Frugal Film Project 2023 - July

In June I had to make the painful decision to withdraw my Agfa Isolette I from the Frugal Film Project 2023 because it is in desperate need of a rebuild. I was hopeful it would last the year, but sadly it just wasn't able to produce decent photos anymore. It left me with a dilemma, I didn't want to have to bail out of a project that has given me so much joy over the last couple of years, but what camera should I finish the project with? I decided it had to be another vintage folding camera and went hunting for a substitute. I didn't have to look far.

I found a post on Instgram from the Vintage & Classic Camera Company, who are based here in the UK. They have a selection of vintage and classic cameras, lenses and accessories on their website and ebay stores and I wondered what they had in stock. I clicked the link to their website on their instagram profile and lo and behold, there was a Balda Baldax 6x4.5 folding camera in decent condition and at a price that was well within the budget for the project. You're dang right I hit the buy button.

A few days later my Balda Baldax folding camera arrived. First impressions were very favourable. It looks to be in great condition for a 90 year old camera. Yes, it was made in 1933, I checked. It has a 7.5 cm f/4.5 Vidanar lens and Compur Rim Set shutter with an f stop range of f/4.5 - f/22, shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/300th of a second and a socket for a cable release so I can use the timer and bulb. I found a user manual online and began my education.

With it being a 6cm x 4.5cm frame size it gives me 16 shots per standard roll of 120 medium format film and to keep track of where I am up to it has 2 frame count windows in the back. Why two windows? On the backing paper of 120 medium format film there are 3 sets of numbers. One set for 6x4.5, one for 6x6 and one for 6x9. The Baldax opens on the opposite side to my Agfa Isolette, which to me means I'm loading my film into the Baldax upside down and it doesn't use the numbers for 6x4.5.

It counts the frames using the 6x9 numbers on the backing paper. Simply wind the film using the winding wheel on the bottom of the camera until it shows the number 1 in the first red wndow, then take your shot. Then wind the film on until the number 1 shows in the second window and take your second shot. It takes a little getting used to, but once I get the hang of it I should be ok. I loaded a roll of Kentmere 400 medium format film and headed into town to see how it handles in the wild.

As my Baldax, henceforth known as "Baldy the Baldax", is a vintage 1930's camera, I needed a light meter. I took with me my trusty Gossen Trisix, a gift from my friend Owen. Despite it being a vintage 1960's Selenium light meter, it still works as it should and no batteries required.

I went to Wigan town centre to get my first roll of film in Baldy the Baldax started. I took a quick light reading with my Trisix. I set my shutter and aperture to give me a good exposure time to suit the light and set my focus to infinity.

The viewfinder is a simple small window and larger glass lens window "Newton Finder" style that was normal at the time this camera was born. Most cameras of the time had a simple arrangement of two frames, so the glass window was definitely a deluxe feature to help with composing shots.

I set about finding out how the camera performs. I visited old haunts and tried to find angles I haven't noticed before. Not the easiest task as I have photographed just about everything in the town centre over the last few years.

The first thing I love about this camera is the size, it's the same size as my Olympus 35RC and fits nicely in my pocket. I can travel light with it, camera in one pocket, light meter in the other. Nice! It certainly made a change from a messenger bag full of stuff I normally carry.

I have become accustomed to Compur shutters over the last couple of years. My Goodman Zone Z1 and my Agfa Isolette I both have a Compur shutter and that familiarity helped me get used to Baldy the Baldax pretty quickly. Most of my shots were at 1/100th of a second at f16 or 1/300th of a second at F8 thanks to the sunshine and it wasn't long before I had shot this months roll of Kentmere 400. I headed home feeling tired but happy with my exerience of learning to use my new camera.

I developed my film a day or two later using my favourite Kodak HC110 dilution B for 6 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had my film hanging to dry in my bathroom. When using my Baldax I tried to remember to wind the film to the next frame after taking a shot, but on one occasion I had forgotten if I had or hadnt done that. I took a chance and wound the film on. After developing it I found out I had done it. D'Oh! That double wind on meant I only got 15 shots on this months roll of film. Oh well, lesson learned.

I scanned my film with my Nokia phone camera using a Pixl-Latr to hold it flat and an A5 light pad to illuminate the film. Editing was done with Affinity Photo 2 to remove dust spots and scratches and convert the negative images to positives. I am fairly happy with how it turned out, despite a couple of frames that suffered with light leaks. It is a 90 year old camera after all is said and done etc. I'm looking forward to shooting next months roll of Kentmere 400 in Baldy the Baldax, let's see what I can do with it.

I have placed a link to the Vintage & Classic Camera Company below, I am very happy with their service and the accuracy of their description of Baldy. A 90 year old camera is being used again and long may it continue. Here's a few favourites from my July roll of Kentmere 400 and I have placed the entire 15 shot roll in my Frugal Film Project 2023 album on Flickr you can visit using the link below.  I hope you enjoy them.

Frugal Film Project 2023 - July
Vintage & Classic Camera Company