Balda Super Baldina (folding bellows) foggy lens fixable?

[Kanamit]

So, I picked up a Balda Super Baldina (folding bellows version) from a thrift store. Everything works fine but the front lens is all fogged up. I've tried cleaning it and putting it in a ziplock bag with some silica gel, but that didn't seem to do anything

Anyone know if it's possible to fix or replace the lens? I'm guessing the answer is no, and that's fine because I got it for practically nothing and it's a pretty cool looking camera, but it would be great if I could use it, considering that it's in pretty good condition otherwise.

Here's a picture of a similar Super Baldina (though not exactly my model), so you have some idea of what I'm talking about if you're not familiar with the camera:

 

[Jack Conrad]

Is it front focus or unit focus?
The front lens might just unscrew from the shutter, or it might require removing some tiny screws around the lens ring.
If it's a Baldenar lens it's likely a Tessar type, which means the front group will have two separate lenses with an air space in between which is probably where the haze or fogginess exists.
You'll need to unscrew the front group, turn it over and unscrew the convex
lens from the front lens to reach the inner glass surfaces.
It can be quite a challenge sometimes, depending on the camera.

 

[sevo]

As far as I can make out, all Balda lenses were either Triplet or Tessar type - the air surfaces on both can be cleaned with little effort.

The front element on front-focusing lenses unscrews from the cell after unscrewing the focus stopper/tab (if stuck in hardened grease, the front cell might sooner unscrew from the shutter), and both cells unscrew from the shutter (don't try to clean a lens "through the shutter" - if it misfires during the cleaning, you'll probably damage it).

Get a proper lens wrench with small blade tips, and make meticulous notes which element/group and which spacer (if any) goes where and in which orientation, and you should have little or no issues.

In my experience, Balda lenses seem to be rather prone to fogging. I suspect that to be due to bleed from the grease they used on their helical (which, on the positive side, does not get as hard as the Agfa grease), so you might want to clean and re-lubricate it while you have it apart.

 

[Kanamit]

Silly me, I overlooked the screws on the front of the lens. I'll see about opening it up once I get my hands on a a lens wrench.

The lens is a Schneider Xenon, which I believe is a Tessar. I'm not sure what you mean by front focus or unit focus (bear with me, I'm new to the world of cameras).

Thank you both for your help.

 

[sevo]

The lens is a Schneider Xenon, which I believe is a Tessar.

Sure it is a Xenon rather than Xenar? The latter would be a Tessar, the former is a fast (f/2) Gauss type with six lenses in four groups, and a bit more difficult to clean.

I'm not sure what you mean by front focus or unit focus

On a front focus lens only the front element moves for focusing. On unit focus lenses the entire lens assembly moves. A Xenon would probably be the latter, a Xenar usually the former type.

 

[Kanamit]

Yep, it's definitely a Xenon f:2. Damn, thought it was a Tessar. My inexperienced eyes can't tell if only the front element is moving or not, but I'm betting that you're right about it being a unit focus.

 

[Jack Conrad]

It's looks to be the same lens as is on the Retina 11a, which just unscrews from the front.
When it's off the camera, turn it over. Clean the convex element that faces the shutter.
If the haze is still there, the back surrounding the smaller convex inner lens has two tiny screws. Remove those carefully with a tiny jewelers screwdriver and you should be able to separate the inner convex element from the front element.

Good luck. 🙂

Or you could send it out to be CLA'd for a $150 or so. 😱

 

[citizen99]

Yep, it's definitely a Xenon f:2. Damn, thought it was a Tessar. My inexperienced eyes can't tell if only the front element is moving or not, but I'm betting that you're right about it being a unit focus.

Well, being a Xenon you have a real thrift shop bargain (actually, a bargain with any of those lenses), well worth the effort to clean if it will come apart nicely for you as one hopes. And yes, with that sort rangefinder coupling it will be unit focus 🙂.

 

[Dralowid]

Looking at a Super Baldina here in the flesh I see that it is unit focussing. The one I have has a 2.8 Xenar but I believe the Xenon was available too and a nice find.

I don't think you'll find a coupled rangefinder Balda with front cell focussing, not sure how that would work????

As other have said, chances are the fogging is around the blades.

Getting stuck into unit focussing 35mm folders can be a bit fiddly the rear rings that hold the whole thing together tend to get in the way of each other, front element should be fine however

Michael
(who is after for scrap 35mm Balda and Welta folders to reconstruct what he's got!!!)

 

[sevo]

I don't think you'll find a coupled rangefinder Balda with front cell focussing, not sure how that would work????

Zeiss Ikon did that stunt, in different ways, on the Super Ikontas, and a couple of makers replicated it - some of the automatic fixed-lens rangefinders of the 60s/70s were front group focusing (mostly lesser, cheaper ones, but the Rollei XF35 even boasted a front-focusing Sonnar).

 

[Dralowid]

Ah yes, you mean Zeiss folders with the prism up by the lens, a bit like on a Super Nettel? I forgot about that approach...

 

[sevo]

Ah yes, you mean Zeiss folders with the prism up by the lens, a bit like on a Super Nettel? I forgot about that approach...

They invented a whole variety. After they dropped the front mounted prism rangefinder, the later Super Ikontas (IV) coupled the front cell to a regular swing-mirror rangefinder.

 

[Pherdinand]

reviving an old theread, i got a ew questions to the pre-war super baldina owners:
1- how does the film counter work? should the counter digit rotate or only moves a tiny bit and snaps back into position? Mine does the latter, but it doesnt advance at all in the process so i can wind on and on... and i wanan fix it but i should know how it SHOULD work 😀
2-about rf focusing: mine has a very weird split finder with some messy little needle in the middle, is that how it's supposed to be? It's next to impossible to focus the thing with this rangefinder and i see no point to make a coupled rf with such a crappy rf on it. So i suspect stg is wrong with that, too- but again, how should it work?

thanks