Images from Halina A1 TLR

A recent question about the Halina A1 has prompted me to post some shots I did with one a couple of years ago.

They were taken on a foggy day in November around Aylestone, near Leicester, England where an ancient packhorse

bridge crosses the River Soar.<div></div>

The film was Fuji 800 ISO. It was quite dull and difficult to see what was on the focussing screen.<div></div>

The camera came with a round lens hood causing vignetting which I rather like.<div></div>

There is a children's playground nearby.<div></div>

More from the playground. The negatives were scanned on an Epson 2450 and all show the full frame.<div></div>

The last one.<div></div>

Finally a shot of the camera, which was made in Hong Kong around the late 1950's I think. The two part leather ever ready cases on the far Eastern TLR's with removable fronts make a lot more sense than the one piece German ones where the front hangs down during use in my opinion.<div></div>

Fine results from that camera and film combination. You got a kind of tropical look. I haven't seen many positive comments in the past about the Halina line, but a good eye and medium format makes up for a lot.

What amazing, atmospheric photographs! The colors have a glow to them, and the fog isolates each object on the horizon. Maybe the Halina is a fog camera. Thanks for posting.

Love the muted colours you have here, really suits the subject.

 

Tony

Thanks to all for the comments. The colours in the shots were pretty much as I saw them on the day, I did not do any post processing on the scans. The camera spent several months in pieces while I tried to get the gummed up shutter working by immersing it in alcohol. It is quite an easy camera to dismantle and work on - up to a point, I was never able to get into the shutter itself but one day I picked it up and it worked.

These are some amazing photos specially with the camera your using!

 

when your shutter seized up how did you gain access to it because ive got to do the same with mine and im just wandering how you managed to get to it.

Ivan I don't have time just at the moment to go through this - if you keep an eye on the posting in the next day or so I'll try to remember the steps and describe them, it's a while since I did it. It was your earlier inquiry which prompted me to post the pictures.

To dismantle the Halina A1 - it's one of the easiest to work on - up to a point!

 

Remove the two screws at the top of the camera near the front, also the two screws at the base which double as

feet. The whole front can then be pulled off including the lenses. Unscrew the rear element of the lower (taking)

lens to expose the rear of the shutter blades. It may be possible to free it up with some lighter fuel on a

cotton bud (q tip) by gently rubbing the blades whilst operating the shutter.

 

If not you can remove the taking lens and shutter by unscrewing the outer slotted ring at the rear. Now look at

the chrome ring at the front of the lens with the geared teeth. Loosen (don't remove) the three tiny screws

around the rim, this will allow the ring to come off. At this point you will lose the focus setting of the taking

lens which will need to be re focussed on reassembly.

 

The front element of the taking lens can then be unscrewed from the mount, often the grease has hardened making

this very stiff and it's a good idea to clean the threads and re lubricate. The same procedure will apply to the

viewing lens if required. There are three elements to the lens, the centre element stays fitted to the shutter.

 

This is as far as I got with the dismantling as I couldn't find out how to open the shutter itself. However I put

the shutter together with the middle lens element into a bath of methylated spirit (pure alcohol would be better)

and worked it and shook it around until the blades eventually began to move. Then a process of drying out again

using cotton buds and working the shutter.

 

Something which may help once it's dry is to get a small amount of graphite dust such as from a soft pencil lead

and brush it on the blades to provide a little lubrication.

 

Obviously clean all the lens surfaces, the centre element was fine after it's soaking and the bluish coating on

the lenses seems to be quite hard and difficult to damage fortunately.

 

Re assembly is the reverse process but you will need to reset the focus, by taping something in the position of

the film for example a piece of white plastic bag and checking for focus on it with a magnifier of some kind

whilst focusing on a target at known distance for example a sheet of newspaper.

 

The viewing hood can be accessed by removing the four screws at the top of the camera when it just lifts off

(also releasing the camera back) to clean the focusing screen and mirror if needed.

thank you very much for your help john, very helpful. ill try going through these steps tommorow or monday,and let you know how i get on, thanks again, i appreciate it!

im just finding it a little tricky trying to get the rear element off!

Possible solutions::

 

1 Use rubber gloves to increase grip.

 

2. Use a flat piece of rubber, press the lens against it while twisting.

 

3. If all fails, cut two neat slots on opposite sides on the ring with a small hacksaw, taking care not to damage the glass. Use a metal plate or similar in the slots to unscrew the lens. Black paint over the slots to make it look as if it was made this way.

 

By the way I'm no expert just found out a few things by trial and (much) error.

 

Hope this helps...

Nice photos.

<p>Dear John,<br>

I also have one of the same kind.<br>

But it is non usable because of non availability of film.</p>

<p>--Chirag Shah</p>