Mos6502
Well-known
Well, I had written quite a lot about these things, but the forum deleted the whole f'n deal when I added images.
So here's the basics. In 1956 if you only had $19 to spend on a 35mm camera, the Soligor 45 was it. It's about 2/3rds the size of a Leica IIIf, and looks like a Canon IV shrunk in the wash. Film loads through the bottom plate. Shutter speeds are 1/25-B-1/50-1/100, in that order. Why? Who knows, what did you expect for $19? Lens is a 4.5/40 triplet, may or may not be coated, hard to tell. The controls pick out f/11 and 10 feet in red paint. These settings make the camera a glorified point-n-shoot, but it's worth noting these put focus nowhere near the hyperfocal distance, even for a 40mm lens. The lens stops down to f/22, and jumps from there to f/11. Why isn't f/16 included? Guess you should have spent $20. Considering these cost barely more than half as much as an Argus C3 the performance is decent. It's a fun little cam to snap away on, although it keeps your hands busy. Shutter and film advance aren't interlocked. You have to push a button to advance each frame, and you have to remember to cock the shutter each time too! A later update of the camera features an interlock, but you still have to cock the shutter manually. Rewinding the film had me baffled. It took a few minutes to figure out that the advance button had to be pressed in and to the right, and the advance knob had to be pulled out. Why? $19.
Construction on 45 by Berang Berang, on Flickr
Jerk on 45 by Berang Berang, on FlickrAttachments
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Soligor lenses are much more optically sound than people think. I had an 35f/2.8 for M42 and was great. Never knew they produced cameras thought.
Dralowid
Michael
I think this camera was branded the Halina 35 in the UK, I think often sold here in 'Boots the Chemists'.
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
$19.00 in 1956 converts to about $204.00 in 2022. The Yashica MF-2 Super DX is the only 35mm camera in production that is somewhat equivalent,and sells for $120.00. Is this progress? I dunno, just sayin'...
Mos6502
Well-known
The Halina was a clone made in Hong Kong, Soligor's camera was a rebranded Nescon 35 made in Japan.
Soligor partnered with a number of different companies. Most notably Miranda, which they got a controlling stake in and eventually ran into the ground.
Mos6502
Well-known
A shot at f/8 showing light fall off:
fan on 45 by Berang Berang, on Flickr
Still, it's pretty sharp in the center anyway.
fan on 45 by Berang Berang, on FlickrStill, it's pretty sharp in the center anyway.
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
I had a Voigtlaender Vito II, my meme, and it was sort of in this category. The Balda was also there. This was in the mid-50's when Tri-X was brand new and dinosaurs had just disappeared. The simple old 35's could make great images with proper care. I am still sticking with the current super digitals though.