Holga Holgawood Series 120N Medium Format Fixed Focus Camera with Lens - Pretty In Pink

2013-02-04T19:00:00

This is my first toy camera... and I couldn't be happier with the camera. For the Holga, it's less about quality than creative capabilities. This is a wonderful product, simple as pie to operate and yet conducive to multiple exposures and micro-click photography. I LOVE the 120 format film, especially the black and white film I also bought from Adorama.

Paige J.

2013-01-06T19:00:00

Great affordable camera. Fun to find the unique look of the photos that come out due to light leaks, vignette, and Multiple exposures.

LC

2012-06-04T21:00:00

Good camera and fun photos

Bgonz

2012-04-01T21:00:00

I got this on sale at Thanksgiving, and what fun it is. It brought back all the fun of anticipating the results of the shot. Take a shot and no immediate feedback... wait to finish the roll, then wait for the surprise of seeing what you got. Found out that [@] develops the film for $0.84 (that's right, 84 cents!)and I scan them into digital myself. Where else can you have this much fun for that price...?!?

dgrits

2012-01-01T19:00:00

The Holda 120N. Ahhh. Great camera to play with. What I really realy like is that it has a hot shoe on it so you can connect a flash to it. It's built from plastic so it's not going to be as durable as a digital SLR but I knew that going into the purchase. There is 2 f stops (f8 & f11) and 1 shutter speed of 1/100th of a second. The camera is not complicated at all and is fully manual. If you are looking for something auto and durable this camera is not for you but if you are looking to play around with some 120 film and have fun with a camera and make some cool art this is a must get!

Scott P.

2012-01-01T19:00:00

Wanted to buy a film camera so I got this as a gift for my sister. It's a bit bulky but overall we loved it!

Ica

2011-09-03T21:00:00

If you're thinking Holga you already know about "Holganess." It is well built for the plasticness that makes these goofy cameras so popular. Yes this is WHITE as white can be . Easy to load and unload film. The aperture does work. make sure you buy and use the cable release as it helps big time in getting a sharp shot (sharp Holga shot??? yes you do want a sharp shot as it makes the Holga effect more pleasing). Also, take notes when you shoot so you know what you were trying for when you took the shoot. Then get the film developed pronto so you can compare your photo vision to the result. If you're new it costs about $1 to get a shot developed and scanned onto a CD.

JOSEPH R.

2011-01-12T19:00:00

I purchased this camera as a gift for someone and they loved it. It is the perfect inexpensive camera to have some fun with. You never quite know what you're going to get when you take a photo with this camera, and to me that's the appeal. You can also get some really fun, artistic shots with it. The main bad thing is ordering the special film and getting it developed.

Ash

2011-01-11T19:00:00

Been wanting a Holga for a while and didn't like the prices from Lomogrophy. Much better value with Adorama!

sir_hancelot

2011-01-11T19:00:00

I use it for fun photos using good old film. Easy to use. Intuitive mechanism. I recommend it highly to those who want to have fun with film.

arkie

2010-06-19T21:00:00

I bought this purple holga to experiment with film. I have been all digital up until this point. This is the legendary Holga with a bit of color on its body. I love its simplicity and originality. The camera's system is inaccurate, horriblly un-ergonomical, and the body feels like its going to fail under a good accidental drop. Love film it will love you back

Evan R.

2010-06-09T21:00:00

Fantastic plastic indeed. Though when holding the Holga, it does feel almost too light (I'm used to the heft of DSLR's and SLR's with high grade glass), you soon over look it when your creative side emerges to play. This is a lightweight camera that's easy to carry around, a definite plus for photojournalism and editorial work. It's well known plastic lens is perfect for art, as well as a unique look for fashion and advertising. Brings a nostalgia like look that hearkens back to days gone by. Perfect for both pro and beginner a like!

AUGUST K.

2010-02-02T19:00:00

I am a photography student and we had to purchase this camera for a project. The camera is easy to operate but it kind of broke on me within the first use. Not all of the cameras have this problem, mine was simply a lemon. Try shooting with it as soon as you get it, that way, if it is broke you can send it back in time. Overall, the Holga is a fine being that it is a toy, plastic camera.

milli

2010-01-12T19:00:00

I kept hearing about the Holga while I was debating on buying a Lens Baby set-up for my Nikon DSLR. I'd had always wanted to get into film again and I figured you can't sneeze at the price. I must say, I'm amazed at what this thing can do. On top of that, the following behind it is even more incredible. Almost any question or mod you can think of, someone has done and is willing to help you with it. I love it!

Hachi G.

2009-08-13T21:00:00

Holga's are fun. You're never quite sure how each frame will turn out. Many won't turn out well despite your best efforts, but this is a fun camera. Those surprises you get when you get your film developed are worth it.

Joel

2009-05-27T21:00:00

This is a fun and easy camera to use. And fun with a look all its own that cant me matched by any other camera.

KIEL J.

2009-04-05T21:00:00

Definitely a reminder that film speed is unforgiving!!!

ferret j.

2009-02-23T19:00:00

This camera is so fun and challenges me outside of the realm of digital

riskebiz

2009-02-20T19:00:00

There are so many wonderful things going for this camera, but there a couple of negatives that I would like to see fixed - maybe for the next Holga incarnation.Positives:1) The camera is liberating in the sense that you give up the control you would get on most other cameras. Shutter speed and aperture are set, so the only real choices you have are focusing, bulb mode, film speed, and possibility of using flash. Once you give up your control you tend to focus more on making pictures, rather than the technical aspects, and start having more fun, which leads to better photos!2) I can not think of another camera with more home modifications possible. There are even many websites devoted to Holga tinkering. If you like to experiment, this is the camera for you. However, if you do want to modify the camera, I would recommend purchasing a second one because irreparable damage can be made in the process. Some such mods exist for making 2 apertures, creative masking on the film plane, adding a filter ring, and adding a cable release.3) Medium format has much more quality over 35mm or anything digital.4) The plastic lens on the camera is imperfect, which tends to make the center of the image sharp, but the peripheries much softer. I think the effect creates these amazing surreal images, which could not be accurately duplicated. If you try to duplicate this look in some image altercation program, it will look like a program's effect, and in my opinion, forced.5) I have found the zone focus to be quite accurate, and have been able to make some incredibly sharp images. Generally though, due to the small aperture, you just have to be about right to have very acceptable looking focus. I think this is excellent because the system is very forgiving.6) You would be greatly benefited from experience with a camera which has manual settings and a light meter in that you learn by experience what you need to make an acceptable negative (or positive). With that said, sometimes exposure with this camera can vary wildly because of the limited settings. I do not mind this actually because an overexposed or underexposed image could be very pleasing. You could even fix the lighting with a program, if need be, and still have it look natural if the film has enough latitude. I would suggest using 400 speed film outdoors in daytime. If the conditions are very bright, you might get away with 100 to 200 speed film. For indoor use - 400 speed film and a flash. Another unpredictable aspect is the zone focus. Sometimes an incorrect assessment of distance can lead to a pleasing blurry image. The last unpredictable feature is the viewfinder, but I find this to be limiting. I will discuss this in more detail below.7) I have found this camera to be light tight. Some who have tinkered with mods may complain of light leaks and have ended up mummifying the camera in gaffers tape.8) The ability to do multiple exposures is wonderful, all you have to do is not advance the film. An unintentional multiple exposure can be great as well and probably could be filed under the unpredictability aspect.9) The camera has the ability to use a manual flash on the hot shoe, which greatly increases its usage with the possibility of shooting indoors or adding fill light outdoors. As mentioned above, I would recommend using 400 speed film with a flash indoors. If you want to use fill light outdoors, 100-200 speed film is probably best.10) The camera has the ability to take long exposures using the bulb mode. I would recommend using a tripod with this as this makes the camera more susceptible to shaking (making a blurry image). A neat thing to try that I accidentally discovered is using bulb mode indoors with flash. The flash freezes the main image momentarily, allowing the subject to be in focus while the background looks blurry. You may waste a lot of frames doing this because the effect is not always spot on, but you will probably make a few really nice images. Negatives:1) The viewfinder only gives you an idea of composition and framing because it is not corrected for parallax and the image viewed is only about 60-70% of the final image captured on film. With time you can learn to compensate.2) The camera says it has two apertures, but it only has one. The aperture switch controls a swing arm that is supposed to limit the amount of light entering the camera, but there is nothing on the arm itself to do it! I do not actually mind the one aperture, but if the camera says it can do it, it should do it. This is usually the first modification people make on their camera, but I would rather not touch it because the perceived benefit is so minor (usually about 2/3rds a stop), I do not think it warrants a hack.3) The camera is very fragile, as nearly everything is made out of cheap plastic. Try not to drop it. Try not to force anything on it.4) The shutter on the first camera I purchased did not work correctly ([...]), so this leads me to believe there is a random sampling in quality. I would recommend trying the camera in-store to make sure everything works before you buy it.5) The film advance sometimes gets due to misalignment of the roll film. I have not come up with a complete remedy to this malady. All in all, it is a wonderful camera, but there is still room for improvement.

antonandreas

2009-02-19T19:00:00

There's a reason why the Holga is a timeless hit with so many kinds of photographers: it takes amazing, distinctive images. The lens is plastic, and each individual camera imparts its own characteristics to the images it makes, but they all share a common style that lends itself to creativity and art. It has only one aperture (even though there's a switch that would make you think it has 2). So it's a point-and-shoot in the most literal of senses, as there's nothing to adjust besides the focus. You will not get perfectly exposed photos with this camera, but that's part of its charm. It's not particularly well-made; it's prone to light leaks and other imperfections, but that's also part of the charm. What you do get is a simple creative tool that makes you think outside of the box, and focus on your creativity, not technology. Despite its ultra-low-tech design, you almost can't help but make interesting images with the Holga. The 120N model is a great upgrade over the older 120S. It's exactly the same camera, but with the addition of a tripod socket and a bulb exposure setting. These simple changes made the Holga much more flexible, as you can use it in more lighting conditions (and the Holga makes dreamy long exposures at night!) The Holga is the perfect camera for anyone who is interested in getting into the world of film and toy cameras.

Playapixie

2009-01-13T19:00:00

I got this camera for my sister who recently broker her Nikkormat. She's had a lot of fun with the image quality she gets out of this king of the Lomo's.

Jo D.

2008-06-25T21:00:00

It's a funny thing. Many years ago I had a cheap 35mm Minolta and I used to love bringing some film and wandering all over town or the countryside and take photos all day. I would take the rolls to a lab and it was great fun seeing how the photos turned out. I then began to wonder how I could improve my photography and took classes, bought new cameras and lighting and worked hard to improve and I am proud of what I have accomplished. And then I bought a Holga and the magic came back. Now I pack a few rolls of 120mm film and wander around taking photos of anything that catches my eye. It's exciting to wonder how the photos came out and I always smile when I see the prints come to life. Holgas have a unique way of capturing subjects, it's sort of a surrelastic look as if you were dreaming. The cameras are also fun to modify and hey, even if you screw up they are incredibly cheap to replace. There are not any labs in my area that process 120 film, so I have to send it out. That's okay, though. It heightens the anticipation of finally seeing the wonderfully strange images that the Holga captured. You'll want to get a negative scanner- I paid a bit over $150 for one that takes both 35mm and 120mm film. Just remember that at full resolution, some of these photos files can be quite large. Get one. Become a part of our quirky Holga community and as a bonus you'll get to annoy your spouse with all of the 120 film you are storing in the fridge!

Edgeman

2008-05-14T21:00:00

I got a little bored with my Nikon D200 and decided to play with cheap film cameras for a while. The Holga is so much fun because you never know what you're going to get from it. I've gotten some nice double-exposures. I recently bought a Polaroid back for it that uses pack film. Very fun camera to play with.The only drawback is, 120 film is expensive to process and not every photo place will do it. It costs me $18.00 to develop and print 12 photos. I typically get 4 or 5 decent shots out of the 12. The Polaroid film is also expensive, and makes me very angry if I mess up a shot on pack film because its days are numbered.

Frank

2008-03-31T21:00:00

This is the funnest camera ive ever used. It's so simple to use and so cheap,[...]Just be sure to know the difference between the two shutter speeds, as I have made that mistake before and have had some over exposed negatives.

John

2007-09-26T21:00:00

It's as everyone says. Get this camera if you want to be surprised with what you get on film. If your looking for crystal clear consistent shots than this camera is not for you. If on the other hand, you're looking for something that will turn the mundane into something interesting try this camera.

Mike

2007-09-25T21:00:00

I love this cheap little piece of plastic!

dubyaS

2007-05-07T21:00:00

The Holga is the , easiest, and most affordable, most fun way to get into medium format photography. Save [$] and have some fun with photography again!

Sue

2007-05-07T21:00:00

When I first heard about this camera I thought it was made in Russia (Holga..resembles Volga?). Actually it was first made in Hong Kong. After reading so many reviews and pictures I thought I would give it a try. "What the heck? its selling for less than [$]." I said to myself and ordered one. It felt cheap in my hand as it was described by the others. It took me a while to learn about loading and unloading the film. If you're a beginner, I suggest you search [...] about loading film in a Holga. Make sure you see the mark 1 before you start shooting. After you load the film keep winding (it takes a awful lot of clicks). First you'll see a horizontal line, then after some time three dotted circle with increasing diameterwill come . Then you'll see the mark-1. Take your first shot, then wind again and wait for 2 and so on. After the initial obstacle I finally finished my first film. The processing is more expensive than 35 mm. But you'll be blown away by the results. Only thing I can say you can expect the unexpected with this camera. There's no consistency with two different Holgas, so all the pictures will be different. All pictures may not turn our great, but some will and those will be worth much more than spending 20 bucks. So do I recommend you to buy one? Its upto you. Do you want to to experiment? Do you want to make art out of nothing? Do you like to gamble? Then buy one.

Mrinmoy N.

2007-05-07T21:00:00

Believe all the good things you hear about the Holga, they're all true. You can get back to having interesting pictures and not worry about the tech side of things. Film is here to stay, I think.

kance

2007-01-19T19:00:00

It's so easy to navigate! I love this camera and not only is it lightweight and has great features, it's very fun to use! This camera is also good for people who have had little or more experience in photography, and is suitable for all ages.

photolvr