Until the Fuji 6x7 Arrives.....New Baldax

dazedgonebye · 02-27-2008

This thing is brand new. Just can't believe the condition. Even the slow shutter speeds work.

FrankS · 02-27-2008

Beautiful! Where does one find such a camera in that condition?

dazedgonebye · 02-27-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankS

Beautiful! Where does one find such a camera in that condition?

Check ebay twice every day for two years...simple.

Actually, my old 3 element lens mess baldix is almost as pretty. Apparently there is a secret store of like new Balda folding cameras out there and they dribble on to the market randomly.

jl-lb.ms · 02-27-2008

My experience is worse (better(?)) yet. The Fuji 6 x 7 gave me serious medium format gas and now I have a Hasselblad, a spare body, spare back and two zeiss lenses!!!

john

kuzano · 02-27-2008

The Enna Werke lens was so sharp. The rangefinder was bright and accurate. I took quite a few very sharp and contrasty BW images with that camera before selling it. I have another now that I have to run some film through. Great cameras. Uncoupled rangefinder. The film counting mechanism works great too. Set the first frame with the ruby window and shoot the rest (6X6) without opening the window.

Somebody must be digging these out of a closet and tossing one into the market every now and then. If the one I have now is as good as the one I had before, I think I will sub it for my Perko. It's just a tad bulgier, but the rangefinder and the film counter/stop are pluses.

MickH · 02-27-2008

Amazing!

Please excuse the naiivete of this question...

I can see it's new, but how old is it?

dazedgonebye · 02-27-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuzano

The Enna Werke lens was so sharp. The rangefinder was bright and accurate. I took quite a few very sharp and contrasty BW images with that camera before selling it. I have another now that I have to run some film through. Great cameras. Uncoupled rangefinder. The film counting mechanism works great too. Set the first frame with the ruby window and shoot the rest (6X6) without opening the window.

Somebody must be digging these out of a closet and tossing one into the market every now and then. If the one I have now is as good as the one I had before, I think I will sub it for my Perko. It's just a tad bulgier, but the rangefinder and the film counter/stop are pluses.

I'll do some test shots soon to see if the rangefinder is on.
BTW, this one has a coupled RF.

As far as age is concerned...built in the 50's is about all I can find out. So around 50 years old.

MickH · 02-27-2008

Steve,

You are what is known in my part of the world as a jammy b@st@rd.

dazedgonebye · 02-27-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickH

Steve,

You are what is known in my part of the world as a jammy b@st@rd.

A distinction I'll wear with pleasure...as long as this thing has no light leaks.

Solinar · 02-27-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickH

Amazing!

Please excuse the naiivete of this question...

I can see it's new, but how old is it?

This Balda is probably dates back to Winston Churchill's second turn as minister or the first years of Anthony Eden.

NickTrop · 02-27-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazedgonebye

Check ebay twice every day for two years...simple.

Just search once, and choose the "save search" option. If something comes up, eBay will send you a notice in your email. Then use justsnipe.com to snipe it in the last 5 seconds of the auction.

dazedgonebye · 02-27-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickTrop

Just search once, and choose the "save search" option. If something comes up, eBay will send you a notice in your email. Then use justsnipe.com to snipe it in the last 5 seconds of the auction.

I can never narrow the searches down enough so I only get email for things I want. If I narrow too far, I miss all of the things that aren't well listed. If I don't narrow enough, I get so much email that it's not worth the trouble.

I use bidslammer usually, but this one came up with a reasonable buy it now price, so I just snapped it up.

Todd.Hanz · 02-27-2008

nice Balda, lets see some pics!

Krosya · 02-27-2008

Had one is same condition. Nice camera. I think it takes 40.5mm hood too. Or some other easy to find one. Sold it. Not because I didn't like it, but really because I didn't like the focus mechanism. Felt uncomfortable to me. But otherwise it is a very good camera, very compact, well made and fun to use. Plus I believe it has a coated lens too.

dazedgonebye · 02-28-2008

It does take 40.5mm filters...so hood on the way and step up ring to 46mm as well, so I can share filters with my Hexar AF.

kermaier · 03-06-2008

What sort of light meter is that you have on the accessory shoe?

dazedgonebye · 03-06-2008

Thats the cosina made VCII. $165 from cameraquest.

kermaier · 03-17-2008

How do you find the ergonomics of your Super Baldax to be? Can you comfortably put your left hand through the strap and work the focus, shutter speed and aperture levers, as well as wind the film advance, without removing your hand from the strap? Or is the strap really more of a carrying handle while you're not actually shooting?

chambrenoire · 03-17-2008

I'd love to see what this little camera can do! I saw one at the flea market the other day, didn't ask how much he wanted for it.. But the seller "seemed expensive".

dazedgonebye · 03-17-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by kermaier

How do you find the ergonomics of your Super Baldax to be? Can you comfortably put your left hand through the strap and work the focus, shutter speed and aperture levers, as well as wind the film advance, without removing your hand from the strap? Or is the strap really more of a carrying handle while you're not actually shooting?

The strap is pretty much useless. Certainly just a carry handle.

The RF was off. I've adjusted it and hope to get some more film through it soon.

robin a · 03-18-2008

Hi,I won one this past weekend on the big auction site.I hope it looks half as good as yours does.Mine has the Radionar 80/2.9,Prontor SVS shutter.My first folder,hope it's fun.......Robin

BernardHS · 03-18-2008

Congratualtions on your "new" Super-Baldax!

Yeah, they are nice folders. I bought one from Jurgen a couple of years ago, in good shape though not as clean as yours. It also has the Schneider 80 f2.9 lens. On the plus side it is amazingly small and light, I absolutely love the focusing lever, and it is capable of sharp pictures and some nice bokeh. Handling it is not an issue except to make sure your fingers don't occlude the secondary RF window - easy to do! On the downside, I could never get the automatic frame stop to work so I've been using the red window instead, although this hasn't really been an issue for me. The main handling issue is the finder, which on my example is not particulary bright (compared to my Mamiya 7, for example), and I think it would work much better for those (unlike me) who don't wear prescription eyeglasses. I guess that's true of all the old folders.

I took it to Jackson Hole last month and it went in the pocket of my ski jacket while I was snow-mobiling, dog-sledding, and on a day-trip into Yellowstone. Couldn't do that with a Mamiya 7! Sadly, though the shutter-cocking lever now refuses to click into place

so I guess I'm going to have to get it serviced. Anyone out there have some adivce?

Good luck & enjoy!
Bernard.

fraley · 03-19-2008

Steve, great pictures of your Baldax! I just got a Hapo 66E which is a simpler version of the Baldax. I love the look of these. If you ever want to sell yours....