Balda Baldamatic I

Photos by DB text by DB. From the collection of DB. Last update 2023-11-08 par Sylvain Halgand.

Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1958 to (After) 1958.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 11843

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Balda

The Baldessa cameras appear to be the successors to the Baldina, with the introduction of the former coinciding with the disappearance of the latter in catalogs.
The Baldessa models have a simple top cover because the film rewind crank is located under the base. There is also a key that replaces the film advance lever.
The standard lens is a 2.8/45 mm. The initial models have a rounded shape.

Non-exhaustive list	Years	Lens	Shutter

Baldessa I	1957-	Baldanar	Prontor	Single viewfinder
Baldessa I	1957-	Color-Westanar	Prontor-SVS 1 to 1/300	Single viewfinder
Baldessa I	1957-	Color-Baldanar	Vario 1/25 to 1/200	Collimated viewfinder
Baldessa I	1957-	Color-Baldanar	Prontor-SVS 1 to 1/300	Collimated viewfinder
Baldessa Ia	1958-	Color-Baldanar	Prontor-SVS 1 to 1/300	Coupled rangefinder Automatic parallax compensation
Baldessa Ib	1958-	Color-Westanar	Prontor-SVS 1 to 1/300	Rangefinder Light meter
Baldessa Ib	1958-	Color-Westanar	Prontor-SVS 1 to 1/300	Rangefinder Light meter
Baldessa RF	>1961-	Color-Isconar	Prontor-SVS 1 to 1/500	Built-in flash Coupled rangefinder
Baldessa RF/LK	>1961-	Color-Isconar	Prontor 500 LK 1 to 1/500	Built-in flash Coupled rangefinder Posemètre
Baldessamat F	>1961-	Color-Isconar	Prontor 500 LK 1 to 1/500	Built-in flash Lightmeter Collimated viewfinder
Baldamatic	1960-	Color-Baldanar	Prontormat	Coupled light meter
Super Baldamatic	1960	Color-Baldanar	Compur 1/30 to 1/500	Coupled light meter
Baldamatic I	1958-	Color-Westanar	Prontor-SLK	Coupled light meter Coupled rangefinder
Baldamatic I	1958-	Enna-Color-Haponit	Synchro-Compur
Baldamatic I	1958-	Baldanar	Prontormat
Super Baldamatic I	1960-	Color-Baldanar	Compur 1/30 to 1/500	Coupled rangefinder light meter
Super Baldamatic I	1960-	Xenar	Compur 1/30 to 1/500	Coupled rangefinder light meter
Baldamatic II	1960-	Xenar	Pronto-LK	Coupled light meter Coupled rangefinder
Baldamatic II	1960-	Color-Baldanar	Prontormat
Baldamatic II	1960-	Color-Baldanar	Pronto-LK
Baldamatic III	1960-	-	Synchro-Compur 1 to 1/500	Coupled light meter Coupled rangefinder Interchangeable lens

From the mid-1960s onward, the shape of the cameras changed, becoming more angular. The cameras became lighter due to the use of aluminum and plastic. Some models even appear to stem from outsourced manufacturing.

Non-exhaustive list	Years	Lens	Shutter

Baldessa Standard	c. 1972	Color-Isconar	Prontor 125	Collimated viewfinder
Baldessa F	c. 1966	Color-Isconar	Prontor 125	Built-in flash Collimated viewfinder
Baldessa LF	c.1966-72	Color-Isconar	Prontor 125	Built-in flash Posemètre Collimated viewfinder
Baldessa LF	c.1966-72	Color-Isconar	Prontor 125	Built-in flash Posemètre Collimated viewfinder
Baldessa F-LK	c. 1968	Color-Isconar	Prontor 300 LK	Built-in flash Coupled light meter

In the coding used by Balda, the letters have a meaning.

R	Presence of a rangefinder
F	Presence of a flash for AG-1 bulb
L	Presence of a light meter (Lichtmeter)
K	Specifies that the light meter is coupled

A patent filed in 1958 fairly illustrates the internal complexity of a camera resembling the Baldamatic Ib.

__________

The aesthetics of this model have been carefully crafted. The build quality is very good.

The meter is coupled. Its viewfinder is very bright, as is the rangefinder. The collimated frame is very sharp.

The back completely comes off for reloading the film. Like all Balda cameras of that time, the winding is done using a kind of "key" beneath the base. Its only flaw lies in the fact that there is no exposure indicator in the viewfinder.

Interesting links or bibliography :

Sur Camera-wiki.org, suggested by Sylvain Halgand

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