Topic: Preferences???

[astrobeck]

Here's two photos made a month apart with two different Holga's.
I would like your opinion on which one you prefer and why.
Just because I want to take one of the Holgas on a road trip just to not be the usual clutter bug I normally am hauling six cameras around.
I'd like the liberation of just one camera. I know it might be silly, but humor me and let her rip!
Holga 1 was made with a more recent model Holga and Holga 2 was made with the very first Holga I ever bought back in 2002.

Also, the streaky lines on the Holga 1 photo is either due to poor backing paper or maybe scanner gremlins.
thanks!

[Pete_R]

Number 2 for me.

Why? The lens seems to be better and has more even sharpness across the frame. It has more vignetting but I don't dislike that but I'm not a fan of mushy pictures. I can see Holga 1 would work in some situations though.

[astrobeck]

Thanks Pete.
Sometimes the original-original is the best way.
I read someplace that the most recent model Holgas, and this is after they stopped making them then were restarted, were made so the lenses would be extra crappy around the edges of the field. The distortion is exaggerated a bit too much I think and now they just look messy.
But everyone has different tastes, so it's probably okay. Plus the effect can be used to advantage.

My original model has seen better days, but the shutter on it is still very snappy which I like.
Beck

[irv_b]

29 views and only one reply?
Yeah second one for me also.
The first one has produced a more forced "Holga type " image for my eyes and the second  is sharper in the middle, so definitely go for that one.

[Bryan]

I’ve looked at it a few times trying to decide so some of those views are mine.  I guess it comes down to what you want Becky.  I would take the first one if I was going for the full Holga effect, the focus falls off much more. 

[AJShepherd]

I prefer the second one, it's a bit sharper (as Holgas go) and I prefer the vignetting on that one to the mushier bits of the first.

[Francois]

It's pretty hard to believe the difference between both. It looks like they came from two completely different cameras!
Now choosing is really hard... while I like the increased contrast of the first, I've always been a bit of a sucker for a good bokeh. The first one is really dreamy when compared with the second camera. But since I've never been able to take a good dreamy picture, if it was me, I'd go for the original camera (or the new one with a color filter on the lens to boost contrast).

[Kai-san]

I'll go for the first, who needs a sharp Holga?   

[John Robison]

Personally I favor number 2 also. I know Holgas are not supposed to be high resolution but the first shot is almost like a pinhole. Fairly sharp in the center with falloff toward the edges is what I’d expect from the lens. Have you ever considered shooting with the 6x4.5 mask?

[astrobeck]

When I first started using that Holga, I used the 6x4.5 mask because I didn't know all the tricks. It's quite nice at that size, maybe almost too good.
I'll try and dig out a sample.
 

Personally I favor number 2 also. I know Holgas are not supposed to be high resolution but the first shot is almost like a pinhole. Fairly sharp in the center with falloff toward the edges is what I’d expect from the lens. Have you ever considered shooting with the 6x4.5 mask?

[jharr]

Initially, I thought #1 was more appealing as a "Holga shot". But that vignette on #2!! I'm a sucker for the fall off. So #2 for me.

[kentish cob]

My immediate preference, before even reading the post was image 2.
So, purely based on these 2 images... number 2 for me, for all the reasons already given by the more erudite posters above.

Wishing you a successful road trip.