First Impressions: Holga HL-N 60mm f/8.0 “Lens”

I can’t believe I’m actually writing this. But then, this is likely to be such a misunderstood product, that it bears the shedding of some light.

Yesterday, I received a Holga HL-N as a Father’s Day gift. It came packed in an unmarked white box, save for an adhesive label which bears the product description. It has the typical front lens cap, plus a tiny push-on rear cap. I pull off the rear cap, wondering if leaving it on would foul the mirror; it would make a great retainer for gel filters.

It mounts to the D90 with an assuring “click” but there is much play, both radially (rotation) and laterally (up and down, side to side). How Holga! Could this mean a potential light leak?! No matter, it’s refreshing to not have the thing fall off when close focusing!

I power up and compose. Wow! The ’finder is really dark. It wasn’t this dark with the Holgamods version. My camera is already set at ISO 800, and it’s a gloomy day (five, count ’em, FIVE consecutive thunderstorms in one day; my poor Chihuahua is going to have to go into therapy) so, I peel off a few shots.

Wow, the focus is really stiff. Damped alright, but with something more akin to maple syrup than oil or grease. Up goes the flash. I peel off another few shots, chimping away. And there it is. That Holga look. A nice closeup, but from further away. I can’t even see what I’m composing in the finder. So, as far as I’m concerned, principals 4, 5, 6 and 8 have been fulfilled. Let’s take another look at them:

1. Take your camera everywhere you go.
2. Use it any time – day and night.
3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it.
4. Try the shot from the hip
5. Approach the objects of your Lomographic desire as close as possible.
6. Don't think! Just Shoot (also the credo of Lomography).
7. Be fast
8. You don't have to know beforehand what you captured on film.
9. Afterwards either.
10. Don't worry about any rules.

As “lenses” go (many photographers wouldn’t even consider this a lens in the truest sense) it’s super, super light, and very compact. (I’d definitely assign it the “pancake” moniker). The official Holga mount, which preserves infinity focus without bastardizing the lens and aperture, is much thinner that the body-cap version. I can see myself having a lot of fun with this.

A lot of people have taken issue with the perforated mask at the exit pupil to “enhance” the vignetting effect. They say it does the trick, but point it at the sky or a uniform surface and YUCK! It’s blotchy and nasty. Mods seem in order.

I am lucky; my mask is perfectly aligned to the corners of the frame, and so I’m not entirely disappointed. But, I investigate a little more closely. Finding the little hole on the mount of the lens behind which lies the retaining screw, I back if off with a small Philips, and discover that you can unscrew and remove the lens barrel. This means you can:

1. Wipe of the sticky goo and possibly replace it with something more fluid, like a light grease.
2. Replace (or drill out) the aperture disk to increase speed.
3. Remove (or drill out) the perforated mask to create a first generation HL-N.
4. Modify the perforated mask to improve the smoothness of the vignette.

#4 is my favorite. Incidentally, any Holga lens barrel will screw onto the mount, even one right off a camera. Possibly even the 47mm lens from the 135BC. If the flange focal distance is compatible, that would be sweet!

Oddly the Holga .5x wide adapter doesn’t do a whole lot. But the CLS-1 Close-up and MLS-1 Macro lens sets work great, and the vignetting is not an issue. At ISO400, and the built-flash set to manual at 100% power, the exposure seems right on.

So, I’m quite content to enjoy my new HL-N as it was originally intended. But a second copy might serve as a good proving ground for experimentation. At the very least it’s comforting to know that if you prefer the first generation lens without the vignetting mask, but can’t find one, you can simply drill out the mask from the second generation.

Sooo, Holga!