Holga enlarger????

I wonder, are the enlarging lenses plastic or glass?
Kurt M.
 
There is a significant difference between difusing an image as it's being made in-camera, and diffusing an image as it's being printed with an enlarger. In the former instance the result is a pleasing glow as light spreads form highlight to shadow regions. In the latter case, the print is soft but also muddy as the dark regions bleed into the light toned regions. I would say the nice effect of Holgas is acheived due to the diffusing qualities of the camera's lens, something that does not translate well if it is used as an enlarger lens.
 
from the ad:
"Improving on a tradition that has made the Holga Camera famous"
I'm not so sure that's the best marketing approach.
 
Looks like an old Meotpa enlarger.

I made a enlarger out of an old Polaroid Land camera (100 series packfilm camera) to print my Polaroid 665 negs. Replaced the lens with a cheap 105mm enlarging lens and mounted a light source made out of metal project box (found at places like Dick Smith and Radio Shack), light bulb mount, light bulb, fused and grounded. Picked up a $10 dodgy enlarger from a local classifieds to mount the unit and volia...

Stu :)
 
I have looked at the Holga enlarger and it is not the same product as the cameras.

I called Freestyle and they confirmed that it has glass not plastic lenses. I intend to buy one [by the way the 35mm is only $100, the medium format is $110 and the enlarger with BOTH lenses is $140

Since the film holder is for both and only the lenses change the cost, I figure to try the $100 on and use my 75mm EL-OMEGAR...
 
Let me know how it goes. I've been tempted by it occasionally since I first asked about it.

William
 
derevaun said:
I had just assumed they put the Holga name on a 3rd party enlarger?
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well freestyle is the importer of the holga cameras, when I buy the enlarger I will check out the paperwork, it does look like a nice little enlarger, older design to be sure
 
dostacos said:
well freestyle is the importer of the holga cameras, when I buy the enlarger I will check out the paperwork, it does look like a nice little enlarger, older design to be sure
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Holga actually needs an importer?! Once these were bought in toy shops and sold on flea markets or garage sales for a penny a piece. Now they're cult cameras and need an importer. I guess I'll stick with eBay. :p
 
RML said:
Holga actually needs an importer?! Once these were bought in toy shops and sold on flea markets or garage sales for a penny a piece. Now they're cult cameras and need an importer. I guess I'll stick with eBay. :p
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Quite!

And the price doubled when the lomography crowd got involved :mad:

Mark
 
RML said:
Holga actually needs an importer?! Once these were bought in toy shops and sold on flea markets or garage sales for a penny a piece. Now they're cult cameras and need an importer. I guess I'll stick with eBay. :p
Click to expand...
don't know if it NEEDS an importer, maybe Freestyle managed to get an exclusive would be more accurate.....
 
I would look at the used market first. You should be able to pick up a better medium-format enlarger for not much difference in price. Maybe color as well - check ebay. Since you get what you pay for, I would not put too much into the quality of the "Holga" enlarger. While enlargers are simple devices, they must be aligned or have a method for alignment.
 
I work less than 10 miles from freestyle and live about 35 miles from them so I can play with the floor model before I buy, it does look solidly built and freestyle has a "no matter what" exhcange/refund policy
 
You know, I just did an interesting experiment in my living room with an adjustable lamp. I cut out a slide-shaped hole in a piece of cardboard, taped a slide on, and taped the assembly over the lamp (crude light source.) Faced it toward the white wall.

Then, I took a holga lens from the holga that I dropped (and broke), removed the shutter assembly (did you know the aperture selector actually accomplishes nothing due to a design flaw?), and put it in between the "projector" and the wall. Lo and behold, I could focus the slide onto the wall!

So, I think I'm going to tape this holga lens onto a negative carrier and take it into the school darkroom to see what there is to see. I'll post results here when I get a chance. :)
 
So I just put my money where my mouth is and did the above experiment: print through a holga lens. To enlarge with a holga lens, you might have to put the lens up inside the body of the enlarger, due to the short focus distance. Instead of mounting mine to the lens plate, I had to mount it to the back of the lens plate, so that the lens sat inside the bellows chamber. Mind you that I had to disassemble the holga to remove the lens; this might not be possible with a fully intact holga.

The results?

Using a bad lens to enlarge a good negative isn't quite as charming as using a good lens to enlarge a bad negative. The holga lens just doesn't have the resolution for 35mm negatives, so the biggest difference is that the enlargement just seems to be out of focus. The good news is that your prints will all be grain-free!

First picture is the holga enlargement to approximately 4x6. Of interest is the diffuse "glow" that you can especially see in the spokes. Second picture is the same negative, same enlargement, but with a schneider-krauznauch 80mm f/5.6 lens. I didn't try to enlarge any medium format negs, they would probably come out a little better.

Next up: strapping the holga lens to the front of a 4x5... ;)
 
Conor, the Holga enlarged print shows some softness that could of interest for some. Instead of having a Holga neg one now can have a tack-sharp neg from any camera/lens combo and create a soft print from it, cheaply. I'm sure someone will want to use it as such. :)
 
Very interesting experiment, Conor! I actually kind of like the qualities of the Holga enlarged negative. Very nice!
 
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