Minolta Autopak 460Tx and 110 Film.

Update to an earlier post...

The camera my coworker gave me works! A fresh battery needs time to kick in if a camera has not been in use for a long time. That's the good news. Bad news was when I tried looking film up online, I discovered it's pretty hard to come by these days.

New project in 2009: FIND 110 FILM.

Joined 100 Format and Minolta groups on Flickr for info. Checked a local decently-stocked camera shop and they were sold out. So you DO carry it? "Oh yes. More is coming, but I'm not sure when we will get another shipment." Walgreens is the last reliable shop that kept it in stock, but that tapered off very recently since the factory they were getting it from shut down production earlier this year. Kodak is the only maker of 110 film; they were the first and now the last. It's still in small production and will continue manufacturing it as long as there is a reasonable demand. I believe there is, but that's what I thought about Polaroid 600. The last 10 packages of 600 I saw on a store shelf were priced at $19 each. I got to Polaroid late in the game--around 1999--when a roommate gave me a OneStep he no longer had use for. Back then Polaroid 600 sold for $9-11 a pack and there were options. I had some that came in a matte finish and some that you could draw/color on with color pencils or whatever. They were trying all sorts of things to save the company while everyone seemed to be going digital. Trying low end things like those mini-stickers. And high-end. I remember wanting a Polaroid Mio--so glad I never took the plunge.

So this is the thing...Even if I find 110 film, what photofinisher is going to process it for me? That's something you didn't have to think about with Polaroid because the results were instant. No waiting around for 3 or 7 days or more.

Well, at least I am developing a collection of obsolete cameras. I haven't given up yet on the film search.

More on the camera: Minolta Autopak 460 Tx; two lenses built in (normal, telephoto), built in flash...Will photo it later but easily Google-able photos are available online.