Holga 120P30 (Wide)

Holga nomenclature:

• Holga - a Holga 120S camera (or 120F for flash)
• 120 - 120 medium format film
• P - pinhole
• 30 - focal length in mm
• -f/136 - optional (so pinhole size can be determined)

The 30mm pinhole has a wide view.  Making this only requires taking off the entire lens and shutter assembly on the Holga and pasting the pinhole on the front.of the body.

What you need:

• a standard Holga 120S camera
• a set of microdrilled pinholes or one close to 0.0080” (0.2027mm)
• ultra-flat black Krylon or camouflage spray paint
• masking tape (black preferred but you can paint it)
• 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. Select the 0.0087” pinhole from the set. Center it in the square opening of the Holga body and tape it to the front with black masking tape.  Be sure to tape over the screw holes, and tape over the holes inside as well.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. This completes the changeover to 30mm pinhole use. You will need to use a small piece of black tape or devise a sliding or swinging shutter to cover the pinhole.  I use a piece of black masking tape for simplicity.

f/136 or thereabouts

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

30mm / (0.0087” * 25.4) = 136

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 (~f/128). You may need to add more time to account for reciprocity failure effects in the film.

Sample Photo

Not back from the photo shop yet.  Keep checking back.

--- Clint O’Connor

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