If you want a 110 camera, this is a good choice because:
1/ Sharp lens helped by the fact that you can focus it (scale focus w symbols in the VF) plus has a close up lens that slides into place to focus down to 1.6 ft
2/ Nice build - apparently the new $150 Lomomatic 110 feels like garbage in comparison.
3/ Cheeeeep. Under $20
4/ Large size allows you to hold it nice and steady.
5/ Mechanical shutter - AA battery only needed for exposure warning light and flash.
6/ The provided next strap is exactly 1.6 ft long and you use that to measure the close focus distance. Technology that the $500 Pentax 17 has copied.
7/ Cannot take a pic with the sliding lens cover closed.
Downsides:
1/ Semi AE with only two exposure settings, plus flash. Sunny or overcast basically, with an LED lighting up if you do not have enough light for the exposure set. Adjusts parameters depending on film speed read of cartridge.
2/ Large - 110 is a tiny format, why is the camera so big? Compare to how Rollei does it.
3/ VF is on the far right of the camera. This is weird as the majority of people are right eyed, so it would be far more comfortable to be on the left side.
4/ Sexy/not sexy - unlike the Rollei A110 and arguably Pentax Auto 110
5/ Flash takes a long time to be ready. The ready light starts pulsating immediately but you need to wait a while - 10+ secs - for it to pulsate rapidly enough that it is almost solid before the flash is ready to fire. It should be either no light = not ready, light = ready.
There is also a weaker 430E model. Differences are:
1/ 430E has only three zone focus vs six
2/ 430E only has two exposure settings - w/ or w/o flash
3/ No close up lens w 430E
4/ 26mm f5.6 3 element lens in the 430 vs 26mm 3.5 4 element in the 450
5/ Both have a fixed 1/200 sec mechanical shutter.
Because of the overwhelming response to this thread (thanks Mum!) I have decided to add to it...
The Kodak Ektramax supposedly was Kodak's crown jewel in the world of 110 cameras. And all because it has a 25mm f1.9 lens! With aspherical elements!!
So I got me one to see what the hubbub was all about. And naturally would compare it to the similarly sized Minolta:
First off, the Minolta is built to such a higher standard, it is not even funny. The Minolta feels like a solid, quality piece, with everything operating with precision. The film back and the battery cover open and close precisely.
The Kodak is kinda miserable plasticky thing, with flex in the film back opening and the battery cover refuses to latch with batteries in it because the simple friction latch (plastic) has worn out. The Minolta has a sliding/lock cover.
Of course the Minolta is also partially metal, which does make it look and feel much nicer. It also has a much nicer single push film advance, whereas the Kodak has a strange and weakish feeling double lever system.
The shutter button on the Minolta is a smooth and satisfying thing, that on the Kodak is a plasticky feeling thing culminating in a 'sproink' sound.
But the vfs? The Kodak smokes the Minolta there. The Minolta's is fine, but the Kodak shows the scale distances much more clearly and smoothly operating via a wheel mechanism on the top of the camera, and it also shows the exposure setting.
Speaking of exposure settings - the Kodak has three plus flash, the Minolta has two plus flash. What makes the Kodak special is the low light setting which opens the lens to 1.9. Of course the flash on the Kodak is broken (and this seems common with this camera) so IMO 2 settings plus a working flash on the Minolta is more useful in real life.
While the Minolta has a fixed 1/200 speed, the Kodak has speeds from 1/60 (or maybe 1/30) up till 1/350. But they are fixed depending on the film cartridge reading. So an iso 400 cartridge will fix the shutter speed to 1/350, an iso 50 to 1/60. So it really depends on what film you can find to use.
Anyway, shot a roll in the Kodak to test it and will post the results. I am very happy w the lens quality of the Minolta, so the Kodak better be outstanding to make up for the rest of the camera.
Shots from the Ektramax on Superia 200. They are sharp - but I don't think any sharper than the Minolta. But they lack that certain snap, they feel flat.
In comparison to something like the Rollei A110 - the Tessar lens on that just seems so special in comparison, the images seem more alive.
So I'd definitely pick the Minolta over this as it is just nicer to use and is much better built.
So, the Rollei A110 is clearly your top pick but what’s in second place? Once upon a time I bought a Pentax Auto 110 for my girlfriend and it was a good idea but always felt a little fiddly to use. The Minolta may be a bit large for the format but if it’s solidly built and delivers a decent image, sounds like a keeper. Any others hanging around?
madNbad wrote:
So, the Rollei A110 is clearly your top pick but what’s in second place? Once upon a time I bought a Pentax Auto 110 for my girlfriend and it was a good idea but always felt a little fiddly to use. The Minolta may be a bit large for the format but if it’s solidly built and delivers a decent image, sounds like a keeper. Any others hanging around?
The problem w the Minolta and the Kodak is basically they are huge given that they are 110 cameras. There quite a few 35mm p&s cameras that take up the same total volume eg Ricoh FF1, Nikon LiteTouch AF etc.
#1 is the Rollei A110 - tiny and superb
#2 is the Pentax Auto 110 - tiny and superb. The problem I have with it is focusing as unless you use the split image, everything looks in focus all the time in the VF.
You are right though, the focus is a little fiddly, but I also think for the reason I have mentioned.
There is another Minolta showing up in a few days - the Autopak 470 which is quite a bit smaller than the 450 as the flash is detachable (and it look like it can use any flash as it seems to have a standard hot shoe). But the kicker is it has Auto Exposure - not just weather symbol settings.
The seller accepted my offer of $10... so we'll see if it works, or is junk. This could be a rival to the Rollei...
Desmolicious wrote:
I think it is fixed focus, no? That would rule it out for me.
After some research, fixed focus, no batteries, no meter, four weather settings. As a bonus, it’s flimsy and somewhat difficult to operate. The only thing to its advantage is size. It’s not much larger than a 110 cartridge. A thumbs down from this reviewer.
madNbad wrote:
After some research, fixed focus, no batteries, no meter, four weather settings. As a bonus, it’s flimsy and somewhat difficult to operate. The only thing to its advantage is size. It’s not much larger than a 110 cartridge. A thumbs down from this reviewer.
I can deal w the no batteries, no meter, four exposure settings, somewhat difficult to operate. Just like my Leica M-A!
But the lack of focus? Nyet.
In defense of the Kodak Ektramax..... I just noticed that the metadata on my scans showed that I by mistake had my Z7 set on Auto ISO. So it scanned the images at ISO 1600 and higher. Normally I have it set to ISO 64.
So, that definitely would effect the way the scans look! That Kodak? I will revise to say excellent image quality, crappy feel in use. So.. kinda recommended, I think?
Desmolicious wrote:
In defense of the Kodak Ektramax..... I just noticed that the metadata on my scans showed that I by mistake had my Z7 set on Auto ISO. So it scanned the images at ISO 1600 and higher. Normally I have it set to ISO 64.
So, that definitely would effect the way the scans look! That Kodak? I will revise to say excellent image quality, crappy feel in use. So.. kinda recommended, I think?
Even if you're getting decent images, it still has that cr@ppy feel relegating it to "maybe I'll use it" status. Time to gift it to a budding 110 user.
madNbad wrote:
Even if you're getting decent images, it still has that cr@ppy feel relegating it to "maybe I'll use it" status. Time to gift it to a budding 110 user.
Did the other Minolta arrive?
Yeah, cameras which are not fun to use, are not fun...
26mm F3.5 Rokkor lens, 4 elements, F2.8-F16, min. focus 0.9m, 0.5m with close-up
Electronic shutter, 2s - 1/1000
So while the 450 has three exposure settings (including flash) with one fixed shutter speed, the 470 is in another league.
The batteries had leaked in it - not too bad - but I easily cleaned it and it works fine in dry firing.
The dedicated flash is detachable, which makes it much shorter w/o it vs the 450. Interestingly it is also a little narrower.
I think the design looks the best in this version w/o the flash. It just looks and feels premium.
Also it has a standard hot shoe, so it seems that you could attach any flash.
Comparing the Minolta 470 to the Rollei A110, the Rollei is still king.
It has a much nicer VF - also much nicer than the Ektramax - and the focus lever is naturally under your thumb when you hold the camera to the eye. The focus lever also is much smoother in action than either.
Build quality does not compare - the Minolta is very nice, the Kodak kinda cr@p, but the Rollei feels like a meeelion bux.
Then we get to the shutter release. The kodak is 'sproink'. The Minolta (both) are 'sprong'. The Rollei is a soft kiss on your ear as it whispers sweet nothings reassuring you that all will be well...
It's junk. The AE does not seem to work, or if it does it works maybe every fifth shot. So a camera like the 450 or the Ektramax is better because at least you have manual control over the exposure. With the 470 no way to change things, you just hope the camera works.
And I could not get a single sharp image out of it, no matter the exposure. It has the same lens and zone focusing as the 450 - which I got lots of nice sharp images from - so either the lens is bad in this one, or something in the lens/focus mechanism is completely out of whack.
These issues are most probably limited to my sample of one, which was basically a $10 experiment. So no great loss.
I have no interest though in finding another, as the electronics may just be the same, and my Pentax Auto 110s work great. As the Rolleis. As the Minolta 450E!
The two best images from the roll. The second one the AE clearly failed - it was daylight! - but I like the spooky look! When life gives you lemons, leave them on the counter top and go out and buy ice cream and all that etc
