The
Holga 120 Pan is a simple plastic box with a plastic wide angle lens and a shutter for 120 film, 2 formats:
6x9 and 6x12. It was produced and sold from China, but also sold
by Lomographische AG. It's a toy or fun
camera, all plastic. It has just the basics. There is a simple finder. It has 2 tripod sockets, a bubble
level, a film advance via red window and a one speed shutter.
There
was a kind of hype about it, and as it's not produced any longer,
prices for second hand cameras have quite gone up. The 6x9 frame (and the cap) usually
have gone lost, as on mine, but you don't need them really. Except some
fancy blogs there is little reliable information about the camera on
the web. Since 2020 production is said to have resumed, it's listed in some stores as coming soon. I inscribed myself and waited some 6 months, but when I came across a used one at a reasonable price, I bought it and cancelled my inscription.
Size (mm): 205 x 117 x 107 Weight: 250 g Aperture, F 8, F11 Shutter: ~1/100s, B Film advance: red window
Here
are some photos of the camera. There is a short introduction to the use of it and how it
feels at the bottom of the page.
Camera
front. Shutter release to the left, no cable socket. Cap.
Seen
from the back. 2 red windows, slider for choice, one stays open. Simple viewer on top.
Seen from the bottom. Two tripod sockets. Slider for single speed and bulb.
Seen
from above. Bubble level, 2 hot shoes to either side of the viewer, film winding device.
The lens, wide angle and simple plastic.
Settings. Slider for aperture, rainy F8 and sunny F11 setting. Distance scale on the lens barrel.
Camera
open, film chamber, back detached. There is thick foam to prevent "fat
rolls", if you wind slowly, it works. I had problems with Lomo Redscale
film, but this just might have been bad luck. In case of doubt, unload
in a sleeve and wrap the roll with aluminium foil.
As
said above, this is just the basics of a panoramic camera. Loading film
is easy, you slide the 2 metal bars on each side down and the back
comes off. Install the spools as usual, it's all cheap bendable
plastic, but it works. Safely engage the film lead and close the back.
Let the according red window open, 16 for 6x9 and 12 for 6x12. Advance
the film via the knob until the number "1" appears in the window. You
are now ready for the first photo.
Having
taken your photo you have to advance your film to the next picture. As
the film numbering visible in the red window is for 6x4.5 resp. 6x6
format and you are using the double (6x9 resp. 6x12) you have to
advance to the next uneven number (1...3...5...7...). DO NOT FORGET
THIS. So with 6x12 format the last (6th) photo is at "11", and then
it's over!
The Holga 120 Pan
is a nice, very light camera. It's Holga/Lomo, so it should be
fun, no strive for quality. You should want and accept some surprise
results. I like it well.
