For those unaware, Holga cameras are legendary, cheap pieces of crap—light leaking boxes with murky plastic lenses. But the quirky photos they can take are worth of their cult following.
The Holga D (or Holga Digital) is an update on the classic Holga design by Saikat Biswas. Rather than film, the camera has last-gen full-frame sensor (for cost). Rather than mindless automatic controls, it’s fully manual (the top dials are for shutter speed and ISO).
Oh, and instead of a rear LCD display, it’s got nothing.
The hope is to add a bit of the energy and unpredictability of analog back to the digital camera. And I have to say, I’d love to shoot with the Holga D for the barebones controls and interface alone. As for the simulation of other issues…like light leaks…I’m not so sure. In analog, physical distortions are charming. In digital, digital distortions are oft-cheesy. But maybe a brilliant coder designing just the right firmware could bridge the gap in a new way. Maybe we could discover a whole new series of unique quirks. [Biswas via KN via psfk]
