A good question these days, is what format Holga camera you should buy when you want to get a Holga. There are now 35mm models and 120 models, so it makes buying even more confusing.
What I am going to do here is compare each one here with positive and negative points and then try and draw some sort of conclusion, that is hopefully useful.
Lets start with 120.
120 Models
Positives (+)The 120 models have the characteristic light leaks, the dreamy vignetting and are very flexible. You can customise them easily, and you also get the square format that everyone seems to be after these days.
The 120 cameras also give you multiple exposures and the ability to do panoramic shots, because there is no limit to how much or how little you can wind the film, whenever you want.
Negatives (-)
Despite all these positives, there are also negatives. The film is much more expensive and increasingly harder to get hold of. Development is also tricky and a lot of the times you will get cropped versions of your images that don't really show the vignetting at all.
You also get a lot less shots per roll. Only 12 if you want to get the square format, which makes experimentation much more expensive than 35mm.
35mm
Positives (+)35mm film is much easier to get hold of than 120 and its also a lot cheaper to get developed as well. Which is good because on a 35mm roll you get a lot more frames to play around with. (at least twice that of a 120 film).
The 35mm cameras are also good at keeping your film safe when you have finished shooting because it retracts into the metal canister. 120 film doesn't have this and is prone to light leaks even after the film has been used.
Negatives (-)
Firstly and most importantly, none of the 35mm models actually vignette. The 135BC claims to, but this is actually just a filter on the inside of the camera.
The 35mm Holga cameras are also a lot harder to hack and modify, so bear this in mind if you want to get creative with your camera. They are not very flexible at all.
Conclusion
If you want the true characteristics of Holga photography then you have to go for a 120 camera, but if you want something that you can rely on, and something that can capture a lot for an affordable price, then the 35mm models are definitely the way forward.Basically it just depends on what you want from your camera. the 120 cameras are however the essence of 'Holga' so bear that in mind if you are more swayed to a 35mm camera. You might not get the results you expect with the 35mm models.
If you have any more points or any questions then please leave a comment below!
Labels: 120, 35mm, Format, Newbies
Durkin is a keen blogger and toy camera enthusiast from the UK that has been shooting for around four years. His main subject interests include Architecture, automation and nature.
