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Thank you sir for this fine video. A friend of mine wants to give me his Holga so, I can get into medium format film. Your video is the first one I found and view. I love your enthusiasm and full heartiness toward the art of photography in the use of this camera. I would also like to thank your girlfriend for sharing those very, very, interesting photos you showed us. Thank you so, much. God Bless. Roger

My Dad just gifted me with his Olympus OM-1 for my birthday yesterday and it needs to be cleaned. I can't wait to use it! Thank you for making this video, it was extremely helpful!

Do you need batteries for this?

Please never use the film advance lever without an empty spool in the advance position. It can case film advance problems with pacing and alignment.

I just purchased this camera and your tutorial/intro is by far the best. I started out w/ 35mm film camera years ago, then switched over to DSLR/M. I'm now going back to film and starting with the Yashica Mat-124G. Yes, it does look a little intimidating at first, so I appreciate your video. Great work!

I shoot all formats. I choose what I want to shoot with what format. I have learned to develop and print all my own stuff. I have never sent film out to be processed or scanned. Too much money plus I like doing it myself. Great video letting people know about the pros and cons of different formats. I learned on MF so 35mm is fun for the amazing gear (cameras) but the negatives of MF are what has kept me there.

So which battery is the alternative one?❤

Hi Hamilton, great video! I just bought a Olympus OM-1 and Im using a Kodak Ultra Max 400 film. I wanted to ask you what settings (iso and shutter speed) would you recommend for a sunny day. Thanks a lot! 😊

I shoot every format from 35mm to 8x10. I've shot 4x5 and 120 for thirty years. Some thoughts. Yes, using something like a Rolleiflex is a lot more fun to shoot, and it's considerably cheaper. However, 4x5 is more versatile. You can use lenses from any period in history. I sometimes use lenses from the 1840s and 1850s, followed by fascinating lenses from the 1920s. You can shoot film, dry plate, wet plate, paper negatives and so on. A 4x5 contact print, selenium toned, looks beautiful and is very archival. And that gets into something else. Developing your own b&w film is easy and not expensive. You can scan with a digital camera. With 4x5 (and 5x7 is better) you can make terrific contact prints in a small darkroom (or your bathroom.) You can process color film at home, but you don't save much money and it is a bit time consuming. SO, for those just wanting to try film, I'd agree a 120 roll film based camera is a better choice. For those really into photography and wanting to explore options, a 4x5 is great.

15:58 the elderly man looks like Steve Mccurry the famous photographer who photographed the Afghan Girl

I cant get my yongnuo 600 ex rt ii flashes to fire when mounted on the cameras hot shoe OR by PC sync cable. Can anyone help? I have the little fp/x switch set to X, Shutter Speed set to 1/60, flash set to manual and wireless mode off.

I bought my Holga just over a year ago. It was my first ever film camera. Now I've got quite the collection, including a bunch of old ones. But the Holga was a great introduction, and this video was incredibly helpful, so thank you so much Hamilton.

Thanks a lot Ward! That's crazy camera, it's my first time using it, thanks to you it's a little bit more accessible

I've been debating whether to buy this camera or not, but I think your video has finally clinched the deal for me! Thank you Hamilton.

Thank you so much for these tips Hamilton, and yes, all creative folk have slumps! Subscribed 🙂👍

I had a Pentax ZX-M, also marketed as the MZ-M. I liked the way it performed. I also liked the way it looked, YMMV. However it was missing a feature that I've come to appreciate on other camera models. It does not have a "diopter adjustable viewfinder." I never needed one until my eyes got worse with age. This probably won't bother most users. There are some add-on diopter lenses but they are rare and not cheap. Another minor quibble is that it has a "pentamirror" instead of a "pentaprism." This simply means that the pentamirror is slightly dimmer than a pentaprism. I bought a Pentax MZ-3 and a MZ-5 after I gave the ZX-M away. They both have the exact same layout as the ZX-M but with autofocus capability and a diopter adjustable viewfinder.

I got one with a broken light meter since i read that its often the battery contact that is broken and that is exactly what had happened. Now i also soldered in a diode and can use it with silver cells

I just entered the film photography with my Pentax MZ-3; ngl it's the closest thing to a dslr feel in film photography and it's also very practical in a sense that it had some modern features on it . I just don't get it why the METAL analog cameras get the most love

thanks for this straight forward Holga camera review. these cameras are awesome and produce interesting, unique images. thank goodness they are cheap too.

I couldn't disagree more about the light meter. Get a working light meter!!!!! It's so important for daily use!

Well, LF is not for everyone. For me, I love the time, skill and patience required to successfully navigate the involved process that shooting LF entails, the risk of stuffing it up, the joy of capturing something wonderful - and sometimes unexpected. With LF you are in control of absolutely everything and that's special in itself. The gear is beautiful and is completely unlike most forms of photography. Certainly there is a cost per shot we're not used to with our digital gear, but for me (and many of my buddies), it's completely worth it. Open a LF camera in a public place and you'll have a queue of wide-eyed people asking questions. I love the look of wonder on their faces when they go under and have a peek at the ground glass. So, if you have no attention span and no interest in taking your time (and spending a few dollars along the way) and are happy with shooting with your phone only, then LF is probably not for you. If you want something completely immersive and rewarding when you get it all together - check it ou! Cheers from Australia - Dave

Why drag people down with the triplex crap camera? Throughout history film has always been expensive. Oil paint and canvas are expensive, etching on copper plates and printing on suitable papers is expensive. Looking at your photos you need to adapt your vision to be an artist.

I have to disagree with a lot or what your saying. Every Photo I take I have in mind and enlargement bigger than 8x10. Now I am old and when and Sure don't like carrying a big load when I go out to shoot. I am lucky though I can get and get around. I just load up my walker with a digital full frame a tripod and the 4x5 and just a few film holders. I might compose and shoot dozens of digital images. and just a couple of 4x5.s or a full roll of 120. when I get home most of those digital images I will review and delete. I am able to develop and print the 4x5.s and the 120. It's Not all that expensive. even on my pension. If Ansel Adams had a digital camera Each and every one of this film shots would have been successful.

I am going through this now and it is soul sucking

Thanks I was needing your information in order to buy a film camera. I just ordered it

I shoot with paper negatives which are really cheap, and Arista Ortho Litho (which is cheaper than dirt).

Couldn't agree more. I love my Yashica. It's small, simple to operate, don't have to haul extra lenses around, and it produces wonderful images with a look that digital doesn't have.

Hi were you able to get it darker eventually? I take it you were going for a more slate or black tone

This was my first SLR when i was in high school. The old MX has a superior viewfinder which makes focusong easier, but the meter isn't reliable, but i use sunny 16. The MZ-M / MX-M is a great learning camera for sure.

Did you know Davy Crockett Used one of these during the siege of the Alamo in 1836!? Armed with one roll of kodak double xx black and white 35mm motion picture film he staved off Santa Anna and 2000 men for THIRTEEN DAYS! Learn more in my new youtube short "the untold history of the Yashica Mat 124G" Thank you for sharing! More people need to learn about this camera and its amazing history spanning nearly 200 years! SUBBED!!!

excellent video on a beautiful legend

11:05 actually the bottom button on the lens is the depth of field, for seeing how much light goes into the lens when setting the aperture. Anyway amazing camera. I have the OM-1n version that I still use till this day for the past 12 years. I never use the light meter, I have a separate light meter for that as well. I don’t even know if the light meter on the camera still works and I’m too lazy to find the right battery😂

Just a couple more features that put this Olympus ahead of the rest: Interchangeable screans;Flash type selector button;Mirror up button &viewing dept of field button. I was not aware of possibility of locking up . tks for that. I advise being careful to thread the film leader correctly as stated by you,

I started my love of photography at the age of 16 when I got my first 35mm camera. Now at 62 years old, I was wanting to move over to Large Format, but a back injury put a stop to that dream. Now my heart is just is not into photography as it once was. Mr. Ward, your advice is sound. Thank You for your posting.

Colour 120 is about NZ$25-45/roll 😱

Great result. Have you considered using a slightly heavier paper? Japanese mulberry paper is amazing. Awagami (that’s the brand) is sold at fine art paper sales

I started photography with medium format cameras. I used medium format for about 15 years before I bought my first 35mm camera and before I bought my first 4x5 inch large format camera. Today, I use my 4x5 inch when I need high image quality and/or front and rear camera movements.

You didn't mention main reason for shooting 4x5 which is camera movements. You don't mention tilt, shift, swing, rise and fall. These are the benefits of 4x5. Also to be able to develop each frame individually rather than on a roll means you can use the zone system fully ie develop for the highlight of each frame. These are huge advantages which you didn't mention. Of course if you don't want that level of creative control 120 makes more sense.

97% of what will be on the film you will see on the viewfinder. Not the other way around.

Your camera needs a cleaning if you cannot change the shutter speed without a problem. There are gears on the bottom that can be easily cleaned. But there is also a foam rubber de lamination problem. You should clean any dissolved rubber on the penta prism as it will de laminate the mirror finish.

Yeaaaaahhhhhh buuuuttt....tilts and swings!

So we're not worth a $4.99 roll of film? LOL

about film photography in general, there is this whole generation that never had a film camera in their hands and thus need to learn these (to me as an 'old' person) basic photography skills ;-) No hate intended, it just shows my age ;-) as a kid i learned these things from my father and he guided me through my early photography. And about the OM-1: back in the early 90's it was my first SLR camera, sold it to get an OM-4. I should have stayed with the OM-1 as none of my OM-4 images were better then my OM-1 images... At the moment i am custodian to 3 OM-1 bodies that all work fine and are used regularly. thx for the video 🙂

As far as the cost of film/processing being a big shock, it's not like it's a secret that can only be revealed after buying a large format camera. Every aspect of the cost - whether you do the developing/printing yourself or send it out - is easy to find out with 20 minutes of on-line research. ;)

The OM1 was not Olympus’ first slr ,that was the Olympus FTL.

How about a 120 back on a 4x5 camera, like a Horseman 8EXP/120 ?

Nice video... Yeah, for newbies, buy some spools online so you have a few spares. Shop around; they should be cheap.

I'm 24 years old, all of my childhood pictures were taken in a pentax zx-m camera :) two days ago I told my dad that I wanted to start in film photography, so he gave me his!

Thank you for the video sir

Most people I know shoot black and white film with there 4x5 `s. Cost for one sheet of Fomapan100 (in Europe) is roughly 45 Cents. One 120-roll of FP4 or HP5 costs about 11 to 12 Euro. If one is shooting 6x6 the cost per frame would be 1 Euro/Dollar.......Chemistry for black and white film is still affordable (the more if you mix it with raw chem by yourself)...So, I guess you got my point : shooting 4x5 does not have to be over expensive