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Holga 135BC - 1st Impressions

Holga 135BC

The 135BC arrived last week along with 5 rolls of 35mm film!

This mini 35mm holga is very light and I love the design, its a fair bit smaller than the original Holga medium format cams.. Loading with 35mm film was very easy and all functions are clear and simple to use. There is a switch for “Bulb” or “Normal” shutter speed, flash hot shoe, focusing ring, sunny(f11)/cloudy(f8) aperture switch, tripod screw mount and cable release connection. I was very keen to load and start shooting, many photos in this test roll were shot inside the night I opened the box. I have a standard Holga Flash that works great with all the 120 Holgas and I was happy with the results under flash light on the 135BC, you can grab a Holga Flash from Amazon.com for real cheap: Holga Manual Shoe Mount Flash!

Composing shots made me think differently to using a Holga 120 as the format is not square in these new 35mm models. Considering I went for the black corners model - 135BC - I was expecting pronounced vignetting on almost all shots, I was very surprised to see almost a complete lack of this effect! I would like to test this further, its winter in Melbourne and hard to catch some sunlight so perhaps sunnier conditions could lead to more vignette. The freedom of having 24+ shots rather than 12 (standard 120 film) was cool. Im still a believer that 120 film is more suited to lomo photography and helps to produce dreamy deep and moody shots in a way unlike 35mm film.

Here are some shots from the 135BC (Agfa 200 ISO 35mm Color Negative Film):

Holga 135BC - Light Shade
Light Shade: Cloudy (f8) with Flash

Russel Street Melbourne - Holga 135BC
Russel Street Melbourne: Cloudy (f8)

Graffiti Truck - Holga 135BC
Graffiti Truck

Camera Collection - Holga 135BC
Holgas, Kershaw folding camera from the 1950s and a Diana

Mantel Multiple Exposure
Multiple Exposure

Holga 135BC - Branches

Overall this is a sweet little camera, and a nice addition to the Holga family.. The photos from this 1st roll are not as amazing as 120 photos from the other holga models, but the softness of a plastic lens and the slight vignette in these shots make it classic holga!


Holga 135 - 35mm Editions are now available worldwide on eBay too and other crazy stuff for your holga like a fisheye lens!

Search now for Holga 135 on eBay

Let everyone know what you think of the 135BC by leaving a comment below..

Tags: 135BC, 35mm, Holga, black corners, review, vignette by aztek
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New Holga 35mm Models from Lomo

Lomography.com have released a series of new Holga 35mm cameras!

Im real excited to try one for myself! Have just ordered the Holga 35mm 135BC(Black Corners) model. I will post experiences from the 1st roll on this blog holgasquare.com in a few weeks.

Here are details of the BC model I orderd today:

Holga 35MM 135BC (source: http://shop.lomography.com/shop/)Holga 35mm BC Model

The 135BC model features a unique mask that enhances the shadowy vignette effect on shots taken with this Holga. Standard Holgas are renowned for this effect and im wondering how comparable this effect is in the 35mm models. Firstly I dont think vignette is as suitaded to a non square aspect ratio print that 35mm produces. Vignette with 120 square prints is amazing.

Here are specifications for the 135BC:

size: 4.5″ x 3″ x 2.5″ (Smaller than the standard Holga)
weight: 170grams
format: all 35mm film
lens: plastic 47mm, f/8
focus: manual zone focus with four distance settings
approximate 35mm format equivalent focal length: 38mm
aperature settings: f/8, f/11
shutter speeds: 1/125, “B”
flash: standard hotshoe
rear mask for enhanced vignette effect
multiple exposures
standard tripod and cable release threads

Also available is the standard 35mm Holga and the very tempting 35mm Holga Pinhole!

If you have had any experience with these new Holga models please add your opinion to the comments section of this post.

Holga 135 - 35mm Editions are now available worldwide on eBay too, you can also find flashes for the 135BC and heaps of other cool stuff like a fisheye lens!

Search now for Holga 135 on eBay

thanks!
Aztek

Tags: 135BC, 35mm, Holga, black corners, vignette by aztek
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Holga Book Review - Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity

Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity - Author Michelle Bates

I just purchased this book a few weeks ago and was really looking forward to recieving the package in the post! I spent most of the weekend emersed in this wonderful book. Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity is a blessing for newbies interested in toying with plastic camera’s although there is so much great content in Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity including advanced techniques and tips that even a plastic lens veteran can really find some amazing tips! The book also covers different types of films, loading, light leaks and other various techniques.

Lots of great information on the modification of cameras, tips, how to’s and photographer case studies showing how they are successful with the cameras they choose. I highly recommend this book and think it is a great addition to any photographers library.

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Focal Press (October 11, 2006)
Language: English

Here is a sneek peek into the contents of Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity :
Chapter 1: What are plastic cameras?
Chapter 2: Plastic Portfolios (Selection of images from 1960 > Today)
Chapter 3: The Cameras (Covers various plastic camera models)
Chapter 4: I got me a Toy Camera - Now What? (Getting your Holga ready to shoot)
Chapter 5: Feeding Your Holga (Film options for Holga’s and other low-tech cameras)
Chapter 6: Lets Get Shooting (Using Your Holga)
Chapter 7: Taking Your Holga out to Play
Chapter 8: Advanced Tips (Filters, Fancy Films & Flash)
Chapter 9: Holga Camera Modifications
Chapter 10: Film Processing
Chapter 11: The Final Image: Prints and Pixels

Buy this book from Amazon:

The author herself Michelle Bates is a leading Holga photographer (known as the “Holga Queen), her work as well as the following artists work is showcased in this book:

Michael Ackerman
Jonathan Bailey
Eric Havelock-Baillie
James Balog
Betsy Bell
Susan Bowen
Laura Burlton
David Burnett
Nancy Burson
Perry Dilbeck
Jill Enfield
Annette Fournet
Megan Green
Wesley Kennedy
Teru Kuwayama
Mary Ann Lynch
Anne Arden McDonald
Daniel Miller
Ted Orland
Robert Owen
Becky Ramotowski
Nancy Rexroth
Francisco Mata Rosas
Richard Ross
Franco Salmoiraghi
Michael Sherwin
Harvey Stein
Gordon Stettinius
Mark Sink
Kurt Smith
Sandy Sorlien
Pauline St. Denis
;-p r a b u!

I hope you enjoy the delights this book has to offer as much as I did!

Tags: book review by aztek
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