Balda Super Baldax with Prontor SV issue

[andrew moxom]

I sourced a good used Super Baldax on Fleabay and found that one of the shutter blades actually has a tear in it. I sent the camera to Cert06 to CLA and check it out, but was wondering if anyone knows if this is repairable? I doubt many spares are available for that shutter, but at any rate, is this a common problem that is easily resolved?

 

[chippy]

I sourced a good used Super Baldax on Fleabay and found that one of the shutter blades actually has a tear in it. I sent the camera to Cert06 to CLA and check it out, but was wondering if anyone knows if this is repairable? I doubt many spares are available for that shutter, but at any rate, is this a common problem that is easily resolved?

no doubt he has draws full of them....he should easy be able to fix or he may even possibly just change it over to one he has already (at a cost!)...i am just considering i thought he says he isnt taking on more work at the moment (too busy) so he must be looking at a quick turn around

 

[ray*j*gun]

Based on what I have been told JK does not do all of his own work especially lens work! BE CAREFUL with him I have heard some very negative thinks about his work and gear!

Ray

 

[FallisPhoto]

I sourced a good used Super Baldax on Fleabay and found that one of the shutter blades actually has a tear in it. I sent the camera to Cert06 to CLA and check it out, but was wondering if anyone knows if this is repairable? I doubt many spares are available for that shutter, but at any rate, is this a common problem that is easily resolved?

Prontors aren't that hard to fix, if you have the spare parts. Depends on how serious he is about all those broken lenses and shutters he brags about throwing away. Generally, I'd strip anything I'm going to throw out right down to the bone first. I've got a Zeiss "Klio" shutter (Zeiss' name for the Prontor S) that I would send you just for postage, but I don't remember if the Prontor S has the same shutter blades as the SV.

 

[chippy]

Ray i dont quite see how warning him helps considering he has already sent it! a case of the horse has already bolted or in this case the wheels have left the airstrip! so a reasuring 'it be ok mate' seemed appropriate.

he has said in the past to me that some repairs to shutters are beyond him and he sends them out for repair (what that limit is i dont know!) i have one such shutter that came with the report of repair and his name (somewhere around here). it was a reasonable short report on work done and all speeds noted at each setting-seemed very good to me and i would have no qualms about this guy fixing my shutter. of course you are paying a middle man in this instance. whether JK uses other people (i think he does) and they are less competent i dont know.

also i often read people say he makes his own bellows! the leather ones in particular. however he has told me he buys them in and his cost of doing so- so i am always wondering what gives people the impression he make them himself

 

[ray*j*gun]

Well Chippy (Andrew), the warning was to be sure he checks out the camera as soon as he gets a chance and follows up right away if need be. I don't get your analogy to a horse etc. The forum is about information and I was glad for the warnings I received, always better to be for warned.

 

[chippy]

sure i get where ya comming from...no harm done

you mean to say you havn't heard the saying about the horse LOL its been on so many old american TV shows i can't count. it just referes to 'its a bit late now to do anything, we will have to deal with whatever happens later' type of thing

 

[ray*j*gun]

Ah, yes I get it.

Thanks for the come back!

Ray

 

[FallisPhoto]

also i often read people say he makes his own bellows! the leather ones in particular. however he has told me he buys them in and his cost of doing so- so i am always wondering what gives people the impression he make them himself

I believe that rumor was started by a couple of guys on the Classic Camera Repair Forum. Among other people, some time ago, I myself asked the folks there where he got them and I was told that he makes his own -- by two different people.

Incidentally, at least some of the black bellows cameras on his website have "new old stock" Kodak replacement bellows.

 

[Wayno]

In answer to your original question, the Prontor SV is a common shutter (and probably shares blades with other Prontor shutters anyway), and it's no big deal for a competent repair person to replace the torn blade with another.

 

[FallisPhoto]

... it's no big deal for a competent repair person to replace the torn blade with another.

I'll vouch for that. I'm no Ed Romney (or even Thomas Tomosy), but even I can do it. The problem is that not all competent people have the materials on hand.

 

[andrew moxom]

Thanks for the help. I have not heard back from Jurgen yet, and he;s had my camera close to 5 weeks now. He has a 6 to 8 week turnaround, so I am hopeful it will be painfree!

 

[andrew moxom]

well, here I am at 9 weeks and 3 emails to Jurgen asking on progress, no response for the first two, and third was sent a few minutes ago :-( Not looking good so far.

 

[chippy]

doesnt it just er um peeve ya when you dont get a responce

its gone from hopfully pain free...to not looking good so far...

i hope the next instalment is a good one!!!!

 

[andrew moxom]

Well, I did get a response from Jurgen today! 🙂 So I guess persistence is what it takes. At any rate, the torn SVS shutter leaf is a problem, and he does not have spare blades. He does have an LVS shutter available that can be used and will give me the same capability, but with an interlock feature that allows you to keep the same EV once aperture and shuter are selected. If you move the shutter ring after setting the aperture and initial speed, the aperture will change to keep the same exposure value. I am not sure whether any of the Baldax cameras came with that option, and if it is something I want . Could be more to go wrong, and I'd like to keep the camera as close to stock as possible, Anyone know about the LVS shutter?

 

[Solinar]

A light value system shutter has the aperture coupled to the shutter speeds. There is a pointer which points to an EV/LV number usually 1 thru 18. When you change the shutter speed - the aperture ring moves with it. Also, the self-timer is part of the MX and now V lever - M for bulb flash, X for x-synch and V to set the clockwork for the timer.

I find the LVS shutters to be a bit fiddly. For one, you have to watch the aperture setting like a hawk. Second, I'll bet dollars to donuts that this shutter uses a different fascia than your Prontor SV. Whether the latter will be a problem or not - I don't know. Finally, make sure that the lever used to trip the shutter matches the one you have now.

Hope this helps.

 

[chippy]

sheeze three Andrews' in a row!!

Andrew Moxom if you look at Solinar's avatar it has the LVS system. i assume it will now be a synchro compur shutter as well i am certain that was only one that the lvs came with..and no doubt this shutter is from a isolette (no your camera did not come with them), also there are two slightly different versions which look identical but one has the metal arrow that points to the EV number as on Solinar avatar and another version has a V shaped piece that this arrow fits into and makes the dail an EV scale easier to move...all that doesn't matter tho

i think if you prefer to keep it original then it is a bad move, but if that didnt bother you and you want a workable camera (and assuming it all goes together and works properly?!?) with higher shutter speed then fine...personaly i prefer to keep original...i am very suprised a shutter leaf cant be found! seems bazzar to me!

 

[andrew moxom]

Okay, so Jurgen said that he took the replacement shutter off of a super Baldax that the body was a wreck. It is apparently a Prontor LVS so it should look like and work like the older one, but just have the option for coupling the shutter and aperture together to keep the same EV. He will fix it if things don't go right. I'll post progress. It's supposed to ship back to me on Friday.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Okay, so Jurgen said that he took the replacement shutter off of a super Baldax that the body was a wreck. It is apparently a Prontor LVS so it should look like and work like the older one, but just have the option for coupling the shutter and aperture together to keep the same EV. He will fix it if things don't go right. I'll post progress. It's supposed to ship back to me on Friday.

It it doesn't work out for you I still have that spare Prontor S (relabled Klio, by Zeiss). You could send it to him and have him strip it down for the shutter blades (assuming he held on to your shutter).

 

[andrew moxom]

Thanks FallisPhoto. I'll try the camera out first, then see. In actual fact, I did do some research and in some instances, the Super Baldax did come with the Synchro-Compur I wonder if I got and LVS version of that that may have been used on a Radionar, or Ennit lens? I hope my Beldenar was still service able, but not sure if shutters and lenses are intercahngeable like that? I'll ask him again about the shutter.