Holga 120N & Ilford Delta 400

 

I took my Holga 120N out again the other day. I really like the 6x6 negative ratio size. The quality is surprisingly good for a plastic "toy" camera. This time I shot at Ft Harrison State Park and Eagle Creek Park in central Indiana on a cloudy / overcast day. I used Ilford Delta 400 in 120 size and developed it with Ilford Ilfotec DD-X 1+9 ratio for 9.5 minutes. The negatives were scanned with an Epson V800 Photo Scanner.

The results

Holga 120N - A Plastic Cult Toy Camera

Much has been written about the Holga. It’s a cult toy camera. All plastic with point and shoot with very few features or controls. You simply load it with 120 film set one of 4 distance setting, slide the aperture switch to either sunny or cloudy, aim and shoot. It’s that easy.

The main feature of the Holga line is they tend to be light leaky and the lens gives a soft / distorted vignette. This quirkiness gives the image it’s unique, “every picture is different” vibe. The plastic is a 60mm f/8 piece of plastic. You can set the camera to take 12 or 16 shots.

Practical? No, Fun? Yes

I’ve had mine for about 5 years. I recently took it out and shot a roll of Ultrafine Xtreme 400. I shot the roll in downtown Indianapolis on a grey but bright day. Film was developed using Ilford Ilfosol3 at 1+9 for 4.5 minutes. Negatives were scanned using an Epson V800.

I dig the camera. Here are some images.

Lomography pop9

It's 100% 35mm toy camera time.  Time to talk about this 9-eye'd brick of gold!  Yes, I'm talking about the Lomography pop9.  Want high quality, super sharp photos?  What lots of options? Want to be taken seriously when others see you shooting?  Well, you're not going to get it with the pop9.  The pop9 is just for fun.  You know, a toy camera.

What makes the pop9 unique is that it takes 9 small square photos on each frame.  It simply takes the image in your viewfinder and creates 9 small copies at once.  That's it.  

The pop9 is all manual.  The only feature is a manual flash that runs off a single AA battery.  There's a on / off switch on the top.  If you think you need the flash, turn it on.  It's not automatic.  The film rewind gear is on the bottom left of the camera (which seems backwards).  The film rewind knob is also on the bottom, on the bottom right.

Looking at the camera and when you open the back of the camera and you'll see how it works.  There are 9 separate lenses.  When you push the shutter release all 9 lenses fire.  When you look through the back you can see all 9 open if holding the camera up to a light.

I bought my Lomography pop9 last time I was in NYC in their NYC store.  I've wanted one for awhile, so I picked one up.  I loaded a roll of Fujicolor Superia 35mm film, and found the flash didn't work.  That somewhat limited what I shot because it was getting dark when I first used it.  I finished up the roll when I got home on a fairly bright day, and those were the only images that worked.

Bottomline, this is a pure fun camera.  Not practical for anything other than goofing around or possibly for a creative project.  But, you know what, I enjoyed it.  I'll probably see if I can get the flash to work and take it to the studio with me during a fashion shoot.  Might get some cool shots.  In the meantime, here a few shots from the first roll.

Imperial Debonair

I picked up this fancy looking camera, an Imperial Debonair, online in a camera lot purchase.  Very 60's looking.  As a matter of fact it's the produced in the 60's by the Herbert Jones Company.  Before I had purchased this camera, I had never heard of the Herbert Jones Company.  

This beauty is an all plastic, Bakelite, camera which falls squarely in the "toy camera" range today.  Looks somewhat like a Kodak Brownie, and I suspect they were made as a competitor.  This is a 620 film camera.  This camera is all manual, and as a matter of fact there are no features to put your manual camera skills to test.  You just load a roll of 620 film, point and shoot.  

This is a rangefinder which makes it simple to use.  My camera had cracks in the case, but nothing a bit of gaffers tape couldn't fils.  I loaded a roll of 120 film rerolled onto a 620 spool that I purchased from The Film Photography Project store and got going.  After about 6 shots however the film must have slipped off the sprocket and jammed.  I was able to "slap" it back in place, but when I advanced the film it tore, and locked up.  I simply rerolled the film.  No reason to open the camera up in the dark and try to get it going again.

This is a fun little camera with a cool 60's vibe.  Very hipster.  Dig it.

Pretty distinct vignetting

Doing some use camera shopping

Oops

Disney Princess

"Why" you ask, "Why not" I say.  I found this pink beauty at Goodwill for 50 cents and I had to have it.  The Disney Princess camera.  Toy film camera extreme.  I have zero clue as to the camera specs.  But here is what I do know.  It has a manual flash with a simple on/off switch.  Rangefinder slightly off of the lens axis.  Lens cap switch (you know so you don't scratch the lens), and it shoots 35mm film.

I loaded her up with a roll of FujiColor Superia Xtra 400 color film and shot a few pictures around the studio, and a few photos as behind the scenes during a recent model shoot.  True to it's toy camera status the quality stinks, focus not all that sharp and the flash was a bit of a hit & miss.  But hey, I got a few stares.

A few photos.

Inside the Circle City Industrial Complex where my studio is located

Hey look it's me!

A professional photographer has the best cameras!

Toy Camera Fun - The Coca Cola Camera

Lens cover shut - it's a good looking camera

Viewfinder is directly over the lens which is nice, but the flash has a manual on/off switch.

I found this fun toy camera at my local Goodwill.  Yes, I agree why would anyone throw this beauty away?  No problems I rescued it.  It has toy camera all over it with it's all plastic body & lens and no features.  Oh yes, it does have a manual flash.

I popped in a roll of expired (not cold stored) Kodak T-Max 400 and fired away.  I even took it to a camera club Christmas party.  I was the talk.  After about 12 shots the shutter release button stuck in the depressed position.  Couldn't advance the film.  No problems.  A good smack on the palm of my hand and the shutter release button unstuck.  I had to do this on the last 12 or so shots.  

Anyway, I made it through the roll, and face palm I opened the back of the camera without rewinding the film.  Film photographers know that stupid feeling.

I closed 'er up and rerolled the film.  I didn't want those last 3 photos anyway.  I was surprised in good light (remember I was only using 400 ASA film) the quality was as expected.  Kind of creamy as might be expected with it's fine Chinese manufacturing of the 90's and it's plastic lens.  Right up there with toy camera stardom.  It will however end up in my "used" box because I don't want to have to go around whacking my camera ever time I take a picture.  Some photos, and few of the ones that have open back light leakage.  Enjoy

Lomography would be proud - filter compliments of an open film back

Pretty colors

Dynamic range stinks

Christmas party at the studio, maybe I should have used my studio strobes

Expired 400 ASA film in a toy camera on an overcast day = sucky photo

Tree outside of the studio

Split Personality? - Nope It's The Split-Cam

Time to discuss another toy camera.  This time it's the Accoutrements "Split-Cam" with Image Fusion Technology.  That's right "image fusion technology" - impressed yet? This has all the requirements to be a toy camera.  It's plastic, it's low tech, & it produces unique or light leaky photos.  And, it's made in China.  The company that sells them is Accoutrements who has the tag line "Outfitters of Popular Culture"...OK, if you say so.  I bought this beauty new in package on eBay.

The unique feature of the Split-Cam is that you have black plastic sliders that slide in front of the lens & the viewfinder.  Each slider is 1/2 the size of the lens & viewfinder that cuts the image in 1/2 horizontally.  Simply slide one slider closed and the other open both on the viewfinder & the lens.  Next you take a photo.  Push the little switch on the back of the camera to re-cock the shutter (you don't advance the film yet).  You then switch the sliders, recompose the photo and shoot again.

If you do it correctly you get a "fused" photo, one on top and one on bottom with a fuzzy line in the middle.  In theory it's a good idea, but on my camera, it didn't work so well.  The sliders didn't stay shut or open completely every time, or sometimes I forgot to change the slider.  My first roll was just a test, so not surprising.  The biggest issue with my camera is the line between the top and bottom half is not crisp.

But hey, repeat to yourself Steve, "It's a toy camera".  No one that sees the bumblebee colors would think anything other than that.  Even the instructions say's "taking pictures with the Split-Cam is about trial & error.  Forget everything you've been taught about "good" photography.  This is fun photography.  This is art photography".

Specs are fairly limited.  The lens is a fixed f/8 aperture with a fixed shutter speed of 1/100.  There is no hot or cold shoe.  The instructions say you can use any 35mm film but then says it works best with 200 ASA film outdoors / bright sunlight.  More instructions "he Split-Cam is not equipped with flash. Outdoor use is recommended".  Also, it's not really a run & gun camera so using it indoors at a party probably isn't going to work.

As you can see, the camera doesn't have much detail.  The front has the slider switches next to the viewfinder & the lens.  The top has the film rewind knob, the shutter release & the counter.  The back the viewfinder, the shutter re-cock switch and the film advance knob.  That's it.  Load it with a roll of 35mm film and go out an play.  

Here are a couple of photos using a roll of expired Mitsubishi MX-III 400 ASA color film that I took while out on a long bike ride and a street shoot downtown.

Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis

Used car lot in central Indiana

Pictures I've Taken - Time Rangefinder

My Dad was an avid photographer.  Over his years he picked up quite a few cameras.  After he passed a couple of years ago I was given several of his cameras.  One was a cheapo Time Rangefinder I found in a box of camera equipment.  This was the type of camera you received as a free gift when you subscribed to Time Magazine.  An extremely cheap point & shoot.  All plastic rangefinder. Load, point, set the aperture ring on the lens & shoot.

I recently took it out and shot a roll through it and as expected the results were....hmmm, how do I say this? "Poor", yep that's the word.  But you know, it has toy camera written all over it, and at the time I bet there were thousands out there. 

Here is a picture I took recently on a cloudy day along Washington Street in Indianapolis.  The cool thing is that this was one of my Dad's cameras so I'll hang on to it, and write a formal post soon.

Panoramic Paradise - The Ultronic Panoramic

I purchased the book "Fantastic Plastic Cameras" by Kevin Meredith at Half Priced Books recently.  It's a reference book that details many cheap, plastic cameras.  A fun read.  One of the cameras listed is the Ultronic Panoramic.  The ultimate in cheap, plasticy, toy cameras.  AND, it shoots exclusively in Panorama mode. Here's the book.

OK, it's not a "real" panoramic photo, but it gives you the illusion of one.  In the viewfinder and the film plane opening is in the shape of a panorama.  Approximately the top & bottom 15% of the photo is blocked off. This produces a black band on the top & bottom of the photo.  It's actually kind of cool.  Thus the look of a panorama.  Not X-Pan cool but not bad for a cheapo camera.

This is strictly a point & shoot.  No manual settings for anything.  It takes 35mm film.  There is no ASA scale or switch, so this leads me to believe any ASA rating is A-OK.  The lens is recessed slightly in the camera body with a cheap plastic cover that slides over when not in use.  The lens focal length is rated at 28mm which is definitely wide angle.  Focuses down to about 2 1/2 feet.  Researching the camera indicates that the lens is fixed f/11 with a shutter speed of 1/125.  So a wide angle lens with good depth of field.

I bought mine new on E-bay for about $15 including shipping.  I know I could have bought it for almost nothing in a flea market / junk store, but hey, I wanted one, so I bought one.  I loaded it with a roll of Mitsubishi MX-III 400 - 12 for the test.  Just point & shoot.  Nothing to fiddle with.  You see the panoramic effect in the viewfinder, so there is no guessing.  The lens is not very bright, there is no hotshoe or flash, so you either need a bright day or high ASA (and associated grain).  I therefore shot my first roll on a fairly sunny day at my sister's lakehouse.    

The camera worked great.  As expected due to the quality of the film and the plastic lens the photos were soft and the colors not crisp.  But still, kind of fun. The only downside is that the camera feels really cheap.  If you drop it, I suspect it will break easily.  However, with all that I'll probably run a roll of better film through it and try to get some better images.