Using Holga with Electronic Strobe

[pjm1289]

Hello,

Is it possible to use a Holga with electronic strobe, as in the curtain? Also, if you meter to strobe to f/8 (as the Holga's aperture is set to), will the effect that the Holga is known for still come out in the shots?

Thanks!
Paolo

 

[reellis67]

The Holga shutter is very simple in design. You can get a good view of one here

http://www.holgamods.com/mods/order/tips4/tips4.html#flash

If your Holga has a hot shoe, and I've not seen one that didn't, you can use an electronic flash with it. The 'Holga effect' as I understand it comes from the single element plastic lens, so using an electronic flash shouldn't have any effect on that aspect of the results.

As far a shutter speed and aperture go, these numbers are only estimates, but that's part of the 'Holga effect' anyway so I wouldn't worry about it overly. Set the flash as you will and fire away!

- Randy

 

[pjm1289]

Okay great, thanks Randy!

 

[Michael W]

Yes flash works great with Holgas.
This is why it's better to get the Holga that has a hot shoe, rather than the model with a built in flash. The built in flash is weak & you can't modify the light.
I have used my Holga with my Canon flash in the hot shoe with excellent results, just know the guide number & work out the distance like in the old days.
I've also used the Holga to fire studio flash systems, just use one of those cheap radio triggers.
Holga look is the same, you are just adding some light.

 

[pjm1289]

Excellent. I plan to use the camera in a studio with monolights.

I was reading a book at Barnes and Noble this afternoon about toy-cameras and apparently there are "2 clicks" with the Holga, therefore setting off the strobes twice. Is this true?

 

[reellis67]

As best I can tell with this camera that is correct. The rotating shutter returns to the home position after you let go of the shutter release, and in the process the flash trips a second time.

- Randy

 

[Michael W]

Excellent. I plan to use the camera in a studio with monolights.

I was reading a book at Barnes and Noble this afternoon about toy-cameras and apparently there are "2 clicks" with the Holga, therefore setting off the strobes twice. Is this true?

Yes, when you push the shutter lever down it fires the flash & takes the picture.
Then when you release the shutter lever it triggers the flash again.
So you do have to be careful in the studio
1: make sure the flash has recycled before you releae the shutter lever, so you are not damaging it by trying to make it fire before it has recycled
2: if you are photographing people warn them that there will be a second flash.

Apart from that it's not a problem & the shutter has closed so you are not getting any exposure from the second flash. I got used to it pretty quickly & just went with the 2 steps described above. If that bothers you then you could probably take the shot & then remove the flash trigger from the hot shoe & then release the shutter. No second flash. But depending how many shots you need to take you will be fiddling about with it for every shot, remove & replace. But that is another option. If you were Annie Liebovitz you could just stand there & have one of your assistants remove & replace it.