HOLGA 120GCFN Plastic Medium Format Camera with Built-in Flash and Glass Lens, Black (296120)
Electronics > Camera & Photo > Film Photography > Film Cameras > Specialty Film Cameras
About this item
- Uses 120 medium format film.2 film masks for either 12- 6x6 cm images or 16- 6x4. 5cm images;Shutter speeds: normal - 1/100S; bulb - Holds shutter Open. Apertures: sunny - f/11; shade/flash - f/8;Built-in flash with Color Filters: white, red, Blue, yellow. Standard tripod mount (1/4-20);Lens cap. Strap;Uses 2 AA batteries (not included)
Reviews
★★★★★
Color: Black | Verified Purchase
Fun camera to use.
This is a fun camera to use and a great camera to learn image composition with. I purchased mine to try out medium format and sprocket hole photography. The Holga is a fun and quirky camera to use. The two photos show the picture quality from the camera, the Holga gives each picture a neat look.
★★★★★
Color: White | Verified Purchase
Get em while they're still around
Holga cameras are no longer made as of late 2015, so if you want one, now is the time to buy. Apparently the company who made Holgas also destroyed all the equipment used to manufacture these cameras, so don't expect these to be made ever again.
This white model is just like the traditional black Holga 120N. It's only the exterior that is painted white; the interior is all black. One big difference between this one and the Holga I got back in 2009 is that this model has a working aperture switch, unlike the older versions. There's still plenty of 120 film to be found online. Amazon usually has some good deals, as does B&H up in New York. If you decide to go monochrome, black and white film is very easy to process yourself with only a handful of supplies and chemicals. If you decide to go color, a great lab to use for processing is Dwayne's Photo in Kansas. They have a streamlined mail-order service that works well. A word of advice about Dwayne's: they do a great job processing film, but don't bother having them scan your negatives. The medium format 6x6 scans are scanned at a relatively low resolution that only comes out to 4 megapixels per frame, which is ridiculous for a professional scanning service. I called them to ask about this, and no one would take responsibility or even answer very basic questions about their scanning process. I recommend using something like an Epson V600 and converting the negatives to digital yourself.
★★★★★
Color: White | Verified Purchase
A Good Contestant for One of My Favorite Buys of 2022
It's VERY early in the year, but I feel like this is going to be one of my favorite purchases of this year. The camera is light, inexpensive, easy to carry with you wherever adventure finds you and above all, FUN! Holga cameras are great for making unique looking pictures that are enhanced by their imperfections. Wabi Sabi...
They have no seals, so light leaks in and makes the pictures look very vintage and give a wonderful effect that can only be achieved with this kind of camera, just search "Holga pictures" to see what I mean. If you like artsy stuff and just want to fool around with film, I would highly recommend the Holga camera as a way to get into it. I'm sure this is going to be one of my favorite purchases this year and I have many adventures throughout the year already planned and my Holga will be accompanying me all along the way.
★★★★★
Color: Black | Verified Purchase
My favorite film camera
This little plastic camera is a must for any film photographer. I have two of them. It's lightweight, small, and can take great pictures. I've used this for everything from landscapes, to portraits, to shoots with a professional lighting setup. The "hot" shoe on top DOES work so long as you have an external power source for the flash. I love the simplicity of the camera, in that pretty much any "ailment" can be fixed with some electrical tape. It's possible to rig the camera up to take 35mm film with some tape and pieces of sponge. This camera has a great ability to make things looks very surreal and/or ethereal. It is also good if you're going for that "hipster" style of photo. If you get a tripod and some 100 speed film it can create absolutely beautiful prints.
With a little bit of practice it's easy to guess the focus (which is labeled with either one person, three people, a group of people, or mountains) and get as crisp of shots as you can really hope for with a plastic lens. The plastic adds a soft look, but it's still in focus and the softness can really add to the image. The vignetting is controllable in that if you take out the little frame in the camera, you get more light leaks and vignetting. With some electrical tape the vignetting can be decreased. The viewfinder is totally useless, and I highly recommend you just toss the lens cover since it's very easy to forget it's there and wind up with a blank roll. This camera is set up to be used with a tripod and flash if you want, and because it takes 120 film, you'll be able to get smoother photos than with 35 mm.
The simplicity and lack of features makes it very easy to experiment with pictures. You can overlap frames, double exposures are a snap, and there are only two shutter speeds. N for normal (approx. 1/100th of a second, plenty fast for handheld) or B for bulb (meaning you can hold it open). This camera is great for capturing motion because shooting in bulb is so easy. The plastic lens gives a soft feel to everything so the shake from holding your camera and bumping it around a bit can actually add to the feeling of movement. The camera claims to have two apertures (cloudy and sunny), but it really doesn't. It stays at f/11, or possibly f/8 depending on your camera.
In short, this is one of the best film cameras you can find and anybody can get amazing and interesting shots. I highly recommend it. It can be a little frustrating with the lack of control at first, but after several rolls it becomes second nature.
★★★★★
Color: White | Verified Purchase
This is a wonderful Holga to add to my collection of two other ...
This is a wonderful Holga to add to my collection of two other black Holga 120S toy cameras (the original Holgas). This looks identical to the 120S except, of course, it's white, not black. This works like you would expect a Holga -- lo-fi, unpredictable, and perfect for any lomography enthusiast. Get them before they're all gone as Holga has gone out of business late last year and existing supplies are drying up!
★★★★★
Color: Black | Verified Purchase
Lomo yo!
Awesome concept! A "toy" camera with a campy following.
I love this medium format camera because of its inherent cheapness. The photos produced with this camera are fun surprises, and experimenting with it is great fun for me (an amateur "photographer" and enthusiast with no formal training other than YouTube).
Though the 120 film and developing can get a bit expensive, the quality is great and the creative possibilities are endless.
★★★★★
Color: Black | Verified Purchase
More fun than I expected
I am new to film photography in general and am pleasantly surprised by some of my photos. Since Holga is made for 120 mm film, keep in mind modifying some parts of the camera is expected to fit a regular 35mm film inside. My Holga came with a really creative guide book that described (with pictures) how to insert different films, how to modify the camera, where to put tape for less color leaks, and fun facts about the Holga that helped me take better photos. You can stick it in your pocket and pull it out when you get confused. Color leaks and image flaws make the Holga special. Some of my photos turned out very artistic and dreamy.
One last thing, if you do not have soft foam to put inside your camera to fit a 35mm film, cut up a sanding block nail buffer and make sure every side has a soft surface. They are extremely inexpensive and effective.
Hope this helped! :)
★★★★★
Color: Black | Verified Purchase
Good deal, fun toy.
For me the question wasn't "should I get a Holga?", but "which Holga should I get".
There's a bunch of options but I decided on this one based on the reviews and price. The only thing really missing is a flash, But I already had a Holga flash I bought previously for my other Lomo cameras.
For the price, this is a great toy. It's easy to load/use, and takes great shots. In my opinion, you really can't get duplicate Holga shots with a camera phone and filter application.
If you're interested in Lomography, I'd highly recommended starting with this camera. It's so simple to use.
★★★★★
Color: Black | Verified Purchase
Plastic Paintbrush
This thing really got me back into photography. I've been working as a professional photographer for the last few years in the world of digital, which has become quite routine and often boring. I picked up this toy camera as a way of getting into film photography for the first time and to my surprise, it totally shifted the way I took pictures and reminded me of what I loved about photography in the first place. Often times you get images that look more like paintings than photographs. I also began developing my own film and printing in the darkroom, opening up a whole new world. I really enjoy the imperfect pictures that it takes and b/c the aperture and shutter are fixed, you have to find new ways to make the picture interesting. No more relying on fancy lens' with zooms, forget about focusing, all you've got is a pastic box with a hole in the middle, now make it happen! You'll be surprised at what turns up in the dark!
★★★★★
Color: Black | Verified Purchase
Toy camera
Holgas are known for being toy cameras and that's what it is. a Toy Camera. Don't expect clarity and sharp images. Its going to be foggy, a little out of focus with heavy vignetting. It's fun with lighting in the sun. i use a wireless trigger to set off the flash and i love it. It does double exposure. I wouldn't even bother trying to focus with it its fin wide open. Its a conversation starter and customization. I've added Velcro to hold it shut and a 52mm lens on front to use filters.
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Question & Answer
Question :
does it come with film?
Answer :
No. You have to buy film separately.
Question :
This doesnt have the color flash does it?
Answer :
No this model does not have the flash at all. It does not even need batteries to run , it very simple.
Question :
If I purchase a camera like this one, is it hard to find a place to develop the pictures or does someone have a recommendation for online?
Answer :
No, it's not hard. Try http://www.whcc.com. Sometimes there are camera shops that can do this, but I always send my film off.
Question :
it says white but also says black... which is it?
Answer :
It looks like the picture, white body with black accents. Interror of camera is all black.
Question :
Does it have a flash built in?
Answer :
No I doesnt
Question :
What is the adapter needed in order to use 35 mm film?
Answer :
Please see: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FEEVES
Question :
Can you use this with 35mm "with the included mask" as stated in the "From the manufaturer" section or do you need to buy the adaptor kit?
Answer :
The included mask is for 120 film. 12 exposures vs 16 exposures. You can buy, for a very nominal price, a 35mm insert. Also available on Amazon. I have it, it works great.
Question :
Can you remove the lens?
Answer :
If you cut off a small plastic tab that stops the focuser from unscrewing all the way, then you can take it off
Question :
Does this have a neck strap?
Answer :
HI, Yes, it's original Holga packing, it come with a neck strap. Thanks
Question :
What is the best way to shoot with 100 iso film? I loaded it by mistake. I meant to get 400 iso. Thank you
Answer :
There isn't a whole lot of flexibility with exposures with the Holga.
I think the guidelines for it have an unadjustable shutter speed of 1/100 of a sec with the only adjustment being the "sunny" or "partly cloudy" F stops being approx. F11 and F8. The old "sunny 16" exposure would put it reasonably close to a bright sun situation with ISO 100. So the brighter the better. The spirit of the camera is sort of to be unpredictable and fun, with inexact exposures and focus. It can get expensive these days as compared to digital technology, but I like to harken back to the days when you actually had to wait to see images and use it as sort of a technology reversion therapy. The 100 film might come out just fine, you probably have $8 into that roll already. If not go with the 400 next time as it will be a bit more flexible.
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