Holga cameras

[stroker]

What exactly are Holga cameras? they look like a plastic piece of crap and give a odd look to the film. Can somebody explain them to me..

 

[compur]

You've pretty much got it.

What do you want to know?

 

[ann]

and they take a lot of skill to produce outstanding photos. they like any other camera in the wrong hands make crap

 

[white]

They shoot medium format, or you can mod it to run 35mm and get sprocket holes on your image.

I have one, and a Diana+, and I've only ever developed the negs at a photo place. I suppose they're a lot more fun when you can control all aspects of the image creation in the darkroom.

 

[J.Kendall]

They make a Holga that shoots 35mm...so you don't have to mod it and get trackmarks.

And to your original question, just like compur said, you basically hit the nail on the head. And I wouldn't necessarily say that it takes the right person/hands to make one work well, because Holga is just an unpredictable camera that is going to give unpredictable results.

 

[ann]

if one wants to control the outcome then one has to understand lighting, different film types and how they should be developed as there aren't controls on these camera. Basically your shooting at about 125 F11 if your lucky. So in difficult lighting conditions one needs to think which film and how will i develop it; ie. type, time, ratios. With this information one can be more predicatable about the results.

Frankly i modified mine as i wanted the rebate to show on the images , that is a creative decisions.

 

[stroker]

ok, so why use them? couldnt you get the same effect out of some dark room skill?

 

[J.Kendall]

Not necessarily. The camera itself does a lot to the image.

 

[iAstonish]

ok, so why use them? couldnt you get the same effect out of some dark room skill?

Just something different. They are cheap and give a unique effect to photos. Just a fun camera to have on the side.

 

[ann]

no, they do have a different look due to the plastic lens and people like to work with that "look", but the refinement is still done in the darkroom. The personality of that "look" is what leads many to lean how to get the most out of the camera. Others, it is just a fad

there is a whole world surrounding toy camera work. as with everything else, there is a lot of crap and then there are those who master that toy camera and product amazing work.

I just think one needs to be knowledgeable about the whole spectum of the tool before just annoucing they have no value.

Even some software these days are offering a "holga" look.

try these links
john t satterlee - toycamera photography

Index

 

[J.Kendall]

A friend of mine started to get into lomography, but he was too into composed, more realistic, B&W photos to go anywhere with it. I guess it just depends on how much you enjoy working with plastic that determines what you get out of it.

 

[Torus34]

I liken the transition from, say, a Rollei to a Holga as something akin to trading in a good set of bristle brushes and fine oils for a box of 16 Crayola(r) crayons.

 

[Ryanjohnlee]

I had a holga an ex left in my apt I iced it a few times... But the inability to offer me the consistency I enacted, really frustrated me, that being said I gave seen other put out great photos and I know people that swear by them

 

[zamanakhan]

i think u would have alot more fun with a lensbaby and a plastic optic, hower a composer lensbaby plus the optic will cost hell of alot more than a holga