35mm Holga or 120mm Holga + 35mm adapter?

Question

Okay, I'm completely new to Holga photography. I want to buy a Holga camera, but I don't know if I should simply buy a 35mm Holga or buy a 120N Holga and a 35mm adapter. Is there any difference in quality between the 35mm and the 120N models, or is it simply the difference in film? I understand that 120 film is harder to come by and expensive to develop, but I wouldn't want to miss out with a Holga that can only shoot 35mm.

Answer 1

While there is some quality difference between 35mm and 120 film (it's 120 film, not 120mm. It's actually only about 70mm wide), you should start with a 35mm lo-fi camera. Why?



1. Lower cost of film. You get more frames per roll, and if you are a beginner, the way to get good at shooting with film, is to shoot lots of it. I find that when beginners use 120 film, it's higher costs and higher cost of processing keeps them from shooting because they are very much aware of how much each shot costs.



2. Easier to find. 35mm film is much easier to find than the 120 film used in the Holga 120 cameras. I see it in the drugstores, as well as few grocery stores (although that is becoming a much rarer experience).



3. Easier to get processed. Most drugstores and large big box stores like Target or Walmart still have 1-hour labs, but only for 35mm film. You will have to find a local lab to process your 120 film, or send it out.



4. Lower cost of processing. It cheaper to get your 35mm film processed. If you skip the prints and just get the roll processed and put on CD, you can cut the cost down even more. Tip: If you want prints, then you only pay for the ones that came out. This keeps the cost of processing down.



Once you've become experienced using film, then you will be ready to step up to a 120 film camera.



The 120 Holga with 35mm adapter is really not a practical option. The using 35mm film n a 120 Holga, you are only using about 30% of the frame, so your images will look very cropped, and you also lose the vignetted darkened corners (they get cropped out), and the magic of the sharp image and blurry edges becomes lost because your 35mm image is centered in the sharpest part of the lens. It is also very hard to figure out how far to wind your 35mm film, and the odd sized negatives are too wide to be printed at your basic 1-hour lab, so you lose that advantage as well. I think it works best to start with a 35mm camera. They are not very costly, so there isn't much savings by buying a 120 film camera now, especially when you factor in the amount of film you need to shoot to become good at film photography.



Take a look at one of these 35mm cameras:

Holga 135 or 135BC

Similar cheap lens and operation as the Holga 120 cameras. 1 aperture setting (yes, the camera has 2 settings, but they are identical), 2 shutter settings, N (1/100 sec) and B (Bulb setting) tripod mount, cable release socket If you want the corner vignetting like on the larger format camera, get the Holga 135BC.



Sample photos: http://www.flickr.com/groups/holga135bc/



Superheadz Black Slim Devil

This is a clone based on the popular vintage Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim. It has no exposure controls and no flash option, but with it's wider than normal lens (22mm) it is capable of taking some outstanding photos.



Sample photos: There really isn't a good Flickr group for these cameras yet, so the sample photos are from the Vivitar UWS http://www.flickr.com/groups/57074580@N00/



I have Out of the Box Videos posted on my youtube channel:

Superheadz Black Slim Devil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwBJYQvEDrU

Holga 135BC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMHCqJ-Cgd4

Diana Mini: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ItiDptbBA



Whichever camera you choose, remember that the point of lo-fi photography is to have fun and don't sweat the details!



For tips for lo-fi cameras, check out my website:

http://www.dianacamera.com/



For how-to videos for Holgas and Diana cameras, check out my youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/kaituba

Answer 2

Technically, 120 film is better. In digital terms, it has more megapixels, more resolution. I don't know about those cameras though. You do realize they are toy cameras. If you want to have a real camera, get the Pentax K-x. Among the numerous features it carries is a Toy Camera Mode that mimics the Lomo, Holga and Diana toy cameras.

Answer 3

a million. any variety will artwork (even customary). so some distance as iso, that relies upon upon what you like (do you like greater saturated colorations? will you be using flash?). only make it difficulty-free on your self and get 400iso action picture from the food market. 2. At your means point, probable no longer (given which you assert you're new to this). So i does no longer propose it. you may only have it more suitable at a photo lab quite of doing it your self. 3. uncertain what you recommend by way of clicks. so some distance as i comprehend cameras in basic terms assist you strengthen the action picture as some distance because of the fact the subsequent physique, then you definitely could take yet another photograph to strengthen it greater suitable (yet study the handbook only in case) 4. i do no longer think of it differences (see above) 5. ??? please rephrase your question. 6. ??? uncertain what you recommend (i'm unfamiliar with holgas). Are you asserting there are distinctive settings on your digicam? If specific, then it might make a distinction in publicity. 7. provided that that is a secure community 8. see my answer to question #a million 9. you may create "gentle graffiti", even even though it enables in case you save the digicam stable. 10. i do no longer think of you will choose flash, on condition that then the guy doing the writing would come out. 11 while slide action picture is more suitable like unfavourable action picture (back, you mustn't try this your self till you recognize what you're doing). ultimately, some comments on your "added information" no person pronounced you have been stupid. And till somebody deleted their answer, no one right here replied you like you have been stupid. If all people is being unfriendly and uninformative (your questions are badly worded), that is YOU. you may restore your undesirable mindset.

Answer 4

Don't.



If you have no knowledge how to use a manual film camera, you will waste your money on a Holga. It's a toy camera, and a badly made one at that. You have so very little control over its functions. And basically you'll be shooting blindly if you don't know how to use a camera. A lot of money wasted on film. See below.



Read this https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20100116232327AA2WSsp



If you want to use a film camera, get a Nikon FM2. Once you learn how to use it, it can give you a shot like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pooky/2338903923/

Answer 5

There is no difference in quality as all Holgas are plastic junk.