It's Like Christmas!

The Who.
I've been using digital cameras since you put that 3.5" floppy disk in them. My latest was the Sony Cybershot 8 megapixel camera (even has video!). Imagine my family's surprise when "Ms. Point-n-Shoot-n-Instant-Gratification" started shopping for a Holga. What? MEDIUM format? Was I kidding?

The Why.
No, I wasn't kidding. I'd seen a friend's photos with long exposures, double exposures, and the use of a fisheye lens. I asked her a few questions, and she told me a bit about Lomography (Diana & Lubitel cameras, etc.) and also about the Holga. The thing that thrilled me was the fact that I could get a dreamy, ethereal, retro-looking image out of such a camera. Even better, I had to WAIT for a film lab to process the prints for me. For someone who wants things "right this very second," why this was a huge draw, I have no idea. But it was exciting!

The What.
I grabbed my Holga120CFN off of eBay. I also ordered a few rolls of black and white (5) and colour (10) rolls of film. I also ordered a plastic 35mm adapter so that I could load some 35mm film into it (in low light) and send it off to the 1-hour developing at my local market.

The adapter arrived first, and I wasn't thrilled with it as it looked very cheap. Then my camera arrived, and I excitedly went over all aspects of it. It is a cheap black plastic, with a plastic lens. Some Holgas are sold with glass lenses to ensure better quality shots; however, my Holga has the plastic lens which is a lot more fun with no consistent quality.

The How.
I followed the directions and loaded my 35mm film into the adapter, and it worked perfectly. There are a few tricks, like putting gaffer's tape over the red window in the back, but it worked. I shot my rolls of film (one B&W and the other colour), and went into a dark closet and re-wound the film (due to the 35mm; when you use the standard 120, you do NOT have to do this). With the 35mm, you do not have the window to tell you where the next shot is, so you have to count the clicks to know that you've advanced far enough. Lots of double- and half-exposures for me figuring this one out.

When I got the 35mm shots back from the store, I was a little heartbroken. The 35mm pictures were 4"x6" instead of the lovely 4"x4" that the 120 film gives you. I shot at a lower speed (200), so without the flash, you couldn't see very much in the photos. It wasn't necessarily tht the shots were poor quality or grainy, they were just too dark and out of focus. Even with the colour gels added to the flash, I still didn't have a good colour filter in the printed picture.

I decided to put in the 120 film next. It's VERY easy to load and wind, and also advance. All was well, but I was noting that I have a problem with having a steady hand. The shutter release is on the front right on the side of the lense, and you must depress it downward (top-to-bottom). I found that putting the Holga on my hip and holding the camera with both hands really helped out with the shakiness. The best, steadiest shot I get is having the Holga at chest or waist level, forefingers on the bottom, and right thumb depressing the shutter release. I am still experimenting with the extended exposure, which is fun. I'll get the hang of it!

The Results.
VERY interesting. There's nothing like waiting a few days for your film to come back. The Holga has a few beloved characteristics, like the "light bleed" that comes through. This can be avoided by using the aforementioned black gaffer's tape to close all of the seams, but I love the light bleeds. Some people have been known to toss their Holgas onto the pavement in order to beat them up a bit. I love mine for who it is and don't tape or trash it.

The Specs.
The Holga 120CFN has the following specifications:

-Plastic Lens: f/8 60mm
-Apertures: f/8 (cloudy) and f/11 (sunny)
-Shutter speed: 1/100 sec and long "B" exposure
-Takes 120 Format Color or Black/White film
-Direct view finder
-Manual focus with 3 settings
-G.N. of Flash: 12 (ASA 100/DIN 21, m)
-Takes Two AA Batteries (required for colour gel system flash)
-Size: 140x102x76mm
-Tripod thread on base
-Uncoupled advance

I highly recommend checking out a reliable 120 film seller in your area, as well as a film developer (I am lucky to find both in the same photo/hobby store) BEFORE you purchase this camera. Call around; get rates. How long is the processing lead time? Do they send it out, or do it in-house? Usually, 120 film processing is more expensive than 35mm, and also takes longer. I usually have them put the pictures on a CD for me, and I choose which prints I would like made from there (usually 4" x 4" matte).

Get it and remember ... HAVE FUN WITH IT. Don't take it seriously. Carry it with you everywhere, shoot from the hip, and fall in love with at least one shot from each roll. After all, they're your creations!