I recently picked up a Holga lens with a Canon mount and have been using it on my 20D. It’s a fun little lens and a great way to use an old but still very functional camera that has otherwise been relegated to backup-backup status. I could have converted it to IR but that costs a lot more money and IR is just not something that interests me.
This past weekend I met up with Paul Lester, a long-time online acquaintance and now real-life friend, and we spent a couple of hours walking around downtown Charlotte making pictures. I had been past the NASCAR Hall of Fame numerous times, thought the building would make for some interesting photography and suggested that as our destination. It’s not the Sydney Opera House but for Charlotte it’s pretty nice. We were fortunate to have a nice breezy day with great clouds in an otherwise blue sky, perfect conditions for chasing shapes, lines and patterns, with great conditions to counterpoint the stark buildings against a backdrop of great sky.
Paul shoots with an M9 and I had my “digital Holga,” and on several occasions I joked that my camera was the “anti-Leica” because of the older technology and plastic lens. The Leica has astonishing image quality, and several shots I saw on Paul’s LCD confirmed why they are coveted by those seeking the highest image quality. But the great thing was that for both of us it wasn’t about the gear. Someone might think, “well, that’s easy for him to say, he has an M9!” but Paul has an M9 because it does what he needs it to do. I’d love to have one too, but for now I’ll happily make photos with any camera I have with me, whether it is my 5D and fancy ‘L’ lenses, my G12 or my Canon Holga.
I’m always careful to not get hung up on “gimmicks” but the thing I like about the old camera + plastic lens combination is that because it is manual focus and requires manual exposure I really have to pay attention to what I do with it, how I use it and where I point it. The Holga literature says that the aperture is effectively f8 but I think that refers more to depth of field than to light transmission. To get any kind of hand-holdable shutter speed – even outdoors – I have to crank the ISO up to 3200 (which is about 3 stops over what the 20D was designed for). The quality of the lens is generally terrible, and at ISO 3200 the photos look like they were made in a dust storm, so it really becomes about the subject. The images still need to be in focus and properly exposed, but in many ways taking image quality out of the equation means that the photo can just be about the photo.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to imply that just because I’m making these photos with an old camera and a plastic lens makes them Art. Although I really like some of the photos! I’m mostly just saying that it’s a great creative exercise. Every time I put the camera to my eye and push the shutter button without adjusting exposure or focus I’m quickly reminded to get my head back into what I’m doing. I may need to make a few prints and show them to my Artist buddies to see what they think.
I don’t think I’ll be giving up the “serious” gear any time soon, but it sure is nice to just go out and shoot, exercise the brain and have fun once in a while!
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Be sure to check out Paul’s blog. He writes often about photography and other fun subjects. I’m glad to now be able to call him a “real-life friend!”
I found a link to your site from Paul’s blog and now I’m glad I did. I think your work is really great after going through past posts. I’ll be back.
Ken, thanks for the kind comments. I took a quick look at your blog this afternoon and look forward to exploring it some more. This looks like a good circle of friends.
Tom: I had a serious laugh-out-loud moment reading this post, when you said: That’s easy for him to say that it’s not about the gear. You’re absolutely right. I have the M9 because it is: 1. A rangefinder, which I love!
2. It is digital
3. It’s full frame.
4. It doesn’t have lots of bells and whistles. It does only what I want it to do. Take photos.
5. It’s mostly manual. No auto focus at all.
I really like these shots that you’ve taken with the Holga lens. I remember when you let me hold the lens. Wow! There was nothing to it save for some plastic and a pinhole, but you got some nice photos out of it. I’ll bet that it makes quite flattering portraits, as well. I look forward to more outings, sincerely.
Paul, I’m glad you laughed because that was my intention! I agree with you that shooting with the rangefinder is a completely different experience because of the “manual-ness” of it. I’m tempted to go that route myself, especially when I get in one of those moods and miss the Mamiya 7 and wish they made a digital version. I see the M9 as the closest thing to that esthetic.
I like the Holga lens on the 20D but that body is pretty heavy and I would like to lighten it up a bit. The make a version that would fit Kathy’s E-PL2. I may have to get one and give it a try!
Hey, we both forgot the other great thing about that combination – the Microdrive! How many people do you know who still have one that works, let alone shoot with one!
I had forgotten about the microdrive! Heck! You’re the only one that I know of with such ‘ancient’ technology. I used to have one, as I mentioned, but it died some time ago. 🙂
I have to ask after noticing the shots you’ve posted here, do you find that the holga lens ‘likes’ particular subjects? Mine too seems to very much enjoy shooting reflective buildings and also the red bricks and cobbled streets of dublin, but i wonder if they vary from lens to lens?
Thinking about putting it on a smaller sensor camera though, you’d probably lose so much of the softness round the outside it wouldn’t be worth it 🙁 I was delighted with the extra glow round the edges when i started using mine on the 5d, and it’s also fun to see the looks on people’s faces when they see me taping (i don’t have a fancy version that clicks into place) a plastic lens onto a €2k camera, hahaha 😀
Hi Julie –
That’s a really great question as I haven’t had a chance to do much more with it than city scenes and a few random shots. It does seem to “like” certain things, and the architecture is certainly one of them. Scenes with interesting shadows are also good. It also looks good in color. I have a small gallery on my Facebook page, which you can get to with the link above right. You may need to become a friend but that’s OK. 🙂
I haven’t tried the lens on my 5D but there seems to be plenty of “Holga-ness” even with the 20D. I definitely need to try that! The biggest issue is that the smaller sensor turns the lens into about a 100mm focal length, which is a little long for a lot of things. I tend to look at details so it suits me well, but once in a while I wish it was a little wider. There is a wide-angle attachment for the lens but having accessories kind of (for me) defeats the purpose of the lens! I am thinking about using it with an extension tube to see if I can do macro with it.
I laughed out loud at the idea of taping your lens to your 5D! The Canon mount lens is only $25 here so it was a reasonable investment.