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This is a funny, fun, plastic camera. It costs from 25 pounds upwards ( about 40 USD at the moment ), depending on the model. The one I got is the "expensive" one, GN, which has a glass lens. The original holga had a plastic one ( and still has, it is Holga N ). The lens is primitive, though, only one element and no coating. The aperture can be changed between two settings, both quite small ( f/8 and f/13, apparently ). Shutter speed is about 1/100 sec and there is a "bulb" choice, for long exposures. There are four focus settings, ranging from 1m to 10m, though that is again an estimate...
Let's see a picture from it:
This is as shot on a Fuji 160C film ( see below ). What can we say? There is a lot of distortion, first of all. The lines of the building are not parallel, and the flat windows seem wobbly. The focus is somewhere in the lower center, but not sure exactly where. If you see it in full size, you realize that it is soft all over. Light is massively reduced as you look outwards. Why would anyone want to shoot this camera, especially with no real control over the process?
Well, here is another shot from the Holga:
This one has the same issues. It is distorted ( check the bridge ), it has focused sort of in the center, it is soft and the sides are dark. So? Doesn't all this give it a melancholic feeling? Doesn't it tell a story? So, for pictures of buildings it might not be the best camera. But you can still employ it to convey your feelings!
About the film it takes, it is 120 film, which is about 60mm tall and can give you 12 square shots at 6x6 cm or 16 shots at 6x4.5 cm. You get two masks with the GN model, so no sweat, it is up to you. I prefer 6x6, personally. My choice of 160 ISO film was not the best, though, as most of my first two rolls were massively under-exposed. I would go for 400 for hand-held or room shots.
More next time!
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