The Halma Flex and its Prinz name variants are regular copies of the Rolleicord. The front plate moves back and forth for focusing. The film advance knob is on the photographer's right and the focus knob is on the left. The release button is placed at the bottom of the front standard, on the photographer's right, and the synch post is buried in the front plate on the opposite side. It seems that all the models have a sportsfinder in the viewing hood and an accessory shoe. The Halma Auto has similar features with a crank advance.
Advertised versions
The only advertisement for the Halma 6×6 TLR observed so far was published in Camerart (a Japanese magazine published in English language), perhaps in 1960.[2] It was inserted by Tohko Co., Ltd., certainly the distributor of the camera, and also presents the Halma 44 and the Owla Stereo. Four versions of the Halma Flex are listed, all of them having a synchronized shutter of the "Prontor type" (B, 1–300, self-timer):
Halma Flex I: red window film advance, push-on filters;
Halma Flex IB: red window film advance, bayonet filters;
Halma Flex II: semi-automatic film advance, push-on filters;
Halma Flex IIB: semi-automatic film advance, bayonet filters.
The description says that the exposure counter of the semi-automatic models is automatically reset to "S" when the back is opened.
Evolution of the Halma Flex
The Halma Flex is known with three types of nameplate, all of them inscribed HalmaFlex. Type 1 is oval and has a small serial number, type 2 is almost rectangular and has a serial number too, type 3 is almost oval and has no serial number.
Today, the Halma Flex is surprisingly common in South American online auctions, from Argentina or Brazil; this is perhaps an indication that the camera was exported to these two countries. (A transaction for a Halma Auto has been recorded in Argentina too.)
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