This year Holga Week crept up on me. In the end, I had one film and only one chance to use it. I wish it was during the summer, not when it is getting darker in the evenings.

I also had other issues. My plan was to use the flash on the Holga 120 CFN, maybe even use a colour film to show off the different flashes. To go along with taking more portraits, I wanted to try some Holga flash portraits. BUT, my colour film didn’t arrive before my free time and when I checked the camera the flash didn’t work.

So, I used the film I did have around my local haunts on a cycle home from work. The light was already fading.

Not my favourite set of photos. I ended up posting the sunflowers and the rose, but I am under no illusions about my chances this year. I wasted a couple of shots trying to get the flash to work. It would charge but not fire, I was sure it was working on the last outing.

Searching online, I found this was a common issue, the flash just dying. Of course, I wasn’t going to just give up and eventually found this video.

This video doesn’t show how to access this part of the camera and it certainly isn’t separate from the main body, it is attached by the flash wires. But being a Holga, it was pretty simple to work out.

Undo the two screws in the film compartment, the shutter box should then drop off but still be attached by two wires so don’t pull it. There was enough play in the wires to check the lever mentioned in the video. I bent mine a little and contact was remade…and voila, the flash fired. Fixed it, a bit late now but I am all ready for next year or before 😉