Difference between revisions of "Balda"

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'''Balda''' was a German maker based in Dresden that made a quantity of medium-range folders before World War II. It was quite comparable to [[Welta]] or [[Certo]].
+
{{Dresden}}
 +
{{RightTOC}}
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'''Balda''' was a German camera maker based in Laubegast, near Dresden, founded in 1908 by '''Max Baldeweg''' and started by manufacturing shutters, film-pack holders and self-timers. The factory was renamed as '''Balda-Werk Max Baldeweg''' in 1913<REF> See [http://www.dresdner-kameras.de/firmengeschichte/firmen/firmen.html this page at dresdner-kameras.de]. </REF>.
  
−
After the war, Balda was nationalized in East Germany, and later became '''Belca'''. It continued for some time to produce little 35mm folders like the [[Beltica]], and was finally absorbed by [[Welta]].
+
Balda made a quantity of medium-priced [[folding|folders]] before World War II, and its camera production was quite comparable to [[Welta]] or [[Certo]], though Baldas as a rule sold for lower prices than either of those cameras.
  
−
Its founder Max Baldeweg fled to West Germany, and set up a new company called '''Balda''', this time based in Bünde. It produced a series of medium range cameras until at least the 1970s.
+
One originality of Balda was to sell cameras to many other companies for resale under their own brand (today this would be called OEM). Perhaps as part of this strategy, Balda cameras were fitted with a very wide range lenses, from the low cost self-branded triplets through [[Meyer|Meyers]] and [[Ludwig|Ludwigs]], to the high end [[Schneider]] Xenars and Xenons, and [[Carl Zeiss|Zeiss]] Tessars and Biotars.
 +
 
 +
{{Flickr_image
 +
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/4798191845/in/pool-camerawiki
 +
|image= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4075/4798191845_25a65378ae_n.jpg
 +
|image_align= right
 +
|image_text= Baldinette in red leatherette
 +
|image_by= Dirk HR Spennemann
 +
|image_rights= with permission
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{brl}}
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
After WWII, '''Balda''' was nationalized in East Germany in 1946, while its founder '''Max Baldeweg''' fled to West Germany to start '''Balda-Werk Bünde'''.
 +
 
 +
The East German plant began to make own ''Ovus'' shutters which were no [[Compur]] clones but had all the functions of the West-German Compur shutter. The ''Cludor'' and ''Vebur'' shutters were derived from the ''Ovus''. In 1950 [[Zeiss Ikon]] took over the production of the shutters.
 +
 
 +
After trademark litigation similar to that involving the [[Carl Zeiss]] and [[Zeiss Ikon]] companies, the name of the East German company was changed to '''Belca-Werk''' in 1951. It continued for some time to produce [[folding|folders]] like the little [[35mm]] [[Belca Beltica|Beltica]], and was absorbed into [[KW|VEB Kamera-Werke Niedersedlitz]] in 1956<REF> See [http://www.dresdner-kameras.de/firmengeschichte/firmen/firmen.html the KW section at dresdner-kameras.de]. </REF>.
 +
 
 +
In the West, Max Baldeweg set up a new company called '''Balda''' (Balda Kamera-Werk), this time based in Bünde, West Germany. This company produced a series of 35mm and medium-format rollfilm cameras, some of them being sold by [[Porst]] under the [[Hapo]] brand or by [[Foto-Quelle]] under the [[Revue]] brand.
 +
<!-- The company discontinued camera production in the late 1970s. -->
 +
<!-- Clearly it didn't; it made the C*35 series (aka Voigtlander Vito - Minox 35 clones) in the 1980s -->
 +
<!-- So, how about something like: -->
 +
 
 +
In the 1970s, market was becoming more and more dominated by the Japanese cameras; Balda progresively discontinued production of their own cameras, which were reduced to compact cameras for [[126]] or [[110]] cartridge film, then mostly manufacturing cameras on commission from other companies<ref>Balda made the C*35 series (aka Voigtlander Vito - Minox 35 clones) in the 1980s.</ref>.
 +
 
 +
Balda still exists today manufacturing plastic pieces, although production was outsourced to China and the old factory was sold in 2001.
  
 
== Balda Dresden, later Belca ==
 
== Balda Dresden, later Belca ==
  
−
=== 35mm folder ===
+
=== 35mm film, folding ===
  
−
* [[Jubilette]]
 
 
* [[Baldina]]
 
* [[Baldina]]
−
* [[Baldina|Super Baldina]] (coupled rangefinder)
+
* [[Baldina|Jubilette]]
 +
* [[Super Baldina]] ([[rangefinder (device)|coupled rangefinder]])
 +
 
 +
=== 120 film ===
 +
 
 +
==== 4.5×6cm, folding ====
 +
* [[Baldax]] (4.5×6, #0 or #00 shutter size)
 +
* [[Baldaxette|Baldaxette I]] (4.5×6, coupled rangefinder)
 +
* Pierette (4.5×6, "barn-door" front with struts)
  
−
=== 120 folder ===
+
==== 6×6cm, folding ====
 +
* [[Baldax]] (6×6, #0 shutter size)
 +
* [[Baldaxette|Baldaxette II]] (6×6, coupled rangefinder)
  
−
* Juwella (6x9)
+
==== 6×9cm, folding ====
−
* Baldafix (6x9)
+
* [[Baldafix]] (6×9)
−
* [[Baldaxette|Baldaxette I]] (4.5x6, coupled rangefinder)
+
* Fixfocus (6×9 and 4.5×6)
−
* [[Baldaxette|Baldaxette II]] (6x6, coupled rangefinder)
+
* Gloria (6×9)  
−
* [[Super Pontura]] (6x9, coupled rangefinder)
+
* [[Juwella]] (6×9)
 +
* [[Pontina]] (6×9 and 4.5×6), also sold as Hapo 10<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170505093610/https://www.westfordcomp.com/classics/hapo10/index.html Hapo 10 page at westfordcomp.com] (archived)</ref> and [[Hapo 45]]
 +
* [[Super Pontura]] (6×9, coupled rangefinder)
  
−
=== 120 box ===
+
{{Flickr_image
−
* Frontbox (6x9)
+
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/126532323@N03/51511874586/in/pool-camerawiki/
−
* Rollbox (6x9)
+
|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/65535/51511874586_9898521f48_m.jpg
−
* Poka (6x9)
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|image_align= right
 +
|image_text= Balda Rollbox (2) 1938
 +
|image_by= Jaap Schelvis
 +
|image_rights= with permission
 +
}}
 +
{{Flickr_image
 +
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/126532323@N03/51512508154/in/pool-camerawiki/
 +
|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/65535/51512508154_41300deb79_m.jpg
 +
|image_align= right
 +
|image_text= Balda Frontbox 2 (1935)
 +
|image_by= Jaap Schelvis
 +
|image_rights= with permission
 +
}}
 +
{{Flickr_image
 +
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/126532323@N03/51511875111/in/pool-camerawiki/
 +
|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/65535/51511875111_ce112bd558_m.jpg
 +
|image_align= right
 +
|image_text=  Balda Rollbox (1) 1932
 +
|image_by= Jaap Schelvis
 +
|image_rights= with permission
 +
}}
 +
{{Flickr_image
 +
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/126532323@N03/51511819204/in/pool-camerawiki/
 +
|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/65535/51511819204_0557a32e43_m.jpg
 +
|image_align= right
 +
|image_text= Balda Zweiformat Doppelbox Pokarette (1931)
 +
|image_by= Jaap Schelvis
 +
|image_rights= with permission
 +
}}
  
−
=== 127 folder ===
+
==== 6×9cm, box ====
 +
* [[Balda Box]] (6×9)
 +
* [[Frontbox (6×9)]]
 +
* [[Balda Poka|Poka]] (6×9)
 +
* [[Pokarette]] (6×9 and 4.5×6)
 +
* [[Rollbox (6×9)]]
  
−
* Baldi (3x4)
+
=== 127 film ===
−
* Rigona (3x4)
+
==== folding ====
 +
* [[Baldi]] (3×4)
 +
* Piccochic (3×4)
 +
* Rigona (3×4)
 +
* Springbox (3×4)
 +
{{Flickr_image
 +
|image_source= https://www.flickr.com/photos/126532323@N03/52540125190/in/pool-camerawiki/
 +
|image=  https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52540125215_ec5a1a4963_m.jpg
 +
|image_align= right
 +
|image_text=  Size comparison of the Balda  Micky 2  on the left for 127 film (4x6.5 cm) and Balda Pokarette on the right for 120 film (6x9 cm)
 +
|image_by= Jaap Schelvis
 +
|image_rights= with permission
 +
}}
 +
==== box ====
 +
* Micky 0 (4x6.5)
 +
* Micky 1 (4x6.5)
 +
* [[Micky 2]] (4x6.5)
 +
* Mickyrelle (4x6.5 and 3x4)
  
 
=== Plate models ===
 
=== Plate models ===
Line 35: Line 125:
 
== Belca ==
 
== Belca ==
  
−
=== 35mm folder ===
+
=== 35mm film ===
−
* Beltica (vertical style folding, like the pre-war Baldina)
+
==== Folding ====
 +
* [[Balda Beltica|Beltica I]] (vertical style folding, like the pre-war Baldina)
 
* Beltica II (horizontal style folding)
 
* Beltica II (horizontal style folding)
  
−
=== 35mm stereo ===
+
==== Rigid ====
−
* Belplasca, with a pair of Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 37.5mm/3.5
+
* [[Belmira]]
  
−
=== 120 folder ===
+
==== Stereo ====
−
* Belfoca (6x9)
+
* [[Belplasca]]
 +
 
 +
=== 120 film, folding ===
 +
* [[Belfoca]] (6×9)
 +
* Belfoca II
  
 
== Balda Bünde ==
 
== Balda Bünde ==
  
−
=== 35mm folder ===
+
=== 35mm film ===
−
* Baldini
+
==== Folding ====
−
* Rival 35
+
* [[Baldina|Baldalette]]
−
* Rigona
+
* [[Baldina]]
−
* Baldinette
+
* [[Baldina|Baldini]]
−
* Super Baldinette (coupled rangefinder)
+
* [[Baldina|Baldinette]] a modified version was sold as the Rival 35
 +
* [[Baldina|Mess-Baldinette]] (uncoupled [[rangefinder (device)|rangefinder]])
 +
* [[Baldina|Mess-Rigona]] (uncoupled [[rangefinder (device)|rangefinder]]), also sold as Hapo 35 and Rival 35
 +
* [[Baldina|Rigona]]
 +
* [[Baldina|Super Baldina]] (coupled [[rangefinder (device)|rangefinder]])
 +
* [[Baldina|Super Baldinette]] (coupled [[rangefinder (device)|rangefinder]])
  
−
=== 35mm fixed lens ===
+
==== Rigid ====
−
* Baldina
+
* [[Baldina]]
−
* Super Baldina (coupled rangefinder)
+
* [[Baldina|Super Baldina]] (coupled rangefinder)
−
* Baldessa / Baldessa I
+
* [[Baldessa | Baldessa / Baldessa I]]
 +
* [[Baldessa | Baldessa F/RF/L-RF/LF-RF]]
 
* Baldessamat F / RF
 
* Baldessamat F / RF
−
* Super Baldamatic I / II / III
+
* [[Baldamatic|Baldamatic, Baldamatic I/II/III]]
 +
* [[Super Baldamatic|Super Baldamatic / Super Baldamatic I]] (and Balda Super Matic)
  
−
=== 35mm ultra compact ===
+
==== Ultra compact ====
−
* CA 35
+
* C 35
−
* CE 35
+
* [[Balda CA 35|CA 35, Revue 35 XE and Voigtländer Vito C]]
 +
* [[Balda CE 35|CE 35]]
 
* CS 35
 
* CS 35
 +
* Mini 35
 +
* Scout 35
 +
* [[Minox]] 35 series - the entire line of Minox 35 cameras was manufactured by Balda Kamera-Werk in Bünde, West Germany
  
−
=== 120 folder ===
+
=== 110 film ===
−
* Baldi 29
+
* Minox 110 (Manufactured by Balda Kamera-Werk)
−
* Baldax
 
−
* Baldix
 
−
* Super Baldax (coupled rangefinder)
 
  
−
=== 120 collapsible lens ===
+
=== 126 film ===
−
* Baldixette
+
* [[Nizo Elektronik 1000]] (made for [[Niezoldi & Krämer]])
 +
* [[Argus Lady Carefree]]
 +
* [[Balda F.126 Electronic]]
 +
 
 +
=== 120 film ===
 +
 
 +
==== 6×6cm, folding ====
 +
{|class = "floatright"
 +
|{{Flickr_image
 +
|image_source=https://www.flickr.com/photos/hromadka/49952543502/in/pool-camerawiki
 +
|image=https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49952543502_c8be65989b_m.jpg
 +
|image_align=
 +
|image_text= Balda folder line up
 +
|image_by=Johannes Hromadka
 +
|image_rights= nc
 +
}}
 +
|}
 +
* [[Baldi 29]]
 +
* [[Baldix]]
 +
* [[Baldix|Mess-Baldix]] (uncoupled rangefinder), also sold as [[Hapo 66e]]
 +
* [[Baldax]]
 +
* [[Baldax|Super Baldax]] (coupled rangefinder)
 +
 
 +
=== 6×6cm, collapsible ===
 +
* [[Baldixette|Baldixette / Baldixette I / Baldixette II]]
 +
 
 +
==== 6×9cm, folding ====
 +
* [[Baldalux]]
 +
 
 +
== Notes ==
 +
<references />
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==
−
* [http://home.zugang.net/Petermann/balda.htm Balda at Frank Petermann's site]
 
  
−
[[Category: Camera makers]]
+
In English:
 +
 
 +
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/balda/ Flickr group ''Balda Cameras'']
 +
* [http://www.submin.com/35mm/collection/balda/index.htm Balda C-series subminiatures] at submin.com
 +
* [http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Balda/ Balda Cameras Price Guide] at collectiblend.com
 +
* [http://www.butkus.org/chinon/other_manuals.htm Balda instruction manuals] at [http://www.butkus.org/chinon Orphancameras.com]
 +
 
 +
In German:
 +
 
 +
* [http://www.dresdner-kameras.de/firmengeschichte/firmen/firmen.html Company history] at [http://www.dresdner-kameras.de/ dresdner-kameras.de]
 +
<!--
 +
* [http://home.zugang.net/Petermann/balda.htm Balda page] at [http://home.zugang.net/Petermann/ Frank Petermann's site]
 +
pages not found Dec 2018 -->
 +
 
 +
In French:
 +
 
 +
* [http://mgroleau.com/photo/allemagne/balda/balda.html Balda page] at [http://mgroleau.com/index.html Mario Groleau's website]
 +
* [https://www.collectiongeven.com/piwigo/index.php?/category/164 Balda page] at [https://www.collectiongeven.com/ Collection G. Even's site]
 +
* [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/listeB_imagettes.php#Balda Balda cameras] and [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/listeB_imagettes.php#Belca Belca cameras] at www.collection-appareils.fr
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[Category: German camera makers]]
 +
[[Category: German shutter makers]]
 +
[[Category: East Germany]]
 
[[Category: Balda|*]]
 
[[Category: Balda|*]]
−
[[Category: Germany]]
 
−
[[Category: East Germany]]
 

Latest revision as of 04:20, 6 July 2023

Camera industry in Dresden
Balda | Certo | Eho-Altissa | Eichapfel | Ernemann | Feinmess | Heyde | Hamaphot | Huth | Hüttig | ICA | Ihagee | Kochmann | Kerman | KW | Eugen Loeber | Ludwig | Mentor | Merkel | Meyer | Mimosa | Pentacon | Richter | Sommer | Stübiger | Unger & Hoffmann | Werner | Wünsche | Zeiss Ikon | Zeh
Camera distributors in Dresden
Stöckig
Camera industry in Freital
Beier | Pouva | Stein & Binnewerg | Thowe | Welta


Balda was a German camera maker based in Laubegast, near Dresden, founded in 1908 by Max Baldeweg and started by manufacturing shutters, film-pack holders and self-timers. The factory was renamed as Balda-Werk Max Baldeweg in 1913[1].

Balda made a quantity of medium-priced folders before World War II, and its camera production was quite comparable to Welta or Certo, though Baldas as a rule sold for lower prices than either of those cameras.

One originality of Balda was to sell cameras to many other companies for resale under their own brand (today this would be called OEM). Perhaps as part of this strategy, Balda cameras were fitted with a very wide range lenses, from the low cost self-branded triplets through Meyers and Ludwigs, to the high end Schneider Xenars and Xenons, and Zeiss Tessars and Biotars.

4798191845_25a65378ae_n.jpg
Baldinette in red leatherette
image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)


History

After WWII, Balda was nationalized in East Germany in 1946, while its founder Max Baldeweg fled to West Germany to start Balda-Werk Bünde.

The East German plant began to make own Ovus shutters which were no Compur clones but had all the functions of the West-German Compur shutter. The Cludor and Vebur shutters were derived from the Ovus. In 1950 Zeiss Ikon took over the production of the shutters.

After trademark litigation similar to that involving the Carl Zeiss and Zeiss Ikon companies, the name of the East German company was changed to Belca-Werk in 1951. It continued for some time to produce folders like the little 35mm Beltica, and was absorbed into VEB Kamera-Werke Niedersedlitz in 1956[2].

In the West, Max Baldeweg set up a new company called Balda (Balda Kamera-Werk), this time based in Bünde, West Germany. This company produced a series of 35mm and medium-format rollfilm cameras, some of them being sold by Porst under the Hapo brand or by Foto-Quelle under the Revue brand.

In the 1970s, market was becoming more and more dominated by the Japanese cameras; Balda progresively discontinued production of their own cameras, which were reduced to compact cameras for 126 or 110 cartridge film, then mostly manufacturing cameras on commission from other companies[3].

Balda still exists today manufacturing plastic pieces, although production was outsourced to China and the old factory was sold in 2001.

Balda Dresden, later Belca

35mm film, folding

120 film

4.5×6cm, folding

  • Baldax (4.5×6, #0 or #00 shutter size)
  • Baldaxette I (4.5×6, coupled rangefinder)
  • Pierette (4.5×6, "barn-door" front with struts)

6×6cm, folding

6×9cm, folding

51511874586_9898521f48_m.jpg
Balda Rollbox (2) 1938
image by Jaap Schelvis (Image rights)
51512508154_41300deb79_m.jpg
Balda Frontbox 2 (1935)
image by Jaap Schelvis (Image rights)
51511875111_ce112bd558_m.jpg
Balda Rollbox (1) 1932
image by Jaap Schelvis (Image rights)
51511819204_0557a32e43_m.jpg
Balda Zweiformat Doppelbox Pokarette (1931)
image by Jaap Schelvis (Image rights)

6×9cm, box

127 film

folding

  • Baldi (3×4)
  • Piccochic (3×4)
  • Rigona (3×4)
  • Springbox (3×4)
52540125215_ec5a1a4963_m.jpg
Size comparison of the Balda Micky 2 on the left for 127 film (4x6.5 cm) and Balda Pokarette on the right for 120 film (6x9 cm)
image by Jaap Schelvis (Image rights)

box

  • Micky 0 (4x6.5)
  • Micky 1 (4x6.5)
  • Micky 2 (4x6.5)
  • Mickyrelle (4x6.5 and 3x4)

Plate models

Belca

35mm film

Folding

  • Beltica I (vertical style folding, like the pre-war Baldina)
  • Beltica II (horizontal style folding)

Rigid

Stereo

120 film, folding

Balda Bünde

35mm film

Folding

Rigid

Ultra compact

110 film

  • Minox 110 (Manufactured by Balda Kamera-Werk)

126 film

120 film

6×6cm, folding

49952543502_c8be65989b_m.jpg
Balda folder line up
image by Johannes Hromadka (Image rights)

6×6cm, collapsible

6×9cm, folding

Notes

  1. ↑ See this page at dresdner-kameras.de.
  2. ↑ See the KW section at dresdner-kameras.de.
  3. ↑ Balda made the C*35 series (aka Voigtlander Vito - Minox 35 clones) in the 1980s.
  4. ↑ Hapo 10 page at westfordcomp.com (archived)

Links

In English:

In German:

In French:

Retrieved from "http://camera-wiki.org/index.php?title=Balda&oldid=224562"