Updated June 28. 2026
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BEST BLACK & WHITE AND COLOR FILMS TO USE WITH A HOLGA
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know that the Holga (particularly the Holga 120 GCFN) is my favorite camera of all time. It’s a cheap, plastic toy camera but is capable of taking some truly unique photographs. It’s the one camera I never leave home without! I’ve been shooting with the Holga for almost 15 years now and I’ve tried quite a few different film brands with it at this point. I wanted to share my 3 favorite films I’ve used over the years and why I keep going back to them. Make sure to check out my full blog post and YouTube video about the Holga too! If you prefer shooting 35 mm film, you can read more about the Holga 135BC on my blog here. :)
1. Lomography Color Negative 120 ISO 400
My absolute favorite film to use with the Holga is Lomography Color Negative 400. Lomography‘s color 120 films are actually some of the more affordable ones out there, especially if you buy in bulk to save on shipping costs. The best part about this film is the bright, vibrant colors. I’ve noticed that films like Kodak Portra 400 (which is an incredible film - I have a full blog post about it here!) just tend to turn out a little more flat when using the Holga, so I often end up adding saturation into the photo during post-processing. Because the images taken with the Holga aren’t the sharpest or most detailed, having a vibrant and bold color film REALLY makes a difference. Plus, the 400 film speed works in both bright light and lower light situations. It’s the most versatile film speed for the Holga, in my opinion. The Color Negative 800 by Lomography is also great if the 400 isn’t in stock!
WHERE TO PURCHASE:
Lomography Color Negative 120 ISO 400
Shop B&H Photo
Shop Amazon
Shop eBay
2. FUJIFILM Neopan 100 Acros II Black & White Negative Film
While I’ll forever miss the original Neopan Acros 100 film (you can still find it on eBay!), the new version is still amazing. The first film I ever used with a Holga was Neopan Acros 100 and I’m still obsessed with the fine grain and moodiness of the film. It’s super sharp, has beautiful tones and creates interesting images when used in low light BECAUSE of the slow film speed. I used to use black and white film a lot more than I do now, but I’ll always cherish the magic and nostalgia of black and white film. I prefer to shoot in color now to allow myself the option of converting to black and white. I actually have a full blog post and YouTube video (filmed at Versailles in France) if you want to learn more about this film!
WHERE TO PURCHASE:
FUJIFILM Neopan 100 Acros II Black & White Negative Film
Shop Adorama
Shop B&H Photo
Shop eBay
3. Lomography LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 Color Negative Film
I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but I LOVE Lomochrome Purple. It’s unique, dreamy and interesting. I think the combination of the Holga and Purple Lomochrome film works really well together. I know I’m a weird person anyway, so if people want to think I’m weird for liking this film, that’s just another day for me. Photographers have a LOT of opinions on this film, but personally, I think if someone hates this film, it's because they’ve never taken a good photo with it. ;) It can be difficult to find these days but I recommend checking Amazon, eBay or B&H Photo! If you’d like to see even more sample photos using this film, check out my post - Lomochrome Purple Sample Photos with a Holga GCFN.
If you found this post helpful in any way, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing.
If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my B&H Photo storefront & Amazon Storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!
<3 Myles Katherine
