I’ve heard various attempts to get the development going DIY but Kodak used some crazy stuff for this or something because I haven’t seen confirmed results yet
The Auto-110 is a surprisingly awesome camera, very easy to focus with. I’ve only used mine with old/expired 110 carts so far and the results have been quite grainy as you’d expect. Viewing on a phone screen helps no doubt, but your images from the 110 seem surprisingly detailed. Obviously fresh film helps! Alas mine has a broken winder that needs regluing, unfortunately the plastics used in them aren’t the strongest.
It is a fun camera, no doubt. And, yes, it is pretty easy to focus. The viewfinder seems pretty big and bright. Other than the proliferation of plastic in it, I agree it’s well-made overall. And the images are pretty good for the size.
At least those Pentax 110 lenses can be used on M4/3 with adaptor if somebody wants to take pics with them without fiddling with almost abandoned film cartridges. Locally it is almost impossible to find 110 film and another journey would be to find somebody to develop it. Unless you are able to make your own B/W and have some modified cartridge where film can be switched. With 6x7 it is a bit easier, but still quite expensive.
Yes, film of any format isn’t going to be easy on the wallet. So far I’ve only shot the B&W film with this camera, so I’ve done the processing myself. I’m not sure where I’d have to send color 110 for processing. But I’d like to try some color in it at some point. I’ve also read about the adapters for these lenses for M4/3. I can’t imagine how tiny they’d look on a regular camera body.
those shots with 110 are amazing. i recently shot lomo 110 color with a toy camera and results were total crap. now i am thinking to buy pentax auto 110.
Thanks! I think part of the hate directed to 110 film (even in its day) was due more to the crappy cameras and not necessarily the film. I mean you used to be able to buy 110 Kodachrome. How awesome would that be in this thing?? But, yes, 99% of 110 cameras were junk.
Another great video, sir. Interestingly the quality of your 110 shots looked very good. I have always equated the 110 to the cheaper point-and-shoot 110's where you were lucky to get a good focus but looks like not so with this one. Back in the day, when it first came out, I considered getting the 110 but decided against it because of my previous experience with the cheaper 110's. And of course, I've always lusted after the 6x7 but it's out of my price range every time I think about it. I was a bit surprised that the quality of your 6x7 and 110 shots looked pretty close together. I thought your shooting venue was great also. Mentioned in your preview, I have the Zenobia 6x4.5 (with the 75mm f/3.5 lens) which I got in an online auction last year. I've shot 2 rolls through it and was pleased with the results. Looking forward to your review of it.
Thank you! Yes, the reputation of the 110 cartridge isn’t “stellar”. Just like the 126 cartridge, it was handicapped by the inability to keep a flat film plane (no pressure plate). But with this camera, I think Pentax was able to squeeze just about everything they could from the format. But were still plagued by the film flatness issue. I was also surprised at how similar the shots were. Of course, you’d see a MUCH bigger difference on printed enlargements.
Awesome video!
Thanks! It was a fun one!
Brilliant idea this very unlikely comparison and yet, why not? In the end, looking to the results in a very simplistic way, they don't look so much different. Does size matter, the doubt that worries so many? Well, at least in this case, it seems not :) Thanks a lot and, Cheers
Thanks! When viewed on the small screen they don’t look too different. But try to get an 8x10 out of each of them? Well, therein lies the difference :-) It was a fun comparison, though!
My grandfather gave me my first Pentax 6x7 in December 1974 for BROOKS INSTITUTE ..later shooting Rock concert photography 1970s to 2024 ..... so Im a seasoned expert after 50 years of handling the beast...ITS NOT Wasted FILM if your a real PRO !!!.. @ 4:00 on control track MLU is the revealing challenge of a TRUE Pentax 67 Photographer..going at it BLIND .. absolute pre visualization is required of the content at hand.. as Alice Cooper once told me "work with what you got, that's how I made it".:..which in this case is to pre set focus and distance depth of field as per the obvious lens gauge.. Its easy and no wasted shots if you know your lens... POINT AND SHOOT its elementary,,,, Schools OUT ..
You are indeed wise in the ways of the P67! Admittedly, I’ve spent much too little time with it. But from this point on, I pledge not to be stymied by the MLU switch. I’m planning a shoot with it in the next few weeks to support a stand-alone episode for it. Your words of wisdom will come in handy, I can already tell. Thanks for watching! And cheers!
I had Spotmatics, so buying my wife the Pentax 110 was obvious, got a wide and tele lens, and loved it.
It really is quite an upscale body for such a maligned film format. But I think the P110 gets just about everything it can out of that film.
Wood grip right hand / and or left hand helps to avoid the MLU issue your experiencing.
That would, indeed, probably help keep my hands clear of it. Might need to add one to the kit!
I thought you handled that 6x7 "beast" superbly! Curious - do you think the old adage of shutter speed matching the focal length would apply to hand-holding the Pentax 6x7? The 6x7 images you presented all look sharp & crisp. FWIW - the film Hasselblads work the same with mirror lock-up. However, it won't even come down after you fire the shutter. With the Hasselblad, you've got one further step - after you fire the shutter you then have to advance the film/cock the shutter before the mirror resets itself.
I'm always amazed and envious of how you find so many interesting shots when you're out & about.
Thanks! I was treading dangerously by not using a tripod with the P67. But I was encouraged by being able to use the Kowa Six handheld at 1/125 waaaay back in the first episode. I figured if THAT camera didn’t cause me camera shake I should be good with the 6x7. It was a risk that could’ve turned out badly. Thankfully it didn’t. I am usually aware of the focal length/shutter speed rule of thumb, and I do believe there’s truth to that in a lot of cases. But even though the P67 is huge and the mirror slap sounds like a gun going off, it really does have decent vibration control. That’s interesting about the Hasselblad MLU. That sounds like a major pain.
Thanks to you, your channel, and your inspiration concerning vintage gear, I have now purchased a whole "new" vintage film Hasselblad system again. Over the past 3-4 weeks, I have been purchasing "legacy" Hasselblad gear, one piece at a time - mostly from eBay, with a couple of items from KEH.
I just completed my "dream" system a couple of days ago. I now own a beautiful 501CM body, A12 back, 45 degree prism finder, and Zeiss lenses - 40, 50, 60, 80, 150, & 250. Plus...a refrigerator full of fresh 120 film. My bank account is still smoking a little bit, but I am extremely happy having all this equipment in my possession again. I've owned it all in the past, but this time it will stay with me for the rest of my life! My only related issue is that this gear has gained a whole lot of weight since the last time I owned it! I got it all into one large camera bag, but I struggled with it all day. I need to come up with a plan B for toting it all around.
I did shoot my first roll of film yesterday (Tri-X). I cannot express the thrill & excitement of actually holding this camera in my hand and tripping the shutter.
At least not since I kissed Carol Kirchheiner in the 11th grade!
Man, that IS exciting! Not the part about Carol, but the Hassy. Although, I can understand the similarities…😁 Seriously, though, that is an absolutely amazing kit. I’m feeling a bit jealous. I once owned a very old 500C with one 80mm T* and a couple of the old 12 backs. I do wish I had it back. But I’ll just live my Hassy fantasies vicariously through you, now!
I cannot wait until you review the Pentax Auto 110. I would love to know more about your thoughts on that camera and on how to develop 110 film. I have a near complete kit for the Auto 110, including the auto winder, but as of yet have not taken the plunge on the film as I still feel very much a novice with 35mm. Despite the greater resolving power of the larger film, I still enjoy the output from the 110 and I believe it would make a great travel camera.
It would certainly make a good conversation starter when you travel. Most people have never seen - nor heard of - one. That review should be coming up within the next few!
The grain of the Orca film makes it look like the pictures were taken about 80 years ago. Which is cool from an aesthetic point of view.
Yeah, grainless images are not to be expected from this combo. It would’ve been interesting to shoot some 110 Kodachrome in it from back in the day. But those slides would’ve been tiny! All in all, the Orca isn’t a bad film. I hope to run a color roll through it for the next review.
@@vintagecameradigest I still think they were neat looking, interesting pictures. I actually like the contrast that came out of them. Both cameras and film stocks had their strengths.
They certainly do!
From what I can see here on my laptop, it seems that the results from the 6x7 are MUCH clearer than those from the 110 with its tiny negatives. That said, which one would you prefer to lug about all day? Great review as usual - thanks for posting.
You can definitely tell by the negatives, too. You *might* be able to get a decent 8x10 out of the 110 negs, but I’d be afraid to go any larger. But you can get the camera and 4 lenses in a tiny camera bag.
Greatly enjoyed this . Even if I did feel bad for you getting increasingly frustrated. I have the Auto 110… the 67 will take a bit of saving but it’s on the list .
PS Despite being from Ireland I HAVE had a moon pie and a coke on a hot day in Florida. Tasty stuff .
Glad you enjoyed it! Frustration is just part of it sometimes. I usually learn something from it in the end, though. AND glad you got to experience the wonder of the Moon Pie!
12:10 110 으로 찍은 사진이 정말 날카롭네요. 중형도 멋집니다😲
Those little Pentax lenses are pretty good. However, my least favorite is the 18mm wide-angle. It’s hard to focus properly since all the details are so small in the image. Thanks for watching!
That's a common complaint with those who have the 6x7 with MLU. The easiest way to prevent that is to not cock the shutter until you are ready to take the photo. And as you said, the other thing to do is to put tape over the MLU button. I have two non-MLU bodies and don't miss that feature at all because the mirror slap only effects images shot at about 1/8 - 1/4 second. Faster or slower shutter speeds are fine.
Yes, that sounds like a suitable solution. It’s funny that I’ve not experienced that before. But like I said, I usually have it in a shoulder bag that has plenty of space around the camera. I had this backpack packed full.
I second this
I think Meopta made a 16mm camera that had interchangeable lenses. Steki was another one. The lens barrels on the Pentax 110 I had developed cracks that rendered the lens tenuous to use! I'm glad to know b&w film is available for 110 cameras! You presented a fun project. What is the ISO of the Orca film?
The ORCA is ASA 100. I’ll have to check out the Meopta and Steki. Thanks for the tip!
Another subject I thought I'd mention - a few months ago I purchased a Yashica Mat 124G (also inspired by your video). I have bought two generic lens caps for it, and neither one fit. I can cover one lens or the other, but the cap simply won't stretch far enough to cover the second lens. Does your cap fit ok?
The cap I have came off another old Yashica TLR - a 635 I think. So, it does fit just fine. Sorry you’re having such an issue finding one. There are certainly very minor variations in distance between the lenses among TLRs. And it only takes a couple of mm to really make a difference.
I found a slew of used Yashica OEM caps on eBay. I'm gonna select one and buy it. See if it fits any better.
Good luck!
Doesn't early model 6x7's lack the mirror lock-up? Or do I have that backwards? Maybe that would be a good choice for someone interested in trying this camera and format.
You are right.
Yes, the early models lacked the MLU. But I’d say the addition of that feature is a benefit. Plus, given the option between the two models, the MLU version will be more likely to be repaired if necessary.
@@vintagecameradigest - I recently had both of my non-MLU bodies completely rebuilt by a technician who has been repairing them for over 30 years. I complained that they weren't MLU and he said I was lucky they weren't. According to him it is just something else to go wrong. I actually wish I had one of each.
There is this SLR camera - using 16mm film. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narciss_camera
Nice! I’ve never seen one of those. Thanks for sharing!
I am confused... Id love a mirror lockup on my Bronica models to reduce the shake when the photo is taken.. But.... I thought you triggered the mirror lock up just before you took the picture... My thoughts where those cameras are not suppose to mirror lock up unless the film has been advanced.. Then you lock the mirror up and the shutter in the camera OR if you have leaf shutters those deal with the light.. So why did you advance to the next shot thinking your image was ruined? Also you do have a bad habit of advancing your film after every shot.. I never do this for a couple of reasons.. One if I decide to not shoot anymore for a few days or longer the camera is stuck in its advanced mode putting stress on the springs inside some cameras.. Also the chance of bumping the shutter and wasting a shot.. But can you explain why triggering the mirror lock up AFTER you advanced the film ruined those shots? I have never shot or owned one of those so maybe its something interesting I can learn lol.
Nevermind ... Im stupid lol... I had a blonde moment and im not blonde lol.. So the mirror stays up? So you can not see the image in the view finder lol.. Yeah that is kinda lame lol.
:-)) yep, the mirror stays up and therefore no image in the finder. Someone else mentioned the “don’t wind until you get ready for the next shot” solution. Makes perfect sense. And I always wind after a shot. Always have. Never learned any better, lol.
Don’t wind the 6x7 camera, intill your composition is made. It’ not a fast camera anyway.
That would certainly solve the problem. Great advice!
Back in the day I never liked 110 or half frame cameras.
The Pentax Auto 110 is small but needed to be as small as the other 110 cameras to be useful ...🦘
Yes, I think it was just an odd combination of Pentax wanting to get a piece of the 110 market but not wanting to make a crap camera. So the Auto 110 was probably overkill for most users. Now, it IS a very small system, but not necessarily “pocket-able” when you add the additional lenses.