Holga camera - is it worth $20?

[DougK]

Got mine for $24.95 + S&H from Calumet Photo with five rolls of 400 speed Ilford, figuring if the camera really sucked at least I got a decent price on the film. I'm still trying to finish the first roll and I'm guessing that I'll have the frame numbers burnt into every shot by the time I finally get around to finishing the darn thing. Still though, I can see the attraction of such a simple camera and it's the only one I don't worry if I drop or not.

I have to admit to having an odd fascination with "el cheapo" cameras in general. I love playing with my Lubitel, in fact I grab it more often than my Seagull when I'm in the mood to play with a TLR. The results can be very, very good if I pay attention to what I'm doing and it weighs almost nothing. It goes completely unnoticed while I'm shooting most of the time and if it is noticed, it draws more smiles than glares.

Gotta love the cheap stuff.

 

[Krasnaya_Zvezda]

Holgas are Chinese? Who knew? Sorry! Boy is my face red. Red, get it? Red!

Here is the story, straight from the Holga manual (courtesy of Freestyle Photo):

Designed and engineered in a factory in China, the Holga was initially introduced to China in 1982 as an inexpensive camera using the most popular filmformat in the country at that time, 120 size film. China was just beginning toopen its doors to the world and photography was skyrocketing in popularity.Unfortunately for the Holga, no one could have predicted the quick and over-whelming dominance that 35mm film would have on the Chinese market andafter only a few short years the Holga was overrun by its 35mm competitors.But by then, word of a special, all-plastic camera called the Holga had spreadto the West and its popularity was growing. Since then, over a quarter of a million cameras have been sold in 20 different countries with almost no change init’s original design. Then in 2000, the original Holga 120S was joined by the120SF version which featured a built-in flash.What’s in a name? Quite a lot it seems, because everyone is wondering wherethe name “Holga” came from. The answer is related to the Holga’s oriental heritage. The name is derived from the Cantonese term ho gwong, which means“very bright.” A nip and a tuck and a western twist and you get the European name: “Holga.”
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[RML]

Holgas are fab! For a while it was all I was using. Then I found the Bessa L.

Lately I'm a bit in a photography rut and I'm contemplating digging up my modified-for-35mm-film Holga again.

IMO for $20 you get a lot of fun. And if it ain't fun after all for you then you only spent $20. 😛

 

[JoeFriday]

RML, I just checked out your blog.. you've got some excellent shots there.. and the 'tree and stone' (10-29-04) photo blew me away!

 

[Stephen G]

I have had some decent experience with a holga. I did tape it up on the outside with black tape and keep black tape over the red window whenever I was not advancing. This got rid of all light leaks, and left me with some decent shots. I just put in light seal foam stuff so I will have to see how that helps.

Checkout my first 2 rolls:
http://www.pbase.com/xx573v3xx/holga
The color shots are x-processed and are 6x6 and before I did much lightproofing. The B&W are 6x4.5 with the camera very well taped up and without the light seal foam.
In the process of light sealing with foam I turned my holga into a 6x6-only camera, so I will have to see how the next roll works out.

 

[GeneW]

A couple of years ago a Canadian professional photographer evidently did a cross-country shoot with Holgas. He had about 20 -- each clearly marked with its particular peculiarity (no two Holgas have identical "defects" or "personality" if you prefer). He shot in 6x6 to get the max vingetting the Holgas are famous for. For his show, he displayed very large prints. A friend told me about it -- the photographer had been interviewed on CBC radio. I don't have his name -- anyone heard of him?

Gene

 

[RML]

RML, I just checked out your blog.. you've got some excellent shots there.. and the 'tree and stone' (10-29-04) photo blew me away!

Thanks, Joe! Always nice to hear praise. 🙂
I have to update my blog one of these days but I'm busy making 2 books right now. (The RFF book nudged me into it)

As for the Holgas, check out http://www.holgamods.com . If 120 format is new to you you won't get a sense of the experience you get with a 'Blad, Bronica or Mamiya but you will experience a lot of fun experimenting. IMO that's what a Holga is all about. It gives you the opportunity to do something completely different from what you're used to do, and the fact the Holga can easily be modified is a clear invitation for altering the camera and altering your shooting.

 

[plexi]

I love my Holga, and just ordered another one with flash!The "new" series. Let`s hope it`s not too good

 

[T_om]

I lost mine. It was terrible too. Not "losing the camera" was terrible, the CAMERA was terrible. I miss it a great deal. Sniff.

But Adorama has the things for 16 bucks so I ordered another.

Then I stumbled across one on eBay for $9.95 so I bid on it and won . But it was called a Holga WOCA. I had already won the thing when I found out it had a GLASS lens! What!? A Holga with a GLASS lens? Who woudda ever though? 😕 :bang: I hope it is not a very good glass lens.

Anyway, I have stocked up on black electrical tape and a couple of extra pieces of cardboard and foam and stuff like that and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new pair of Holgas.

Here's hoping they are terrible.

Tom

 

[afaceinthecrowd]

I've been thinking about ordering one from Holga Mod's ... has anyone here had any experience with them? It seems to be the place to go other than the auction site ... and his prices are fair. I figure by the time I order a fresh out of the box model and then spend the time to make it usable I can just order one ready to go.

Thanks!
dan

 

[holgamods]

Holgamods

Holgamods

Hello All,

I'm Randy from Holgamods. Just thought I would introduce myself as a new member joining the ranks of rangefinder.com this evening......I just picked up a Yashica eletro GSN and a Canonet G-III QL17. I'm expecting to have a lot of fun with these two cameras. I'm so glad I found you guys.

Randy
www.holgamods.com

 

[digitalox]

I have the woca. Its great! I mean terrible! Terribly great!

 

[Krasnaya_Zvezda]

Hello All,

I'm Randy from Holgamods. Just thought I would introduce myself as a new member joining the ranks of rangefinder.com this evening......I just picked up a Yashica eletro GSN and a Canonet G-III QL17. I'm expecting to have a lot of fun with these two cameras. I'm so glad I found you guys.

Randy
www.holgamods.com

Very happy to have you here, Randy. Any true lover of Holgas is a friend of mine, indeed. Great stuff on your site, too.

 

[JoeFriday]

Hello All,

I'm Randy from Holgamods. Just thought I would introduce myself as a new member joining the ranks of rangefinder.com this evening......I just picked up a Yashica eletro GSN and a Canonet G-III QL17. I'm expecting to have a lot of fun with these two cameras. I'm so glad I found you guys.

Randy
www.holgamods.com

hey Randy.. welcome aboard the HMS RFF.. not to be confused with the SS Minnow

 

[JoeFriday]

Then I stumbled across one on eBay for $9.95 so I bid on it and won . But it was called a Holga WOCA. I had already won the thing when I found out it had a GLASS lens! What!? A Holga with a GLASS lens? Who woudda ever though? 😕 :bang: I hope it is not a very good glass lens.
Tom

Tom, was this the auction you won? I was going to bid on it, but kinda forgot.. LOL

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=710&item=7509082404&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[Graal]

HOLGA is a superb camera!

 

[XAos]

I lost mine. It was terrible too. Not "losing the camera" was terrible, the CAMERA was terrible. I miss it a great deal. Sniff.

But Adorama has the things for 16 bucks so I ordered another.

Then I stumbled across one on eBay for $9.95 so I bid on it and won . But it was called a Holga WOCA. I had already won the thing when I found out it had a GLASS lens! What!? A Holga with a GLASS lens? Who woudda ever though? 😕 :bang: I hope it is not a very good glass lens.

Anyway, I have stocked up on black electrical tape and a couple of extra pieces of cardboard and foam and stuff like that and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new pair of Holgas.

Here's hoping they are terrible.

Tom

Dont worry - the Woca still vignettes horribly and its still quite soft. Those just looking for a cheap camera there are plenty of 35mm's to pick up for $25 or less. Even some RF's. I will strongly advise you to stick w/ B&W for 120 film though unless you live in a metropolis, as nobody around here wants to touch the stuff, and I hate paying through the nose for holga pics.

I didn't mind the soft vignetting around the corners but mine lost a whole corner of the image, and so I no longer use it. I actually paid less for my HiMatic 9 than I did the Woca. XA2's both were acquired for $25. The holga does tempt me to build a 120 camera though. Wonder if a 50mm f/1.4 kmount would cover a 6x6.

 

[dominicLF]

The holga does tempt me to build a 120 camera though. Wonder if a 50mm f/1.4 kmount would cover a 6x6.

I have wondered this too. Has anyone out there tried their 35mm lenses on 120? Anyone tried on 4x5? I wonder if there is any referance out there that talks about the maximum coverage of various lenses.

 

[pshinkaw]

I have a couple of Brownie Hawkeye Six-20's (black bakelite). They are adaptable to 120 film, they are adaptable to electronic flash, and they can be modfied to take a tripod socket. They also only cost abouy $3-$5 each. I can insert a mask to simulate the vignetting of a Holga or Woca. I can't see a reason to pay the higher prices for one of them. What am I missing other than a sense of whimsy and humor?

-Paul

 

[T_om]

What am I missing other than a sense of whimsy and humor?

Beside missing whimsy and humor you are also missing humor and whimsy. 😉

A Holga is just not some cheap camera... it is the quintessential cheap camera.

But "cheap" is not the goal. I have lots of old stuff around that is cheaper than a Holga but the problem is, even though they are cheaper, they are WAY "better" and just do not have the same presence as the Holgas.

Tom

"Deadwood", Holga WOCCA, Cheap J&C 120 film in Diafine