The Holga... the legendary plastic medium format film camera; a review and a giveaway!
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- Опубликовано: 4 фев 2023
- The famous Holga 120 film camera. Plastic fantastic? Or piece of cr@p?
Get your very own Holga here: amzn.to/48bqxAJ
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I confess, in maybe 30 years of shooting film cameras, and a good eight years of shooting medium format... I've never tried a Holga. My bad.
So now it's time to rectify that. I've got one, and I've tried it. And what did I think? Well, let's just say I came into it with zero expectations, and I came out pretty impressed!
Please note, there is a giveaway in this video, but I'm not going to tell you where it is or what you need to do, you'll have to watch it!
This was actually a really valuable learning experience for me. I really enjoyed using the Holga, it really put me in a very different headspace. I stopped obsessing with settings and details, and just got on with snapping away.
And the results are pretty awesome. They really are. The pictures that this camera creates are creative, unexpected, unpredictable and glorious.
Let me know what you think - do you shoot with a Holga? Do you like it?
I have four Holgas. I do not rely on them - the results are too serendipitous. When I go out to shoot pictures, I take my cameras of choice, then throw in a couple "play" cameras (generally either plastic or vintage). If I see something that looks like it might be interesting for the play cameras, I pull them out. Frankly, I love the results from the Holgas - the soft focus, the not-quite-random light leaks (they can pretty much be prevented with some work), the internal light flare - love it all. One note: tape the back of the camera onto the body when it is loaded with film - the back can and will fall off.
Had my Holga for many years now and still love it! Recently discovered that Ilford XP2 works great with this camera and can help solve the bad exposure problem. The film XP2 will give you a good exposure anywhere from ISO 50 to ISO 800. Still get all of the quirks of the Holga, vignetting, softfocus at the edges, but the exposure will be spot on.
Good tip, thank you!
With hindsight, using the expired Superia was not a great idea. I sort of figured lo-fi camera would suit expired film, but actually I wasn't able to compensate for the struggles that expired film give you.
A film with plenty of latitude, like XP2, would be a good choice. Best results, for me, were from the HP5. Again, a forgiving film that gave the Holga a fighting chance!
I found your channel a few months back when I was searching for information on the Afga Synco Box so I could fix my great grandfather's camera, thanks in part to your videos I could make sense of the mechanism and the basics of medium format film to do just that (thanks for that by the way). The good parts of your experience with the Holga mirror the positives I experienced shooting that camera, it's imperfect and imprecise with very little by way of features and that made it approachable and a bit of fun. It was the first time I'd shot analogue in 20 years and it's prompted me to take back up film photography, abet with a slightly more featured camera. I can see the Holga being a similarly easy entry point for people, though I don't know if the results are something you'd want to see more than once.
Totally agree, imperfect and imprecise, and that's what the camera is all about. Definitely an entry-level camera, you could use it to find your way with 120 film. But equally, I think a seasoned photographer could have a lot of fun trying to tame this beast and making it bend to your will!
I'll pass this one on, but I wonder whether I will hanker for a Holga again some time in my life... and try to use those imperfections to create with.
A very interesting experience!
I love the pictures of your sweet daughter! You need to tape it all up once you’ve loaded the film, including the red window, btw.
I think you’ll regret giving it away - they’re all unique, and your copy renders beautifully. Check out Michael Kenna’s Holga work if you don’t believe me.
Thank you! She is adorable... when she's not throwing a tantrum!
Yeah I've read about taping these cameras up, definitely something I would do if I was to pursue some kind of series with this camera.
Interesting what you say... maybe I will regret giving it away. But right now i think it's the thing to do. I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the experience, I think it's a fascinating camera, and the potential for exploration and experimentation is definitely enticing... but I have so many cameras that I want to try, so many cameras that I love shooting. I feel the right thing to do, for now, is let someone else enjoy this one.
One day I may look back and curse this decision. But doesn't that go for every decision we make?!
depends on which one you got? I have the 120 WPC Pinhole modified with a binocular lens that is sharper than some of the stuff that you shoot with your fancy cameras in fact, I got photography work with it that pays good money!! extremely sharp set up. But I get it out of the box. Yes, not very impressive but with some camera making skills, good composition, good film it’s extremely impressive and very capable of jaw-dropping clarity and resolution.
Definitely, in the right hands and with the right time and dedicated application to it, an extremely capable camera. I often think after these videos, that I should really do two or even three outings with each camera, developing in between each trip. I learned things about this Holga once I reviewed the images that would have informed a future outing with it. If I had been able to plan my shoots and my compositions with in mind the cameras strengths and weaknesses, I would have undoubtedly achieved better results.
Thanks for another great video! I shoot a lot of my fine art nudes on a 120N using studio flash and get unique pictures that are beautiful in a low-fi way. Keep the videos coming!
Amazing! I think that would be a very interesting exploration - beautifully lit subjects taken with a Holga. I bet you get some spectacular results.
It's a fascinating camera, I totally get why it has the cult following that it has. I am tempted to dig deep into it, and try to tame the beast, try to work with its imperfections and go on a bit of a journey with it... but it's not for now. Maybe some day I'll come back to it and do that. Who knows!
Great episode, really enjoy it and telling it like it is 😂
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Some of those photos are great...and made greater by awful Holga. Love my Holgas.
Thank you! That Holga... I gave that one away, but I've looked at getting another one several times since. Why is it so alluring??
Thanks for the video! I've never used the Holga, like most people, I'm intrigued by it. I think your photos were great as they personified the whole analogue process. I think, you should pass it on to someone with the caveat that after a couple of roll shot through it, they pass it on to someone else to do the same. It'd be a good experiment.
Totally agree, the photos do personify the analogue process. There's something utterly unique about every one. And whereas with a different camera I would be shy about showing the images that were woefully underexposed, with this camera they are what they are.
I've criticised cameras in the past for lacking character, but this camera is 110% character! I'll definitely take a lot away from this experience.
Good idea about passing it on, I'll definitely suggest that to whoever it goes to next!
Ted Forbes did this with The Holga Project a long time ago. Check out the Art of Photography channel.
I've almost bought one lots of times, but I always stop at the last minute. I don't have that much money so I always end up thinking the cost would be better spent on something else. But then not long after I'll end up nearly buying one again...
I've totally ignored it, thinking it was one of those hipster cameras that wasn't for me. But there's so much talk about it, and like it or not, the Holga holds a place in film photo history, so I figured I really should try it at least once.
And you know what, I'm so glad I did. I will definitely take a lot of this experience into my other photography. I'm not jumping at the chance to make it a regular shooter of mine. I'm not that kind of photographer, I know that much about myself!
But I would definitely recommend getting one, if only to try it for a few rolls and move it along!
Wonderful video. I think many of the photos had a feel that is not possible with digital & were quite good. I have the Holga & the Holga panoramic & some of my favorite photos have been taken with them.
I agree, the feel that these images have is not something you can authentically achieve with digital, although I'm sure someone somewhere is trying to sell Holga Lightroom presets!! But that fact that these are 100% genuine, unavoidable and truly authentic is totally the appeal of shooting film, for me.
I really enjoyed this video! I'm similar, never shot a Holga and been taking film photographs for decades. Then last month I was given one and have ran 3 rolls through so far. Got to say I'm loving it! Exactly as you describe - its sh*t, but there is a uniqueness and depth that I love. I've not done any family pics yet but seeing your shots of your daughter I'm going to. Speaking of daughter you should give the camera to your little one to take shots. That could yield some interesting results. 🙂
Alas, I gave this one away to a lucky (?) viewer! But I think you're right, perhaps a Holga in the hands of my kids may give some very interesting results. I may keep an eye out for another one to do just that.
With a model like this, the photos are of course superb. I bet she found it nice you had a nice red camera instead of the more ordinary blackish gear. I think the hp5 worked nicely, but I was surprised from the Kodak gold. Looked like you had really fun using the Holga. I really enjoyed the episode, thx for sharing
Ha ha, yes she was very happy with the red camera! And yes, happy with both the HP5 results and the Gold. As is so often the case with every camera I try out, I sometimes think I should do at least two outings with each camera, instead of one, because you learn so much about the camera, what it's good at, what it's bad at, from the first rolls developed. I'm sure another Holga will cross my path again at some point in the future!
I have a couple of Holgas that I use occasionally. If one is persistent, it’s possible to get some very interesting and sometimes amazing results. The Holga particularly loves looking directly into the sun. Some of my favorite photos were taken with my Holga as opposed to my much more expensive medium format cameras. It can be a special little camera. For those skeptics out there, just do an internet search of British photographer Michael Kenna’s black and white work with Holga cameras. By the way, I enjoy your videos and it’s great to see your new content on RUclips.
Thank you for your kind words! There's no doubt, the Holga has its draws. And there is definitely something unique about the images it creates. The one thing that actually made me regret the decision to give this one away, was one commenter telling me that each Holga renders images differently, so you won't get the same images out of one Holga vs another. Suddenly I felt a bit of an affiliation with the Holga that I had, and wonder if it was the right thing to give it away. Oh well!
Great Video 😊.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
Nothing but the god's honest truth here on this channel people. Oh yeah, 'this is a shit camera' - yup couldn't agree with you more Nick.
Ha ha!! Some people have a filter... I do not. I did my best to express myself without offending all the Holga lovers out there!
@@the120ist Excellent work my friend.
Your daughter is a cutie. I thought a couple of pictures with the Kodak Gold were pretty nice - all things considered. I've considered getting a Holga just to get into medium format but I'd rather get a more capable camera like a Yashica that actually takes a deceent picture,
She is adorable, when she's not screaming or taking a swing at me!
I get why people go for a Holga as a first MF camera, but I don't think you're going to learn much from it. I don't think I would have got very far if I had started with this.
I started in MF with an Agfa Isolette, and when I realised that was a tough camera to get good results from, I got a Yashica 635, and that's the camera that really got me rolling with 120. Had that camera for a good few years, and didn't yearn for anything else for a long time. Definitely the way to go if you want to enjoy your MF photography.
Film has become a bit too expensive to spend it on mere fun in my opinion!
It's a good point, for sure. But then, there are more expensive hobbies, where people waste a lot more money on mere fun!
I do not want your camera… I already have one… May I suggest that you donate it to a local school photography program, so the students may experience the Holga and it’s unique design
An interesting thought. I had to honour my commitment and give this to a viewer, but I do have many other cameras which I could donate to local schools. I'm not confident any of them will have photography programmes... but I'll start looking!
You can actually buy really good working cameras made from metal and with real 3 or even 4 element glas lenses for the price of a Holga. (I just bought a working Sigma SA-7 with an 18-200mm lens in totally working condition for 15 € incl. shipping.) To me, taking pictures with a Holga is nothing but waste of film (and time). The results are that bad, that it is not funny anymore - to me, at least. I know that this thing (I won't call that a camera) has a cult following, but it is nothing but a toy which can produce something resembling photos - out of focus, under- or overexposed, heavily vignetted and mostly blurry pictures. If you are into that, ok - I'm not.
Oh for sure, there are so many great cameras that you can buy cheaper than a Holga. It's actually pretty crazy that I had to pay £20 for this one, when you can get a brand new one for £40! But it was worth the experience.
I hear you on the Holga being a waste of time. I enjoyed the experience, I am fascinated by the results, but as I said in the video, it's not for me. The lo-fi thing is not my goal. Having now tried one, I do understand better why some people love these cameras. I even find it fascinating that, as someone else has said in the comments here, that every Holga is different, each one unique and this one I have is apparently quite a good one! There's something endearing in that.
But lo-fi isn't my thing, never has been. And now that I've tried a Holga, I'm soooo looking forward to my next shoot on 4x5. Give me some crisp sharp details, proper exposure and edge-to-edge coverage!!