Holga 120P19 (Superwide)

Holga nomenclature:

• Holga - a Holga 120S camera (or 120F for flash)
• 120 - 120 medium format film
• P - pinhole
• 19 - focal length in mm
• -f/127 - optional (so pinhole size can be determined)

The 19mm pinhole has a superwide view, both vertically and horizontally. Making this requires taking off the entire lens and shutter assembly on the Holga and enlarging the square opening on the front of the body.

What you need:

• a standard Holga 120S camera
• a set of microdrilled pinholes or one close to 0.0062” (0.1568mm)
• ultra-flat black Krylon or camouflage spray paint
• masking tape (black preferred but you can paint it)
• black silicone sealer (RV, bath, or kitchen use type)
• hobby tools

Step by Step:

1. Disassemble the Holga, take off the lens/shutter assembly, and cut the flash socket wires at the body (there’s no shutter so there’s nothing to synchronize a flash to). 
2. You won’t need an insert for this camera.  Save the 6x4.5 insert for another camera or modify it for 6x6.
3. Adding a tripod mount is recommended.
4. Enlarge the square opening on the front of the Holga body to the edges of the internal frame around the opening.  A short 6” mill file is probably the quickest, easiest, and safest way.
5. Select the 0.0059” pinhole from the set. Run a line of silicone sealer (superglue gel won’t stick to the metal well) around the rim of the square frame inside the Holga body.  Don’t leave any gaps in coverage.  Press the pinhole onto this rim, making sure you center the pinhole in the opening.  Set the body face down and carefully put a small object with a flat base on the pinhole square to keep it in place with pressure until the sealer cures.
6. If you will not be using a modified 6x6 insert, put black masking tape over the left and right sides of the light chamber to cover the slots that hold the insert in place.  This will eliminate light leaks onto the film rolls and will also reduce any scratching of the film resulting from use without the insert.
7. Put a tiny square of tape over the pinhole on the inside, mask off the body around the back opening, and then spray the inside of the body with ultra-flat black paint as discussed here. Remove all tape.
8. Put a piece of tape over the pinhole on the front, mask off the body outside the raised square front, and then spray the front of the body.
9. Add spool tensioners on the back (or inside the body). Tape over the red window and spray the inside of the back. Remove all tape.
10. This completes the changeover to 19mm pinhole use. You will need to use a large piece of black tape or devise a sliding or swinging shutter to cover the large opening over the pinhole. I use a piece of 2” black masking tape for simplicity.

Note that in the photo of the Holga 120P19 at the top of the page, there is epoxy all around the opening.  This is the result of repair work to earlier modifications so it’s a little uglier than usual.

f/127 or thereabouts

The resulting f/stop will be (focal length / aperture size) or

19mm / (0.0059” * 25.4) = 127

Replace the underlined number with your pinhole diameter if you don’t use the recommended pinhole set. For a starting point on exposure time, you can set your lightmeter to f/32 and quadruple the time shown.  You may need to add more time to account for reciprocity failure effects in the film.

Sample Photo

Note that this photo is severely vignetted.  I had not yet cut out the front opening to the dimensions of the internal frame. The edges of the opening are clearly visible in the picture, and this picture is already cropped down from the full frame. I decided to keep the shot as is because it adds to the overall picture effect.

--- Clint O’Connor

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