110 Film

With its pocket-sized design, it's the perfect format for on-the-go photography. Discover a world of charming and nostalgic images with our selection of 110 films. Want to save money on film!? Become a Moment Member (It's free!) and get 3% back on all your film purchases.

Learn more about 110 Film

So you're going to get into 110 film? Congratulations on your achievement! You won't be sorry; an incredible analog adventure awaits. That's exciting!

However, due to a large amount of film available and the wide range of prices available, determining which film will fit best for you and the type of shooting you will use can seem like a daunting task. Over the course of this post, I'll show you how to figure out which film stock is best for you as a novice film photographer, as well as give you tips on how to get great results any time you shoot film.

Since there are so many different styles and stocks of film available, we'll stick to the "basics": color and black-and-white negatives. They're simple to obtain, and designing them is even easier. We'll also assume you're shooting 110 film, which is the most popular 'entry' format for film photographers.

Here is an important and significant first thought: to remember the photographic circumstances and the aesthetic or "look" that you are following. Each film stock has a distinct look and feels to it. Some, for example, use a muted tone throughout an image, while others emphasize certain colors more, resulting in a color-popping effect. Others will maintain quality when using the flash; others will perform best in bright sunlight, and still, others will perform best in the dark shadows!

Although there is no right or wrong way to use film in photography, there are some film stocks that are specifically designed to look a certain way and create a certain aesthetic. Consider the subject matter you're shooting, as choosing the right film for the look you want to achieve is critical.

However, there are some good all-arounder films that can achieve a very desirable look on a shoestring budget and with very little filmmaking experience.

Why 110 Film stock?

Because of its small size and ease of loading film cartridges, 110 film quickly gained popularity. The main reason people shoot 110 film is that it produces a larger negative, which has a few significant benefits.

  1. Small size. The camera's portability and ease of loading made it very popular quickly, resulting in a cult following for the camera and its film. Designers were able to carry a small pocketable camera with an aspect that was very different from traditional 35mm cameras due to the size. The film cartridges were designed with a simple system of notches in a tab on the end to indicate film speed, but few cameras used it, and many film cartridges lacked the required notches.
  2. There is no rewind! With a 110 cartridge, you can usually take 24 photos, and there's no need to rewind the film once you've finished shooting.

An interesting - and often perplexing - side effect of the larger film area is that lens focal lengths aren't the same. You have to remember that a 50mm lens on 35mm film camera and 50mm lens on a medium format is not the same! To get the same sort of shot on a 6x4.5 camera you would need a focal length of approx 80mm. The medium format would also have a shallower depth of field, which may be useful for portraiture but not great for landscapes and other genres. If you were shooting on a 6x6 camera, your equivalent lens would be nearer 90mm.

Let’s Talk Creative Shots!

Need 110 film recommendations? See a few of our best sellers.

Peacock X-Pro 110 Film

With Lomography's Peacock 110 X-Pro Film, you can add vibrant hues of yellow, green, and blue to your photos. After years of absence, vibrant cross-processed hues are once again available in 110.

Best For: Photographers needing a colorful alternative to brighter lighting conditions than the Portra 400 or 800.

Tiger 110 Color Film - 3pack

Can't get enough of 110? Now is your chance to paint your shots with 3 packs of roaring color with Tiger 110! Lomography's first 110 colors negative film will give you fresh and sharp shots. Works perfectly with Lomography's 110 Cameras.

  • Color Negative Film
  • Exposures: 24
  • ISO 200

Best For: This film stock is the best for those looking to create photos with Portra 400’s color profile, but with a higher ISO for low light compatibility.

Orca B&W 110 Film

The crispy Lomography Orca 110 B&W Film might be small in size, but it yields a great depth of field and excellent results even at a short focal length. This 110 film makes for extra portable, pocket-friendly fun. A high-quality b/w film, the Lomography Orca requires classic b/w processing.

  • B&W Film
  • Exposures: 24
  • ISO 100

LomoChrome Purple 110 Film

Lomography is currently the sole producer of 110 format film. Responding to the growing hunger for more formats and more experimental films, we’ve released the new, unrivaled emulsion of our LomoChrome Purple on 110 film. Designed to encourage maximum creativity, this far-out formula forces you to think outside the box, turning blues to greens, greens to purples and yellows to pinks, all while maintaining those rich red tones.

  • Exposures: 24
  • ISO 100-400
  • Color Negative Film

FAQ

Learn more about 110 Film

In still photography, 110 is a cartridge-based film format. Kodak introduced it in 1972 to take advantage of advances in film technology that allowed for smaller format negatives. The 110 film format is essentially a scaled-down version of Kodak's earlier 126 film format. Each frame has one registration hole and measures 13 mm x 17 mm (0.51 in x 0.67 in). In May 2012, Lomography reintroduced 110 film with their own black-and-white film, the "Lomography Orca B&W 110 Pocket Film."

The Rise of the 110 Film Stock Formats

The Pocket Instamatic system, which was introduced in 1972 and is also known as the 110 formats, was created specifically for the snapshooter (not to be confused with the much earlier 110 roll film). The challenge had always been to come up with a smaller camera, and continued advances in film technology now allowed for a much smaller frame size to be considered.

To facilitate easy drop-in loading and eliminate handling errors, Kodak switched to 16mm film, which was again housed in an easy-fit cartridge. The image size was 13x17mm, which coincidentally is very close to the imaging area of the Micro Four Thirds camera sensor (with one sprocket hole per frame).

The film was advanced through the sprocket hole, which re-cocked the shutter and, in some cases, tabbed the cartridge to tell the camera the speed of the film is loaded (which then set the shutter speed). Kodak offered the color negative film in ISO 100 and 400 speeds, as well as Kodachrome 64 color transparency film, despite the fact that the first cameras had no provision for changing the film speed and were fixed at ISO 100. Later on, Kodak's Ektachrome transparency film was available in 110 for easier processing.

How much does medium format film cost?

The price starts at $7.89, but we are committed to going beyond a price tag and offering the best features to carry your photo gear in one place.

How to store your Film?

If you can’t freeze your film storing it in the fridge is the next best thing. Although it does not completely stop film deterioration, it slows it down considerably and allows the film to keep past its expiry date. In a fridge, your film will last at least three years past its expiry date.

For short-term storage, keeping your film in a cool, dry place as recommended will do fine. In hot, tropical climates, you should only store your film for 2-3 months in the open. Places like your linen cupboard, wardrobe, and bathroom are good homes for your film.

Need recommendations to get started?

If you are intrigued about this beautiful format and need help finding out which would be the best film format or type of film for your needs, reach out to one of our expert Gear Guides to help you choose the best film to find the best film for your photos.