Balda Super Baldina

I was an avid shooter of film up until the lockdowns hit and knocked me off my rhythm. Now that we have all that in our high mirror, It's time to get back on the film photography train. As a result, I purchased a whole bunch of cheap film cameras that have been recently released that I've never tried. I will be shooting those cameras in the coming weeks, developing the film, and reviewing them. In the mean time, I shall be sharing some of the cameras I shot in the recent past, even during the pandemic, but never got round to sharing here, starting with this beauty - Super Baldina by Balda-Werke.

The Balda Super Baldina was manufactured by the German company Balda-Werke as suggested above, which was founded in 1908. The camera was first introduced in 1950 and was produced until around 1958. It was designed to be a high-end camera for advanced amateur and professional photographers (like yours truly), with a number of advanced features for its time. One of the standout features of the camera was its lens. It came equipped with a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f/2 lens, which was highly regarded for its sharpness and clarity - being made of glass. The lens was also capable of producing a pleasing bokeh effect, which is something that many photographers value today, mind you it was somewhat frowned upon back in the day. Ironic isn't it?

In addition to its excellent lens, the Balda Super Baldina also had a number of other features that were considered advanced for its time. For example, it had a built-in light meter, which was relatively rare in cameras of that era. It also had a rangefinder focusing system, which allowed for precise manual focusing. Rangefinders weren't rare - they could be seen in Leicas and Contax cameras of the day. It takes getting used to by photographers of today, but once you've got a hang of it, you may start to prefer it to TTL focusing common with SLRs.

Of course, the Balda Super Baldina is a film camera, which means that it requires film to operate. It uses 35mm film, which is still widely available today, although it can be a bit harder to find than it was in the past. Also, the variety has really dwindled since most film companies have since folded since the advent of digital photography. The camera has a number of different shutter speeds and aperture settings, as shown in the specs below, which give photographers a great deal of control over their images. The manual control is one of the reasons I love using vintage vilm cameras.

If you're lucky enough to come across a Balda Super Baldina today, you may be wondering what it's like to use. While it may take some getting used to if you're used to more modern digital cameras, many photographers in the film community still find the Balda Super Baldina to be a pleasure to use, and I'm definitely one of them. The rangefinder focusing system is particularly enjoyable for many, like I mentioned above, as it allows for a more tactile and precise focusing experience. It can also be faster and more accurate to use in low light. Street photographers especially love the rangefinder system.

Of course, like any vintage camera, the Balda Super Baldina does have some drawbacks. For example, it can be difficult to find replacement parts or repairs if something goes wrong. Additionally, the camera's light meter may not be as accurate as modern digital meters, which means that photographers may need to rely more on their own judgment when it comes to exposure settings. Alternatively you can use an external light meter. I usually resort to the "Sunny 16 Rule" which works for me all the time.

And, of course, this camera's history is one that also interests me. If you consider the region of the world it was made in, and what period in history, you can understand why. It's also intricately made, a beauty of engineering, as many thing were back in those days. Anyone that's into vintage cars, for example, would understand what I mean.

Specifications

Given the different models of this camera that were made, some of the specs may differ slightly. however, most of them are like the one I have with the following specs.

• Film format: 35mm
• Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f/2 (interchangeable with other lenses via a bayonet mount)
• Focusing: rangefinder system with split-image focusing aid
• Shutter: Synchro-Compur leaf shutter with speeds ranging from 1 second to 1/500th of a second, plus bulb mode
• Light meter: built-in Selenium cell meter with a coupled exposure system (ASA range 10-800)
• Viewfinder: combined viewfinder and rangefinder, with a bright-line frame that automatically adjusts to match the lens in use
• Flash: cold shoe on top of the camera, with a PC sync socket for electronic flash units
• Dimensions: 142 x 89 x 77 mm (5.6 x 3.5 x 3 inches)
• Weight: approximately 750 grams (26.5 ounces)

This camera can still be found for sale on eBay today, especially from Germany, Slovakia and Hungary where the camera enjoyed a lot of success back in the day. Since they were so solidly made, they've weathered the years very well and many of them are still in perfect working order. They were relatively high-end, so tended to be well taken care of by their previous owners. Some can even be found in near-mint condition, having spent decades in the back of someone's grandpa's wardrobe.

Peace & Love,

Adé