Micro Holga - A 110 Camera for Less than the Price of a Film

One of the cheapest available methods to try out 110 film.

My Micro Holga arrived from its long journey from Hong Kong. To my amazement, it was slotted straight through my letterbox. The package was miniscule, the camera even more so. Roughly 4ins x 2ins or 9cm x 4cm, I was amazed at how tiny this sub-miniature working camera actually was.

The Micro Holga is available in a number of colors, though often you aren’t able to choose, sadly. Mine was a rather dull and mundane grey. I was hoping for a bright red or yellow model, but the camera seemed to be in working order. The back of the camera is open, the 110 canister providing half of the camera’s actual bulk. I flicked the tiny trigger at the base of the camera, and the shutter snapped with a surprisingly satisfying click, given the camera’s overall awful build quality.

I’ve never used 110 film before. I obtained three rolls of Konica Minolta 200 expired from ebay. I had no idea 110 film was so difficult to obtain (Come on Lomography, lets see a tiny 110 camera and some new films). Eventually, the pricey package arrived and off I went. The camera comes with a simple string neckband that is long enough to appear as if it is a necklace. One or two leaflet distributors and charity workers when they approached me on my trip around town couldn’t believe that it was an actual working camera.

The Micro Holga, unlike it’s bigger 120 mm brothers, is the easiest camera I’ve ever loaded. I can imagine all 110’s are the same—stick the film in the back and off it will go. Here are some of the results, taken on a beautiful sunny day.

Oh dear. For the actual cost of these grainy images, I could have had four 135 films developed. I’m sad to say I believe this camera to be a waste of time. You get what you pay for I guess. Until a company such as Lomography revives 110 film and micro cameras to use them in, with images like these gained from fairly expensive film due to it’s rarity, 110 will carry on dying.

My rating: 3/10

Oh, also after using the first film, the shutter stopped working. It’s effectively useless. The three marks I have given it are all relating to it’s simple design and quirky image. Bah. If you must get yourself a 110 camera, I would have to recommend buying the best 110 SLR you can find. As I mentioned previously, you get what you pay for.

written by crs1990 on 2011-07-21 #gear #review #baby #mini #110 #lomography #micro #holga #user-review #subminature