Holga DC-01 review: A tiny digital camera with a big dose of lo-fi charm
Keychain, or thumb, cameras have become all the rage since Kodak released its Charmera last year. It seems every retro brand and knock-off electronics factory has jumped on the bandwagon. Some of these clones are good, some are bad, and others are just plain ugly. Now there's the new Holga DC-01.
Holga was, and still is, a cheap, basic plastic 120 film camera that's both highly regarded and equally loathed. Born in Hong Kong in 1982, it has developed a cult following among photographers who appreciate its imperfections.
As a Holga owner and fan, I was intrigued when I spotted this tiny, curvaceous digital camera, modelled on the old 110 Micro thumb camera. I wanted to see how it performed and whether it had anything in common with its ancestors.
Here's what I found.
The tech
Weighing just 24g and measuring 61 x 27 x 22mm, the plastic-bodied Holga DC-01 comes in seven colours. It has rounded edges and a ribbed main body, with a 35mm-equivalent f/2.4 lens (f/3.2 in effective use) and a slit-shaped LED flash/fill light on the front. The light can be switched on or off, while the shutter release sits on top.
Underneath are the microSD card slot and USB-C charging and connection port. The rear features two up/down function selector buttons, a main function button and a tiny 0.96-inch TFT screen.
Inside, there's a 300mAh rechargeable battery and a 1/3.2-inch CMOS sensor. The camera captures 1.6MB JPEG images and 720p or 1080p video at 30fps, all in a 16:9 aspect ratio. ISO is around 100, while the shutter speed is fixed at 1/99 sec. Still images can be set to 5, 16, 24 or 48MB, with the larger sizes presumably achieved through interpolation.
There are also eight filters, which can be applied to video as well as still images.
A small keychain holder and a necklace/lanyard are included, attaching to a bracket on the side of the body.
In use
I've really enjoyed this pretty, quirky little box of plastic imperfections. It also has a habit of making other people smile when they see it.
For a novelty toy camera, the Holga DC-01 offers a fair number of options and controls. I found the flash of limited use, while the tiny rear screen makes accurate composition difficult. This is especially true when using the negative filters, which can produce magical mishaps you never anticipated.
The screen also makes it tricky to see which filter is selected. The camera seems to revert to the last-used filter when switched off and on again, adding to both the fun and frustration.
It's worth allowing the camera a second or so to settle on an exposure when shooting in contrasting light. When connecting it to a computer, you'll also need to turn the camera on before it registers for image downloads.
The results
I have to admit I'm smitten with the images this camera produces, at least much of the time.
Standard colour images are thoroughly imperfect, with some grain and blotchy patches. Yet highlights aren't as blown as they can be with some rival cameras, and the colours have a subtle, film-like quality that's rather pleasing. I also really like the black-and-white filter.
On my first outing, I accidentally found myself shooting with both negative modes. You'll either love or hate these, and I have to admit I like them, perhaps a little too much. They're gimmicky, certainly, but can be great fun.
Video is less successful. There's no stabilisation, making handheld footage almost unwatchable. Mounted on a makeshift tripod, the AVI footage is pretty rough by modern standards, although it has a certain retro charm. The filter modes can also produce the occasional weird but wonderfully imperfect clip.
Ratings
Features ★★★ 1/2
There's a reasonable selection of features here, more than you'll find on many rival cameras.
The experience: ★★★ 1/2
I found the Holga genuinely enjoyable to use and will definitely keep using it for the fun of it.
Value for money: ★★★★
The DC-01 offers good value compared with its rivals, considering what's included. It also feels reasonably well made.
The wrap-up
Was it bemusing love at first sight? More or less. Much like my old red 120 film Holga, I wanted to love this little one from the outset, and I admit it: I did.
The DC-01 sets itself apart from the crowd with its looks and elegant simplicity. That might sound a little grand for a tiny plastic digital camera, but there's something appealing about its old-fashioned, toy-gramophone aesthetic.
The screen is a nightmare, half the filters are pointless, and video is almost as disappointing. Yet the negative filters, black-and-white images and, to an extent, the standard colour output are all imperfectly pleasing.
If you're after anything approaching technically good, clean images, this isn't the camera for you. But if you fancy some quirky, stylish, lo-fi fun, you'll likely take to the Holga.
Personally, I'd stick to the 16MB or 24MB still-image settings. My main gripe is the fixed 16:9 aspect ratio, rather than the roughly 4:3 format of the original 110 Micro film camera. Even so, the DC-01 has plenty of character, and that's precisely the point.