gib Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Received a Balda Baldinette (35mm folding camera) from the famous online auction site today. I have put two photos of this little camera into a presentation. <p> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation.tcl? presentation_id=227247">Presentation link</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Looks like a handy little camera. Will be interested in your pictures and impressions of it in use. A lot of cameras from that period have a shutter speed progression that jumps from 100 to 300, including my Vito II and C3. That actually is not a bad idea for slide film as it gives you a useful half-stop under exposure, though I'm not sure that was what the shutter designers had in mind at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted November 13, 2003 Author Share Posted November 13, 2003 yeah, it is a handy little unit. I think for humour I will shoot a side by side showing an Agfa Record III with the Baldinette and maybe a couple of other well known cameras. The viewfinder is smallish too. I may mount an auxillary view finder to it for a couple of shots, I have a Soviet turret finder that is nice and clear, which I can turn to 5 cm. I will be adding to the presentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackers_. Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Before you start with film, check/rotate the lens for timing with the double exposure lock. This is one of those cameras where if you hesitate with the shutter release you're locked out as the aliens fly away with Billy Bob. My preference is to trip the lens at or just before the transport lock believing I'll at least get the intended picture before having to struggle with the camera. Beyond that, the thing is a blast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted November 13, 2003 Author Share Posted November 13, 2003 Something is not quite perfect in my operating of this little guy. Beside the Film Advance Knob on the bottom plate, there is a button. I am assuming this is the transport lock. I have to depress or I guess uppress since it in on the bottom, this button, to get the film advance knob to wind. It is also seems to have something to do with recocking the shutter. There is a shutter cocking lever on the lens. Not sure about this since I was experimenting mostly without film in the camera. I guess my question is how long do I need to press up and maintain pressing on the lock button as I advance the film. I seem to be getting variations in how far I can turn the knob and may be getting too short a turn and maybe way too long a turn. Based on watching the rewind knob on the top left of the camera. Anyone know more about this? ONE OTHER POINT ABOUT OPERATING: It is a little strange to fire the shutter release with my left hand. When I took this baby out to shoot to record high water action based on a big wind storm, I shot a few frames and then took it inside. Then took out a Pentax Spotmatic with a 35mm f3.5 Super-Takumar lens, and of course noted the "muscle memory" of shooting the typical and traditional ergomics of the SLR. Mght be a worthy question - how many cameras do you know of that have a left hand shutter release ergonomics similar to the Baldinette? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackers_. Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 After an exposure, the bottom button is to be fully pressed once, then the large knob turned to advance the film, locking itself at the next frame - determined by the capstan. Cock the shutter as for any oldie. End of roll rewind is by pulling forward wind knob down, away from body. The leftie release is a nuisance but using it upside down is rock solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winfried_buechsenschuetz1 Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 I once owned a Hapo35, a re-branded version of the Baldinette with a non-coupled rangefinder (there was a very similar Balda pre-war camera called 'Mess-Rigona'). Balda made quite a few variations of its 'basic' camera. I think you will have to load the camera with a film to turn the advance knob properly. It has nothing to do with cocking the shutter (the only 35mm folders I know which have 'automatic' shutter cocking are the later Kodak Retinas), you'll always have to cock the shutter separately. Depending on the tolerances of the shutter release mechanism, you should not try to press it with the shutter uncocked - you may loose a frame. One special thing about the 35mm Balda folders is that they were made from stamped sheet metal parts, quite different from all other 35mm cameras I know which have a die-cast body. The body and spreader design is very similar to the 6x4,5 (120 format) and 3x4 (127 format) folding cameras made by Balda, they transferred the design directly to 35mm format cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted November 13, 2003 Author Share Posted November 13, 2003 thanks for all the very useful information....it's funny Bob, I had considered turning it upside down to allow me to fire the shutter with my right hand. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim obrien Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 You don't have to turn it upside down... Just point the lens towards you. You'll feel more comfortable immediately. tim in san jose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted November 13, 2003 Author Share Posted November 13, 2003 yeah, thanks, I get taken for Brad Pitt all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huw_sandaver Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 Exakta cameras have the shutter release on the left hand side (at least most of them do I think, my VX1000 does anyway). It takes some getting used to. I have a Balda Baldessa I (which isn't a folding camera) that has the shutter release back on the right hand side though. That camera has quite a sharp lens but a bit prone to flare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_nicholls Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 Some Zeiss cameras also have left-hand releases, including the much lauded Super Ikonta 531. I bought yesterday for US9.9 a Baldinette with 2.9 Radionar in (synchronised) Compur Rapid. I'll give it a go today and report. Jim Nicholls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winfried_buechsenschuetz1 Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 I just bought my second Hapo35 on a camera show (I always regretted I sold the first one). To get proper film spacing, make sure that the film is always tightened in the space between the take up spool and the sprocket axis. If the sprocket axis just turns a bit backward after pressing the shutter release, frame spacing will not work correctly. And press the advance release button only once BEFORE advancing the film, DO NOT hold it down when advancing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 <p><img src="http://wjjgibson.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/balda-baldinette-triplet-1000-pixels.jpg?w=640" alt="" width="640" height="165" />pictures of the Baldinette</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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