Aperture Choices For Holga?

[jyl]

As mentioned on "Other 35mm", I've acquired a Holga. This camera can be modified to allow two choices of aperture to go with the single shutter speed of appx 1/125. Neither aperture can be large/faster than appx f5.6.

What two apertures would you choose, if you shot Tri-X and FP4+?

How would the answer change if pushing and ND filters were also in your toolkit?

 

[rover]

My Holga has settings for two apertures build in, sorta F/8 and kinda F/11. Along with the 1/100ish shutter speed that does me fine.

 

[jyl]

I can't tell what my Holga's aperture is. I have developed one roll of Tri-X and it sort of behaves like f11, assuming the shutter speed is appx 1/125. The slider for a second aperture doesn't actually do anything on my camera.

Anyway, using Tri-X at 1/125, a bright sunny day is f32, a cloudy day is f16, open shade is f8, and various darker conditions (dusk, deeper shadow, some indoors) is sort of f4-ish. So maybe f8 and f16, a 2-stop range? I'm warming up my drill . . .

 

[rover]

Tape a yellow filter over the lens. I have been casually looking for a yellow and orange used Conkin filters. That will allow you to manipulate the exposure a little and you will not have to compromise the craftsmanship with which the Holga is built.

 

[jyl]

I took apart a junk lens recently and the bits are still laying around. I notice the aperture diaphragm would fit inside the Holga lens.

 

[rover]

Well, two schools of thought.

1) If you are going to play around changing a camera, a Holga is the one to use.

2) You are messing with the divine purity of the Holga, leave it alone and just enjoy it 🙂.

 

[Krasnaya_Zvezda]

Well, two schools of thought.

1) If you are going to play around changing a camera, a Holga is the one to use.

2) You are messing with the divine purity of the Holga, leave it alone and just enjoy it 🙂.

Agreed. It is a travesty to modify a Holga. It's like putting power windows, locks, cruise control and a DVD player in a Triumph Spitfire.

 

[jyl]

I think of it as adding a V8 to an AC Ace - which gave us the AC Cobra.

 

[rbiemer]

Agreed. It is a travesty to modify a Holga. It's like putting power windows, locks, cruise control and a DVD player in a Triumph Spitfire.

Seems more like leather seats and a turbo in a Yugo or Trabant. 😱
I modified one by changing the shutter speed to B and whacked a pinhole in place of the lens. Some where down the road I'd like to cut it in half and see how far I can stretch the film gate.6x18 or 20 maybe?
Not something I'm in a big hurry to do,though.
My vote: f200 or so.
Rob

 

[sockdaddy]

just to chime in on what's already being said:

the Holga shutter speed is 1/125

the apertures are supposed to be f/8 and f/11, but there's a mask in front of the iris, so you only get f/11 unless you modify your camera.

just use sunny-16 and have some fun!

 

[jyl]

Too late, I cut away the end of the lens inner barrel and removed the secondary aperture arm, and installed an aperture diaphragm from a junk lens. Now I have the full range of apertures, up to however large the shutter opening is, but I have to get good at judging aperture by eye, or figure out a way to calibrate the aperture lever.