Halina 3000

In the 1970s, Haking / Halina had been making cameras for about twenty years, a mix of entry-level models and attempts at mid-range. Meanwhile, the market had matured into able shooters with a better speed range, quality lenses and auto features. Where the Japanese mainstay was the TLR models, with compacts at second priority, the Germans were going strong with viewfinder/rangefinder cameras, leaving the SLR models to the Eastern block.

In 1974, Halina introduced two viewfinder models styled after the comparable German economy models. The 3000 / Opticam / EEII with an embedded Seleniuom uncoupled meter, and the 2000, similar, but without a meter. These models closely resemble the Paulette EE II and the Paulette II, respectively, and I believe they were the same but had different name tags. The cameras are not important enough to have more information available. Further, the same camera is seen under several other monikers under Halina and others.

The camera is basic, trying hard to look serious. The body and back cover are all plastic, as well as inside cogs and pivots. Metal top and bottom, but overall a very light camera, at 360gr a far cry from the 35X of 500gr. As opposed to older models, the viewer is large and bright.

An uncoupled meter suggests an EV value, which has to be matched in a window at the lens barrel’s top by dialling the aperture and speed settings to match. It’s low-tech, but it works. The meter is alive and well in my unit, which is more than most of the east block cameras of that time, all with deceased meters. The shutter and aperture blades are agile; I am unsure if this line was well made or if this particular unit is well kept. Unlike early Halina models, here, all markings are large and clear.

No online manual is available nor needed, and it takes no battery to operate the light meter.