Tony Kemplen's First Impressions of the New Lomomatic 110 Camera

If the film photography world gave out awards for Champions of Analogue you can be sure UK-based photographer Tony Kemplen would be in the running for a couple of trophies. In 2010 he set himself the task of shooting a different camera a week. His 52 cameras in 52 weeks challenge ended up lasting over a decade. It doesn't take a maths genius to work out that's a lot of cameras! He also recently dedicated a month to shooting with only 110 cameras. With this amount of experience and expertise we felt Tony would be the perfect person to test out our new Lomomatic 110 camera. In this interview he talked about his experience of shooting with this brand new glass lens pocket format camera.

Hello Tony! You have shot more 110 cameras in your lifetime than most people, what's the appeal of this format and why did you decide to explore it so heavily?

Well, I've certainly used a few. A couple of years ago I used a different 110 camera each day during the month of April! I suppose the size of the cameras is the main attraction, some are not even as big as the film cartridge, which is left with both ends poking out of the camera when in use.

There are plenty of novelty 110 cameras, which are mainly cosmetic adornments, but some have quirky features like the Demekin Fisheye, and of course the Lomography Fisheye Baby. My all time favorite is the Pentax Auto 110 SLR system, preferably paired with Lomography Orca 110 Film or LomoChrome Turquoise 110 Film.

What were your first impressions when receiving the camera?

It's quite technically sophisticated for a 110 camera, the electronic exposures system can deliver exposures of up to 4 seconds, so low light isn't a problem. What sets it apart from similar models is the provision for multiple exposures and a “B” setting, giving all sorts of possibilities for creative use that you just couldn't do with any other 110 model. The detachable flash with its little slip-in coloured filters is a nice touch.

How did you find shooting with this camera and what were your favorite features?

It took a little while to get familiar with the controls, and which way round to point it, but once I got used to it it was easy to use. The provision for multiple exposures is a winning feature for me. There's plenty of scope for creativity, and for happy (and sometimes not so happy) accidents.

Any fun or experimental 110 tips for people wanting to try this film format?

If you want to do multiple exposures, it's important not to close the camera between shots, as this will advance the film to the next frame. The f2.8 setting gives very little depth of field at close distances, so you need to factor this in, and maybe not have a single important subject, instead choosing a scene where something in the view will be in focus. A seasonal example might be a patch of daffodils, where some will be too close or distant to be sharp, but hopefully one or two will stand out. Although modern films have a fair degree of latitude when it comes to exposure, multiple exposures can overload them, so if you're going to do multiple exposures, set the ISO to 800 to reduce the risk of overexposure. Other than that, the usual rules of Lomography apply.

Thank you to Tony for sharing his experience and photos with us! You can keep up with his latest film adventures on his Instagram.

The Lomomatic 110 Film Camera is available now via our online store!

2024-03-06 #gear #news #lomoamigo #first-impressions #110format #lomomatic110 #lomo110adventure