Lomo/Holga Cameras

syke

syke

syke

Soldato
Joined
18 Feb 2006
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10,653
Been looking into buying a Lomo and Holga camera, and have been reading up about them.

While speaking on MSN to Scuzi/Messian Khan, both seemed interested in them too, anyone on here use Lomo/Holga cameras?

Wanting to know what Lomo camera to get, and also a Holga Camera.

Ive been looking at a Diana+, how is that?

Thanks for any input, and any answers to the questions, or other recommendations.
 
i have both, rarely use the holga due to the pain to get med format processed. the lomo is fun though, but not really used for anything serious.
 
dozer said:
i have both, rarely use the holga due to the pain to get med format processed. the lomo is fun though, but not really used for anything serious.
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Ah yeah, will be fine for me to get MF done though, what Lomo do you use?
 
I have an LC-A, it's semi-broken, but does work. I'd get that as it's most versatile and easy to use. You can manipulate ISO/aperture/light metre settings to get what you want.
 
Was just looking at a website and found the ZENIT FOTOSNIPER, wonder whether i'd get stopped using that in public?
 
I've got a Lomo LC-A and a Holga but not a Diana ... yet ;)

The lomo is much easier to use and is quite a robust camera. It has auto setting and 4 distance settings (0.8m, 1.5m, 3m, infinity). ISO ratings up to 400. You just leave it on auto and shoot away. Results are great, if you like that sort of thing, v slight fish-eye effect on the lens and quite heavy vignetting (with a good exposure). You should be able to pick one up second hand for £50.

Holga's are a bit more of a 'challenge' to use ;) One shutter spead, two apertures (f11 or f16) urm ... and that's it. Manual focus lens which is all guess work as no distances are listed. Some come with flashes, some come with glass lenses, mines plastic. Severe fall off of focus and heavy vignetting with my plastic lens. Back tend to pop off with film in it. Botton on the bottom which can be switched for 'bulb mode' is always getting accidently turned on so tape all over the camera. Subject to light leaks. Can be got for around £20 to £30 depending on the model.

I dont have a Diana but from what I've seen it seems to be a bit more extreme than the Holga.

I much prefer the Holga results to the lomo results but I get a much higher hit rate with the Lomo. All three cameras produce quite different results which have loads of character. If you can nail a Holga shot the results are just beautiful.

Either way they're both lots of fun to use and I'm finding myself using them more than my 30D these days.

I'd suggest buying a lomo first as it's easier to use and easier to get film developed. Pay no more than £50 for one off an autions site.
 
I bought my Holga about 7 years ago when they cost £5, I bought one two years later, by that time they were popular again and it ended up setting me back £65. One with a built in flash and one with a hot shoe.

I love my Holga. Have to admit though, it takes a while to figure out what to do to get the right effect on your photos as each camera is different, they almost have their own personalities. This is what I like about them.
 
syke said:
Was just looking at a website and found the ZENIT FOTOSNIPER, wonder whether i'd get stopped using that in public?
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You're kidding, right? :P

Seriously though, the camera body that's based on, ZENIT 12, is a pretty inexpensive way to buy a 'toy' camera. They're all over web auctions and junk shops and are probably only worth about a tenner. I paid £15 for mine in near-mint condition with a 28mm lens.
 
sean said:
You're kidding, right? :P

Seriously though, the camera body that's based on, ZENIT 12, is a pretty inexpensive way to buy a 'toy' camera. They're all over web auctions and junk shops and are probably only worth about a tenner. I paid £15 for mine in near-mint condition with a 28mm lens.
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Heh yeah i was joking about that :p.
 
Only Holga negs I have scanned in.. don't really do the camera justice though;

mackynyc002.jpg


mackynyc001.jpg


These are all straight scans by the way, cross processed e6 through c41
 
How easy is it to get used to the Holga? Tempted to order both, and give them a go.

That Fotosniper is awesome too, heh. Might try make my own Pinhole Camera too.
 
Just lots of shooting and shooting each roll of film differently. Using light leak tape, not using light leak tape, using light leak tape on certain parts of the camera, covering the counter window, not covering the window.. putting bits of card inside the camera to push or pull the film away from the plate. Doing each of these gives the images different effects, it's just a case of finding what works and what doesn't. It's more time consuming than difficult, but once you have it how you like it you will love the results.

Plus you can adapt the Holga to take 35mm film and make it into a pinhole, one of my friends has even taken the lens off his Holga and has ground out the lens mount cap on his 5D and uses his Holga lens on his DSLR, the results are fantastic..

I benefited from buying a couple, as I said each camera has different defects therefore different images with varying vignetting etc.
 
syke said:
How easy is it to get used to the Holga? Tempted to order both, and give them a go.
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I couldn't get any decent Holga shots at all until I read somewhere to rate your film at 400 ASA, then it started to work. I'd suggest buying some Fuji Superia 400 and just shooting a couple of rolls with no mucking about. I've got a whole load of out dated NPS 160 from an auction site that I get pushed by 1.5 to 2 stops when processing and usually this usually works out well. I've got some examples from both Holga and lomo I'll upload later.
 
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