Have you heard about the 35mm Holga, the Holga 135?
February 28th, 2008 by DurkinPosted in News
This isn’t exactly the most up-to-date information at the moment but I still thought that it was well worth a share.
I found out a few months a go that Holga have released a 35mm version of their famous camera.
So no more of those lonely nights in converting your 120! The Holga 135 allows 35mm film only.
I had a quick glance over at eBay and they are going there for around £18.99. I think thats fairly expensive for what the camera actually is, but what the hell, they have a niche now and people will buy it.
The lens has the option of two f stops (f/8 and f/11) while the shutter shoots at a rather slower than I imagined 1/100th of a second. Of course there is the option of bulb too.
The lens also has the characteristic four manual focal points (portrait, small group, big group, and infinity) each with its own symbol to help you out when your rushing for a shot.
Again the advancing system means that you can either choose to advance the film one full frame or keep it on the same frame for multiple exposures.
On the old Holga 120’s the film number is on the back so I assume the winder automatically stops when 1 frame is wound. If any one could clear this up that would be great.
Conclusion:
In my opinion the camera looks fun, but I don’t think its really worth the price its retailed at. There are far better 35mm cameras out there on eBay that cost a lot less.
Can you give me some tips on how to focus this thing? Most of my pictures are horribly out of focus. Thanks!
hello there, thanks a lot for taking the time to leave a comment.
Does your lens have the standard holga focusing guide on it? Something along the lines of Person, group of people, bigger group of people and a mountain?
they are a pretty good guide as to how to focus.
Person = 1m
Group = 2m
Large Group = 6m
Mountain = 10m - infinity
There may be some slight imperfections as the holga is so cheaply made, I guess is just a case of getting used to it and maybe running a few films of experimentation.
Everyone’s holga is different, good luck!
I have found after having developed 4 rolls of film that the Holga is a very sensitive camera. At first I was ‘pointing and clicking’ away, but sadly, with my Holga, all of those shots were completely blurry, even if I quickly checked and confirmed the focus. After the first two rolls, I slowed down, calmly framed an image and snapped making sure to remain steady. The Holga liked this very much and beautiful pictures blossomed from this. I know this is not a technical explanation, but this worked for me. so far…
Hi Jamie! interesting comment
thanks for taking the time to leave it. Thats strange that your images were blury. I guess nothing ever bad would result from slowing down and taking more time with your photography. I usually do the same thing!
I guess the cool thing about photography is that everyone has a different approach, and with the Holga, everyones camera is different!
Don’t despair! I had been shooting professionally for almost 20 years when I first picked up the Holga! It took me almost two more years to get an image I thought worthwhile. Very, very frustrating. Throw away your technical skills and presumptions. Also - very important - stop caring if any of the photos come out! Give it time.
- From somewhere on Colorado’s Continental Divide…Matt Lit…
LITfoto
LITfoto blog
Hi Matt, thanks a lot for leaving a comment!
I love the way that the holga is so unpredictable sometimes, because like you say, all presumptions are thrown out of the window and the photography has no bounds
I recently won a 135BC so in regards to that it has a number/exposure counter window on the top right side and does stop after a full exp is wound on, altho I haven’t tryed doing any 1/2 winds yet or partial exposures.. still on my 1st roll of film.. wish me luck!!!
Hi there, thanks for the information, I must admit that I didn’t expect them to do that, I thought there might just have been a counter!
And yes good luck! haha. I’m going to get a 135 as soon as a cheque goes through that i have just recently received
The Holga 135s actually have many features not found in other 35mm cameras in their price range: B setting, tripod threads, threaded shutter release, decoupled film advance for easy double exposures, hot shoe, same lens as Holga 120 so you can use other Holga lenses and filters.
The two f-stops don’t work, just like the 120s. It could potentially be modified the same way, but the lens it mounted differently so it’s harder to do.
The winder does stop when one frame is wound on. This frame stop is what makes it harder to remove the lens for the f-stop and close focus mods. Interestingly, you can always release the shutter even if you haven’t advanced a full frame.
thanks a lot for the information. I plan to get my hands on one soon and see what its all about! The believe the lens is exactly the same as the Holga, so that’s interesting that it is mounted differently
thanks a lot for the information.
I bought holga 135 from lomographyasia.com 3 days ago.
I hope holga 135 will in my hands tomorrow.
what is the difference between holga 135 and 135 BC?
and also my friend said that vignette effect in holga 135 is fake. it use filter in the lens.
Considering buying one of these to have a play. Does anyone know if it is compatibale with the filters and flashes etc, that other holgas can take?
I contacted lomography and they said the lens is exactly the same so everything is compatible!
How come my Holga 135BC didn’t create vignettes? I’ve developed my first roll and I’m really disappointed because there were just like pictures taken with ordinary film base camera. Help me pls. tnx.
I don’t actually own this camera, I have ordered one though and its on the way. I can’t really explain why that may happen, but it could be something to do with the light on that day or the film you used. I’m sorry I can’t answer this in any more detail!
@novignette, Durkin’s right it probably depends on the lighting and films used. This goes the same for Holga 120 i think
Ive heard recently that the 135 doesn’t vignette at all, whats more the 135BC is just a filter on the inside of the camera and I know this is true because I’ve got mine now and i checked.
I was a little annoyed.
the 135 is supposed to not have vignette, the 135 BC is supposed to have vignette… but yeah, it is done with a little filter. the BC stands for ‘black corners’
i bought the 135 BC and i just got my first film developed… i got no vignette either. weird.
if you say its different lights and films, i guess i’l have to mess around. i used iso 400 film in loads of different lights, no hint of vignette in any of them.
the multiple exposures on one frame, and the B setting, get some BRILLIANT photos. well worth the money!
also… has anyone tried modifiying the 135 version? ive seen loads of modifications for the old holga on the internet, just wondering if anyone has had any luck modifying these?
i have a 135bc! i’m new to the world of lomogoraphy. does anyone know when the 135bc model was released?
cool!
I tried to have a look at what date it was released but couldn’t find anything, I know it was quite recently though!
her are some pics i shot with my holga 135bc.. I use this way more than i use my 120N or 120CFN..
would love your feedback
http://picasaweb.google.com/gonestealth/Holga135bc#
Matt
my 135bc gives me dark corners.. All dependind on how bright it is outside.. for me at least.. And I know you purists will hate this but if need be i will bring them out a bit also in P-Shop.. Oh well.. in the end i have to be happy with my photos so..
matt
It is still a filter though, maybe light can affect how strong it is, and yeah I never even touch my scans with photoshop except to re-size them.
ya i know alot of people don’t like to use p-shop. thats cool.. whatever works for that peson, i say.. i personally dont think either is wrong. For me personally, i have to make every dollar count so if i shoot a roll that might be a bit underexposed, i am gonna mess with the levels n Photoshop cause i can’t afford to let the roll go to waste. I personally dont think either way is wrong.. its preference. but some actually think i am “evil” for using Photoshop.. LOL.. I laugh becuase if the person is touting how pure they are then don’t let it touch your computer altogether. If u r gonna use the technology then use it.. if not then don’t.. my 2 cents.. I personally dont feel this way and i think, do whatever makes u happy..
matt
well yeah I mean what the hell if thats what you want to do, i see no problem. I do think that it kind of distracts from the point of using a film camera though, i mean why not just use any digital camera and then edit the pictures in photoshop to make them look like lomo cameras? That would be cheaper.
Like you say though each to their own. it good that you use film!
Well i don’t think going as far as to totally screw up the vibe of the camera.. I mean you can still get the vibe of the camera but add contrast and bump up the levels. that sort of thing.. I have a canon DSLR and i only use it when i am doing like studio type shots of my family, etc.. But it is too clean and sterile. But i don’t take Holga pics and try to clean them up.. I believe you can keep the integrity and the vibe of the camera while still making it pleasing to the eye.. Just my opnion.. Hope i am still welcome here cause I love my toy camsd and love this blog..
matt
ps.. Also, i have tried doing that.. Shooting digital and using a Holga Photoshop action to make it look like it.. I don;t believe it does look like it. I prefer to use the real thing..
Here is an example.
http://picasaweb.google.com/gonestealth/LilMattPoolHolgaToSend?authkey=xGF7FftyiMU#
in the end, to me whether you shoot on crappy toy cams.. digital, whatever.. Photography is just a beautiful thing and we are all part of the same team and if we can carve out our only little world and shoot then there is nothing more beautiful than that..
matt
I don’t know, i just don’t really get the editing thing to be honest. If i get a picture wrong its wrong and I look at what mistakes I made with the camera. knowing that I can just change them when I get home is basically turning the film camera into a digital.
I agree its great that everyone is out shooting but i just think film is a lot better, I understand your argument, and like you said its just an opinion and so is mine. you’re more than welcome here any time mate, I appreciate you getting involved with the blog and posting, its shows that your passionate
cool. i appreciate you letting me be here. But just wanna clarify. When i get pics wrong with my Holga or whatever (and that is often.. I move on.. It’s the ones i love i tweak. Believe me i have tons of crap. I don’t go in and try to salvage crap.. then there are some where i do nothing.. then there are some where i love it but i would love it more if there was a lil more contrast. ya know what i mean.. I just dont want you to think that every pic i take i try and try in photoshop to salvage.. i glance at it.. if it sucks it’s gone. I have to really dig it, then decide what to do.. ok enough of this.. it’s all good dude.. Actually next roll i shoot.. i am not going to do any P-Shop. i will post..
matt
lol go for it mate, and I’m not letting you here, just post where ever the hell you want, this place is for readers! Thast what a blog is all about.
its cool that you come here and even reply to my posts. Keep holgering and please, join the forum too: http://goholga.com/forum
will do.. thanks dude for listening to my crap
I’ve read the comments about the 135 Holga, so here’s some information for you all.
If in fact the lens is the same 60mm focal length on both the 120 and the 135 then with logic it won’t vignette on 35mm film .
The BC as was pointed out (blk. Corners) has to have a small aperture placed in the film plane to give a vignette .
A 60mm focal length won’t vignette on the 645 mask very well, so that is why people love the 6X6 frame….it does vignette because the correct focal length would be 80 mm to cover the circle of confusion .
I think the optic used in the 35mm Holgas may be 45mm focal length lenses …..but that may be the latest models ?
By the way if you want to create an organic vignette on any Holga model just cut a black disk out of card stock or better some thin black plastic attach it in front of the lens.
For the aperture opening start out using a regular paper punch size and test smaller openings, (think pinhole camera openings) of course you don’t have to go too small as you don’t want you images to look like a fisheye surround .
I hope this helps .
Thanks for the comment and information! very useful.
the 135bc actually has a filter inside the camera to make the black corners, which I feel is a bit of a cop out but I guess it still makes for interesting effects. I didn’t actually know there were two types when I wrote this post so I don’t know of the different specs. I would have liked to make a more detailed post about both the cameras if I would have known.
Getting vignette from Holga to Holga does vary I believe and the best way to get it is to use a low asa and shoot in bright sunlight. I guess you could cut a hole out of the lens cap that noone uses. I will certainly give this a try in the future as it sounds like a nice mod!
I am looking for a used holga 135 bc with flash. please send me an email if you want to sell it. Only accept with a reasonable price. Thank you!!
cholee880517@yahoo.com