Halma 44

The Halma 44 is a Japanese 4×4 TLR, perhaps made by a company called Hara, successor of Lustre. Two versions exist, with manual or automatic film advance. The camera was also sold as Prinz 44 or Tower 44B.

Common features

The Halma 44 has the classical TLR shape and a predominantly black finish. The front standard moves back and forth for focusing. The focus knob is on the photographer's left, and contains a film reminder. The distance scale is engraved in both metres and feet, and there is an additional plate giving depth-of-field indications.

The advance knob is on the photographer's right, and there is an accessory shoe on the same side. The viewing hood contains a sports finder and a large magnifying lens.

The release button is placed at the bottom of the front standard, on the photographer's right. The shutter is cocked by a small lever and there is no double exposure prevention. There is a PC synch socket buried at the top of the front standard, on the opposite side.

The back is locked by a latch at the bottom, moved by a knob surrounding the tripod thread, with O and L indications and the word JAPAN.

Manual model, Halmar lenses

The manual model has film advance by red window and no exposure counter. The strap lugs have an incurved shape and are held by two screws. The nameplate has an almost rectangular shape, with convex top and bottom line; it is inscribed Halma–44. The taking lens is a Halmar Anastigmat 6.0cm f/3.5 and the viewing lens is a View Halmar 6cm f/3.5. Both lenses take simple push-on filters. On the examples observed so far, the shutter has 1/25 minimum speed and a plain black shutter plate. The manual Halma 44 is reported with a CHY-FB shutter (B, 25–300).

Manual Halma 44, Halmar Anastigmat and View Halmar 6.0cm f/3.5 lenses. Picture by Terry Calvert. (Image rights)

The manual Halma 44 appears in an advertisement published in Camerart (a Japanese magazine in English language), perhaps in 1960. This advertisement was inserted by Tohko Co., Ltd., certainly the distributor of the camera, and also presents the Halma Flex, Halma Auto and Owla Stereo. The description says that the camera has manual film advance and a "Prontor type" shutter giving B, 1–300 speeds. No example has been observed so far with this speed range. The advertising picture shows no other difference from the examples with lesser shutter specifications.

Semi-automatic model, Zunow lenses

Semi-automatic Halma 44, Zunow 6cm f/2.8 lenses (taking lens no.66078). Picture by Carlo Colombo. (Image rights)

The semi-automatic model has a round exposure counter window near the accessory shoe. There is still a round red window on the left of the back, protected by a vertically sliding cover. It is used to set the position of the first exposure. The advance mechanism is engaged by a sliding button placed below the advance knob. The mechanism is unlocked after each exposure by pressing the centre part of the knob.

Semi-automatic Halma 44, Zunow 6cm f/2.8 lenses (taking lens no.66078). Pictures by Carlo Colombo. (Image rights)

The strap lugs differ from those of the manual model: they have a straight shape and are attached by three screws. The nameplate has an oval shape and is inscribed Halma 44 with no hyphen and a different font. The shutter is a Copal-MXV (B, 1–500), contained in a black casing. The M/X selector is placed above the aperture scale, on the photographer's left. The self-timer lever has a red dot and protrudes under the aperture index. The lenses are Zunow 6cm f/2.8, and only the taking lens has a serial number. Both have a bayonet attachment for filters or a hood. The lens numbers observed so far are all in the 6xxxx range.

Name variants

The Prinz 44 is a name variant of the semi-automatic Halma 44, distributed by the British company Dixons. It seems to differ only by the PRINZ 44 oval nameplate.

The Tower 44B is another name variant, distributed by the US company Sears, which was also selling the Tower 44 made by Tougodo. The Tower 44B differs from the semi-automatic Halma 44 by the Kinokkor and View Kinokkor 6cm f/3.5 lenses, same as on the Tower 44, and the silver shutter plate inscribed SUPER MATIC at the bottom. The shutter gives B, 1–500 speeds and has an M/X selector placed above the self-timer lever; it is not known if it is a disguised Copal-MXV or an altogether different shutter.

Bibliography

• McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). P.376.
• Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Item 2119.

The cameras are not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi.

Links

In English:

• Pictures of a semi-automatic Halma 44 by Carlo Colombo at pbase
• Pages of Barry Toogood's www.tlr-cameras.com:
  • Prinz 44 and name variants
  • Advertisement for the Halma 44 and other Halma models, perhaps dated 1960
  • Other Japanese TLRs, including a discussion of the Halma models

In Italian:

• Halma 44 (semi-auto) by Carlo Colombo in a post at www.photocamera.org

In Swedish:

• Halma 44 (manual) in a page about TLRs at Ove Karlsson's camera collection

In Japanese:

• Halma 44 (semi-auto) among other cameras with Zunow lens at Nekosan's website
• List of 4×4cm TLRs at the 44 Club
• Tower 44B and other 4×4 TLRs in a post at Nana-chōme no tabe (click on the picture to enlarge)

In Chinese:

• Halma 44 (manual) among other 4×4 TLRs at www.chinesecamera.net