Holga thoughts...

BimmerJake

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I know it's a gimmick camera, and i know it's not really legit, but do you have fun shooting with it?

i have a couple of family things coming up and was thinking about picking one up so i can get the hang of 120 film. this way if i mess up in the development phase it won't really be that big of a deal. It's all just for fun, and if something interesting comes out it's a bonus. I'll still have my nikon for real shots.

also, has anyone used ilford 3200 in a holga? i wouldn't mind a little grain to add to the lo-fi effect i'm sure i can expect from the holga.

thanks
 

archphoto

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When shooting with the Holga check the exposure with your FM just to be shure.....
When it comes to developing your film you can under develop the film for say 1600 ASA if needed.
I never shot with a Holga, but hell it could be fun !
The only risk you are running is that you want more of it afterwards or even go for a Lens Baby.......

Peter
 

Sputnik

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The Holga was my entry into the world of 120, and I'll never let it go! Give it a try
 
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BimmerJake

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what type of film did you use? any thoughts on the high iso?
 

Barry S

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Hey--my Holga is legit. It's cheap, light, and takes sporadically cool photos. And fun, did I mention fun?
 

Solarize

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Yep, When I use my holga (not very often) it is usually loaded with Delta 3200. I pull the development slighly and find the lower inherent contrast of quicker films to be quite useful. Check out the attachment. It's delta developed in X-tol and printed on Forte Fortezo.
 

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BimmerJake

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that's a great photo for a $28 camera

that was kinda my though on the 3200 iso. only i don't always know how to express the technical part of things, still learning.

... and didn't mean to offend regarding the legitimacy of holga
 
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BimmerJake

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i mean, it's a great photo regardless of the equipment used... sometimes i put my foot in my mouth.
 

cschweda

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Agreed. Fantastic camera. Here are a couple of my own Holga favorites.



 

rorye

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I love Holgas for many reasons, but Jersey Vic's work stands out as a perfect example of a $20 camera making incredible images. Of course, it wasn't really the camera that did it. Try it, you may get hooked!
 

amuderick

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It's not the camera, it's the photographer. The Holga is proof.

Personally I prefer the glass lensed version. I like my center to be sharp. The edges...less so.
 

Silverhead

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The Holga is absolutely a "legitimate" camera...just look at the increasing numbers of them showing up at weddings, among other places. Plastic cameras do something that no digi camera (and many film SLRs as well) can do--it completely removes the technology issue from the equation. With one shutter speed and one f/stop, the only things you need to focus on are the lighting and composition. The feeling is positively liberating at times.

I also have shot Delta 3200 in my Holgas, and yes, the effect is very grainy. Bright daylight of course blows everything out, unless you process the film at 800 or so. In fact, if you have good, bright daylight--meaning not cloudy or hazy--you should be able to shoot easily in 200 or 125 ISO with few problems. I prefer to do this because the Holga's plastic lens of course loses finer details in places, so for me a lower-speed film will be able to rescue some of those things that a higher-speed film might not be able to get.

BTW, the new Holga TLR is now available for pre-order on Freestyle's web site:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/24012...ens-Reflex-Style-Medium-Format-Plastic-Camera

Figures that they would be the first to get it in this country. This is very tempting...
 
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msdemanche

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I love my holga. What other camera could you use this close to goats. My center is sharp and no photographer or goat was harmed making this picture.
 

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cgmoyer

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Feb 11, 2008
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PatTrent

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I enjoy mine. It reminds me to keep things simple and to remember that the camera is only part of what makes a successful image.
 

Jim Chinn

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I've got 3 of them and use them when the mood suits me. One is original with no modifications except to light proof it. (I'm not into the same light leaks showing on every frame) The second I removed the stop on the focus ring to allow for closer focusing, being carefull not to screw it right off the body and also enlarged the aperture.

The third one I removed the shutter spring mechanism to be able to use for long night exposures or day exposures using a neutral density filter.
 

monosnaps

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The Holga is a great camera, most of my favourite image taken in the past few years have been taken with the Holga. I also like to print from the Holga negs as they print beautifully. It,s a quality photographic tool that does not work with every subject but when you find the right subject it creates magic.
always been happy with Neopan 400 but will have to try the 3200 films soon.
 

Galah

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Hey, monosnaps,

Checked out your site: really great images! (Wish I could do that!)
 

beala

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Aug 1, 2009
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35mm
What I liked so much about the Holga philosophy is that one doesn't need an expensive camera to take good photos. You just need a good eye and a buck fifty for film and a thrift store camera. Unfortunately, now that Holgas are going for $60 at my local photo store, the Holga philosophy seems to have undermined itself. People are paying a premium to make it look like they used cheap equipment. It's like those kids that spend hundreds of dollars at Urban Outfitters to make it look like they shopped at a thrift store (unsurprisingly, these same kids really love Holgas). Anyway, for me, all of this really takes away from what made the toy camera movement so great. The good news is, there are still many other cheap options that aren't as expensive as Holgas.

Also, I don't mean to insult anyone here. I still really love good Holga pictures. It's just that as the toy cameras get more expensive, the whole philosophy begins to lose its charm, imho.
 
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