26mm 1:2.0 lens
Good condition
With leather carry case

In March 1972, Eastman Kodak announced a new film system called “Pocket Instamatic.” Compared to the Instamatic 126 system’s 13 x 17 mm picture size, the Pocket Instamatic was much smaller.

Cautious about entering this market, Canon concluded that the specifications and features had to be good enough to please users. The 110ED had a 26mm f/2 lens with 5 elements in 4 groups. The large aperture boosted focusing performance with a coincidence rangefinder. For exposure control, there was aperture-priority EE. The camera also had a built-in date imprinting function, making it a high-end model.

Introduced in 1975, the 110 ED was aimed at discerning photographers who required better quality results from this new system than most early 110s offered, being basically designed as they were for point and shoot use requiring little or no photographic knowledge. Most manufacturers did, however, produce some advanced models for this segment of the market once it took hold, Kodak included.

The camera is designed around a high quality, 5-element, f2 lens with rangefinder focus and aperture priority exposure control with an optional date imprinting feature. The whole is enclosed in a quite heavy, solidly made body with controls well placed for easy operation taking the easy loading 110 cartridges. A sliding, two part cover protects the lens, finder and meter cell and must be fully open before the camera will operate.

Film speed is communicated automatically with the camera in Kodak’s system using a long or short ridge on the end of the cartridge. The ridge presses down a sensing lever or pad for slow film or leaves it untouched for fast. On the simplest models this alters the aperture set by any aperture or weather symbol selections offered or the exposure meter if one is fitted.

On its introduction Kodak offered ISO 80 monochrome and ISO 200 colour negative films. Other manufacturers set their film speeds to varying though similar values. In Canon’s case, they rather pragmatically took the easy way out with the 110 ED and didn’t include a sensor at all setting the film speed to ISO 100 whatever film is inserted. A logical solution from a commercial point of view, avoiding the expense and complication of variable film speeds. At the time, it would be a fairly safe arrangement, close to the ideal for monochrome and well within the latitude of the colour negative film most would be using. The Canon 110 ED 20 would have to be introduced later with variable film speed settings when ISO 400 films came on the scene.

Controls are grouped in a panel that falls naturally under the right fingers with film advance under the right thumb so no change in grip is needed at any point in normal use. The panel contains sliders for focus and aperture, plus the shutter release with a cable release socket alongside. The focus slider is ridged and the exposure slider smooth but click-stopped so both can be identified by touch with the cameras at the eye. A nice design touch.

The film door is released with a latch and opens to expose the film chamber, large rear element of the f2 lens and the battery chamber. The battery is a modern, readily obtainable 6v cell housed under a cap which if removed, should the battery die, allows the shutter to operate manually at a fixed 1/125 sec. To remove the battery mid-film, however, would mean the loss of some frames when opening the film chamber door. The film door has no conventional hinges and relies on a full length flexible plastic connection. This works well, if a little stiffly and shows no sign of fatigue in the plastic.

The viewfinder has a suspended frame with parallax markings and warning lights for over or under exposure on either side of the frame lines.

There is a hot shoe for a dedicated flash on the top plate and a tripod thread on the base.

As mentioned, a date imprinting feature is provided, set with wheels in a panel on the left hand end of the body. Any date set is shown on the top plate and also in the finder when the release is pressed or it can be set to blank. Since the years only go from 78 to 88 it has limited value now. Single digits from 0-9 can be set to indicate the year within a decade.

A battery check is provided in the same panel as the date setting controls.

There is a recessed lever located below the bottom edge of the film gate that senses if a cartridge is loaded. This is linked to the shutter and, if the sensor pin in the edge of the film gate has not risen into a film perforation but the cartridge sensor is depressed it will block the shutter release. This will be to prevent premature shutter release and ensure framing lines up with the preprinted frames on 110 film in combination with the sprocket holes.