Belplasca Stereo-Kamera 1955

<p><strong>Belplasca Stereo-Kamera 1955 </strong><br />Zeiss Tessar 37,5mm f/3,5<br /><br />Kadlubek Nr. BEL0060<br /><br />As I reported in another post ( http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00YIlc ), this camera was the Holy Grail of my collection of a sample of East German cameras from a 1955 booklet called Reiche Auswahl (Rich Selections) intended for the internal DDR public. It is rare, since only some 5000 are reported to have been made (mine is serial number 54xx, so may be a late production item). There are only a few truly rare cameras listed in the catalog, but many are hard to find. The Belplasca Stereo-Kamera, however, is often offered for sale on eBay from sources in Europe, and occasionally from the USA.<br /><br />Rareness in East German cameras often does not translate into higher price, since there is well-known relation between demand and price (I do not say "value"). The Belplasca, however, appealed to both stereo shooters and collectors (a group second, perhaps, only to Leica collectors in the minutiae for collectible varieties) and to old East German camera collectors and users (not so negligible a number as you'd think). For these reasons, the Belplasca was usually too high for my taste and I was rarely in the top three or four bidders on eBay. I am both interested in Stereo (see my post on the Stereo Realist US camera at http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00YCII )and in East German cameras<br /><br />Just a few years ago, this camera (especially with all the accoutrements) was sometimes selling for as much US$1200. The more common price was roughly $650, often a starting place for bids, and sometimes for buy-it-now. In the last year, however the prices have come down, and when one was offered on US eBay at a price that was sort of in my personal range, I bid on it. As it happened I just barely got it, at a price that disappointed the vendor, but was more in line with where European starting bids have been in the last month or so. It came without a case, not unreasonably for the price I paid, and I will have to track one down, since there are no loops or lugs for a strap on the camera itself. <br /><br />Anyway the camera finally came. I went out with it a couple of days ago, and it works beautifully. The twin Tessars are very nice on this, one of the reasons some stereo enthusiasts have thought this was the finest of all 35mm stereo cameras. While I was waiting for some lens caps to come, I discovered that two of the old gray plastic Kodak film can tops work just fine as push on lens caps. The screw mount for the Tessars is <strong>?</strong>25mm, and I also bought a couple of lens caps in that size, however, the film can caps in gray look pretty good.<br /><br />The camera itself was made by VEB Belca-Werk, the nationalized Eastern survivor of the pre-war Balda camera maker. Like so many companies in a divided land, the formation of the German Democratic Republic in 1949 and increasing pressure on still-privately owned companies that spanned the border between 1948 and the middle 50s led to re-incorporation of the West company branches and the nationalization or virtual nationalization of the East branches. Legal decisions tended to make it impossible for the East companies to use their old brand names in export to NATO countries, so Contax became Pentacon, and so on. A little pre-war and later postwar versions of a particular Balda camera ended up as a "Beltica" folding viewfinder 35mm camera ( Beltica II post: http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00Vv0F , earlier version on Beltica 1 post: http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00Tu2H ). The Beltica II, shown in the background of one of the pictures below, was in fact the foundation model for the Belplasca with a 'stretched' body. <br /><br />There are lots of sites among the stereo cognoscenti that mention and even discuss this camera. A Google on the name will turn up many hits. Here's one of them in German for anyone who wants to know that much about the camera: http://uf-3d-foto.de/<br /><br />I was not able to find a manual for it, but fortunately the vendor sent it to me with a dummy roll of film showing what was required, and I discovered that some enterprising enthusiast (namely http://www.youtube.com/user/steriflex ) has actually posted Youtube videos showing how to load the film (this one is probably needed), and how to unload the film: <br /><br /><a href=" /><a href=" /><br />Anyhow, here is the page out of the Reiche Auswahl catalog that describes this camera. In addition to the mounts and viewers made for the camera shown, there was also a 3-D projector made for stereo viewing with polarized glasses.</p><div></div>

<p>Another reason the camera is sought after is that the pictures are 24mm by 30mm (7 perforations of the film = "7P") as compared to the 5 perforation width (5P) of the American Stereo Realist picture pair. Some people (as Dr. T reports) actually offer 7P modifications for Stereo Realists. <br /><br />Here is a stereo picture (taken with a Pentax Stereo adapter on a Canon 20D with a 35mm f/2 lens). The second picture shows the Belplasca and its Beltica II ancestor.</p><div></div>

<p>All of the stereo views above and below are set up for crossed eye viewing. Cross eyes until one image superimposes on the other, then relax to bring into focus.</p>

<p>For trying out the camera, I went to the most 3-D photogenic site in my home town, the lovely Roosevelt-era National Guard Armory. Most of the Guard are now serving tours in the Middle East. The unit is a signals battalion of the Illinois National Guard. I also showed one shot of the eagles here taken with the Stereo Realist in that post.</p><div></div>

<p>Here's another view of the eagles.</p><div></div>

<p>And finally, I went to the city cemetery to find subjects with lots of things at different distances. No art, but plenty 3-D</p><div></div>

<p>Anyway, with Fuji ISO 200 color negative film, the exposures were typically 1/200 at f/16. On these short lenses, that means everything from 1.2m to infinity is in focus, so the lack of a rangefinder is not a severe problem here.<br /><br />These were scanned in on my Canoscan 9950F, but my 'cleaning' of it seems to have affected it adversely, so these are not as sharp scans as I would have hoped, Need a new scanner, I'm afraid.<br /><br />That's it <giggle>, as Janis said.</p>

<p>The crossing eyes thing doesn't work for me, but I am glad you have found your holy grail.<br>

The photos looks sharp to me</p>

<p>I never did understand or get the need of stereo cameras same with 3D.</p>

<p>~Jack</p>

 

<p>"Oh Lord, wontcha buy me..." Works for me, definitely 3D. It looks a beautiful instrument, and I'm pleased you've achieved a dream. Thanks for another informative post!</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I never did understand or get the need of stereo cameras same with 3D. </p>

</blockquote>

<p>Jack, have you ever seen stereo slides with a good quality viewer? You might not need them yourself, but you might understand the appeal better. After years of shooting stereo (same as 3D) for my personal photography, flat pictures aren't nearly as interesting to me. Different strokes.</p>

<p>The 7 perf wide image of the Belplasca interests me, and it <em>is</em> an elegant looking classic. </p>

 

<p>Hillary -</p>

<p>Outside of those plastic ones back in the 60's/70's :) , no I haven't. Im not closed minded about the medium, I've just not seen the need. But if I ever get a chance to veiw them proper, I will.</p>

<p>~Jack</p>

 

<p>I can't do that eye thing... I feel like that guy in Mallrats looking for the sail boat:) But the post is top notch as always, great pics and a pleasure to learn a thing or two about a lovely piece of machinery.</p>

<p>For those of you waiting for a translation of the Belplasca ad, you shall not be disappointed. The german language used in this ad is a bit weird and complicated and cannot be translated word by word, but I will try my best:<br>

"The nicely designed body has very handy controls. Despite the frame size of 24x30 which is rather big for a stereo camera the body is quite small. The distance between the stereo frames is 64mm. A roll of 35mm film (1,60m length) will yield 20 to 22 stereo frames. The coupled film advance and shutter cocking mechanism prevents double exposures and empty frames. A nifty advance mechanism will yield full usage of the film, since two pairs of stereo frames are interlaced and there is only a small space between the single frames. - Two Tessar lenses (f/3.5 37.5mm - this strange focal length was also used on the Tenax 24x24 cameras WB) will yield tack sharp images. A special leaf shutter (B, 1sec to 1/300sec) will expose both frames absolutely evenly. The optical viewfinder has automatic parallax correction. A sync connector is provided. - Available accessories: Stereo slide frames made of plastic for quick framing, Belcascop, a stereo slide viewer made of plastic with adjustable eyepieces, prism attachment for close-up shots from 2.5m to 1m (approx. 8ft down to 3ft) (to be announced).</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks very much Winfried. I do appreciate it and am glad that it wasn't just me that found the phrasing here a little "weird" as you put it. I didn't have the courage to try an idiomatic translation of it. :(</p>

 

<p>Looks like you snagged a clean one that works well. Like Peter, I can't do the cross-eyed thing without getting a headache but I'll bet they look swell through a stereo viewer. Thanks for showing us this interesting camera.</p>

<p>I always forget how difficult some people find the crossed-eye trick. I do it almost unconsciously as a result of a misspent youth looking at aerial photographs. Even I find the trick of looking at the pictures in parallel fashion difficult without a viewer.</p>

<p>Some people find this viewing very difficult indeed, so being "stereo-challenged" is nothing to be ashamed of.</p>

<p>For cross-eyed viewing, the sides (L,R) of the view have to be reversed from the way they are looked at in the viewers, as discussed in some older threads here on Photo.net and elsewhere.</p>

<p>Here is the same view, on top as it would be looked at through a viewer (parallel viewing) and on the bottom, reversed for cross-eyed viewing.</p><div></div>

<p>I've stated this before:<br /> If I were allowed <strong>only to take one camera</strong> on a trip of lifetime around the world, it would definitely be a Stereo Camera.<br /> (I have Stereo Realist's) I'd love to add one of the "pricey" Belplasca's to my collection.</p>

<p>BTW: If you get <strong>level & close</strong> to your computer screen, just relax as you cross-eye. Be patient and your brain should take over the processing of the 3D image.</p>

<p>JDM von Weinberg,<br>

Can you tell me where I could buy a stereo viewer? (My usual google-fu is failing me, even when I restrict my search to just this forum.)<br>

I've become quite interested in antique stereo views, and have actually bought a few, but the very, very expensive antique viewers are too narrow for my glasses.<br>

Thanks,<br>

Will</p>

<p>The wooden and metal Holmes stereo viewers (invented by Oliver Wendall Holmes, the great jurist) used to be widely available for a few bucks in most antique stores. They and the large cards that work with them have dried up in recent years. However, if you search for "stereopticon" on eBay there seem to be plenty there. If necessary, you could remove part of the light hood on one, although depending on your vision, the lenses in the viewer may allow you to adjust the distance so you can use it without glasses.</p>

<p>A large number of more recent type viewers and other stereo equipment is available from http://www.drt3d.com/ .</p>

<p>I don't want to speak for JDM, but there are several print viewers available from Berezin. They even carry a modern Holmes viewer kit which can accomodate eyeglasses! Might be worth checking out.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.berezin.com/3d/viewers1.htm">http://www.berezin.com/3d/viewers1.htm</a></p>

<p>Thank you JDM and Hillary! That is very helpful.<br>

Will</p>

<p>Beautiful camera, JDM. I've always wanted a Belplasca. I did find a nice Verascope, however. My first 35mm camera was a stereo and that was about 1962. How about also posting your pics in parallel? Never in almost 50 years now have I been able to do the cross eyed thing while I have no problem at all with parallel and actually prefer it to a viewer. I guess I should do a post on my stereo cameras but I have no way to scan the image pairs.</p>

<p>There seems to have been an error in my posting, so just in case, here is the YouTube video of loading the film into the camera (which involves getting the film under the guides) :<br>

<p>Dear friends of stereo photography,<br>

I am surprised to see that there is still interest in stereo recording and projection.<br>

I am a native East German and I have a full set of Belplasca, Belplascus, frames and 4 polarizing glasses available which I would like to sell because we are moving and cannot take it with us. If there is anybody who is interested in this material, please, let me know - the price is not phantastic - just 400 Euro + shipping costs alltogether. What do you think?<br>

Best regards,<br>

Christian.</p><div></div>