Prinz III

[Journalist]

I just got this one on an auction together with an Isolette, on the infamous ebay. Does anyone of the honored members have any clue what this is ?? Is it a housebrand, what country of origin, is it a rangefinder or a compact? I have found some info and sample pictures, but nothing really satisfying hard facts The price was just right... 99p

Thanks, Øivind
P.s the foto is grabbed from the auction and may have copyrights to it d.s

[John Parry]

Interesting point about the eBay copyright, Øivind.

You have included the logo, so you you have at least attributed it to eBay. My own opinion is that as you have bought the item, the previous owner should have no objection to your non-profit making use of the picture, but no doubt there is a difference between what he 'should' do and the legal position.

Also, I'm not sure whether eBay acquires the copyright if you post a picture on there. I think other members may have an opinion on this matter.

Regards - John

[Randy]

I do it also...in my opinion, if you bought the camera, the picture goes with it.

[Journalist]

That`s good to hear, even if.... end of that discussion so far. Normally the copyright is for life unless...
I am normally on the alert with copyrights, probably an disadvantage of being a journalist in spe...

Back to the original question, what is this thing ?

Øivind

[PeterW]

Hi Øvind,

I'm pretty certain that it's a Halina Paulette Electric (the 'electric' part being a selenium meter on the top plate), made by Hakin in Hong Kong, last outpost of the old British Empire. It was also 'house-branded' by a number of dealers in the UK, including Boots the Chemist.

The name Prinz is the house-brand name of Dixons in the UK. At one time years ago Dixons used to be a chain of camera shops, and bought the old-eastablished London dealer Wallace Heaton but they now sell mainly consumer electronics with just a few low to mid price digital cameras, but they still use the brand name Prinz for some products.

Hakin turned out thousands of low-priced cameras, some models of which worked well and some not so well. The company was also very proud of being in the Empire, and you may well find the words 'Empire Made' on the bottom plate. Dixons rarely bothered to change the name of the lens, so this may be labelled Halinar, not an outstanding lens but fine for the camera's purpose of producing 6x4 inch prints for family albums.

Peter

[Journalist]

Hi Peter

Thank you for the information. I guess 99p was enough afterall but I may be happily surprised when the package comes from England. and when you mentioned Dixon, alarmbells went off... I think actually I have read something you wrote somewhere else about Prinz... so much for my lazyness.

ANEKDOTE WARNING: Hmm I remember Dixon`s from the first time I visited England in the late 70`s together with my father. I guess we went there for film or something. I was 12 (1977) at the time and had a Kodak Brownie Twin 20 so I guess we where looking for some 620. (The camerea in mention is sitting on my livingroom table now, with a freshly loaded and modified roll of Kodak 160VC ) The old man had a Minolta pocket cam, which used 110 film (it´s over in a desk drawer some where, haven`t used it since 198...) Dixon`s also had a branch in Oslo in the 80`s, but that was only computers and games.