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Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Chico, CA on 6/26/2008
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!
from Dunmore, PA on 5/15/2008
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 $18.00 to develop and print 12 photos. I typically get 4 or 5 decent shots out of the 12. The Polaroid film is also expensive, and makes me very angry if I mess up a shot on pack film because its days are numbered.
from Victorville, CA on 4/1/2008
This is the funnest camera ive ever used. It's so simple to use and so cheap,[...]Just be sure to know the difference between the two shutter speeds, as I have made that mistake before and have had some over exposed negatives.
from Las Vegas. NV on 9/27/2007
It's as everyone says. Get this camera if you want to be surprised with what you get on film. If your looking for crystal clear consistent shots than this camera is not for you. If on the other hand, you're looking for something that will turn the mundane into something interesting try this camera.
from Tempe, AZ on 9/26/2007
I love this cheap little piece of plastic!
from San Diego, CA USA on 5/8/2007
Believe all the good things you hear about the Holga, they're all true. You can get back to having interesting pictures and not worry about the tech side of things. Film is here to stay, I think.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from St. Louis on 5/8/2007
When I first heard about this camera I thought it was made in Russia (Holga..resembles Volga?). Actually it was first made in Hong Kong. After reading so many reviews and pictures I thought I would give it a try. "What the heck? its selling for less than [$]." 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.
from Old Lyme, CT on 5/8/2007
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!
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.