Baldamatic
Baldamatic was the name of a range of 35 mm cameras made by the German company Balda from about 1958 to about 1962. They were all equipped with a coupled selenium lightmeter.
|
| Baldamatic image by David Broglin (Image rights) |
Contents
Baldamatic
The simplest of the Baldamatics lacks a rangefinder and is fitted with a Prontormat shutter. The aperture is set by a ring with a range of light conditions, the speed is automatically calculated from 1/30 s to 1/300 s (aperture priority mode). The lens is a 3-element Color-Baldanar 2.8/45.
Baldamatic I
|
| Baldamatic I image by David Broglin (Image rights) |
The Baldamatic I is a semi-automatic rangefinder camera with a match-needle exposure system. Several variants of lenses and shutters were available.
Shutters
- Prontor LK
- Synchro-Compur
Lenses
- Balda Color-Baldanar 2.8/45
- Isco Color-Westanar 2.8/45
- Enna Color-Ennit 2.8/45
- Schneider Xenar 2./45
Baldamatic II
|
| Baldamatic II image by David Broglin (Image rights) |
The Baldamatic II is an improved version of the Baldamatic I, including a larger viewfinder. Several variants of lenses and shutters were available. An export version was called Helioca.
Shutters
- Prontormat (with aperture priority automatic exposure control)
- Prontor LK
- Prontor SLK
- Prontor SVS
Lenses
- Balda Color-Baldanar 2.8/45
- Isco Color-Isconar 2.8/45
- Schneider Xenar 2./45
Baldamatic III
|
| With Balda-Tele-Xenar 1:4,0/135 mm image by Hubertus Bendi (Image rights) |
The top model in the Baldamatic range was similar to the Baldamatic II, but featuring the DKL interchangeable lens mount, for which lenses of focal lengths 35mm and 135mm were available.
|
| Balda Baldamatic III with Balda-Xenon 1:1,9/50 mm image by Hubertus Bendi (Image rights) |
|
| Baldamatic III with lens removed image by Yefei He (Image rights) |
