Halina 6-4

This lovely camera is a simple compact made by Haking in Hong Kong that shoots medium format film. The controls are very basic, putting it about on a par with the Bencini Koroll II. However what is interesting about it is its ability to shoot dual format through the application of a mask. It can shoot either 12 6x6 frames, or with the mask, 16 4x4 frames. Each format has its own viewfinder and its own red window.

Other features include 3 apertures, f/8, f/11 and f/16 which are produced via waterhouse stops. The lens is a two-element uncoated Halina Achromat to reduce chromatic aberrations, with a focal length of about 80mm.  According to the manual it was made from Chance Pilkington glass. There is also a curved film plane to improve image quality.  Focus is done via zone focusing: 5-10 feet for portraits, 10-25 feet for groups, and 25-Infinty for scenes.

There is just one shutter speed: 1/50, though there is also a bulb mode. There is a flash port but the camera is synchronised for flash only with flash bulbs. There is also double exposure interlock prevention, so the camera will not fire unless you have wound on. To enable the camera to stand unaided there is also a little swing down table stand at the bottom of the lens barrel.

As the mask is removable finding a Halina 6-4 that still has one can be hard as they were easily lost. If you are thinking of purchasing one, make sure you message the seller to check that the mask is included.

I found the following review of this camera in a May 1962 edition of PhotoGuide Magazine (vol. 13, No. 5): 

A two-element lens could not be expected to be completely free from aberrations - it's a practical impossibility. This being so, we were prepared for some pretty awful results - yet somehow they weren't. At the full aperture of f 8 there was a rather unnerving degree of pincushion distortion at the extreme edges of the frame, but this would only really bother architectural photographers - and this little camera just isn't aimed at architectural photographers! Definition was quite good - very good at the price, in fact [£3 19s. 6d.]. Of course it would hardly be fair to put this camera through our very exciting lens test.Instead, we enlarged a couple of shots to 8 x 10 in. and asked our non-photographic friends what they thought of them. They all agreed the pictures were "nice and clear" - and that's good enough for us.

The shutter is very smooth, with a fixed speed of around 1/60 second. The choice of M synchronisation was, we feel, a good one - few people buying this camera are likely to have electronic flash equipment.

The viewfinders are not of the suspended frame type, but no difficulty was found in using them when wearing glasses. The body is a little on the "tinny" side, but it is sturdier than it looks and is quite well finished.  

We have only one real "grouse" - the back is rather tricky to remove for reloading. The conventional hinged type of back is usually quite satisfactory, and we fail to see the reason for this departure.

On Reflection: This is no precision job. But, like other Halina's we have tested, it's a good, sturdy camera which we can thoroughly recommend to the beginner. Results are above average for the price, and we think it's jolly good value.