Tests with Holga 120 Pan

I bought my first Holga at the very beginning of 2009. It was a classic model 120GN with glass lens which suppose to be a bit sharper comparing to original plastic one.

And it is very sharp indeed as for toy camera once you manage to judge distance to your subject properly.

Extremely light, small and easy to use makes it perfect portable medium format camera.

My 120GN allowed me to record many great photograph in the last years. Some of them like ‘Film House’ received quite serious appreciation.

In mid 2013 looking at some work of other photographers my attention caught series of photographs taken by Phil Kneen with his wide Holga called 120 pan. Link is HERE.

That was something totally new for me especially in this format. I love wide aspect ratio like the one in fantastic Hasselblad XPan but this time it was medium format and what is very important - very affordable medium format. Of course there is no comparison in optics haha ;) 

It took me over a year to get this camera into my hands. I did it anyway ;)

First impression - simply stretched 120GN ;)

I have to ad that I was using for a while pinhole model but it’s not the same. I am not a huge fan of pinhole photography as I really like to have as much control as possible over the frame I am going to record. 

Last weekend weather was just perfect for the experiment with my 120 Pan.

Destination? UCD campus - the best place ever ;) Beautiful sunny day, modernist forms of an old campus, lines, shadows …

Couple of hours of shooting, 2 rolls of film (6 photographs in each! love it) all with a big excitement.

Next day another roll and …processing time in the evening.

And that’s it …

All mentioned excitement has gone. I did the most ridiculous mistake or maybe oversight is a better word. 

Doesn't matter - ridiculous is how I describe it. I did something which I am always talking about in a form of warning when somebody is asking me about using Holga. 

I switched it into BULB mode ;) Yes. all of you who own Holga know this little switch at the bottom of the lens ;)

Position of mention switch is very easy to mix up especially when another switch theoretically responsible for aperture works in sort of inverted way.

All this time was wasted. Films ruined…well almost. I quite like photograph presented below which was made outside campus, on the way to Blackrock. 

I am coming back next weekend to UCD if weather allows of course! 
For now however I couldn't wait and had to make some images before that.
I simply had to check if it really works in the way I want. 

And... it does work  ;)

Yesterday I went outside my place and made a few photographs in the area. Images are still not perfect as film was expired and didn't gave me desired quality but I am really happy with it anyway.

So.. camera is fantastic! 
If any of you is thinking about it just give it a go! 

Pleasure guaranteed ...once you will remember about all switches ;)