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

July 18, 2022

(This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.)

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 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 blog post and YouTube video about the Holga here!

1. Lomography Color Negative 120 ISO 400

My absolute favorite film to use with the Holga. 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 (which I love using for some of my other cameras) just tend to turn out flat and unexciting when using the Holga. 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 100 speed color negative film by Lomography is also great!

2. FUJIFILM Neopan 100 Acros II Black & White Negative Film

While I’ll forever miss the original Neopan Acros 100 film, this one 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.

3. Lomography LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 Color Negative Film

I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but I LOVE this film. 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. ;)

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

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!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a lovely day!

<3 Myles Katherine

#CommissionsEarned

Polaroid Automatic 330 Land Camera Review & How To

January 19, 2019

The Polaroid Automatic 330 Land Camera is one of my FAVORITE cameras that I own. The photos are amazingly sharp, it’s super cool to look at AND you can use it to do double exposures. This is all I personally care about in a camera which is why it’s in my Top 5, for sure. I just posted a review and how-to on my YouTube channel, Cameras & Cats, so be sure to check it out if you’re interested in learning more about this camera!

CAMERA:

Purchase a Polaroid 330 Land Camera on eBay!

Purchase a Polaroid Land Camera on Amazon!

FILM:

Purchase FP100c Film on eBay

Purchase FP-100c film on Amazon

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

I’ve included a few of my favorite images I’ve taken over the years with this camera - from Paris to Poland to Hawaii and all over the US. Feel free to ask any questions you have about this camera in the comments below. Have a magical day!

Black & White Holga Photos taken in Paris, France

January 26, 2018

I've been lucky enough to visit Paris twice in my life. The first time, I was taking summer classes during my sophomore year of college with my sister. Photography was becoming my new obsession and I had just started using the Holga camera. It's kind of crazy to think that I took the Holga with me and only shot a few rolls being there for a whole month. If I was in Paris now for a whole month, I would probably have a thousand film rolls by the end of that trip! We spent time in almost every park in Paris and we rode bicycles out to Monet's Garden with our cousin Sarah (who was backpacking through Europe). I learned so much from that month in Paris and I have a strange attachment to the photos I took on that first trip, even if they aren't technically the best photos I've ever taken.

The second time I visited Paris was in 2015 with my family but it was only for a few days. I managed to take quite a few rolls of film during that time though. Paris is seriously the most beautiful city I've ever seen and I definitely plan on going back again at some point. And hopefully again and again and again...

I know I say it all the time, but the Holga is truly my favorite camera. I honestly don't know what I would do without it! I feel such a connection to it (which I know is extremely nerdy) and it's taught me so much about film photography. Below are my favorite Holga photos I've taken in Paris so far. If you'd like to purchase a print, you can contact me directly here. <3

Paris 2008

Paris 2015