3 Best 120 Films to use with a Holga Toy Camera - Film Photography Tips

Updated June 28. 2026

(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post, you help support Myles Katherine Photography. I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support!)

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.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

Lomography LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 Color Negative Film

Shop B&H Photo

Shop Amazon

Shop eBay

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

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Winner of Lomography's "Human Stories" Ten and One 2021 Competition with Black and White Photograph "Coquille River Light"

 

I’m honored to be one of the winners for Lomography’s TEN AND ONE 2021 Competition, in the category “Human Stories”. This photo was taken at Coquille River Lighthouse in Bandon, Oregon. It was truly one of the most beautiful and inspiring places I’ve been.

For prints and sizing, please contact me here.

 

Mamiya 645 Review & How-To with Sample Photos | Oregon Coast Adventure

Updated June 26, 2026

(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post, you help support Myles Katherine Photography. I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support!)

 
 

The Mamiya 645AF is an incredible camera. It has taken some of my favorite photos over the years and I’m still so sad that I sold mine. But I only sold it so I could buy my dream camera, the Contax 645 (be sure to watch my video about this camera too)! The Mamiya 645 is much more affordable though, and is a perfect camera if you’re ready to take the dive into medium format photography. It takes 120 film (not 35 mm) and the negatives are much larger than 35 mm. This basically means that there is more detail in your photographs and you can blow them up much larger without losing quality. 

The Mamiya 645AF launched in the late 1990s and was a follow-up to the M645, the manual version of the camera. It was Mamiya’s first autofocus medium format camera. It became known for it’s fast autofocus, super sharp lenses and simple controls. It was meant to be an easy transition camera for photographers coming from 35 mm cameras.

Pros:

  • The 80mm f/2.8 lens is super sharp and takes beautiful photos (portraits in particular)

  • It has a setting for multiple exposures that is easy to use (personally, the most important feature of a camera for me!)

  • It’s somewhat affordable for a medium format camera (around $1500 with the 80 mm f/2.8 lens)

  • It has the option to do aperture priority and shutter priority (very important if you are a wedding photographer or need to shoot quickly)

  • It has autofocus (also important for quick shooting - but keep in mind it may be unreliable in these older cameras)

  • It’s known for being easy to use and a great medium format introduction camera from 35 mm

Cons:

  • t’s very heavy and large (around 4.5 pounds)

  • The autofocus can be slow and not always accurate, or stop functioning due to the camera’s age

  • It’s only getting more expensive because there are less of them that function correctly as time goes on

If you’re on the hunt for a Mamiya 645, I recommend checking KEH Camera first. They will occasionally have one in stock, and they have great customer service, especially for vintage cameras like this one. If KEH doesn’t have one, eBay is the most likely place to find it. You can also find them on Etsy from time to time! There are various versions of this camera, but I’d recommend the Mamiya 645AF  with the 80 mm f/2.8 lens (you can find the lens on eBay here). This is because it has autofocus, which is definitely useful if you shoot weddings or need to capture an image quickly. However, keep in mind these cameras are vintage. Unfortunately, the autofocus on mine never worked quite right so I used manual focus the whole time. The autofocus in my Contax 645 also stopped working recently, so I’d say it’s probably pretty common for that feature to fail at some point. These cameras aren’t getting any younger, so if trying out the Mamiya 645 is something you’ve been considering, I’d definitely say it’s better to get one sooner than later! 

Overall, even though these cameras might not be as reliable as they once were, I’d still recommend it to anyone interested in medium format photography. Some of the images I took with mine are still favorites to this day. If you’re interested in learning more about medium format cameras, or if you want to know what other options are out there, make sure to check out my blog post - 10 Medium Format Cameras to Start Your 120 Film Journey.

WHERE TO BUY THE MAMIYA 645

SHOP KEH CAMERA

SHOP EBAY

SHOP ETSY

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

KODAK PORTRA 160 120 FILM 

KODAK PORTRA 400 120 FILM (BETTER IN LOW LIGHT BUT MORE EXPENSIVE)

KODAK GOLD 200 120 FILM

ILFORD HP5 PLUS 400 120 FILM

LOMOGRAPHY 400 120 FILM

#CommissionsEarned

If you’d like more 120 film recommendations, make sure to read my blog post - 120 Film on a Budget.

I made a full YouTube video about the Mamiya 645 too if you’re wanting more! In the video, we take a trip to the Oregon Coast and take tons of photos, plus I show you how to load film and take multiple exposures. I also offer my thoughts on the Mamiya 645 vs. the Contax 645. Watch the video below, and then scroll down to see all of the sample photos featured in the video, plus more! 

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, 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. Find out more here!

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