The Holga-120 Pan is a medium format film Panoramic Camera that takes panoramic images on 120 format color or B&W film. The camera came fitted with a 90mm fixed focal length lens with a choice of two aperture settings - sunny and cloudy - and a single shutter speed of 1/100 second. Focusing is adjustable to 4 zones - portrait, small group, big group, and infinity.
The Holga 120-Pan captures 60x120mm images, which is twice the width of the standard 6x6 format image, on recommended ASA 400 120 films. Externally the camera is fitted with an eye-level viewfinder, a spirit bubble, two standard hot shoe mounts, and a tripod mount. With nothing much by way of manual control or other adjustments, what you will get are panoramic images captured with the renowned Holga look.
Functionality
The camera needs no batteries to operate, all you have to do is simply insert the film, wind it forward to the correct next-one-up frame number, and shoot. You will end up with six 60x120mm exposures per 120 film roll.
As indicated by the presence of the spirit bubble, keeping the camera level on a steady tripod is probably the most important aspect of capturing images in this format, and with this camera, unless of course, you are going for the vantage viewpoint creativity.
The film selector switches on the film back, however, still shows the back shows the setting to be 12.
When advancing your film after each shot, make sure you advance the film to the next odd number (1, 3, 5,...) to keep your exposures from overlapping due to its panoramic format.
Since you are shooting 6x12 panoramic images, remember that you only get 6 pictures with a roll of 120 film.
Holga 120 Pan Unboxing
A relaxing video of the un-boxing of the Holga 120- Pan toy camera and my Lomography 120 film. Apologies for any audio issues. Please visit my blog at jensho...
Recommended Film Speed
The camera back suggests ISO 400 speed film for the best effect. You still can make do with a film of a lower ASA rating if the scene is really bright and sunny. When shooting you need to make sure you hold its larger body steady when hand-holding, or else go for the tripod and a shutter release cable setup. The 6x12 format is one for a large-sized negative!
Strutting It Out Onto The Street
Taking the 120 Pan for a street-shooting session was a lot of fun actually, nothing serious about it at all. Just lug the camera around, find a spot where you are comfortable waiting, set up the tripod and the camera, and have time to enjoy the environment and the company you are in.
Ours was a session where the camera was placed on the top of an outside seating table at a local cafe.
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