Manimex Hanimar / Finetta 88

The Finetta 88 / Hanimex Hanimar was the first real upgrade camera in the Finetta dynasty. Although it retains the previous generation’s overall looks, it has finer lines and a solid feel.

The body is metal, unlike the early bakelite, and is much heavier, 475 gr vs 370 gr, which contributes to the impression of quality, not toy-like handling.

The top is restyled, away from the utilitarian lines before. The winding knob has grown thicker, while the rewind has shrunk; both are easier to grip. Added is a frame counter reset, away from the guessing game of the previous models. Also added is a remote trigger socket within the trigger shaft. Speed selection and control remained as at the IV, a smallish hard to turn front mounted button. One synch port as opposed to two before.

The shutter is the same as before, a two-leaf scissors type integral to the body.

Tha back is held via a thumb screw, a step forward compared to the other Finetta models that used a tin catch. Once the back cover is removed, a hinged arm keeps the cartridge from dropping out when loading. An oversized takeoff grooved shaft makes it much easier to hold the film leader. A double exposure prevention is built in, with no override as with some other makes. There are no cogs to control the film path; it is held in place by the pressure plate. To rewind, pull the winder slightly up to allow the pivot to reverse.

The most significant change is the interchangeable lens mount, a three-prong proprietary bayonet mount, rather than the previous thread.

Theoretically, it could have been a gateway for a wide lens selection, but only two options are known: the Finetar 2.8/45 kit lens and a Tele Finetar 6.6/70. This bayonet mount was incompatible with earlier models and was changed yet again with the following and last model, the Finetta 99. It was doomed from the beginning, and I wondered what the designer or marketing thought. Overall, Finetta made few cameras, about 100,000 in total, so presenting three lens mounts over five production years makes no sense or is plain silly.

The back covers half of the body, unlike wrapping to the front, as in past models. A hinged pressure plate over the film path is backed with a gentle spring, much finer than the mighty spring used before.

The Finetta 88 was sold in the US, Australia and New Zealand by Hanimex under the Hanimar name. Hanimex was known to sell cheap, second-line models, such as this, Dacora, Sedic, Royal, Finetta, Montanus, Vredeborch and Topcon; it kept the maker and or model name on the camera, unlike the likes of Obergassner, that sold all rebrands under the same name and left the buyer guessing. Here, the Sarber / Goslar logo is marked prominently on top of the viewer.

See the Fintta family list page.