6x12 Holgas

HMFriedman · May 5, 2013

I get along very well with my Holga 120N; in fact, I probably do my best work with it. I'd like to try the 6x12 format and wonder about others' experience with the 120 Pan Panchromatic (the 90mm lens version) and the 120 WPC (the pinhole version).

I love Holga's softness and contrast control, but use it (her?) to make images that are more formal than most toy camera work that I see on the web. I do not want any light leaks (I know, that's what tape is for), and only moderate vignetting and minimal film plan bending. Can anyone speak to these attributes regarding either of the two models?

Thanks for your help.

eddie · May 5, 2013

I recently purchased the 90mm version. I've only put a few rolls through it, but like what I've produced. Here are a few I've hand-colored:

eddie · May 5, 2013

Patrick Robert James has some great work he's done with the pinhole, in the Gallery.

redrockcoulee · May 5, 2013

Do not have any images scanned but the images from our WPP have heavy vignetting but no light leaks. It is more of a 6 by 10. I do not really see light leaks in our 120M either most of the time.

HMFriedman · May 6, 2013

redrockcoulee said:
Do not have any images scanned but the images from our WPP have heavy vignetting but no light leaks. It is more of a 6 by 10. I do not really see light leaks in our 120M either most of the time.

I enjoy the vignetting that get in the square format, but worried that it might be too much in the 6x12, given that the lens is only 10mm longer in focal length. I don't know what a 120M is.

Is it the experience of others that the image size is really closer to 6x10?

Thanks to all who have responded.

wilper · May 6, 2013

I've not had any problems with light leaks in my Holga WPC. I shot it on WPPD a week ago, https://photofying.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/roll-85-worldwide-pinhole-photography-day .

However, I have not tried the 6x12 format, but use the 6x9 mask that comes with it.

I have done the HW mod that reduces/removes the vignetting, but I have not shot any 6x12 with it yet to see if it works.

ColdEye · May 6, 2013

I want to try the 6x12 holga too, is the difference between the images made by the pinhole and the one with lens big (besides exposure time)? Also, for the one with the lens, what filter does it take?

Patrick Robert James · May 6, 2013

I've seen Eddie's photos in the gallery and they are more interesting than mine. I originally intended on hand coloring the images from my Holga, but Eddie beat me to it.

I didn't know they made a 6x12 with a lens. I have the WPC, which I bought on a whim a few years ago but just recently started to use, and had to make some modifications to be able to use it the way I wanted. The front area around the pinhole needed to be expanded to get rid of mechanical vignetting. I also filed down the front lip in order to epoxy a 77mm filter ring. The filter needs to be clean if you do this. Any little imperfection, dust, water drop will show up in the photo. I flocked the inside of the film chamber, but ended up taking out the flocking on the long side since it vignetted the image. The short sides are still flocked. I had to epoxy the tripod plate on mine as well since it separated. Finally I had to modify a cable release to fit. All the cable releases I had were too thick next to the nipple to be able to screw far enough in without it falling out. Every modification I made to it was a result of shooting a roll of film and finding a problem. Lots of wasted film. It has been a long road to do something that I thought would be simple! The last mod I need to do is add a shoe so I can use a real level on it. The bubble level on mine is useless which more often than not makes the negs useless. All of this to make images that are low to the ground in wet (waves) conditions. The camera now works really well for what I intended. It has been soaked 5 or 6 times already by waves (salt water). I wouldn't want to subject a real camera to that!

PtJudeRI · May 6, 2013

These look very fun... I may have to get one of these!

mablo · May 7, 2013

I've been using the 6x12 pinhole Holga for a few years now. The 6x12 format is not ideal for a pinhole camera which calls for a more rectangular format. Fortunately the camera includes a 6x9 mask. The default pinhole is too large for 6x9 (appr. 0.3mm) and I changed to a smaller one (appr. 0.22mm) that gives me much nicer results. Other problems I've had are sloppy film winding mechanism which gives you soft wound rolls that leak light and an inadequate, cheap plastic socket for the release cable.

Patrick Robert James · May 7, 2013

mablo said:
I've been using the 6x12 pinhole Holga for a few years now. The 6x12 format is not ideal for a pinhole camera which calls for a more rectangular format. Fortunately the camera includes a 6x9 mask. The default pinhole is too large for 6x9 (appr. 0.3mm) and I changed to a smaller one (appr. 0.22mm) that gives me much nicer results. Other problems I've had are sloppy film winding mechanism which gives you soft wound rolls that leak light and an inadequate, cheap plastic socket for the release cable.

Mablo, where did you get the replacement pinhole? I have been thinking about getting a better one.

HMFriedman · May 7, 2013

mablo said:
I've been using the 6x12 pinhole Holga for a few years now. The 6x12 format is not ideal for a pinhole camera which calls for a more rectangular format. Fortunately the camera includes a 6x9 mask. The default pinhole is too large for 6x9 (appr. 0.3mm) and I changed to a smaller one (appr. 0.22mm) that gives me much nicer results. Other problems I've had are sloppy film winding mechanism which gives you soft wound rolls that leak light and an inadequate, cheap plastic socket for the release cable.

In what way is 6x12 less than ideal for pinhole work? Aesthetic or optical/mechanical problems?
Holgas are famous for their sloppy winding, leading to fat rolls and light leaks. Some people (not me) consider that a feature instead of a problem. I prefer to unload in the dark. I imagine that loose winding would also be exaggerated in 6x12 vs square, softening and distorting the image even more.

pen s · May 7, 2013

Freestyle has the Holga 6X12 with the 90mm lens for 49.99 now, so does B&H Photo. That seems to be the cheapest price I've seen. When they came out they were $89.99 so they must have a pile of them to sell.

jumbosilverette · May 7, 2013

Eddie, Those are lovely.

Russ Young · May 8, 2013

Ditto. Eddie, great work. It once more proves that great vision is far more important than a great camera to create remarkable images.

mtbbrian · Aug 18, 2013

I recently got one, I ordered it from Randy at holgamods.com, just got the stock one with his basic mods. He also does two other versions where he does some major modifications on it, that makes it a completely different camera. Check it out HERE if you like.
I posted some of my first photographs on my blogsite, "New camera Holga 6x12 Pan, New Photographs "
It's a great camera, I am glad I finally got one!
Brian

FredW · Aug 19, 2013

I did have issues with fat rolls, but I found the problem was related to the spools dimensions, and the paper backing between manufacturers. Measuring with a micrometer, I found that between the dimension did vary, with Fuji Easy-Load spools being the largest. It isn't a lot, but because of the manual winding, with no real mechanical tensioning, I would experience the fat roll, if say I tried to wind it onto a Ilford spool. I now keep a spool from each of the manufacturers in my bag, and switch accordingly. No more problems.

FredW · Aug 19, 2013

I use the Holga 6x12 WPC Pinhole, and found yes it is somewhat soft, but not objectionably, and my does vignette slightly on one edge.

horacekenneth · Feb 20, 2014

It appears that the Holga 90 Pan was discontinued. Anyone know if this is the case?

Regular Rod · Feb 21, 2014

The 120 Pan can be made into a first class tool for detailed panoramic work.

http://freepdfhosting.com/b316cbe2ff.pdf

RR

Martin b · Sep 28, 2015

Hey all, this is a question for anyone that has done the mod, I've just put everything together and have hit a little snag. I can't get the camera to focus at infinity...

I used the same components as in that pdf Regular Rod mentioned, a Nikon to M42 adapter mounted clean to the front of the Holga body, 12mm-17mm helicoid, M42 body cap drilled out, but then a Graflex Optar 90mm lens which I got for cheap instead of an Angulon.

With the helicoid, at f6.8 I would say I'm focusing from about 3m far to 0.8m near, but distant objects are definitely out of focus against the test ground glass. If I remove the helicoid and move the lens back by 4-5mm then distant objects appear in focus on the ground glass. So I don't know if the optical centre of the Angulon lens might be a few mm back compared to the Graflex, or are people just stopping down to f22-32 to get things in focus?

I shot a test roll of film at the weekend at different fstops but then flashed the film when loading it for development and it was the last roll I had so need to repeat all of that.

Any pointers or tips would be great, there's a cheap'ish Angulon up for grabs at the minute but don't want to purchase that if it has the same problem....

I've ordered a 7mm M42 macro ring as a test to replace the helicoid which will drop the lens back 5mm, then maybe just have it as a fixed focus camera. The other option would be to start completely removing the front of the camera, or try and mount the nikon/m42 adapter inside the body somehow.

Thanks for any help!
Martin

6x12 Holgas

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency