I perked up listening to a recent podcast when one of the hosts mentioned he had owned 5 Rollei A110 cameras and none of them worked. I realized that I might have already solved the problem that converted the beautiful, capable cameras into paperweights.
Back in January 2024 I bought a nice-lookin Rollei A110 on the Bay for $35, untested. I looked it over and everything seemed to work fine, except the shutter. Quickly deducing that it has an electronic shutter, I found the correct battery was the Mallory PX27. Unlike the 1970s, the nearest battery is now the PX27M. I bought the new PX27M battery, placed it in the battery carrier, snapped it into the camera and still there was no shutter action.
It appeared camera was dead with a possible electronics problem. But like Miracle Max said in Princess Bride, “It just so happens that your friend here is only mostly dead. There’s a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive.”
Max was right. The camera was slightly alive and just needed resuscitation.
I tested the battery and found it fully charged, then spent an hour or two looking and thinking about the situation. I noticed the battery carrier is quite thick on the ends where the battery terminals should protrude.
Fitting the battery made me think that there is no way the now slightly recessed battery terminals can contact the camera battery contacts. I decided to snap the battery in without the carrier, tested the camera and the shutter came to life. I decided that, as the battery was revised over the years, the PX27M must have electrodes that don’t protrude as far as the original PX 27. Now that the camera worked without the carrier, I had an open space in the top of the camera that would be normally covered with the carrier top. Since the whole thing was made of plastic, I used side cutting pliers to cut away the carrier, leaving the cover that still snapped into place easily. The only downside it that it is harder to remove the battery for replacement but it is easy enough with tools like two small screwdrivers.
So how does it work? I’ve only shot three rolls through it so far but operation has been flawless.
I first shot it with a roll of expired (2018) Fukkatsu 400 film as a test.
Things looked good for expired but then I tried a roll of my favorite 110 format film, Lomography B&W Orca film. Wow, I was blown away.
If you have a dead Rollei A110, I hope you have the same problem as it is very easy to fix and costs nothing. Good Luck.
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Bob Janes on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
James Billings on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Mike on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
David Tan on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Well done! Your examples look wonderful.
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Gary Smith on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Dave Powell on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Tony Warren on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
James Evidon on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
110 film was a cute idea at the time and designed for infrequent camera users who were all thumbs when it came to loading film. All of the cameras were mediocre in quality when compared to other cameras made by the same manufacturer. This was especially so with Rollei. None of the 110 cameras were built to last and compared to what was available in the relatively inexpensive 1/2 frame offerings of, for example Olympus, the lenses were quite poor. While the 110's were very small and pocketable, so were the FF and 1/2 frame offerings by Ricoh, Petri, Oly, Yashica and too many others to mention.
Since the readers of this exceptionally excellent website are presumably real photographers who either know how to load a 35mm camera, or are at least interested and competent enough to learn how in a short period of time, why don't we let a below standard curiosity like the 110 camera simple remain in the grave for which its manufacturers intended for its relatedly short life span.
OK, I expect the slings and arrows of probable outrage to fall upon my comments, but that aside, I felt like someone ought to say it.
Be of good cheer and keep shooting whatever you fancy.
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Comment posted: 30/06/2024
Michael on Rollei A110 – Bringing It Back From The Dead
Comment posted: 01/07/2024