Film For Use With Unmodified Holga?

[htmlguru4242]

I'm going to pick up a Holga tomorrow in NYC while I'm at B&H and take pictures around the city with it.

Taking into account the utter crappiness of the Holga, is there any 120 film that anybody has found works best? My usual films are Tri-X & Plus-X (which I have a pro-pack (5 rolls) of. Do these work well, or is the Holga like other cameras where the film makes almost no difference?

Also, has anyboby had success with IR film in the Holga?

 

[Amund]

I find the forgiveness of Tri-X perfect for my Holga....

 

[PhotoPete]

I second TRI-X. Soup it in Diafine for some additional exposure compensation...

 

[htmlguru4242]

Thanks for the info. I love Tri-X, so I'll continue using it. Diafine, though, never used that before, though perhaps I'll pick some up in the city tomorrow. It's a little out of my budget, though, doesn't acufine do the same thing?

 

[battra92]

Thing with the Holga is, to just have fun with it. Personally I have used 120 slide in it for giggles. The Holga is like f/8 at 1/100th so keep that in mind when you pick film speed.

.

 

[timeUnit]

I choose the film for the light. On bright sunny days I go with a 50 or 100 iso film. on cloudy I choose a 400 film. With the flash one can use it in every situation imaginable. It's great for parties! You can count the beers from how many of the later shots that are double exposed! ;-D As a party cam I'd use the 400 film, slide film is great.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Diafine, though, never used that before, though perhaps I'll pick some up in the city tomorrow. It's a little out of my budget, though, doesn't acufine do the same thing?

The thing to keep in mind with Diafine is that, as a 2-bath developer, you can keep reusing the working solutions as long as there's enough to cover the film and still get the same results. Better, you can replenish it by making up the lost volume in Bath A with fresh solution, and pouring off enough Bath B to add the same amount, and it will literally last decades. Because of this longevity, you can't look at the price quite the same way as you might with developers that get used up.

And yes, Diafine does some of the same things Acufine does -- it gives a significant EI increase and a real speed increase with most films, but because it's two baths and the same time for a broad range of temperatures and all films, you can do stuff like mix Tri-X, Plus-X, and Delta 3200 in the same tank, as well as develop without a thermometer or even a fancy timer -- just look at you watch, since a little extra time won't hurt anything. And when it's 85F out, and you don't have any water in the fridge, Diafine is the best thing you can possibly use; it'll give practically the same development as it would at 65F.

However -- if you shoot Tri-X at EI 400 and develop in Diafine, though still printable (with patience -- exposures will run long), the negatives will be so dense as to be impossible to scan (speaking from experience on a scanner that holds to a rather strong Dmax). Some folks consider the EI 1600 recommended by Diafine's maker as a little high, but EI 1000 is a very good compromise -- and *way* out of the Holga's range in daylight, unless it's deeply cloudy and looks like about to open up a downpour. Plus-X at EI 400 (for Diafine) would be a much better choice, even outdoors, in NYC (IMO).

BTW, don't forget to take along or buy a roll of black tape for the back of the Holga -- without it, the light leaks might make your first rolls more experimental than you want...

 

[wfe]

In my experience lots of light is necessary with 400 speed film. I am going to try Delta 3200 in the Holga and see what happens. I agree with the others, just have some fun.

 

[PhotoPete]

Donald is right about Diafine and Tri-X shot in full sun. However, you can also coax a third aperature from the Holga by moving the aperature control halfway between the sun and the rain. It is smaller than the other two, although I have never measured it. Of course, you can use another piece of the roll of black tape that you'll need, and fashion your own stop in the size you prefer.

 

[derevaun]

The aperture selector switch on an unmodified Holga has no effect, because the ring opening on the back of the lens (which is close to f/16) is smaller than the opening on the aperture arm (which is close to f/11). Some folks remove the ring from the lens and glue it to the arm. I once tried to ream out the lens keeper cone to open it to a wider aperture, but the shutter itself limits it to around f/7.

In any case, I shoot 400 speed in the Holga and just hope for the best. In the Pacific Northwest, I get more thin negs than dense. If I were serious about it, I'd use Rodinal 1:100 stand and agitate for highlights according to notes taken diligently when shooting. Being serious, shooting with a Holga, taking notes. I'm cracking myself up here!

 

[gnashings]

I guess I have felt that giving too much thought to film, etc., is out o keeping with the spirit of a Holga in the first place. No criticism of those who do, just my approach to the camera has been such that I feel more "in the spirit" of a Holga to just drop whatever I have in there and see what comes out. Having said that, it has been my experience, that with an unmodified Holga, a 400 speed film is just right for sunny - bright conditions, however, a little bit too slow for overcast/evening type conditions. As such, I have taken to pushing 400 film to 800 - seems to work. I know that "pushing" (aside from being a bit of a misnomer) has many drawbacks, and there is no magic bullet - the film is as fast as it is - but given the whole nature of a Holga, well, it seems to give me great results. And I love the Holga - I think you will too!

Peter.

 

[PhotoPete]

The aperture selector switch on an unmodified Holga has no effect, because the ring opening on the back of the lens (which is close to f/16) is smaller than the opening on the aperture arm (which is close to f/11).

You are so right! I can't believe I forgot a feature of the stock Holga...shame on me.

 

[winger]

I tend to put any expired film I have into my Holga. Usually that's 400, anyway. I'd like to try some 35mm, but haven't gotten around to it, yet.
Tri-X gets my vote, though. That'll go in even if it isn't expired.

 

[htmlguru4242]

Well, I ran two rolls of Tri-X 320 through the Holga in New York. The camera is actually pretty neat (though I did feel a little silly walking around with a huge plastic camera coated in tape ...). I haven't developed the shots yet, but I will tomorrow, so I'll hope for the best. I'll post scanse of the contact sheets when I get them done.

The first roll is going to be quite interesting, as I exposed the film for 6x4.5cm exposures with the 6x6 mask in; the overlap will be "interesting" ...

Thanks for all the help.

 

[jtsatterlee]

HP5 developed in Pyrocat HD

usually a 1:1:100 dilution semi stand development, 16 minutues (bright and clear day)

i adjust dilution ratios and time as the light level decreases.

in regards to the comment above about Delta 3200, i have shot that side by side with HP5 (same light) and gotten better results with HP5 (developed in P-HD 2:2:100 semi stand for 30 minutes) (In other words I do not use, or ever recommend Delta 3200)

if the neg is too thin, i put it in some selenium

 

[celluloidpropaganda]

I don't bother taping the most recent Holgas. The back stays on well enough and the worst light leaks I encountered are now blocked by the 6x6 mask. I just flock the mask and back, slap some tape over the counter window and go.