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Home > Using a Rollei 110

RolleiA110_0104 Photo F.W. Stutterheim
Rollei A 110 with its battery carrier and three SR44 cells and one SR54 button cell. This 6 V stack fits snugly into the battery carrier and into the camera. The green button activates the light-meter and exposure can be checked in the tiny square window next to it. Steady green light signals sufficient light for exposure with shutter speeds faster than 1/30 s. Blinking green indicates a shutter speed slower than 1/30 s. The green signal is also visible in the upper right corner of the view finder. It is difficult to see. A successful exposure is also signalled after shutter release. The large square orange button is the shutter release.
Photo © 2022  F.W. Stutterheim [Rolleiflex 6008i, Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar 4/120 mm PQS HFT]

Page Index

  1. Preface
  2. Size 110 film
  3. PX27 replacements
  1. Suppliers
  2. Notes
  3. References

Preface

The Rollei A 110 and E 110 cameras are designed to use size 110 film1 and a PX27 Mercury battery. It looks like Lomography is the only remaining supplier of size 110 film. The PX27 Mercury battery was withdrawn for environmental reasons a long time ago. Several replacement options are available.

Small Print. All following links are external links i.e. the linked pages are not on this site. The contents are beyond our control. At the time of writing the Owner of Rolleigraphy did a check on the linked pages and found nothing that appeared to be illegal or disturbing. Most likely this is still the case but the Owner rejects any responsibility for the contents of any external site linked from this site. This seems obvious, but in some countries unless rejected I would be responsible for the contents of linked sites. Now that this responsibility is formally rejected, have fun!

RolleiA110_0109b Photo F.W. Stutterheim
An image of a 110 cartridge can be seen on the bottom of the camera. Sliding the orange tab to the right of the image opens the finder further and the spring loaded back of the film compartment opens for loading a film cartridge. To close the back, just push it back and close the finder. The tab to the left of the cartridge image is for opening the finder when a film is fully exposed and pulling is blocked.
Photo © 2022  F.W. Stutterheim [Rolleiflex 6008i, Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar 4/120 mm PQS HFT]

Size 110 film

Lomography

Size 110 film cartridges are available from Lomography. On offer are a B/W film, colour-negative films and a colour-reversal (slide) film. Be aware that product names are confusing and some films have a weird and wild colour (of-)balance. Colour-negative films are also labeled as ‘chromes’. Please find offers on their website.

Lomography
Films, etc.

RolleiA110_0103 Photo F.W. Stutterheim
Rollei A 110 with its battery carrier. Note that the SR54 cell is smaller compared to the SR44 cells. The battery carrier has a protrusion that ensures correct placement.
Photo © 2022  F.W. Stutterheim [Rolleiflex 6008i, Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar 4/120 mm PQS HFT]

PX27 replacements

Battery or button cells

The output of the original PX27 Mercury battery was 5.6 V. Type 4LR43 replacement alkaline batteries deliver 6 V. According to FFS + Tritec and Aperture Preview that is not problem with the Rollei A 110. In the Rollei E 110, 6 V causes the light-meter to deviate. I received my A 110 with a 4LR43 alkaline battery. A disadvantage of alkaline batteries is the gradual drop in voltage with use. Silver oxide batteries (4SR43) do not have this disadvantage. There is however another problem with the size of both batteries. Both are 20.4 mm tall and that is slightly too tall. It is possible to squeeze it in, but it is difficult to remove the battery from the camera and it will damage the camera body. I have read at Aperture Preview that a stack of three size 44 and one size 54 button cells would be a more comfortable solution. Its voltage is 4 × 1.55 = 6.2 V. I calculated the height of this stack to be 19.4 mm. By the way, a generous tolerance is allowed for battery dimensions. I prefer the Silver oxide (SR) cells over Alkali (LR) cells. That makes 3 × SR44 + 1 × SR54. I have tested this set, it fits nicely and the light-meter shows the green light indicating sufficient light for exposure. SR44 button cells are readily available. I am not sure about the smaller SR54. I obtained both sizes from a specialised on-line battery shop.

PX27 adaptors

C.R.I.S. and FFS + Tritec offer PX27-adaptors. Both adaptors are of a ‘Non Voltage Transformation Type’. The CRIS one takes 4 SR43 cells (dia 11.6 × h 4.2 mm). The FFS adaptor has a similar built with 4 button cells. I see no point in purchasing these ‘Non Voltage Transformation’ adaptors. The camera has a removable battery holder that nicely takes 4 cells and the above described set of 3 × SR44 + 1 × SR54 has exactly the right height and works fine.

Small Battery Company offers a PX27-adaptor with a ‘Voltage Reducing Converter’. The output voltage is 5.6 V. It also works with 4 SR43 button cells. The voltage reduction makes this one suitable for E 110 cameras. According to its manufacturer this adaptor is 20.5 mm tall. That would make it slightly too tall. Unfortunately Small Battery Company ship only to U.K. and EFTA addresses.

Suppliers

European Union

FFS + Tritec Foto und Video Geräute Service.
Check their shop for the PX27-adaptor.

FotoImpex, Germany
Film, photographic paper, chemicals, etc. Lomography films.

Macodirect, Germany
Lomography films, etc.

Retrocamera, Belgium
35 mm film, roll film 120 and 127, 110 film ,photographic paper, chemicals, dark room stuff, etc. Look for 110 film under ‘Rarities’. Lomography films.

United Kingdom

Silverprint, Poole, U.K.
Film, photographic paper, chemicals, etc. Lomography films.

Small Battery Company
PX27-adaptor with ‘Voltage Reducing Converter’.

North America

Adorama
Lomography films.

B & H Photo Video
Lomography films.

C.R.I.S.
PX27-adaptor.

Freestyle Photographic Supplies, Los Angeles, CA
Since 1946, Freestyle Photographic Supplies has provided photographic enthusiasts and professionals across America with quality photographic products. Lomography films.

Notes

[1]
Size 110 is the generally used name. It was the Eastman Kodak number for this film and was adopted by major film producers. Back

References