Why do you like Holga?

Markok765 · Oct 11, 2008

I like it because its a change from my auto, high speed, all metal camera.
The lens gives a interesting effect that works well with many photos, especially nature, night, and building photos. Its light, and cheap [though the price has gone up $7 from the time I bought mine] and is fun to use!

How about you guys?

rorye · Oct 11, 2008

I spend all week making images which I know will look like they are supposed to look.
Holga is a really nice way to bring some unpredictability to what I shoot.
It also helps illustrate the fact that you don't need fancy gear to make great images.
And you can drop them...

Thomas Bertilsson · Oct 11, 2008

I like it because of its imperfections. It removes the thinking of making the perfect exposure and all the technical exercise that it takes to get there. By doing so it promotes capturing emotions, which I think are infinitely more interesting than perfection.
I'm not saying that you can't do that with an 8x10 view camera, but the Holga sure does remove a lot of barriers. That's what I like the most.

- Thomas

Mattjcuk · Oct 12, 2008

Hi,

I enjoy the simplicity of the camera, with the other ones I shoot with, I'm checking the exposure, shutter, etc but with the holga its not really the case. Also I its nice composing the shot and still really not knowing how it is going to turn out.

Thanks

Matt

delphine · Oct 12, 2008

It's purple, it captures the impromptu, and it removes any form of expectations.

dianacamera · Oct 16, 2008

Like rorye, I love the unpredictability of it.

monosnaps · Oct 16, 2008

Its a good camera it produces good images, it's the only camera I have that i can use in full sun and not be concerned about shadows and exposure. We have had very little sun this year so it got very few outings this year. You can point it at the most contrasty of scenes and it stiil produces a good image. The one I use, the film does not lie flat and I get an unusual distortion as well as the usual vingetting and diffusion, all of which I like.

KWhitmore · Oct 16, 2008

It's so cheap that I'm comfortable taking it out in nasty weather like when it's raining or snowing. I like it especially in the winter when it's around -25 (or worse) because it's plastic, it doesn't freeze my fingers to use it. It's an all-season camera!

Drew B. · Oct 16, 2008

I don't...and no one else should!

gr82bart · Oct 18, 2008

Drew B. said:
I don't...and no one else should!

Troll!

Regards, Art.

FredW · Oct 19, 2008

It gives me a break from the careful setup and metering of my LF outfits, and just let me look for images. Its a nice break from routine.

IloveTLRs · Oct 19, 2008

I don't use mine as much I should. The only thing I don't like is that they look kind of dumb and the shutter is loud. Also, the one I bought in the US takes rather normal-looking images :confused:

Akki14 · Oct 19, 2008

IloveTLRs said:
I don't use mine as much I should. The only thing I don't like is that they look kind of dumb and the shutter is loud. Also, the one I bought in the US takes rather normal-looking images :confused:

Does your's take 6x6 or 6x4.5 negatives? With the 6x4.5 mask in, the pictures are rather normal looking because the lens is suppose to be pretty much okay for that negative coverage. Make it a little bigger and you get more of the lens fringe covering.

IloveTLRs · Oct 19, 2008

I shoot it without the mask thingy, so 6x6. I've heard that the Holgas sold in Japan feature more light leaks and "issues" than US-marketed ones. Can't say it's a fact, however.

Polybun · Nov 9, 2008

Have you ever seen a holga burn! That alone is reason enough to keep buying them!

anger me holga, anger me, i dare you! I f-ing dare you!

actually its because I'm a clutz and having at least one camera that i can actually afford to replace at any given time is some piece of mind.

2F/2F · Nov 9, 2008

I like them because they distract people from all the really cool point and shoots so I can get them for next to nothing.

Polybun · Nov 9, 2008

2F/2F said:
I like them because they distract people from all the really cool point and shoots so I can get them for next to nothing.

Not all of us, I kind of enjoy my AF35ML.

sanking · Nov 9, 2008

Sorry to be a wet duck, but I don't like Holgas at all. Nor Dianas. Nothing exciting about the soft look of either of these cameras. I do, however, like zone plate a lot.

Sandy King

Markok765 said:
I like it because its a change from my auto, high speed, all metal camera.
The lens gives a interesting effect that works well with many photos, especially nature, night, and building photos. Its light, and cheap [though the price has gone up $7 from the time I bought mine] and is fun to use!

How about you guys?

Ralph Javins · Nov 9, 2008

Good morning;

You say the Holga shutter is loud? Well, it is going to really need to be doing something to equal my very early Minolta SLR cameras. The "clank-vszzzzzt-flock" of my old Minolta SR-1b told everyone around me that I had just set it off. The early Bronica people might have something to say here also.

nsurit · Nov 9, 2008

I like the images. It is one of the cameras I use for creating Krappy Kamera Competition images. Mine got packed and put in storage by mistake, so I bought a Diana + to replace it until it is rediscovered. I took it on a cruise with me recently (the Diana) and a fellow look at it an said he initially thought it was a Leica. Well, not exactly, but then I guess in the right hands . . . Bill Barber

michaelbsc · Nov 9, 2008

I'm not much of a Holga fan. Try a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, instead. Most of them, but not all, will take a 120 spool in the supply side, just poke a short piece of plastic drinking straw in the spool's spindle slot to take up a little of the slack for the tiny 620 pins, and then you'll have to find a real 620 metal spool for the take up side.

80mm glass lens, f/16 at 1/25 sec. Choose you film based on that expose (PX125 pulled 2 on a sunny day), because you can't change it without disassembling the camera and messing around with it. (Hey, that part is like a Holga.)

MB

asp.artist · Nov 9, 2008

I like it because its light, and fun to just throw in a bag or pocket. So it travels well. And, somehow, it takes some of my most interesting photos!
Anne

sanking · Nov 9, 2008

A friend of mine modified the front of the lens of his Holda to accept a very fancy lens hood. I could not understand why he did this since degradation of the image from lens flare is one of the primary charms of Holga images.

Sandy

nsurit said:
I like the images. It is one of the cameras I use for creating Krappy Kamera Competition images. Mine got packed and put in storage by mistake, so I bought a Diana + to replace it until it is rediscovered. I took it on a cruise with me recently (the Diana) and a fellow look at it an said he initially thought it was a Leica. Well, not exactly, but then I guess in the right hands . . . Bill Barber

André E.C. · Nov 10, 2008

I don't like Holga.
It's an inferior plastic thingy, making lousy quality images.
If I want a low quality machine, I would go for an old folder, at leats there's some style and charm on them.

Cheers

André

arealitystudios · Nov 24, 2008

I love my Holga for a few reasons. Most importantly, I feel its incredibly healthy to use a camera without any bells and whistles and allows the photographer to concentrate on subject only. Like many other photographers, I tend to get caught up in the mechanics of photography and using the Holga is a big reminder that having the latest and greatest Zeiss/Leica/Schnieder whatever lens is only secondary to ones own vision.

I also find the Holga to be a great camera to pull out when you've only got a few moments to capture images. Sometimes I'll take out the Holga when I'm getting gas in the car or while I'm waiting for my wife to come outside when I pick her up from work. I have one in my desk drawer at work and its fun to use when I take a 15 minute break. I also have one sitting by my window to my 5th floor apartment and whenever an interesting bird or cat climbs on the fire escape i grab it and take a quick snap shot.

fun times!

Why do you like Holga?

Polybun

Polybun

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