Modifying Holga focus

[HMFriedman]

Don't get me wrong; I appreciate my Holga N's finer points: cheap camera mystique, lovely astigmatism/blur away from the center and nice vignetting. It is a the perfect counterpoint to my 4X5 and 5X7 work.

My Holga has (relatively speaking) excellent sharpness in the center when focused closer, but falls a bit short on farther subjects. I know I should love her for who she is, bit is there any way to modify the camera to get slightly improved infinity focus?

Thanks.

 

[mtbbrian]

Randy at www.holgamods.com, does something to increase the focus on the opposite end, I think he breaks the guide or something.
Beyond that I don't know.
Maybe you could email him and ask, I am sure he'd fill you in.
Good Luck!
And please post what you find out and do.
Brian

 

[Silverhead]

Some inexpensive digital P&S accessory lenses (the ones you attach to the front of a Coolpix-type camera) actually fit the Holga--you can literally tape them to the front of the Holga's lens barrel. I've used a wide-angle one on one of my Holgas and it sharpens everything up quite well. Of course, I've had to adjust my visualization because the lens produces a wider image that what's seen through the Holga's viewfinder, but that's not all that terribly difficult to do.

Of course, there are those who say that sharpening the image like this is very un-Holga, but that's another argument for another day...