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Flickr member HaloPhoto has entered 3 of her fine Holga images into a ‘Trick or Treat’ competition. It would be awesome if you’d head on down and vote for one of her images. Numbers 1, 2, and 4 are hers and are taken using a Holga. Anyway vote for whichever you think is best on the Trash The Dress blog. Oh by the way, the competition closes Friday 2nd November… yes.. this Friday!

Also you might want to check out her Holga Images set, or her Holga Weddings set.

First things first - oh. my. god. Probably the most awesome Holga hack I’ve seen in a long while. Here’s the info, taken from the blog at Photon Detector:

Shikihan made this insane 6×17 “Limousine” pinhole camera out of a Holga! You can see two test shots made with it in Tokyo here and here on Flickr.

She’s made a bunch of other cool pinhole cameras (and makes great photos with them), check them out!

Link (via Photon Detector)

So I’m trying to compile a list of the most frequently asked questions, but I need your help. Yes, you! Here’s a list of the questions that immediately spring to mind, but if you have any more that can think of, leave it in a comment below. Thanks!

Which model should I buy?
If you don’t already own a Holga, I recommend you buy a model with a hot-shoe. So pick yourself either a 120N (plastic lens) or a 120GN (glass lens).

Where should I buy it?
eBay is probably the cheapest option. You can find many online retailers here.

What film should I use?
400 ISO negative film is a good starting point. Negative film is more tolerant of over/underexposure than slide film. You can find a more detailed answer in the choosing film article.

Why are there blank frames on my negatives?
The most common reason for blank frames is failing to remove the lens cap before taking a picture. If you use the lens cap always check that it is removed before clicking the shutter. Try to get into a ritual; take out camera, remove lens cap, focus, click, wind.

Why are my images blurry?
This is usually to do with the bulb switch being incorrectly set. See the blurry section for more information.

I set the film counter window to 16 instead of 12. What will happen?
This one is really common. What will happen is your images will overlap. This may result in your lab being unable to print you images. Your roll of film will effectively be one long image. But don’t be upset - still get the film developed as it might look really cool!

Why do my images have red streaks in them?
These are light leaks. If you have them, you are lucky! If you don’t want them then you need to tape up your Holga. See the light leaks section for more advice.

How do I get more vignetting?
By far the most effective way to get heavy vignetting is to use a flash. Try shooting without the mask, but make sure you tape up the edges inside of your camera. Also try using slower film (e.g. 100 or 200 ISO).

How do I use 35mm film in my Holga?
Take a look at the 35mm article. There’s a video showing you how to load, and a chart telling you how much to wind on after each frame.

I had announced the winners of the recent competition over RSS feed, but I didn’t realise I hadn’t posted the winners anywhere else! How naïve of me! Anyway - for those of you who are interested, here are the winners:

• Jane Rose from England - Holga 120CFN
• Sven Hantschack from Germany - Holgon Strobe Flash
• Alexander Ghaffari from USA - 5x Agfa RSX II film

So congratulations to those three, and thanks to everyone who entered. Hopefully we’ll be having another competition before too long so keep your eyes peeled for information.

It seems there have been a few new models released recently, starting off with the Holga 135BC. According to Superheadz.com there are 3 new models coming - the 135, 135PC, and the 120PC. There are no real details; only a couple of images, but what I can gather is the PC models are pinhole cameras.

The lens barrel mentions the pinhole has a diameter of 0.25mm, yet they quote an aperture of f/192. Someone at the UEI factory cannot calculate, because I make that f/240 for the 120 model! Here’s how I came to that conclusion - f/stop = focal length / aperture diameter. So; 60 / 0.25 = 240.

Of course all of this is speculation until they actually come out and we can get our grubby mitts on them. On that note, it appears they have arrived on eBay. Let the buying begin!

Hello there froglets. Come in, take off your shoes and put your feet up! This is the new blog to accompany the main site at squarefrog.co.uk. So what can you expect from this blog? Well initially there’ll be some reviews of various Holga accessories. But over time I hope to bring you news, interviews and featured galleries from around the world.

I also want to bring you exciting news regarding products and services not specifically designed for the Holga, but are relevant still. Admittedly, the focus will still be on more Holga related loveliness.

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