Anyone heard of the Starblitz 35 ES ??

[p.giannakis]

Hi everyone,

Has anyone heard of the Starblitz 35 ES ? I found one in a camera shop in my town and the price sounds ok, but i have never heard of it before.

Here is a picture from Sylvain Halgad's site
http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard_eng.php?id_appareil=2269
The one i found is red.

Any input please?

 

[andrewmore]

Elsewhere on line folks think this was also available badged as a Hanimax.

I certainly had a Hanimax that looked very much like this. I gave it to a friend who was studying photography - she is now a professional photographer. I also off-loaded a Lubitel TLR to her as well. Both for her to experiment with.

Within the usual limitations that you would expect, it worked well and was reliable. The catch at the back/side was rather fragile and I seem to recall a 'superglue' repair.

I think there were/are a number of companies that 'badge engineer' such things for various markets, but who the actual maker was I've no idea, but I'm sure someone of RFF will know.

Regards

Andrew More

 

[p.giannakis]

Thanks Andrew for your reply!

 

[andrewmore]

A pleasure.

I've done a little more digging and this is also known as a Hanimex 35 Micro flash (or Microflash). I got the spelling slightly wrong.

Hanimex are an Australian outfit that imported and exported all sorts of photography related things 'badge engineered' with their own name. They eventually designed their own cameras and had them made in various places. Your camera would seem to be one of their in house designs that they had made for them, probably in China or Japan.

Who though were the actual manufacturers will probably remain a mystery - there must be thousands of such outfits making for others.

The Starblitz name may have been another name used by them in certain markets or they labelled them up for Starblitz.

Please let us know how you get on with it.

Regards

Andrew More

 

[BlackXList]

I have the Hanimex version of it, that sadly I haven't put a roll through yet.

The typeface used for "Starblitz" screams Vivitar to me.
Not necessarily useful information, but an observation

 

[BlackXList]

Apparently there are flash units also named Starblitz, (and in the same font).

The Starblitz 1000 Auto is apparently the same unit as the Centon Macro Ringflash MR20 and Vivitar Macroflash 5000.

Probably gives a bit more of a pointer to it's origins and firmly supports the badge engineering.

 

[farlymac]

Quite similar to an Agfa Optima Flash.

PF

 

[Murray Kelly]

IIRC Hanimex became Vivitar for marketing reasons. Most of their offerings were pretty 'ornery'.

 

[yashcannik]

I have the Hanimex version as well picked it up at a thrift store fore 2 dollars. Its really a cool camera I haven't put film through it yet but playing with it I have had it do an exposure of over 5 minutes. Rich