Holga WPC - Take 1

I have wanted a Holga WPC (Wide Pinhole Camera) for a while now, ever since it first came out actually.  Finally a couple of months ago, I broke down and ordered one.  It's a very different looking Holga, I've heard it described as a stretch limo Holga, which is very fitting.  It takes two medium format frames per shot, so you get 6 photos per roll if you use the 6x12 mask.

I took it to the shores of Lake Huron in early December to test it out for the first time.   This was also my first time using a pinhole of any sort.  I wasn't expecting great things,  but was hoping that I at least had everything working properly so that I could get some images.  I loaded it with some Ilford FP4 100 speed black and white film, and followed the guide on the back for exposure times.  We got to the beach just as the sun was setting, it was dusk and there was just barely enough light to work with.  Very pretty though, aside from the freezing cold windchill.

I discovered at the end of the shoot, that the shutter that covers the pinhole was sticking open (it's operated by a cable release), I was hoping it was just a one time thing and that I didn't end up with a defective camera.  I figured that I probably didn't get any worthwhile shots if the shutter was stuck open the whole time.  (I later on determined that it does this in the cold - once it warms up it works just fine again).

Well, by some miracle they turned out.  They are a little bleak looking due to the low light and my first time-ness - but all in all I am very happy with them, and excited to shoot some more!

The beach is now covered in ice and snow and its impossible to even get to the shore line, so I suppose I will have to wait until spring to do anymore shoots here.

For more information on the Holga WPC

C. Gary Moyer wrote a review on it which appears in the current issue of Light Leaks Magazine (The Pinhole Issue)

Holga Blog wrote a review on it as well

Now that I'm snowed in, I'm off to do some indoor tests!