Surggestions for a Holga like 35mm camera

BADGER.BRAD

BADGER.BRAD

Messages
3,655
Edit My Images
Yes
Hello all,

I'm looking for a focus free point and shoot one speed/ aperture camera I was thinking of going for the Holga 135 or the new Harman reusable camera but after some comments on the thread Show us your film shots I thought I would look for a vintage camera in the same style. I have an old 90's point and shoot in the same mold but the focus point is towards objects very close to you. Have you any suggestions ?
 
I guess there are things like the LC-A and Diana cameras but they can be daftly expensive due to their hipster cred.

Never used one but seen good results from the LC-A.
 
A Kodak Instamatic might be the closest, however, it takes 126 cartridge film which is no longer made. Adaptors are apparently available to enable loading with 35mm film but this requires the film to be loaded into the adaptor in total darkness. However, 35mm film has sprocket holes so won't look the same as the results from the original 126 film.

Easiest way I think would be to buy a cheap old 35mm point and shoot that fits the bill.
 
Last edited:
The dodgy Russian 35mm was the Cosmic Symbol, and there are a couple on eBay if that appeals. Other than that, many 35mm p&s cameras like a Halina can usually be found skulking in charity shops as no-one wants them. Finding a particularly bad one may be down to luck!
 
I did think of buying a Cosmic/Smean Symbol I have a Cosmic 35 and 35m which I used as a kid some of the results are fantastic and a Sybol would add to my colection of cameras by the Lomo company as would the LCA .
 
I have a Diana F+ which is just like the Holga.....plastic, light leaks etc. I love using it as I never quite know what its going to do. I also bought the adapter to put the plastic Diana lenses on my DSLR.
I also seem to attract rubbish old cameras. I use a Zenit E, Halina 35x, Konica EEmatic. Love them all!
 
The things that will set the standard Holga models aside from the cameras mentioned is the fact that it's medium format and also allows you to focus (abeit in a slightly less-than-accurate fashion). I've used some focus-free 135 cameras that have has a focus fall-off at the edge of the frame, but the results don't really look like my Holga images do.

Is there any reason why you don't want to just go for a Holga outright? It is, after all, a good guarantee of the Holga look. :)
 
I did think of going for the Holga 135 or 135BC the idea of 135 was just because of cost. I have a collection of cameras most of them inherited from my dad Zenits, Practicas , a few Cosmic/Smeans cameras by the original Lomo company various Auto Focus point and shoots and a 1931 kodak Brownie number 2 and My world famous Akita focus free heap of junk , I love the images from the Cosmics they always seem to be better than I was expecting and even the focus free Akita works well when used within it's limitations ie Portrait/ close up shots I really like the fact that it is limited so you have to work a little harder. I even enjoyed using a disposable for the disposable challenge we had last year for the same reasons. I don't really enjoy digital to the same degree.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top