Super Baldax! Sent in! How Super!
Looks like Norman (who owns the fantastic Zeiss Ikon Nettar) has a few more cameras to share…
Check out his Super Baldax:
In his words:
I enjoyed my Zeiss Ikon Nettar very much but I wanted another folding camera with a rangefinder and a better lens so I got myself a Super Baldax It’s a German made folding medium format camera with a coupled rangefinder. It has a Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar 80mm f2.9 lens and Prontor-SVS shutter. Uses 120 roll film to produce 12 6x6 cm shots per roll. Balda Kamera Werk made it in the 1950’s.
I like the compact design of folding cameras. I can carry it around in my coat pocket and yet produces large medium format negatives.
This particular model is slightly heftier than my Zeiss Ikon Nettar because of the rangefinder and the bigger & faster lens. It is still, however, more compact than my Rolleicord or Yashica TLR cameras. The viewfinder is also used at eye level so it’s easier to focus and compose the image.
So far there are no light leaks in camera, something that is always a concern with these 50 year old or so folding cameras. The Radionar lens is a little soft at wide apertures but is better at smaller f8 or so.
I find that there is hardly any room for me to hold the side of the camera. The lens door swings horizontally and is too close to the side. I had to cradle the camera at the bottom. I would have preferred the lens door to swing up and down. The rangefinder/ viewfinder is bright and contrasty enough, comparable with my other rangefinder cameras.
And finally, the best part, some photos:
My favorite photo among those sent in by Norman using the Super Baldax:
Super!
