Why Holga?

C.Hudson said:
Perry Dilbeck. "The Last Harvest".
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A great set of images, thank you for the link.

I'd love to hear from the people who don't get the Holga what it is about these images that they don't get? Is something wrong with them, you could do better perhaps? Come on, you said you don't get Holga, stand up to the plate and tell us why these fall flat?

Steve
 
C.Hudson said:
Modern Holgas do not leak light.
Modern Holgas have two apertures.
Modern Holgas are available with a glass lens, the "120GN".

If you really want to see what a Holga can do, look here:

Perry Dilbeck. "The Last Harvest".

Jennifer Henrickson. Here, here and here.

Chris France. Here.
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I think Holga are for those who are technical-imperfectionist 🙂

Agree with these selections.
I've seen evocative-blurry Holga pictures that are just excellent.

I'd take that any day to me-too, sterile, super sharp, technically flawless shots they parade in magazines these days...

... or extreme-HDR (shudder!!)
 
Holga's have a build in instant character for your images.
By now I own 4 Holga's and added recently a Superheadz. Often carry more than one Holga each loaded with a different film.

When I show my images in public its alway's the Holga shots that get the most attention. Not the work shot with my other camera's with excellent lenses etc.
There for I sold all my Leica's.
Only kept the Yashica 124 G if it needs to be perfect...
 
I've come around to changing my opinion about so-called "toy" cameras. I think, in the hands of a talented photographer, they are a good tool for creating some interesting images. Sometimes superior optical accuracy is not necessary, or paramount, to well-crafted imagery.

I'm also reminded of the mega-popularity of "Hipstamatic" cell-phone apps that attempt to mimic the look of toy film cameras.

I also think that many so-called high-end cameras could also be called "toy" cameras, in the sense that many owners play with them as they would any pasttime toy object, not using them primarily as a source of income.

I've also noted that many Holga-like images, created in the hands of a talented person, are better than many mediocre glass-lens-produced images.

As for the supposed commonly found light leaks in toy cameras, my observation is that when a "toy" camera has light leaks, it's a sign of a crappy design; while light leaks in a classic manual camera are signs that it merely needs the seals replaced and a CLA. 😉

I would also be willing to wager that Holga and Lomo-type toy camera users today are responsible for keeping film and commerical film processing alive much more so than high-end film camera users. Which can only be a good thing for any user of film cameras. Rather than be wary of Holgas, owners of high-end film cameras should embrace the symbiotic relationship they share with fellow users of commercially-manufactured films.

~Joe
 
What exactly makes the "perfect" picture...? Perfect lens? Perfect camera? Perfect film?

Only my honest opinion, but there is no perfect in photography. It's all up to the viewer and what he or she likes. Or more importantly, up to the person taking the picture. I decided long ago that my photos are simply a view thru my eyes and brain. Take it or leave it, it's my view. Every human on this planet sees things thru a different set of eyes, even though they may have similar likes and dislikes. It's like saying we like ice cream, so what's the best flavor?
 
The trained DSLR monkey of Mablo's will take the same crappy shots with Holga that a very well trained photographer will get.
When you get on your picture something you are not be able to pre visualized that's not so much photography of your, it's Holga. Even an untrained monkey can trip and depress the shutter.
Holga is a fun toy, joke, as most of the art became these days 🙂
 
Roscoe said:
What exactly makes the "perfect" picture...? Perfect lens? Perfect camera? Perfect film?

Only my honest opinion, but there is no perfect in photography. It's all up to the viewer and what he or she likes. Or more importantly, up to the person taking the picture. I decided long ago that my photos are simply a view thru my eyes and brain. Take it or leave it, it's my view. Every human on this planet sees things thru a different set of eyes, even though they may have similar likes and dislikes. It's like saying we like ice cream, so what's the best flavor?
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Yes, but it's next to impossible to mach your vision and the result coming out of that camera. It's not about perfect, it's about self-expression. At least I can't, you might... Rosco, can you post some of your Holga shots you have pre visualized and actually went out exactly as you expected to prove your art?
 
Holga sells their 60mm lens with Nikon SLR mount.....I just bought one which I will use first on my D90. Obviously there won't be any of the light leak "effects" but I'm anxious to see how it does otherwise. For $25 shipped its worth screwing around with it. I'll report back on how it works.
 
I believe it is not possible to explain "why Holga" any more than one can explain why they like cats or riding a bicycle.

Some understand, some do not. There is no explaining why.
 
Gentlemen,
Thanks for your answers.
I understand that sometimes, optical quality is not important.
What I really wanted to know is if Holgas have something that a regular low end 6x6 don't.
Is it only about crappy lens, or does the Holga lens have something more?
Is there any point in trying a Holga if I have, say, an Ikonta (scale focus) with a Novar?
 
sanmich said:
Gentlemen,
Thanks for your answers.
I understand that sometimes, optical quality is not important.
What I really wanted to know is if Holgas have something that a regular low end 6x6 don't.
Is it only about crappy lens, or does the Holga lens have something more?
Click to expand...

The unpredictable results, the crappy lens and the fact that is a toy camera is not enough? The whole concept of LOMO is not for everyone but it's very cheap to try. Why don't you try and see for yourself?
Imagine you find yourself in a great light in front of an wonderful subject and you have taken only your Holga with expired before 38 years film inside for a walk...
 
sanmich said:
Gentlemen,
Thanks for your answers.
I understand that sometimes, optical quality is not important.
What I really wanted to know is if Holgas have something that a regular low end 6x6 don't.
Is it only about crappy lens, or does the Holga lens have something more?
Is there any point in trying a Holga if I have, say, an Ikonta (scale focus) with a Novar?
Click to expand...

You are comparing adequate cameras to a toy camera... so yes, if you want to try to create within the limitations of a toy camera, there is a point. It's fun sometimes... try it.
 
taskoni said:
The trained DSLR monkey of Mablo's will take the same crappy shots with Holga that a very well trained photographer will get.
When you get on your picture something you are not be able to pre visualized that's not so much photography of your, it's Holga. Even an untrained monkey can trip and depress the shutter.
Holga is a fun toy, joke, as most of the art became these days 🙂
Click to expand...

There was a time when most camera's were like a Holga. Henry Fox Talbot for instance pretty well guessed what was going to be in his pictures. Weegee used a fast action viewfinder frame, that wasn't precise in its framing either. I'm glad you think you can do better than either of them, but it dumps on the history of photography from a great height to say everything is crap just because the image isn't composed precisely in a viewfinder as opposed to composed in the photographers minds eye. Most of the history of photography for both professionals and amateurs has been about poor viewfinders. But people can develop more advanced skills that relying directly on the image on a clear bright screen, they can use their experience of a camera's characteristics to compose an image. I would suggest that is what is happening here

"The Last Harvest".

and still strangely nobody has come forward to say why these images by a skilled photographer aren't very good, because they are made with a Holga so by your definition they are crap?

Steve
 
250swb said:
There was a time when most camera's were like a Holga. Henry Fox Talbot for instance pretty well guessed what was going to be in his pictures. Weegee used a fast action viewfinder frame, that wasn't precise in its framing either. I'm glad you think you can do better than either of them, but it dumps on the history of photography from a great height to say everything is crap just because the image isn't composed precisely in a viewfinder as opposed to composed in the photographers minds eye. Most of the history of photography for both professionals and amateurs has been about poor viewfinders. But people can develop more advanced skills that relying directly on the image on a clear bright screen, they can use their experience of a camera's characteristics to compose an image. I would suggest that is what is happening here

"The Last Harvest".

and still strangely nobody has come forward to say why these images by a skilled photographer aren't very good, because they are made with a Holga so by your definition they are crap?

Steve
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You are right Steve, some people can really do it! It will be lovely if you can post some of your Holga pictures. I can post now link to Salgado's pictures to show you better shots taken with normal camera but I would be missing the point, would I?
I was talking not only about the framing and composition but not having control over many other important things in photography with a toy camera.
I am glad you like The Last Harvest pictures but I honestly am not crazy about them even there are a few good shots. Sorry
 
And BTW, what you think is so special about The Last Harvest shots that are shot with Holga?
You can get the same or better pictures with normal film camera. I don't see any advantage or superiority over any normal camera in any way... The look is not so special - something you can do in the dark room, no?
What would be your reason of using Holga for traditional photography? Cheap?
 
I'll jump in to the fray, for a moment or two. Holgas are just another tool, another way of taking photos, that removes the technology, the fiddling of knobs, the search for the "perfect" image, removes the "I-have-the-latest-greatest-Moneyflex3000-with-State-of-the-Art-Art-of-the-State" cache that is frequently attached to more mainstream hardware.

I have Hasselblads, and a Mamiya 7II, a Yashica-Mat or two. I have a Nikon F3HP, and an F100. i have Leicas. I have a D700. And about 15 Holgas. And 10 original Dianas. And a Lubitel converted to a Zone Plate. And pinhole cameras made of matchboxes. And a bunch of other toys. They are all tools. Or toys.

But if I just want to go out and embrace the genuine pleasure of exploring with a camera, I derive as much joy from using my Holgas as I do my Mamiya 7II.

I love Holgas, I teach Holga workshops, I have even curated an exhibit of Holga images, which you can check out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvSsu2w-Jvg

If you want to check out some of my Holga shots, you can see them on Flickr here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/princeofplastic/

Bottom line - some folks like 'em, some folks don't. Many of my friends believe me to be a lunatic, which I have no interest in disavowing.

I like 'em, always will.

But I love my Mamiya 7II as well.

Must be nuts...
 
Mark, as I love my leica cameras and the lomo LC-A. But I can be honest about what delivers the good stuff and what the "that specific arty look- conceptional photography lomo stuff" that I call crap ( no offence Steven). That's it. Some people enjoying shooting toys and that's great and some people only arguing about that, fine too.
 
Hopefully these 2 shots will upload.....taken with my D90 and the 60mm Holga lens. Its probably just me but they look more like film than I have seen from my D90 in the past.

6737309469_29e82001fb_b.jpg
6737310991_2a68c54317_b.jpg
 
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