The Holga is a great camera for the medium format beginner. Yes it's cheap, yes the lens is wonky, yes there is vignetting around the edges BUT if you are looking for a dream like quality to your pictures that don't need to be produced using a photoshop like program, then the Holga is def for you.
I love using my Holga(s), they are very simple to use and being made of plastic, are very light. I've never gotten a hand cramp from luggin' around a Holga. :)
Some folks like the unique light leaks, I for one can't stand them, but after about 5 minutes and a roll of hockey tape, the problem was solved!
Everyone has their own opinion of the Holga, but I feel those who call them crap, useless, junk ..Ect. Just haven't really given them a chance. I've seen some extremely cool & beautiful photo's taken with the Holga. Even an award winning shot from a Montreal Photographer!
Try it and see! :D
Strengths:
- VERY low cost.
- Takes 120 film.
- Extremely light.
- Lots of fun!
- Gives great shots!
- I shoot with ISO 100 film in mine all the time!(unless I'm shooting inside)
- Good teaching tool for photographic students.
- Something different from your average medium format camera.
- Easy to modify.
Weaknesses:
- Being plastic, you have to be a little more careful where you put it, lest it fall or get sat on and break.
- Takes a bit of time to get used to the focusing.
- Loading and unloading tend to be a bit of a pain.
- Film has been a little loose inside the camera, but that could just be user error.
- Wish viewfinder was closer to the lens.
- Light leaks.
A lot of people say the Holga is crap, and in the real world. it is. BUT! you work around and with it's limitations and you can honestly produce some amazing images. We have used them on assignment's and while, reprimanded by classmates, our professors were amazed as to what we were able to produce with a holga. also, like the others are saying, it is a ton of fun to experiment with, and just have fun! because that is what photography is about is to enjoy it. besides they are so cheap what is the harm in buying one?
also, just for fun we were putting our flashes on the hotshoes. i slapped my 550ex on my holga, man that was a funny sight.
Strengths:
VERY inexpensive
allows for creative interpretation
fun to use
can come through like a champ on occasion
Weaknesses:
plastic of course
no options
but honestly, they werent designed to be professional cameras, we have to work around their limits and make them work for us.
A piece of crap invented by some very greedy business men( who only think with their wallet and only this,they are ambitious sellers which make idiotic stuff(or better;they let others do the hard work (manufacture cameras(FED):and make the profit by very >good >marketing)pure plastic and nothing else.its like eating a burger and still being hungry!
buy a yashicamat rollie or more serious products who are made by the heart of common sense.
Everyone should own a HOLGA... this is the coolest camera that you will ever own. You nver know what you're going to get with your HOLGA and no two HOLGAS are the same. It's the greatest camera to experiment with.
Splurge and get yourself the HOLGAROID Polaroid back!
I take mine everywhere I go...
Strengths:
medium format, cheap and VERY affordable, great camera to experiment with, don't have to worry too much about settings- just shoot, vignetted corners, ability to make panoramic images. ability to do awesome double exposures, shoot from the hip.
Weaknesses:
takes a while to load and unload film, can't use any film under 400 speed, pretty fragile- if you drop it you're screwed.
Holga's are the funnest camera you will ever own.
As far as I am concerned every photographer should own at least one, I presently have two.
They are a very basic camera with one shutter speed of approximately 1/100 and two f/stops of approximately f/8 and 11.
You can find them stock for about $20 but I suggest you buy from www.holgamods.com. The guy there modifys them just enough to make this imperfect camera a little better.
He flocks the inside to prevent most of the stray light and cuts the 6x4.5 mask to 6x6 which furthermore prevents stray light.
He can do other things too for an extra fee, like colorize the body, add a tripod socket and ad a "BULB" feature. I have the latter two.
As far as I am concerned the only format should be the 6x6, I love it!
I would suggest you use duct tape to seal around the edges around the back. Doing so, does two things; it keeps the back on tight and stops light leaks.
I would also suggest you make a flap from the tape over the "film counter window" again to prevent light leaks.
The process for shooting with a Holga is different than shooting with any other camera out there and that is part of the fun.
I am not sure if I can add anymore than Megan has, she is a Holga artist!
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