This was the first camera to arrive from my Poundland challenge. For less than a quid (99p plus P&P) this was the first of the poundland challenge camera to arrive and my first red halina. But Did I end up red faced or flushed with excitement with this 99p fixed focus number.
Halina Speedy 33 with Olympus XA2 with Flash for comparison
I’ve heard folk rave about modern film cameras before. There are some serious devotees to the cult of Lomography and all that LSI makes for example. But Sunpet’s tiny wide angled camera originally sold as the Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim (VUWS) and today is sold as the Superheadz Wide and Slim or the Eximus has developed a similar cachet. But does it live up to it’s tag as “The Poor man’s Lomo”
Superheadz Wide & Slim, a current clone of the Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim
I’ve decided to set myself a wee challenge this year and buy a camera a month for the price of a Roll of film or less from my favourite discount film supplier (hence the Poundland challenge). Although the first camera to arrive is the Halina Speedy 33 shown below I’ve actually been able to get one of the last Olympus film compacts for 99p as well and just missed out on a Classic Mamiya 4b rangefinder from the 60’s (knocked out by £1.20 with 4 seconds to go)
This weekend my Halina Autoflash 35 gave up the ghost. I’ve only shot a roll or 2 through it but have a sense of how this rather flimsy zone focus with compact flash worked.
Halina Autoflash 35 Compact 35mm Camera from Haking
The Isoly series is probably best known for the humble Isoly I, the camera that launched a 1000 Diana clones. But the series also feature a range of other models including the top of the range Isoly III which makes for a rather good 120 P&S
The XA1 is often rated as the runt of the XA series litter by XA officandos. But this little overlooked number can still deliver despite it’s limitations and can surprise.
Plastic Trash cam or sheer Genius ?
Both are descriptions I’ve heard about the Halina Panorama also better known in the US as the Ansco Pix Panorama . But where does the truth lie with this no frills Shooter.
The 35X is perhaps the model that most folk remember when the word Halina is muttered. That Leica look-a-like is perhaps the best known of Haking’s creations but the Super 35X refines the mechanics and gave rise to a more unique style.