Holga 120N Rundown & History - Celebrating 40 Years of the Plastic Fantastic [Instant Review]
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- Опубліковано 9 січ 2023
- Coming in every shape and color under the sun, the Holga has long been the dreamy plastic toy camera beloved by pros and beginners alike. In this episode we celebrate 40 years of this remarkably historic camera with the Holga 120N.
Check out Plastic Perspective, a wonderful Zine series by Anna Starr which collects a wide range of Holga work by talented artists - a definite inspiration! Link: www.etsy.com/listing/13511598...
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You can catch me on IG at / the.instantgram and contribute to the Patreon at / inaninstantchannel
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What a coincidence, I just bought a Holga yesterday; didn't know about the anniversary.
Enjoy the plastic fantastic fun to come!
My childhood neighbor gave me a Holga, and that was my first introduction to 120 film. It changed my world.
Wow, love that Carlton - that seems to be a lot of people's entry point into this medium.
this smile heals me! lovely photos, good retelling of the story (speaking as a long time holga nut) and I'm glad to help keep the holga rocking in the free world~ thanks for another great vid!
Thank you for this wonderful comment, have a beautiful day!
I love the idea of these “toy cameras” but they dont suit the kinds of things i like to shoot so i cant see myself buying one but im glad they exist
Definitely not for everyone, but I always recommend grabbing one at a thrift shop for a couple bucks and trying it anyway at some point. Fun way to mix it up 🤘
Holgas are amazing and their look never seems to go out of style. People often forget to use the vertically-formatted 645 mask which offers a different shooting perspective and more images per roll. If you want to get crazy you can tape off the 645 mask into a 4.5x4.5 square and shoot 16 square images similar to the older Dianas.
I love these videos about cameras, keep them coming Ben!
Thanks so much Alex!
W , holga cameras are so interesting to me
This was my gateway to 120. Also, I first about them in the late '90s when buyers were instructed to buy two in case one didn't work. And the rubber band era ... etc. I'm a bigger fan of the Diana, but I need to revisit Holga. Also, I helped a friend use the stereo one once, and it was quite fun.
I gotta use the Diana with the glass lens a bit more, used the instant version a bunch but Diana be calling 🤩
@@InAnInstant Ohh, yes! I need to find some of these glass variations ... it's hard to beat the original 1960s-era lenses to me, though ... some kind of weird magic in that trash. ha ha.
@@JamieMPhoto The Magic of the Trash - new photobook title
I have been using various Holgas since the 90s ... I loved the Polaroid and also the Instax mini back ... big fan of the panorama guys!!! The magic of them is that EVERY camera is unique and magical!!!
I love my Holga! You can hand it to your (drunk) friends without worrying, and you barely notice the weight when you take it places. I've gotten good results with Kodak Gold 200, which is relatively cheap.
The Holga 3D being one of my favorite cameras, though it is plastic the 120 3D slides are one of a kind. I've started shooting the Sputnik and definitely enjoying that as well.
I've got a Sputnik and love it too! Need me one of those 120 Holga Stereos 🤩🤩
What’s the viewer like for medium format if I may ask? I love shooting stereo
@@mckmitte It's basically like every other Holga except its in the middle of the camera. The Sputnik 3D is a much better and easier to find choice if you want to get into the medium format stereo realm.
@@andydreadsbmx good to know, thanks!
Great video for my very first medium format camera which I still love in a passionate way! Thanks!!
Thanks for this Ben 🙂 I didn't know there were SO many choices of Holga! Loved the vid 🙂
Great video! Speaking of Holga products that disappear from the market, for a long time I used an Holga fisheye adapter, modded for my Diana Mini!
Really want one of those for 120! Such sick results.
Great video. Glad you did a Holga breakdown as I was interested in the panoramic model as a cheap way to see if I like using that kind of format.
That Holgapan is undefeated at that price - such a fun camera.
Holga’s are cool, never shot with one myself though
Your narration is pure gold! so good. great info
Thanks so much Eric ❤
Excellent review and info, i just might be hooked!!!
Thank you for the awesome history lesson on the holga your black & white shots are fantastic. I have three 120s 120n and a woca 120gf.
Thanks so much Felt! How do you like the Woca?
Very informative 😮
Plastic fantastic! Simple camera, great for anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of photography!
I am so fortunate to be blessed with your videos😆, would very much like to see a video on the mint slr670 though, and how it holds up to other cameras such as the slr680 in different situations(studio, outdoors, regular daily use etc.)
I got a Holga from a photo club member, who dismissed it only to buy another down the line. But this unit is light tight from factory 😂😂 I should run some summer rolls in it. Unfortunately I am not assigning any higher end film than Fomapan through, and not color. But fun and liberating results!
Holgas and an Abel mention! I have the 120N and the TLR abomination, with an after market bubble level I glued to the flash. Great video!
An Abel appearance always makes an episode 10x better - I really need to leverage his power more 😂
Great perspective, Ben - this makes me feel better about getting a Holga (or another cheap plastic camera).
Always let the plastic fantastic empower your lomographic spirit! Thanks for watching, Brett ❤
Bought a Lomo Automat Glass sometime last year, would love to see a video on this beautiful finicky little thing someday :)
You didn’t mention about Holgon, the modded Holga with electronic controlled shutter
Love this video! I have a zillion holgas in my collection, but they made so many versions! I really want that tlr- it takes ugly-awesome to the next level!
You need to drop some Holgaroid backs! 😍😍😍
@@InAnInstant Yes! Lots of possibilities!!
Crossbow Kill Shot is my new band.
New album title who dis
Excellent productions continue. Congratulations, Ben. Have you looked at Michael Kenna's Holga book? Interesting monograph.
I definitely need to get my hands on that book, Steve! The Plastic Fantastic zines by Anna Starr have been a great inspiration.
oh gosh i want one so thanks for that 😅
Whoops my b!
If you have the chance to put your hands on the Stereo-Pinhole version, do so!
It has a very sharp pinhole, the shutter control is one of the best I've seen on a pinhole camera and it makes some delectably good stereo images since the depth of field is infinite.
It hasn't quite tickled by interest to shoot much pinhole but I'm also a never-say-never kinda lad. Some day soon I'm sure I'll check that out!
Do you have a comparison of the Instax wide? I have the Polaroid Wide 300 and looking at the Lomo version
Hi Reuben, I did a video about that camera here: ua-cam.com/video/Hq_mLt5P24c/v-deo.html
Plastic & Fantastic!
This was the first analogue camera I ever used. Might have been a bad introduction, or it might have been a great introduction, I'm not sure.
I have a Holga Stereo that I need to fabricate a new mask for (it didn't come with one and without the mask the two lenses will bleed into each other) but also there was a Holga Stereo "viewer" that I would love to get my hands on. If anyone knows where I can find one or a solid replacement let me know. If you'd like to borrow mine Ben maybe I can send it over!
Woh, any examples of what that bleeding effect looks like? Sounds kinda cool honestly!
@In An Instant Honestly I hadn't even thought of trying because I figured it would mess with the stereo aspect or at least make my eyes hurt but maybe worth trying a roll with the mask off anyway, maybe the issue isn't as bad as it seems
Also, sparked by this video I reached out to a buddy who has a stereo pinhole holga and he's going see any letting me borrow the mask as, theoretically, they should be the same.
The Stereo Holga is pretty wild because it really is just two Holgas strapped together, they even have independent flashes. Shot you a message in case you were interested
Not only did I just listen to the GTA Vice City soundtrack (featuring ya boi Toto), but I was also browsing around Lomo looking at the Holga 120 Pan! Coincidence? I think not!
FATE CONFIRMED
I recently threw away a Diana and two other Lomography cameras in a fit of rage. A instant square is close behind them. But damn it, I am tempted by that Lomo Panoramic. Will I never learn? What is wrong with me? Is it just because I hate the 40lbs of the Mamiya press with the 6x9 back?
Matthew I haven't prayed since I was maybe 2 years old, but I am praying for you right now.
Next time you feel those fits of rage- ship them to me in a fit of rage! I am always in need of parts for experimentation!! I know what you mean about the Mamiya weight- they should come with a padded bass guitar strap instead of a camera strap!
Uh, I would love to talk to you for hours about my experience with my holgas. My first lomographic camera. ❤❤❤
Heck yes Manuel - I'll be here for hours, possibly days, to hear any experiences with these pups!
@@InAnInstant too shy, maybe I'll write a book about my journey with the Holga.
Recipe for Hipstess (I'm not even kidding): Expensive digital camera, 21MP and up, Holga lens, ISO to the MAX, monochrome mode, JPEG only (RAW is for snobs). Quality? Nope, but fun guaranteed. And some crazy shotsters.
Absolutely man! That lens with a juiced up sensor at 24,000 ISO is basically like shooting on film 😂😂😂
@@InAnInstant haha
wait! let me write that down 😄
Yeah... Dilution B....
LETSGOOOOO
Bought my Holga at a used book/game/junk store for $7 in store credit. I was using it this past summer and it decided to eat its own foam. Thats fine I fucking hate the Holga.......but why do I feel the need to repair it and keep shooting with it?
Haha that love/hate is seemingly an underlying presence in all analog interests.
“Western civilization love a piece of crap” 😂❤✨✨✨ I have these in my collection (both the 35mm and 120) but I haven’t used them… I should give them a try
so you and Michael Shannon BFFs or what?
Finally someone's asking the right questions...
Cheap camera, cheap film. I love my Holgas but don't ues them as much because film is so expensive that experimenting with a Holga just feels like tossing money.
Opinion: Holgas are 40 years of mediocrity. Photoshop 5 was in ~1998. Even then you could do all kinds of special effects, etc. with scanned film. The Holga started with crappy exposures and you got what you got and went from there. I like experimenting with Lubitels, Seagulls, old cardboard Ansco 120s, etc. They at least try to give their best. Holga always provided subpar results and called themselves "special", nothing else.
Ok go off king