Film Photography Medium Format 6x6 - HOLGA 120N with ILFORD HP5

[@largophoto]

I have been binge watching your shows ...so many good memories..of my days ..

[@renierotto6495]

I’ve been watching all your Holga videos super easy to use and amazing results.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Yes it's good fun the Holga. Thanks for watching

[@sushamiboy]

Your experience and instincts in the darkroom are phenomenal!

[@gelalant8957]

Regarding the light leak: given that it is very distinctly not on every frame, and has a very strong edged shape, I suspect that it is not a light leak at all, but instead is either internal reflections within the lens box, or off-axis light flare through the lens, or possibly both. This is a super common problem with these cameras--if you want to try to control this, you can pull out the plastic 6x6 frame and spray paint the interior square cone area with heavy flat black paint (ideally with some texture in it), being careful to tape mask the area of the plastic frame that comes into contact with the film. Also paint the interior of the lens box, probably by hand rather than spray. You can also jimmy together a lens hood to try to control light flare through the lens. Regarding the scratch: super common problem with Holgas. Mine leaves two long scratch trails on every roll of film I send through it. You can try to polish the plastic 6x6 frame with 0000 steel wool to see if there are any tiny imperfections in the plastic molding.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Gela, I can't see or feel any irritations inside the Holga. I notice the mask is shiny though which possibly could bounce light around inside. Thanks for the heads up!

[@jdebultra]

@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss there is a Holga guy that sells custom holgas, he flat blacks the insides as well as other tweaks. holgamods.com.

[@SilntObsvr]

@@jdebultra As of a couple days ago, holgamods.com web site said he does NOT sell Holgas; you have to send your Holga to him for modification. He still sells parts to install, or makes the modifications himself, though.

[@jdebultra]

I had to use fine sandpaper on the plastic where the film travels over to get rid of scratches. It sorted it. It is not you. Rub your finger over the plastic, you will feel it. I also use a rocket blower prior to loading film, static. I gaffer tape the frame window on mine to eliminate light leak on tops of frame

[@iNerdier]

Hot air gun is nice to polish it after that too

[@jdebultra]

Lol

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

LOL. Melt the S*it out of it

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Cheers. It's smooth inside. I guess that's part of the fun with Holga, figuring out the leaks

[@iNerdier]

Shoot Film Like a Boss no, genuinely it’s called flame polishing. You very lightly melt the rough edges and it solidifies to form a smooth surface

[@iancadwallender9779]

Hi My first film processing and darkroom experience, was with images from holgas. Great fun way to learn.

[@jamesmallard9336]

You can use cotton 4ply in the gap on the door, run it around the hole door gives it a better seal to prevent light leaks on a holga.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Cheers James

[@RobMoses]

Great video! Love the darkroom scenes :)

[@steveweston5902]

Great video Roger. The more I see images from Holgas the more I feel I need to get my hands on one. Loved the backing music too. Felt like I was back in my youth. Keep up the great work.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks 👍

[@illjapopovics3359]

Phenomenal pictures!

[@SilntObsvr]

One of the well known qualities of the Holga is a tendency to scratch your film. The scratch you have on that roll looks like it's due to either a burr on the frame mask (which you can polish out with fine sandpaper) or a piece of grit that got caught on the frame mask when you loaded the camera. I agree with @Gela Lant, what looks like a Light Leak may not be -- if the light doesn't run over the frame rebate, it's probably an internal reflection of the bright sky or something of the sort rather than an actual leak.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Cheers for the info.

[@mattayers3794]

Had the same issue with one of my Holgas also. I also used a buffing wheel on a rotary tool and it cleared up the issue.

[@fishyfish2]

I tape my Holga up completely with black electrical tape, all around the edge of the back cover and also a flap over the frame counter window. I know some Holga users enjoy the light leaks they can get, but they’re not for me. I also get scratches on some of my Holga negs. I’m fairly certain it’s the camera doing it, rather than my mishandling them, as it’s only the Holga that has them. I’m assuming some small piece of debris somewhere on the rollers or something. I sometimes use a clip-on rangefinder with the Holga too - like the one you use with your Nettar. It makes checking you’re at one of the Holga’s four marked distance settings a lot easier. Entertaining and informative video as always, thanks. 👍

[@finkster321]

Roger, try some painter's tape (very easy to remove) along the seams of the camera. Some folks tape the camera up completely. Cheers!!

[@TheRocketyaourt]

I started film photography on that thing ! It was very frustrating, but when you hop on a regular reflex or compact after that, everything seems easy ! ahah anyway, great results on those photos, and kudos for showing the whole process of development and printing. Great video, thanks !

[@key2adventure]

Love the darkroom scenes. My Holga also get these reflections, and i believe its happening inside the camera, as i have taped it completely up outside. But its so fun with this camera that i also got myself a Holga 120wpc - the panoramic pinhole version - which i find even more fun to shoot. Thanks for another great video.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks for the info!

[@bachirmessaouri4772]

Hi. Thank you for your videos and congrats for your beautiful pictures. I have a question: from all the pictures I've seen made with the Holga, yours are, by far, the ones suffering the least from vignetting. The amount of vignetting you get is perfect. It's definitely there but it's subtle. While those I've seen elsewhere show way too much vignetting to be usable, in my opinion. Is it just that you were lucky enough to get the perfect camera or did you do anything to keep that vignetting to a minimum, somehow? EDIT: One thing that is strange though is that looking at your negatives [0:51] / [8:50], it seems that the amount of vignetting you get really varies from one shot to another, while anywhere else, people seem to get a consistent amount of it in the bright areas. I can't make sense out of this. How do you explain that? This seems encouraging because being able to make those artifacts vary from one negativeto another is kind of what I am looking for actually. Thank you very much.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I can't explain that really Bachir. I have not the Holga that long and I've never used any others. Maybe others add a vignette as I sometimes do in the darkroom?

[@bachirmessaouri4772]

​@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Thank you very much. I'm looking forward to seeing new pictures from you. Take care.

[@DuckingAround58]

Great video you just earned another subscriber. I have been on the fence for a while when it comes to buying a Holga, this video may have convinced me. Looks like lots of tape is required to prevent the famous light leaks. Your darkroom is amazing!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Cheers. It's too cheap not to try. Get the tape and have fun lol

[@katebr1737]

Loved this and you should definitely do a Holga zine in the future. Great music too.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Cheers Caroline.

[@arty2917]

Educational, as always!

[@markmadderra4834]

Did you check the 6X6 plastic Framing for any partical that could cause the scratch. Keep up the great videos.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I did. It's as smooth as!

[@lensman5762]

What I like about Holga, besides the single element plastic lens, is the freedom that it affords the photographer. No need to worry about spot meter, tripod, setting shutter speed and aperture and just get bogged down with technicalities that quite often can become tiresome. Just carry the camera with an 800 asa film in there and look for compositions that suit the camera's capabilities. I really liked the beach hut photos BTW.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

That's why I shot it yesterday. I've been shooting a bit on the Zeiss recently and just wanted some thought free shooting' fun :)

[@Rambo2point0]

whats the song when you are in the darkroom

[@justindavisphotography]

I really like the image you went with to print. Really lovely. One thing I would advise to make your printing session easier would be, you shouldn’t be printing with such short exposure times if you want your work to be repeatable. If you are printing 5 seconds there is too little time for manipulation like dodging and burning. I would have stopped the lens down to stops and went with at least 20 second exposure. Much more time to dodge and burn all you want then. Just a suggestion. Going to have to get a Holga at some point. Looks too fun not to.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Cheers Justin. Yes I've mentioned long exposure benefits many times on the channel. Good for others to read. Yes Holgas are great fun and for the price too!

[@kevincamp2913]

Just in time for #Holgaweek!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Is there really a Holga week Kevin??

[@kevincamp2913]

@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss YES SIR. holgaweek.com/

[@Edwin1947D]

That scratch looks like it was caused by a bit of grit or something in the film plane of the camera - which scratched the emulsion side of the film as you advanced it through the camera. The fact that it was only across a few frames makes me think it was just an unfortunate piece of grit that dislodged itself after those few frames

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I hope so! Time will tell. Cheers Edwin

[@erwindegroot8760]

@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss If you use a squeegee after developement to get the water off, one dust particle on it is enough to scratche your negatives.

[@markmadderra4834]

Do you squeegee your negs or run them through your fingers.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

No. I used to squuegy them many years ago but I got a similar scratch and since then always let them hang wet. Thanks for the thought Mark

[@TrashTheLens]

Searching for the source of your lightleak could make for an informative video. Just sayin'.. :) Since it's on top of the frame, I would guess it's been on the bottom side of the camera, right? But its shape and the fact that it's on and off... maybe it's not the camera, but the film wasn't tight enough on the spool when you were loading/unloading it?

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Noted!

[@ZommBleed]

Regardless, it was worth the trip, and you kept your darkroom skills honed. Thanks for sharing. I prefer real world videos to the sanitized dribble prevalent on KZbin.

[@Plasticinepuppet]

Light leak on top right of the image would suggest camera leak would be bottom left (provided the leak wasn't caused in loading... doubtful) . Checked back the footage. Would be around the spot where you stuck some of the gorilla tape (if is saw correctly). Maybe you put it on a bit too tight, causing the plastic body to warp a bit, creating a leak. Never held a Holga, so I don't know how sturdy the bodies are. I use a Click and a Clack as my MF point and shoots and bakelite doesn't bend much. If the holga is similar.. ignore my ramblings.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks puppet!

[@IainHC1]

YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SO need this today!!! :-)

[@MsElleBee]

Cool! I have some XTOL powder, but it only mixes up 5 liters, so I need to figure out how to separate and store it and how long it lasts if I split it into 5 times 1 liter bottles - any recommendations from anyone?

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

It should last up to 6 months Lori. I haven't had it stored that long though! Mine is usually gone within a couple of weeks!

[@horatiueduard]

Square format gets a lot of hate these days...don't know why. Everyone is after 6x7. Anyway, it's nice to see someone who actually likes 6x6. Thanks for the video.

[@mueslimuncher1950]

Holga: when only the worst will do! Seriously though, I get the cult thing, and how it's limitations offer a challenge, and I own two them (one pinhole) and I ran a film through each of them. I won't waste any more film. I have better pinhole cameras, box brownies etc. Anyone wants them, get in touch!

[@snapsnappist4529]

Great work as always. I really like the one that was taken between the beach huts - I have a bit of a fixation on symmetry, especially on 6x6. Did you think about getting a shot of the yoga woman on the beach? Would have made a cool silhouette agains the sea and sky.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I did think about it. I also like that behind the Huts shot but the top ruined it for me. I may grab that again on a TLR so I can compose it better. Have to have some big clouds

[@otc-analogvintagetechnology]

Ok, ok Just a few light leaks and a scratch on the negative but... How much does that amazing camera cost? 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Fortunately I always have something to learn in your darkroom

[@snax_4820]

I am not that convinced that you made this photo with a Holga.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Damn, I've been rumbled lol