Holga
Encyclopedia
The Holga is a medium format 120 film
toy camera
, made in China
, known for its low-fidelity
aesthetic.
The Holga's low-cost construction and simple meniscus lens often yields pictures that display vignetting
, blur
, light leak
s, and other distortions. The camera's limitations have brought it a cult following
among some photographers, and Holga photos have won awards and competitions in art
and news photography
.
Within a few years after the Holga's introduction to foreign markets, some photographers began using the Holga for its surrealistic, impressionistic scenes for landscape, still life, portrait, and especially, street photography
. These owners prized the Holga for its lack of precision, light leaks, and inexpensive qualities, which forced the photographer to concentrate on innovation and creative vision in place of increasingly expensive camera technology. In this respect, the Holga became the successor to the Diana
and other toy camera
s previously used in such work. A Holga photograph by David Burnett of former vice-president Al Gore during a campaign appearance earned a top prize in a 2001 White House News Photographers' Association Eyes of History award ceremony.
Recently the Holga has experienced renewed consumer interest outside China due to the increasing popularity of toy camera
s, and a continuing counterculture response to the increasing complexity of modern cameras.
with a focal length
of 60 millimeters and utilize a zone-focus system that can adjust from about 1 meter (3 feet) to infinity. Like any simple meniscus lens, the Holga lens exhibits soft focus
and chromatic aberration
. Other Holga variants, denoted either by the letter 'G' in their model name, or the name WOCA, feature a simple glass lens, but are otherwise identical in construction. The manufacturer has since outsourced supply of the varying plastic and glass lenses to contractors in Japan and China
There is an aperture
setting switch on the camera with two positions indicated by pictorial ideograms: sunny and cloudy, with a nominal value of and , respectively. Due to a manufacturing oversight, this switch has no effect on production cameras, and the actual aperture is around , giving the Holga just one aperture. However, these cameras are easily modified to provide two usable settings. Apertures of and work well for ISO200 speed films, while settings of and tend to suit faster films of around ISO400.
The Holga has one shutter speed - approximately 1/100th of a second. The camera can shoot 16 exposures per 120 roll in 6x4.5cm format or 12 exposures in 6x6 format. Film is advanced by a knob on the top of the camera, and frame numbers printed on the backing paper of the film can be viewed through a red window on the back of the Holga. The number of frames chosen is indicated by the black arrow.
Some modifications permit the use of other film formats:
120 film
120 is a film format for still photography introduced by Kodak for their Brownie No. 2 in 1901. It was originally intended for amateur photography but was later superseded in this role by 135 film...
toy camera
Toy camera
Toy cameras are simple, inexpensive film box cameras made almost entirely out of plastic, often including the lens. The term is misleading, since they are not merely 'toys' but are in fact capable of taking photographs. Many were made to be given away as novelties or prizes...
, made in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, known for its low-fidelity
Low fidelity
Low fidelity or lo-fi describes a sound recording which contains technical flaws such as distortion, hum, or background noise, or limited frequency response...
aesthetic.
The Holga's low-cost construction and simple meniscus lens often yields pictures that display vignetting
Vignetting
In photography and optics, vignetting is a reduction of an image's brightness or saturation at the periphery compared to the image center. The word vignette, from the same root as vine, originally referred to a decorative border in a book. Later, the word came to be used for a photographic...
, blur
Focus (optics)
In geometrical optics, a focus, also called an image point, is the point where light rays originating from a point on the object converge. Although the focus is conceptually a point, physically the focus has a spatial extent, called the blur circle. This non-ideal focusing may be caused by...
, light leak
Light leak
A light leak is a hole or gap in the body of a camera where light is able to "leak" into the normally light-tight chamber, exposing the film or sensor with extra light. This light is diffuse, although parts within the camera may cast shadows or reflect it in a particular way. For most purposes this...
s, and other distortions. The camera's limitations have brought it a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
among some photographers, and Holga photos have won awards and competitions in art
Fine art photography
Fine art photography refers to photographs that are created in accordance with the creative vision of the photographer as artist. Fine art photography stands in contrast to photojournalism, which provides a visual account for news events, and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to...
and news photography
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
.
History
The Holga camera was designed by T. M. Lee in 1981, and first appeared outside China in 1982 with its appearance in Hong Kong. At the time, 120 rollfilm in black-and-white was the most widely available film in mainland China. The Holga was intended to provide an inexpensive mass-market camera for working-class Chinese in order to record family portraits and events. However, the rapid adoption of the 35mm film format due to new foreign camera and film imports virtually eliminated the consumer market for 120 rollfilm in China. Seeking new markets, the manufacturer sought to distribute the Holga outside mainland China.Within a few years after the Holga's introduction to foreign markets, some photographers began using the Holga for its surrealistic, impressionistic scenes for landscape, still life, portrait, and especially, street photography
Street photography
Street photography is a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions and other settings....
. These owners prized the Holga for its lack of precision, light leaks, and inexpensive qualities, which forced the photographer to concentrate on innovation and creative vision in place of increasingly expensive camera technology. In this respect, the Holga became the successor to the Diana
Diana camera
The Diana camera is a plastic-bodied box camera utilizing 120 rollfilm. Most versions take 16 photographs per roll in a non-standard format of 4.2cm square using a simple plastic meniscus lens, although some are capable of 12 6 x 6cm exposures...
and other toy camera
Toy camera
Toy cameras are simple, inexpensive film box cameras made almost entirely out of plastic, often including the lens. The term is misleading, since they are not merely 'toys' but are in fact capable of taking photographs. Many were made to be given away as novelties or prizes...
s previously used in such work. A Holga photograph by David Burnett of former vice-president Al Gore during a campaign appearance earned a top prize in a 2001 White House News Photographers' Association Eyes of History award ceremony.
Recently the Holga has experienced renewed consumer interest outside China due to the increasing popularity of toy camera
Toy camera
Toy cameras are simple, inexpensive film box cameras made almost entirely out of plastic, often including the lens. The term is misleading, since they are not merely 'toys' but are in fact capable of taking photographs. Many were made to be given away as novelties or prizes...
s, and a continuing counterculture response to the increasing complexity of modern cameras.
120
- Holga 120S – The original Holga, since discontinued. Fixed shutter speed, adjustable focus, plastic 60mm f/8 meniscus lens, two-position f-stop switch, hot shoe, and 6x4.5 cm film mask.
- WOCA - A Holga 120S with a Japanese-supplied glass meniscus lens, since discontinued and replaced by the Holga 120GN, which recalled the lens nomenclature for menisca.
- Holga 120N – Updated version with plastic 60mm f/8 lens, tripod mount, bulb exposure mode, improved film counter window switch, foam inserts to provide film spool tensioning, and an additional 6x6cm film mask
- Holga 120SF – A standard Holga 120S, with built-in flash
- Holga 120FN – A Holga 120N with built-in flash
- Holga 120CFN – A Holga 120FN with built-in color flash
- Holga 120GN – A Holga 120N with glass lens
- Holga 120GFN – A Holga 120FN with glass lens and built-in flash
- Holga 120GCFN – A Holga 120FN with color flash and glass lens
- Holga 120TLR - A Holga 120CFN with a twin-lens reflex (TLR) viewfinder in lieu of the standard viewfinder, with a relocated color flash
- Holga 120GTLR - A Holga 120TLR with glass lens
- Holga 120PC – A pinhole version of the 120N using 6x4.5 cm or 6x6cm format
- Holga 120WPC – A wide pinhole version of the 120N using 6x9 or 6x12cm format
110
- Holga Micro 110 - Standard 26 mm 110 holga
- Holga 110 TFS - A 110 camera with a switchable standard, and panorama format
24×36mm
- Holga 135 – A Holga with 35mm film
- Holga 135BC – A Holga already made for 35mm film, plastic lens and the same lens mount of the Holgas 120 but with 47mm lens, f1:8 or 1:11 and shutter speed 1/100. "BC" means "Black Corners"; the 135BC model has a built in transparent mask which creates a vignettingVignettingIn photography and optics, vignetting is a reduction of an image's brightness or saturation at the periphery compared to the image center. The word vignette, from the same root as vine, originally referred to a decorative border in a book. Later, the word came to be used for a photographic...
effect - Holga 135PC – The pinhole version of the Holga 135 BC
- Holga 135AFX – 38 mm f/3.8 lens with infrared autofocus, automatic film load, built-in pop-up flash and interlock shutter release
- Holga K202 – Meow Kitty camera in the shape of a cat face with blinking lights and cat sound.
- Holga K200N - A 35mm film point-and-shoot Holga with colour flash and a dismountable fisheye.
- Holga K200NM - The K200N plus a fisheye viewer and a multiple exposure button.
- Holga 135TIM - A half-frame 35mm Holga.
- Holga 135TLR - A Holga 35mm twin lens reflex.
Lenses
- Holga HL-C - A 60mm f/8 Holga lens with Canon EF mountCanon EF lens mountIntroduced in 1987, the EF lens mount is the standard lens mount on the Canon EOS family of SLR film and digital cameras. EF stands for "Electro-Focus": automatic focusing on EF lenses is handled by a dedicated electric motor built into the lens...
. - Holga HL-N - A 60mm f/8 Holga lens with Nikon F-mountNikon F-mountThe Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
. - Holga HL(W)-OP - A 25mm f/8 Holga lens with Micro Four ThirdsMicro Four Thirds systemThe Micro Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Panasonic, and announced on August 5, 2008, for mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras and camcorders design and development...
mount, with lettering for Olympus PEN cameras. - Holga HL(W)-PLG - A 25mm f/8 Holga lens with Micro Four Thirds mount, with lettering for Panasonic Lumix G cameras.
- Holga HL(W)-SN - A 25mm f/8 Holga lens with Sony E mountSony E mountThe E-mount is a lens mount with basic open specification designed by Sony for their New E-mount Experience series of camcorders and mirrorless cameras.Initially this mount is implemented in Sony Alpha NEX-3 and NEX-5. E-mount integration into Sony camcorder products is provided with the Sony...
. - Holga HL(W)-SSN - A 25mm f/8 Holga lens with Samsung NX mountSamsung NX mountThe Samsung NX-mount is the lens mount used on NX series mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras by Samsung. The mount was first implemented in the Samsung NX10, and Samsung initially referred to the NX line as 'hybrid digital cameras', citing their combination of attributes of both DSLR and...
.
Lens and Aperture Settings
Most Holga cameras use a single-piece plastic meniscus lensPhotographic lens
A camera lens is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in...
with a focal length
Focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
of 60 millimeters and utilize a zone-focus system that can adjust from about 1 meter (3 feet) to infinity. Like any simple meniscus lens, the Holga lens exhibits soft focus
Soft focus
In photography, soft focus is a lens flaw, in which the lens forms images that are blurred due to spherical aberration. A soft focus lens deliberately introduces spherical aberration in order to give the appearance of blurring the image while retaining sharp edges; it is not the same as an...
and chromatic aberration
Chromatic aberration
In optics, chromatic aberration is a type of distortion in which there is a failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point. It occurs because lenses have a different refractive index for different wavelengths of light...
. Other Holga variants, denoted either by the letter 'G' in their model name, or the name WOCA, feature a simple glass lens, but are otherwise identical in construction. The manufacturer has since outsourced supply of the varying plastic and glass lenses to contractors in Japan and China
There is an aperture
Aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,...
setting switch on the camera with two positions indicated by pictorial ideograms: sunny and cloudy, with a nominal value of and , respectively. Due to a manufacturing oversight, this switch has no effect on production cameras, and the actual aperture is around , giving the Holga just one aperture. However, these cameras are easily modified to provide two usable settings. Apertures of and work well for ISO200 speed films, while settings of and tend to suit faster films of around ISO400.
Film Format
The Holga was originally designed to accept either a 6×4.5 format or a 6×6 (square) format. However, once the camera went into production, vignetting (darkening of the corners of the finished photograph) occurred when the camera was modified to a 6×6 format. Hence, early Holgas had their film size switches tightly fixed to shoot only 6×4.5 format. Many owners removed both this restriction and the 6×4.5 film mask as well, finding the resultant vignetting a desirable effect. Later Holgas such as the 120N come with two masks for both the 6×4.5 and 6×6 format. Holgas can even be modified to use 35mm film.The Holga has one shutter speed - approximately 1/100th of a second. The camera can shoot 16 exposures per 120 roll in 6x4.5cm format or 12 exposures in 6x6 format. Film is advanced by a knob on the top of the camera, and frame numbers printed on the backing paper of the film can be viewed through a red window on the back of the Holga. The number of frames chosen is indicated by the black arrow.
Modifications and variants
Holga cameras are often modified:- A Holga's interior can be "flocked"—coated with matte black paint—in order to limit the effect of light bouncing off the plastic interior from light leaks.
- The red window on the camera back can be blocked by an improvised cover to eliminate light leaks when using panchromatic films
- The Holga's aperture switch can be modified as needed to provide a larger ('cloudy') or smaller ('sunny') aperture.
- The lens, and sometimes the entire shutter assembly, can be replaced with a pinhole (the "Pinholga").
- The plastic lens can be replaced with a glass version (the "Woca") or can be completely removed.
- Newer models of the camera come with multiple optional frame inserts (4.5 × 6 cm and 6 × 6 cm). Shooting without an insert can lead to problems keeping the 120 size film120 film120 is a film format for still photography introduced by Kodak for their Brownie No. 2 in 1901. It was originally intended for amateur photography but was later superseded in this role by 135 film...
flat against the film planeFilm planeA film plane is the area inside any image taking device with a lens and a digital sensor or film; such as a camera. The film plane varies in distance from the lens focal point in each manufacturer...
. - Inserting cardboard or foam or felt padding under or behind the film spool to provide proper film tensioning
- The Holga TIM camera has two fixed focus plastic lenses which work simultaneously, allowing for the capture of 3D images.
Some modifications permit the use of other film formats:
- Holga cameras may be fitted with a PolaroidPolaroid CorporationPolaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company, originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras, which reached the market in 1948, and continued to be the company's flagship product line until the February...
back, allowing use of Polaroid 80 series instant film, or with newer models, 100 series film (but the image is not centered). This modification, sometimes termed a "Holgaroid" or "Polga", renders the viewfinder unusable, but allows for instant Holga prints. - By sandwiching a normal 35mm roll of film into the Holga's 120 spool, "sprocket hole" exposures may be taken that expose the entire surface of 135 film135 filmThe term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
. - Cameras such as the HasselbladHasselbladVictor Hasselblad AB is a Swedish manufacturer of medium-format cameras and photographic equipment based in Gothenburg, Sweden.The company is best known for the medium-format cameras it has produced since World War II....
have been modified to make use of a Holga lens. - Holga plastic lenses have also been adapted to the Canon EOS, the Nikon f-mount, Pentax, Sony, Olympus and Minolta. An f-mount, 'melted' plastic Holga lens has been used on a digital f-mount camera while the EOS Holga has been mounted to the latest Canon DSLRs. Adapted lenses are also commercially available.
Accessories
Accessories exist that will do the same thing as a modified Holga without the need for physical modifications as well as accessories for special effects. Such accessories include:- Cable release, which slips onto the lens so that a cable release can depress the shutter. Also includes tripod mount since the Holga 120N's mount is covered by the accessory.
- 35mm Film Adapter, available in two models: full negative and "panoramic." Both adapters come with a light-proof back and a mask made to hold the 135 canister in place. The only difference between the two models is the size of the mask. The "panoramic" adapter will mask out the sprocket holes. A rarer model available in Japan is an all-in-one back and cartridge unit.
- Fisheye lensFisheye lensIn photography, a fisheye lens is a wide-angle lens that takes in a broad, panoramic and hemispherical image. Originally developed for use in meteorology to study cloud formation and called "whole-sky lenses", fisheye lenses quickly became popular in general photography for their unique, distorted...
, produces circular Fisheye images. - Filter holder and filters. Filter holders can hold one or two filters, depending on the model of the holder. Filters come in special effect filters, color filters, and center spot filters (which leaves a normal center, but a colored surrounding).
- Holgon Flash, a small normal flash for Holgas with a hot shoeHot shoeA hot shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit.- Design :The hot shoe is shaped somewhat like an inverted, squared-off "U" of metal. The matching adapter on the bottom of the flash unit slides in from the back of the camera and is sometimes secured by a clamping screw...
. - Holgon Strobe Flash, a bulky flash which features multi flash strobe (which keeps flashing as long as the shutter stays open in bulb mode) or single flash (a more powerful flash, which will flash once on pressing the shutter and a second time on release). Features vertical adjustable angles.
- Holgon Slave Flash, a small, round slave flash meant for placing on a surface or handheld. Good for any kind of secondary light. Some units will come with multi colored filters to place over the flash.
- Camera bags, available in a small and a large size.
- Holga Enlargers, an inexpensive darkroom enlarger with two available lenses and several masks/negative carriers for both 120120Year 120 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Fulvus...
and 35mm formats.
See also
- The Diana cameraDiana cameraThe Diana camera is a plastic-bodied box camera utilizing 120 rollfilm. Most versions take 16 photographs per roll in a non-standard format of 4.2cm square using a simple plastic meniscus lens, although some are capable of 12 6 x 6cm exposures...
(and clones), the Holga predecessor 'toy' camera of the 1960s - List of photographic equipment makers
External links
- Randy Smith revolutionized the Holga with his mods
- How to use Holga
- Holga hacks, tips and tricks
- The Holga FAQ by Joseph L Harris
- Holga & The Photographic Image by Manny Santiago
- Holga Model Guide
- Holga Inspire, Holga Official Site
- http://fotoam.com/xx_holga.htmlAline Marandet's Holga pictures of Paris (France)ParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Dallas (Texas, USA), Grapevine (Texas, USA)Grapevine, TexasGrapevine is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census the city population was 46,334. The city's moniker is derived from the native grapes prevalent in the area. In recent years several wineries have...
, Eglisau (Switzerland)EglisauEglisau is a municipality in the district of Bülach in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.-History:Eglisau is first mentioned in 892 as several independent farm houses known as Ouwa. In 1238 it was mentioned as Owe, in 1304 as ze Seglinger Owe, in 1332 as ze Eglins Owe and in 1352 as ze...
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