Cortina 500
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| image by Just Plain Curt (Image rights) |
The Cortina 500 is a viewfinder camera for 35mm film. It was made in Hong Kong, originally as Halina 500 by Haking. It's almost a clone of the Olympus Trip 35 but uses a battery powered CdS metering system. It was launched in 1972.
The Cortina has an Anastigmat Cortina 1:2.8 F=40mm lens, the Halina 500 a Halinar 1:2.8 F=40mm. It is zone focused by 4 pictograms but unlike the Olympus Trip 35 they cannot be seen from the viewfinder.
The CdS-controlled shutter has speeds from 1/40-1/200 sec in automatic mode (marked A). The shutter release will be locked in automatic mode when light is too dim and a red flag will appear in the viewfinder. The aperture range is from f/2.8 to f/22. There is no off switch so capping of the lens is needed to preserve battery life. The metering system requires a now defunct PX625 mercury cell but modern equivalents are available.
The ASA speed of the film is set on ring around the lense (up to 400ASA)
The shutter button sits on the front of the camera but there is a cable release thread on the top.
The aperture can be set from f/2.8 to f/22 for use with flash. Both a hot shoe and a PC socket are provided. In flash mode the shutter operates at it's lowest speed. With metering system operational, the aperture setting only determines the widest possible aperture size as the CdS system will still limit aperture opening depending on light levels. Without a battery in the metering ssytem, the aperture will open to the designated size allowing the camera to be used as a fully manual camera.
There is a standard tripod mount on base. Film compartment is opened by switch on the side near base.
The camera was succeeded by the Halina 35-600 which was also sold as the Prinz Saturn 35 Auto in the UK by Dixons
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| Halina 500 image by bigalid (Image rights) |
Links
- discussion on Flickr by Just Plain Curt
