Wide angle Holga
by jamesgritz on May 14, 2009
I received this email today about the modification of a Holga for wide angle and a few other questions. I thought I would just share them on the blog.
“Hello – your pictures are absolutely amazing. As a holga newbie, I’m wondering if you could give a little more detail to one of your hints. You mention the Kenko Wide angle lens as working well with the holga. I have a 49mm adaptor ring for my holga, but I haven’t found a kenko that would fit this. Did you end up getting the 37mm one and then a different adaptor ring? Do you have any tips in keeping the images sharp? Do you shoot with one of the 4 focus distances more frequently than another? Any tips on increasing vignetting? I’ve removed the screen, but haven’t seen much difference.”
Holga with Kenko wide angle attached
So this is a Holga with a Kenko wide conversion lens 0.42x HUW-042. First I added a 46mm filter ring to the front of the lens. I found a old UV filter, broke the glass and then superglued it the the front of the lens. I got most of this advice from Randy at Holgamods. He said the plastic is so soft you should be able to just screw the ring in directly and I am sure if you are dextrous enough this would work but I had trouble keeping it aligned as I screwed it in so I finally glued it. I am pretty sure there is also a way to add a wide angle lens without getting the spherical frame you will see on the following pictures but I haven’t personally gone there yet. Randy has a lot of tips at this url:
Holgamodstips
In answer to the email you need a 46mm not 49mm. The Kenko conversion lens is two part – it has a screw-in macro filter. You need both to get anything in focus. You do have to be careful because if you screw it in too tight it easy to then have the wide angle part come off w/o the macro part and then hard to unscrew the macro filter. I have included some photos I took with this rig in Philadelphia, New York and Boulder.
Trees in Central Park, NY
Wide angle view from Rittenhouse Square
Coffee shop, Boulder, CO
What follows are a few images having fun with the Holga doing panoramics. You have to play around with how you advance the film and the spacing it leaves, i.e. your can advance to the next number in the red viewing box on the back or wind it 3/4 of the way, etc. You just have to play with it for the best results. If you google on holga panoramic I’m sure there are a lot of techniques out there. Here the results of some of my play.
Rittenhouse Squareouse Square 3, Philadelphia
Park in NY
Rittenhouse Square 3, Philadelphia
Aspens up Flagstaff Mountain, Boulder
As for keeping the images sharp. That is really hit and miss. Here’s a link on the distances on the focus icons. http://www.squarefrog.co.uk/holga-basics-focus.html You need to practice estimating distance. I have some experience with this from using the Nikonos underwater. Also if you have had your Holga modified with two real apertures and use the smaller one you will have a better percentage of focused images. Regarding vignetting I don’t worry about and take what I get or if I want more I uses the lens distortion filter in photoshop to increase the vignette.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I really enjoy the feel and look of this image.
Nice photographs. You do use the Holga well.
Fascinating series of shots, each one unique in their own respect. Creative compositions with fascinating tones, great work!
Great images. Thank you.