I just ordered me a Holga and some film.

[SusanH1970]

I just ordered myself a $30 Holga and a few rolls of film. I'm in love with the weird, dreamy images these little toys produce! I'm sure most of my attempts will be epic fails, but wow, it'll be a lot of fun!

For you Holga haters out there - take a look at this, from my friend Stacie:

We Are Such Stuff | Connecticut Photographer | Stacie Turner Photography

Yeah, my first 500 rolls or so will be an epic fail. But I've found that digital has become too easy for me. Don't like a shot? Trash can. For clients, it's a Godsend. For shooting for me, and what keeps me going, not so much. Stacie actually shoots clients with a Holga. I don't dare get into that realm, but the kick in the ass of shooting creatively at a hugely limited SS and ap while having to rely on the film's ISO....this is going to be an amazing learning experience for me.

Because I love Stacie's film work, both with her Holga and her Bronica, and because I feel the need to get back to the very, very basics, I'm doing this. I thought about doing a 365 or even a 52 (digital). I know I'd cheat. Digital is too easy. So is 35mm SLR (though I heavily considered it instead of a Holga, lol).

Wish me luck. I'm hoping to come back with a scan or three.

[Bruce A]

. But I've found that digital has become too easy for me.

Susan, your trouble is you are just getting too good.

[rosserx]

I love my Holga! I agree, digital makes you lazy. With a roll of 120 you only have 12 shots (when you shoot 6x6) so you really have to slow down and think about your composition and not waste a single frame. I've been following Stacie Turner too. Ever since she ran that contest for a canvas print or something like that and you wanted to win it so you told everyone here to like her Facebook page. Hey how did that turn out anyway? Did you win? I love her Holga work. Enjoy your Holga and have fun!!!

[zona5101]

Film! On DPS?!
Blasphemer!!

Have fun & enjoy the journey! Next thing you know you'll be buying d-76 and making contact prints on rag paper...

[Roshenk]

What a fantastic toy! Enjoy it.

As for digital being too easy for you, we all agree, it is too easy for you. Therefore so that we don't feel as inferior we are giving you a handicap.

Your new Kodak Point and Smear 1.2MP camera is in the mail, please follow all written instructions and wear the included blindfold at all times when taking shots. Thank you.

[OsmosisStudios]

Film: Okay
Holga: Notsomuch.

[RLucas]

LOL! 3 years for me on digital, and my normal outings are still less than 24 exposures.
I still lives in tha film mentality.

Susan, have fun with it! I love Stacie's stuff! Definitely something to strive for!

[SwissJon]

Hey.. whatever rocks your boat.. Have fun with it.

[rachb]

I got my Holga 5 years ago, and still use it. It's been dropped a billion times, modded to a 35mm, and the lens is completely scratched. It still produces some of my absolute favorite photos. I shot a dark, stormy sky one day, and it came out bright red like it was on fire...amazing. Make sure you experiment with some double exposures... that's something you can't really do on a DSLR. I usually get my 35mm developed at CVS, and instead of printed, they scan the film onto a CD. It's cheaper than prints, and that way I can crop in pp because I've never gotten correct prints with 35mm. I usually have to use my darkroom to get full prints from the 35mm because of the cropping. And scan/post your photos!! Have fun!!!

[Doug Pardee]

I just ordered myself a $30 Holga and a few rolls of film. I'm in love with the weird, dreamy images these little toys produce! I'm sure most of my attempts will be epic fails, but wow, it'll be a lot of fun!

Fun? You think you should have fun? Photography is serious business and nobody serious uses a Holga!

By the way, Holga also sells their plastic lens with DSLR mounts. They've also got kits that include a variety of secondary lenses to achieve different focal lengths, macro focusing, and (DSLR only) fisheye. On a DSLR, though, you're dealing with a significant crop factor; the 60mm (nominal) Holga lens is a wide-angle on a 120 Holga, but about a normal lens on a full-frame and a medium tele on an APS-C DSLR. In any event, the digital sensors won't pick up any vignetting. [I've been toying with picking up a Holga lens set to play with.]

Did you pick up any slide film for cross-processing?