Tags
diana, holga, lomo, LSI, toy camera
I used to write for a blog that focused primarily on toy cameras, mostly Holga’s and Diana’s. I started writing this blog because there was only so much I could say about toy cameras and I wanted to write about more conventional photography topics. Slowly my interest in toy cameras waned and then my interest in photography sort of waned as well. Lately I’ve had a fury of creativity fueled by travel and free time (30 days paid vacation) and so I’ve been shooting more and writing more. Anyway, I think it’s time to revisit the Toy Camera topic.
Holga’s were first introduced in the 1980′s in China. American artsy types caught on, the Lomo craze caught on and next think you know you can buy one at your local Urban Outfitters. What started out as a cheap camera designed for mass production and distribution became something of a cult camera for people who were willing to shoot film. Some purists cringed as people who had never shot a frame of film started asking silly questions (to dinosaurs anyway). Some photographers have really taken to the Holga and produce striking, emotive photographs that have a strange effect on the viewer. All of the things about a picture we’re not supposed to like come together and create something artful out of something sometimes extremely ordinary. The surreal becomes even more so when shot with a Holga.
Before you rush off to Amazon.com and order a Holga and some film there are a couple of things you should know. Medium Format film aka 120 is not as cheap as 35mm. It’s harder to load into a camera (takes a little practice, but it’s not too difficult) and not all of your shots will come out if you’re shooting in conditions unfavorable to a useful exposure. It’s amazing at how much does come out though, and for some that’s the fun part. You need to remember to remove the lens cap (or throw it away) and unless you want to try exposing more then one frame of film at a time you need to remember to advance the film between every shot. Always load and unload film out of direct light (in the shadows is best when out in the world. Roll film can leak light if not wound tightly.
Outside of the basics there’s not too much to the camera. There are a dizzying amount of models available and tons of accessories now but you should start out with a basic camera first and worry about the rest of the stuff later.
Another camera that is very similar (and rumored to be the inspiration for the Holga) is a Diana. Original Diana cameras from the 60′s and 70′s have gotten expensive, but LSI sells a reproduction of the Diana for a somewhat reasonable price. It does even more fun stuff out of the box then the Holga but I’ve found it to be a little bit more temperamental as well. They are “cuter” then the Holga but more delicate too. They also come in a few different formats and configurations and have tons of accessories.
