What is this odd looking device? It’s the first “serious” SLR camera for 110 cartridge-format film, created by Minolta of Japan in 1976 (when I was 15 years old).

Previously, we tested the Minolta 110 Zoom SLR Mark II, which was launched in 1979 (when I graduated high school) and was not as well known, probably because it was launched too late in the 110 game. For this post, we are going back in time to the original Minolta 110 Zoom SLR! Today, the original version is sometimes referred to as the “Mark I” but only because the Mark II entered the market a few years later…

Overall impression? LOVE this camera! It’s the first, original, Minolta 110 Zoom SLR — a strange, fun, conversation-starting film camera — with pretty good specs and results!

When I was at Cameras & Films Barcelona for their post-renovation, reopening/launch event, I decided to use the weirdest and least known camera in the shop, to shoot for the evening. Well, this camera was perfect and checked all the boxes. Check out the Test Photos below, to see how 2 rolls of Lomography 110 — one color, one black-and-white — turned out. 🙂

Our cameras and films posts are from a photographer’s POV, so we like to recognize others who’ve posted more technical and historical information about a particular camera, along with test photos they’ve shot. Here are a few of our favorites about the original (Mark I) Minolta 110 Zoom SLR camera:

• Tinkering with Cameras — post about both Minolta 110 Zoom SLR Mark I AND Mark II cameras, with great technical and background information.
• Austerity Photo/Canny Cameras — post with some good 110 film alternative curiosity & commentary.
• Lomography Camera — good article with GREAT test photos from this camera, shot on Lomography film (of course), since they are the only provider of fresh 110 film these days!
• Lomography Film — sample photos shot with the Minolta 110 Zoom SLR (original, Mark I) using Lomo films.
• PhotoThinking — great post with great test photos!

TEST PHOTOS

All of these photos were taken at the Cameras & Films Barcelona launch event on November 7, 2024, using a Minolta 110 Zoom SLR with a flash (unknown) in the “hotshoe” mount.

COLOR

Shot on Lomography Tiger 200 ASA color 110 cartridge film. They all came out pretty much perfectly with the basic flash — great for a party!

MONOCHROME

Shot on Lomography ORCA 100 ASA monochrome 110 cartridge film. A bit overexposed, despite the lower film speed, so keep that in mind when shooting this camera with a flash…

TEST VIDEO

@texolux

Test/How to Load & Use the Minolta 110 Zoom SLR with #Lomography 110 film. Fun to shoot with, producing surprisingly great results from a tiny negative size/format! — Camera: Minolta 110 Zoom Single Lens Reflex “SLR” with aperture-priority exposure. Film 1: Lomography Tiger ASA 200 Color Film 2: Lomography Orca ASA 100 B&W — #photography #cameras #films #camara #foto #fotografia #analogica #photo #shootfilm #barcelona #catalonia #catalunya #spain #analog #analogphotography #analogue #filmphotography #filmphoto — @lomography #viral #viralvideos

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