Focusing a Holga 120

The Holga 120 is made of plastic. It’s made to purposefully be inexpensive. This camera certainly doesn’t have all the bells and whistles a modern digital camera does, in terms of settings.

So just how do you focus the image on your Holga 120?

If you look at the lens of the Holga, you’ll see some intriguing symbols around its edge. From left to right, from the vantage of a person holding the camera in front of them:

You start with a single person. That’s up close. Then a small group of people – a bit further away. A larger group is further still. And then you’ve got mountains. Those are in the far distance.

What does this mean in real world terms?

Remember that the camera is plastic and isn’t precise. But with that being said, you get approximately:

one person – 3 feet focus

small group – 6 feet focus

large group – 18 feet focus

mountains – infinity

It’s good to play a bit with your particular Holga and take notes as you go. That’ll help you figure out what is best for your own unique Holga. It’s good to take notes in general, for all your photos, so you learn about what your camera does in a variety of situations.

Ask with any questions!