Film cameras
Baldamatic II / III User manual
User manual for Baldamatic II / III. 25 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
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Document details
- Brand
- Balda
- Model / document
- Baldamatic II / III
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 25
- File size
- 1.9 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 5 · Read text
Becouse the shutter is o very importqnf port of the cornercr, your BALDAMATIC lros ,been equipped with
ihe most odvonced shutters with mCIny outomotic feotures:
Boldomotic ll Bqldornqtic lll
11
10
9
8
7
Prontormqt Prontor SLK ' Synchro-Compur
I Threod for Screw-in Filters I to 4 os Prontormqt 1 to 4 qs Prontormqt
2 Distqnce Setting 5 Lever for XM 5 Lever for XM
3 Depth of Focus Indicotor Synchronisotion ond Synchronisqtion ond
4 AAork for Distonce Setting Deloyed Action (V) Deloyed Action (V)
5 Exposure Control Ring 6 Exposure Time Setiing Ring 6 Combinotion Selector for
6 Aperture Scole for 7 Mcrrk for Aperture Setting choosing Exposure Time-
Flosh exposures I Aperture Scole Aperture Poir, or pre-set
Mqrk for Aperture Setting 9 Exposure Time Scole Setting of Exposure Time
Knob for Film Speed Setiing l0 Film Speed Scole 7 Mork for Exposure
Setting Mork for Film 11 Red Dot'for Film Speed Time-Aperture Setting
Speed Scole Setting B Locking Button for
l0 Film Speed Scole 12 Knob for Film Speed Setiing VXM Lever
9 Aperture Ring
www.butkus.us 10 Knur'ledchongingRingLensesforView original page 5Page 6 · Read text
Conlrory to the Prontormot Shutter which sets the correcf Exposure Time ,qutomoticolly ihe Pr6nior SLK - I - ond Compur Shutters give o ihoice of ony Exposure Time Aperture Combinofion.
The Green Exposure Time Scole on ihe Combinotion Selector of the Synchro Compur Shulter hos the folliiw-
ing funciion:-
When on Exposure Time of more lhon one second is .required turn the Combinotion Selector beyond ihe
BIock Exposure Time Scole. The Green Figures which now qppeor over the Exposure Time-Aperture Mork
represent full seconds, B is 2 second. When'releosing in this position, the shuiier stoys open os long os
ihe Body Releose is depressed (B-Position).
EXAMPI"E: Exposure Time rlzo -
Apertu re
With Aperture l6 the Exposure Time of l5 secon,ds is reqd.
Film Speed Selling
Pronto rmot Frontor SLK Synchro-Compur
Depress Knob (B) ond rotote the Depress Knob crnd rotote Knurled Set Film Speed on top of cqmerq
Ring ot the sonre time until Mcrk 9 Ring until the Red Dot is opposite bywithdepressingo smqll coin,onduntilrototingthe correctthe Screw
is opposite the correct Film Speed the correct Film Speed Film Speed is opposite Mork I 4 See olso Pooe l9View original page 6Page 7 · Read text
Pre-$etling or $etling ol Exposure Time
On Cqmeros with SLK qnd Synchro Compur Shutters
the Exposure Time between 1 ond 1/500th sec con be
set qccording to the subiect to be tqken. Rotqte Ex-
posure Time Setting Ring (tllustrotion l) or Combinq-
tion Selector (lllustrotion 2). After setting the Exposure
Time the subject is viewed in the frome of; the Viewi
Synchro-Compur 2 finder. At the sqme time rotqte the Setting Wheel
(lllustrotion 4) until the Blqck Instrument Needle
now visibte in the View.f ind'er on the lef t side
oppeors in the centre of the odjustoble "Fork lndi-
cqtor". The correct Exposure Time is now outomqti-
colly set.
With the Prontormot Shutter the ,'correct Exposure
Time is set by rofoting the Exposure Time Setting
Ring (lllustrotion 3) until the Need,le coincides with the
Fork Indlicotor in the Viewfinder.
www.butkus.usView original page 7Page 8 · Read text
When the pre-set Exposure Time on the Synchro Compur Shutter is too short or too long, ond the end of
the Aperiure Ronge hqs been reoched without the Needle qnd the Fork Indicqtor coinciding, the Setting
Wheel should be turned by overcoming the smoll resistqnce lt is qdvisqble to use the Setting Wheel (lllus-
trotion 4) os much qs possible for operot,ing the Visuql Red Fork in the Viewfind'er, olso fior odiusting the
Aperiure ond Shutter Speed Coupling.
Wirh rhe SLK Shutter this is done by odiusting the Exposure Time on the Exposure Time Setting Ring.
6View original page 8Page 9 · Read text
Landscupe Pictures
Wfren toking pictures of open scenery with o bright bockground ond'dcrrk
foreground, ond w'hen the distqnt port should be well reproduced, toke your
reodings in the direction of the subiect. However, when the foreground iis
the most importont port of the exposure, toke your reoding with lthe comero
inclined slightly forwqrd until you cqn see only thot port of the picture.in
the Viewfinder. Now bring both Needles to coincide. To toke ihe Exposure
hold Comerq in normol position. r
With Porlroilure ond Glose-ups
toke your reod,ing neor the subiect so thot the most importoni port
of the picture oppeors in ihe Viernifind,er. After the Exposure Time
hos been set return to the normol position to toke the photogroph.
Incidenl Light Beuding
This reodring is token from the subiect to the Comero. For this purpose o
Diffuser must be used.
Exposures ogoinst the light ore those when the comerq is,held'directly o,r
slightly inclined towqrds the light source (sun, lomps, windows for indoor www.butkus.usphotogrophs without flosh).View original page 9Page 10 · Read text
When purchosing o Bqldonrotic lll comero you will most probobly kncw qbout the Tele-photo ond Wide Angle Lenses. But hqve you ever token o photogroph qt o Cistonce of 50 yords. or token indoor photogrcphs lvith o Wide Angle Lens? Before you try these Lenses, here is some informotion on how eosily the chonging of the Lenses is d,one. Depr.ess Locking Button (lllustrotion 1) with the middle finger of your left hqnd towqrds the Comero Body qnd rotote the lens with your right hqnd to the left until o resistonce is felt. Remove the lens from the Comero Body (lllustrotion 2). When inserting the Lens moke sure thot the Red Mqrk on the Lens Mount coincides with the Red M<lrk on the Shutter (lllu- strqtion 3). Now rotqte the Lens to the right until q resistorrce is felt. When ihe Locking Button clicks into position the Lens is held securely to the Comero Body.View original page 10
Page 11 · Read text
Dislunce $etting und Ghoice ol $ubiect
Correct Distonce Setting is essentiql for q shorp photogroph.
Thqnks to 'the built-in Long Bose-Ron(Tefinder this is guoront-
eed, even when using interchongeoble lenses.
Choose your subiect in the Viewf inder, moking certqin of
the correct picture f rome, i. e. 135 f or tele-photo, 50 f or
stondqrd onrd 35'for wide ongle lenses.
View the subiect from the distqnce you wish
to toke it. Rotote the Lens Setting Ring
(on Xenqr ond Curtogon Lenses rotqte the
Setting Knob) either to the left or t,o the right
until the two imoges in the centre circle coin-
cide (iee lllustrqtion). The subject is now pro-
perly focused.
To get o greoter depth of focus
reqd the following explonotion.
www.butkus.usView original page 11Page 12 · Read text
L w) -
Depth ol Focus
With the BALDAMATIC the Depth of Focus indicotion is' outomirtic. The Depth of Focui depends on lhe
operture ond distqnce setting. li indicoies the oreo which will be in focus. Smoller opertures resuli in
greoter Depth of Focus.
The ronge indicoted by the Red Pointers shows the Depth of Focus. The obove piciure '.ho*, o Depih of
Focus from 6ft io llft. The Bold,omotic ll wilh Pronior SLK Shuiter hos o speciol new control system -
for fhe correct operture io be used. The correci operture oppeors in the Viewfinder (see ll.lustrotion obove).
Should you regord the operture too high or too low for the depfh of Focus fequired, ihis con be chonged
ond the exposure time is oufomoticolly odiusted.
Parullurr compensulion
The Boldomqtic hos qutomotic Porqllox Compensotion through
the lcoupling of the Luminous Bright Line Frqme Finder,ond the
Rongef inder.View original page 12Page 13 · Read text
vxM
Ihese figures seem very mystifying but ore simple.
For normol pictures the Lever for vxM shourd be on X
or M.
When toking flqsh pictures the chort is opplicqble.
For Deloyed Action set Lever on uy,.
uYo stonds for Deloyed Action, ttx,, for usuol synchroni-
siton, " M" for full synchronisotion.
The Delqyed Action setting v con only be used when the
shutter is cocked, qnd it is self cqncelling, this meons,
Boldomotic ll - Prontor SLK thot it returns outomqticolly to x when the picture hqs
been token.
When the Lever is on X setting the flosh qnd shutter opening
coincide, ond in this cose the shutter speed should be set rot
1i30 th of o sec. When M po.sition is set for f,losh bulbs o speed
of up to 1/300 th of o sec. cqn be usedl. This is the greot odvont-
qge of full synchronisqtion.
For electronic flqsh only the X setting con be use,dr, of ,ony speed,
but speciol core shouldr be token thot the Lever is not on M.
The opposite toble gives voluoble informotion obout the correct
exposure ond setting for flosh pictures.
How to fix the floshgun to the cornero see poge 22.,
Bqldomo+ic lll - Synchro-Compur
Adjust VXM Lever by depressing
Locking Button (8) downwqrds www.butkus.usView original page 13Page 15 · Read text
Inserling the lilm
Holdi the comero, lens downword in your honds
qs shown on the illustrotion, with the two
Locking Cqtch Buttons held upwords. Press the
two Buttons down simultoneously qnd the cq-
merq bock swings open ondr cqn be eosily
removed'. ,
It is imponlqnt thot the looding ond unlooding
of the comqrq should not be done in bright
sun light.
It is extremely eqsy to inser,t the film into the
comero.
Insert the recessed open end of the cossette
over the spindle in the cossette , chomber ond
the cossette fqlls outomoticolly into position.
Insert the film leorder into the slot of the Toke-
up Spool with the perf o.rotion of the f ilm
hooked securly over the tooth of the Toke-uip
Spool.
The slockness of the film con be tqken up by
slowly rototing the wheel of the Toke-up Spool.
It is importont to, moke quite certoin the teeth
of the Tronsport Sprockets qre engoging the
film perforqtion.
The Cqssette cqn only be loqded into the
Cqmero if the Rewind Hqndle is in the closedposition ondwww.butkus.usthe Lever set on "T".
13View original page 15Page 16 · Read text
Glosing ol lhe comeru
Hold the ccrmero lens downwords, insert the
lip of the cqmero bock into the recessed port
on the comero body,
exert slight downword pressure
on the Comero Bqck qnd it will
click into the closed position.View original page 16Page 17 · Read text
Exposure counler
The exposure Counter indicotes the number of ex-
posures still to be token.
When inserting the film turn the Exposure Counter to
'A'. The Exposure Counter moves bockwords, this
meCIns thoi it ind,icotes the number of exposures still
to be token, i. e. 36, 35, 34 etc. When o film with 20
exposures is inserted inio the ccrmero put the Exposure
Counter on '22' ond not on 'A'.
Film memorizer
After inserting the film set the Film Memorizer the the type
of film in the comerq. This useful device enobles to check
ot ony loter doie on the type of film looded.
www.butkus.usView original page 17Page 18 · Read text
Selting lhe lilm lor the lirst erposure
Before toking the fiq-st exposure the film must be tronsported
until No. 36 (or 20) qppeqrs on the Exposure Counter.
1) Turn the Quick Tronsport Key
o holf turn in q clockwise
direction
2) Depress the Body Releose
Repeot the obove sequence once more ond the re-
quired number (36 or 20) will be on the Exposure
Cou nte r.
ln ihe centre of the Rewind Hond'le is o screw with
cr red line. This is on importont check on the proper
!nsertion ond tronsport of the film. lf it rototes the
comero is correctly looted.
16View original page 18Page 19 · Read text
The exposure
The Comero is now reody for the first exposure. Hold'the pomero firmly in both honds, view the subject
ihrough lhe viewfinder window hold'ing the Comero os neor to the eye os possible. Sef ihe Expowre Time,
set ihe Distonce ond slowly depress the Body Releose os smoothly os possible wiih the index finger of lhe
right hond. lt .is. essentiol to hold the comero steody with both honds ond os heqr to the eye os possible,
It is recommended to prociice this method of ioking photogrophs. To ovoid ony comero shoke only ihe
index finger of ihe right hond should move slowly downworos.
The greot cdvcntoge of the Boldqmqtic is thot the film cqn
be tro,nsported' o'nd the next exposure tqken without removing
the C,omero from one's eye.
The Boldo:motic is speciolly suitoble to tqke exposures in ropid
succession.
The Comero must not be held in <l slonting position qnd in order to view the full picture through the
Viewfinder the Comerq hos to be held qs close to fhe eye qs possible.
www.butkus.usView original page 19Page 20 · Read text
Bewinding
When the f ilm hqs been completely exposed the Exposure
Counter will show 0. When the Exposure Counter hos not
been wotched o smqll resistonce is felt when the complete
film is exposed'.
The film must now be rewound into the originql cossette.
After the lost exposure the Quick Tronsport Key mqy only
move hqlf the normql distonce. This h<ls no ill effect qnd the
Key cqn be returnedt to the correct position os soon crs the
Rewind' Hondle hqs been used.
To use this unique Rewind Hqndle the Rewind
Lever hqs to be moved from, T fo R 'o,hd the
Rewind Hqndle will click open.
Rotote the Rewind Hondle in the direction of
the orrow until o slight resistqnce is felt, this
is the perforqtion of the film disengoging from
the tooth on the Toke-up Spool.
The film is now in its originol cq,ssette.
Swing Rewind Hqndle bqck into the closed
pc-sition ond simulioneously move the Rewind
Lever from R to T (see illustrotion).
It is essentiql thqt the Rewind Hqndle is pressed down firmly
into position when the Lever is set on T. lf the Rewind Lever
connot be moved; f rom R to T it is becouse the Rewind Hondle
is not completely home, qnd slight pressure on the Rewind
Hondle will remedy this.
The Boldrqmotic con now be opened' in the usuql woy ond the
film cqssette with th.e exposed film tqken out.
(The film cqssette should' be kept well wropped.)
18View original page 20Page 21 · Read text
Exposures wilh Filters und Lens Hood
When using Filters the quontity of light is reduced, 'in most cqses, this results in under-exposure.
Therefore, the Exposure Time miust be increqisedi occording to the type of filter used'. Every filter hos q
certoin foctor which ind,icqtes the increose in the exposure time (often
olso given os Minus-Volue).
The Boldlqmatic lll hos cr speciol Filter Foctor or Minus Exposure
Volue Setting Disc on top of'the Comero. The setting is,dlone by rototing
the Setting Disc until the correct volue is opposite ihe Tringu!or Mork.
Pleose note ihqt the possibilities of the Scqle ore limited with slow
film speeds. Only qt 18 DIN (28 Scheiner) is it possible to set oll
the Filter Foctors or Minus Exposure Volues.
It is very imporiont thot the Filter Compensoting Ring be checked occo-
sionolly to moke sure thot it is in correct position, i. e. with no filter
on the comero the Ring must be set to F: foctor 1. lt is odvisoble to
check the posiiion periodicolly.
On the Bqldomqtic ll the Filter AdNustmeni should be done by reduoing the Film Speed Scole. The follow-
ing Scole gives you EXACT detoils of how mony volues the exposure should be reduced.
Tohle
Filter
Foctor
Volues to
be reduced
Excmple:- lf your film is 21 DIN (100 ASA :31 Scheiner) qnd the film foctor 2x, deduclr 3 Volues snd seithe filrn speed scole on 18 DIN (50 ASA : www.butkus.us28 Scheiner).View original page 21Page 23 · Read text
Proximeler I and Proximeter II
The PROXIMETER is qn opticolly superb qttochment
f or your f ine ronge-f inder cclmercl, it opens up on
entirely new field' of pho,togrophy. Hond-held close-
,ups down to o distonce of l0 inches crre mode poss-
,ible by q mqtched poir of supplemdntory lenses of
highest opticol precision. Toking lens qnd rCInge-
finder ore now fully odopted to t'he close-up ronge
free from porollox.
PROXIMETER | . . . . . . 38"-20u
PROXIMETER ll . .... . 20u-13"
PROXIMETER I qnd ll l3'-l0o
Scqle of Reproduction
Ronge of Picture Areos " Depth of field
Scqle of Reprod
For exomple: lf the distonce of on object Ronge of
is 38" qwqy, you will hqve o Q" depth, Picture Areos
which is 3" either side of the obiect.
When using this PROXIMETER it is recom- www.butkus.usmended to use'qt leost operture 5.6 or 16.View original page 23Page 24 · Read text
Gable releuse and tripod
For exposure times of longert thon 1/30 of
o sec. it is qdvisqble to use q Coble releose
ond tripod.
The Coble Releose is screwed info the threod
next to the Body Releose, ond the tripod is
screwed, into the tripod bush ot the bottom of
the comero.
t\)I
Flushguns
Floshguns co'h be qttqched to the
Accessory Shoe or, if reqrlired,
connected by ,o' brocket underneoth
the cqmerq
The cqble is connected to the Syn-
chronisotion Nipple of th'e front of
the cqmerq.View original page 24Page 25 · Read text
ffimmffi
KAMERA-\MERK
BUNDE"wESTF.
WEST-GERMANY
PR!NTED IN GERMANY
www.butkus.usView original page 25From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.