So I Flocked My Holga 120N | What Difference Did It Make?

[@KevinDeal]

Holga experts. What did I do wrong? Did I just get a bad copy? Did I flock it wrong? Have you had the same experiences? Tell me in the comments below.

[@filmlovephotography]

Maybe it's better to cover the aperture button with black tape and the shutter and the button that changes the shutter speeds and all places that can enter the light. I know, holgas are crazy cameras with a lot of light leaks. I for what I can see it's a light leaks and not reflection. Good luck with your holga and happy shooting 👍

[@igorvainshtein5731]

I have close to 30 different Holga cameras of all different types, including 3-D, 135mm, Polaroid, Instax, wide format, TLR and practically everything else they made, except the 110 film cameras. I have been shooting Holgas for years, I never flocked the inside of a single Holga. It actually looks like you have light leaks, probably around the back or around the lens assembly. What I always do with any Holga, straight out of the box, is I put retainer straps around the back using Velcro material and I also make a cover for the red film counter window, using the same Velcro material. Also, sometimes, when I do repairs and take apart the lens assembly, I tape the edges using gaffer tape, but only if it needs it. One other point. I started working with Holgas more than 20 years ago and at the time there were no foam pads in the spool areas. At that time the experts recommended to fold a small piece of the film's cardboard box and put it under the film spool, when you load the camera, not the take-up spool. Don't make it too tight, so that it is impossible to rotate the spool. This is still a good advise. It keeps the tension on the film and it stays in right position as far as the focal plane is concerned. This also prevents aberrations, which sometimes can look like light leaks. You can still save you Holga using these techniques and I thing you will enjoy using it. When I travel It is always one of my go to cameras.

[@KevinDeal]

Thanks for the pointers. I always love learning from others.

[@woodedape]

It may be coming in through your shutter release trigger or through the top.

[@KevinDeal]

You are right

[@PublicUniverse]

There is a screw hole inside near the shutter that can allow light to enter through the aperture settings, and seams in the lens. A small piece of tape covering the hole might fix this

[@KevinDeal]

thanks!

[@patsirianni7984]

Are you sure it’s not coming from a light leak?

[@KevinDeal]

It is. I got a dud.

[@redguy2076]

These look like light leaks coming in where the lens assembly and the body meet. Just tape it up with gaffer's tape. Internal reflections are usually just a loss of general contrast.

[@KevinDeal]

Thanks. I agree.

[@camerascapes3804]

Thanks for the test.

[@KevinDeal]

I failed the test. lol. That camera is a just a decoration in my studio now. But you're welcome nonetheless

[@Larpy1933]

Excellent experimental work. Thank-you.

[@KevinDeal]

Thank you too!

[@manymonarchs3964]

If you do a premiere on a video, I think KZbin studio allows you to trim out the countdown at the start. I keep getting double notifications, as if you’re uploading and publishing a separate version without the countdown?

[@KevinDeal]

Interesting. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'm going to experiment with my next upload and see if I can alter the settings to make for a more enjoyable viewing experience. Have a great weekend!

[@kurtnorlin4394]

I have shot Holgas for a long time. A couple of points: 1 You need flock as well as paint to flock a camera. 2. The problem seems to occur in about the same place each time and extends from top to bottom of the frame. It looks like a leak caused by the back not fitting tightly. The way I prevent this is to use heavy duty rubber bands at the top and bottom, This forces the body and back tightly together and also traps the slides so they don't slide open . 3. Each Holga is unique and has it's own quirks. If you are looking for a lot of control your success ratio will be disappointing.

[@KevinDeal]

Good tips.

[@redskysaturn75]

Remove the shutter box and place a foam from the inside over the shutter button, you should be fine. You can remove it by unscrewing two screws beneath the mask.

[@KevinDeal]

It sits on a shelf now. lol

[@LMFAO5001]

Matte black spray paint isnt actually flocking. It will still reflect. You need real flocking powder. I used some i got off amazon and black tempera paint as the glue. I used a plastic bottle with holes in the bottom as the flock sprayer and just brushed the paint on. It turned out great and its pitch black.

[@KevinDeal]

Lesson learned

[@doctorstrobe]

For more control, maybe find yourself a Holga lens (EF mount, they have several such as the pinhole and another more classic lens) and mount it to a decent medium format body with some adapter. Same cheap look minus the guesswork.

[@KevinDeal]

That may very well need to be the play.

[@motorbikemeditations6763]

Two issues. Most of the shots show issues in roughly the same place which makes me think light leak. And two, simply spraying flat paint is not flocking... According to Wikipedia (and woodworkers the world over) "Flocking is the process of depositing many small fiber particles (called flock) onto a surface. It can also refer to the texture produced by the process, or to any material used primarily for its flocked surface. Flocking of an article can be performed for the purpose of increasing its value. It can also be performed for functional reasons including insulation, slip-or-grip[clarification needed] friction, retention of a liquid film, and low reflectivity." There are numerous youtube videos on flocking, and a whole bunch of amazon links out there for the materials

[@KevinDeal]

Alright. Shout out to woodpeckers.

[@Larpy1933]

The comments are a real help. Thanks everyone.

[@KevinDeal]

thanks for stopping by

[@SonnyBurnett2012]

You still have to tape it, maybe

[@KevinDeal]

Probably. 120 film is too expensive. Just using my Holga as decoration in my You You studio now. Loading that up in the Hasselblad from here on out.

[@daryl2916]

Next time use Black 4.0 with fine brushes.

[@KevinDeal]

It's a prop in my studio now. Lol

[@patsirianni7984]

Holga camera are just shoot and hope photography

[@KevinDeal]

This is the truth. I turned mine into an office decoration. 120 film is too expensive to use on such inconsistency.

[@francofraei1920]

A photographer buying a Holga is like a chef buying a Betty Crocker Easy Bake Oven at a thrift shop. Why why why waste your time and money?

[@KevinDeal]

It’s certainly a different looking image than my Fuji GFX100. lol.

[@manymonarchs3964]

Sometimes intentional restrictions can lead to creative solutions that one wouldn't think of when using the "correct" gear without compromise. Then one can carry those skills back to the normal workflow and think of things differently. Little challenges like this keep the creative process fresh.

[@doctorstrobe]

@@manymonarchs3964 yup. Holga is crappy but sometimes crappy is awesome.

[@michaelagin7076]

Because it is an art medium. That is reason enough