Halina 35X – compact 35mm film camera

Built by the Haking company in Hong Kong, the Halina 35X is a stout little rangefinder 35mm film camera and released in 1959. It’s smooth design and compact size make the Halina 35X an attractive film camera.

History and details

Founded in 1956, the W. Haking Enterprises Ltd. made film cameras and binoculars, but also sold cameras that were rebranded over the years. The Halina 35X, sold as Micronta (possibly for Radio Shack as they own the Micronta brand) and Sunscope. Haking took ownership of the US camera brand Ansco and produced many private label cameras and still manufactures cameras today in the UK, Ireland and other countries.

Built out of brass and aluminum the Halina 35X is styled similarly to Leica and other 35mm rangefinders of the time. It’s also a pretty blatant copy of the Japanese Ranger 35. It bears a striking resemblance to the Leica IIIf, but that’s where the similarities stop. Even though it’s nearly a third smaller than the Leica, it is just about the same weight at 1.2 pounds, which seems heavy given it’s relatively small size. The range finder on the 35X is small but bright and is also a reverse Galilean finder, which means that the image you see in the finder is smaller than life. With the 35X it isn’t drastically smaller but it is noticeable, but then again many rangefinders are this way so it doesn’t really affect the way you use the camera.

Optics and operation

The 35X has a 3 element Halina Anastigmat coated 44mm f/3.5 lens that has a focus range from 3 feet to infinity and apertures from f/3.5 to f/16. The actual aperture on the small end might actually be more like f/22 since the dial rotates beyond the f/16 mark, but it might also be somewhere in between which is less helpful.

The shutter is a 2 blade leaf shutter with only 5 speed options to choose from; Bulb, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, and 1/200. The shutter cocking lever is on the lens on most of the models, but on later models it was built into the film advance mechanism. You can fire multiple exposures on the 35X easily, and as many times as you want. To create multiple exposures wind the film, then hold down the shutter release button as you cock the shutter, this fires the shutter. As long as you keep holding down the shutter release button, you can repeat this as many times as you want. On this model, it is possible to depress the shutter after the shutter was fired, wasting the frame. These are such odd little beasts.

Halina case lock lever
Halina 35X lock lever

Loading film is straight forward and again similar to many other cameras of the time. There is a lever on the bottom to lock the back in place. You rotate it to the “O” position to open it, and to the “L” position to lock it. The film canister goes on the left, and the leader attaches to the take-up spool on the right. This is another camera where keeping the film taught against the body will prevent the pressure plate from catching the film while closing it up.

This 35X is in great shape, with little indication of use at all. There’s no brassing on the top or bottom. No track marks on the pressure plate. Nothing. The camera has oxidation on the corners of the pressure plate, so it needs to be smoothed out to use it.

Construction

Overall the construction is pretty poor. The top and bottom are thin metal and the stamping process has left it uneven. The back plate doesn’t fit very well and the lever tends to come loose, likely producing light leaks. The leatherette is very thin and plastic feeling, and the chrome, while shiny, isn’t overly smooth and adding all these little things up just makes the camera feel cheap. But that’s okay, it’s still a cool little film camera. Oddly, this is the third camera posted about recently that doesn’t have strap studs integrated into the body. So like the Bolsey and Argus C33, if you want to use a strap you need to have a case.

Given that the 35X is 61 years old (ish) it is holding up pretty well and I could make pictures with it if I wanted to. They are notoriously hard to focus due to the focus and aperture movements being stiff; which mine is as well, but they seem to be pretty durable due to their relative simple design and build. They produce pictures which are better than your typical Lomo but nowhere near as sharp as it’s inspiration; the Leica.

Conclusion

An interesting side note: while my Halina has “Made in Hong Kong” stamped into the base, other models have “Empire Made” stamped into them. There’s no indication of why the terminology changed, but I kind of wish mine was stamped with “Empire Made“.

If you get one, try it out or just enjoy it for what it is. A fun little film camera from a company that has been making cameras since the late fifties.



Specifications

General:

Halina 35X
Type: Rangefinder
Lens : 45mm Halina Anastigmat
Operation : Mechanical
Format: 35mm
Shutter: 2 blade leaf shutter
Shutter speed: 1/25 sec – 1/200, B
Shutter remote : Mechanical
Shutter lock : No
Mirror Lock-up : No
DoF preview : Yes
Multiple exposures : Yes
Flash: PC connection – M
Strap lugs : Yes
Production: 1959 – 1960s
Weight: 1.2 lbs

Manual shutter release cable

Download the Halina 35X Manual

Lenses:

44mm
Halina Anastigmat
Aperture: f/3.5 – f/16
Filter size: Series V
Focus range: 3ft – infinity
Elements: 3 (outer 2 are coated)

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