Mess-Baldix: Correct Film Advance Procedure?

[Russell W. Barnes]

I recently acquired a Balda Mess-Baldix and a having fun with it; getting my head round the fact that the twelve shots at my disposal have to be used correctly and not squandered: getting out the tank and chems and washing-up for twelve shots takes the same time as it does for thirty-six or seventy two 35mm ones.

Am I correct in thinking that the film advance knob has to be fully clockwise when each photo is taken? According to the manual, the double exposure mechanism is cleared initially by turning fully Anti-Clockwise, then fully Clockwise.

Then the film is ratcheted by alternate clock/anti-clock winding until '1' appears on the backing paper in the ruby window.

After reaching '1' on the film backing paper, the mechanical counter is reset by depressing the lever and rotating anti-clockwise. So the knob is left fully in the anti-clockwise position, ready for the first shot.

However... The next instruction for winding the film on is to turn the film transport knob anti-clockwise until it stops. But the knob is ALREADY anti-clockwise!

So is the first shot ready because of the ratchet winding movement to Number One on the backing paper? And do subsequent shots have to be taken with the film advance fully clockwise?

I understand the Mess-Baldix reduces the rate of advance as the film take-up spool fills up. I'm only asking all this as the first film I ran through it I had overlap issues with, but I set the backing paper too soon as I aligned it with what I thought was the No:1, but was actually the fat bar across the backing paper. It's a long time since I shot 120 film.

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

'Am I correct in thinking that the film advance knob has to be fully clockwise when each photo is taken? According to the manual...'

Right. I'm now in a position to answer my own question, having just developed a film with twelve well-spaced exposures on it; no overlaps or missing frames. Apologies if this is teaching grannies how to suck eggs. 🙄 But I just had to ask...

I wound the knob fully anticlockwise and reset the counter, having ratcheted to the first frame. After taking the first pic, the knob would not turn any further anti-clockwise.

So fully clockwise until it stopped and frame two showed up in the little counter at the end of the top plate. After frame two I could turn the knob anticlockwise then fully clockwise, where I left it pending the next shot. The indicator shows white: ready to fire. And so on similarly until frame 12.

I do note that the knob has to be wound a fraction of a turn clockwise occasionally, maybe due to movement with being in my pocket, or backlash on the ratchet and tension from the film pulling back?

 

[charjohncarter]

I have the Balda Hapo 66e, it sounds like the same winding procedure. After 3 years I have it down, but I have to use it often or I forget:

Handling a Hapo 66-E is easy, it's like other folding rangefinders. Loading film is as usual, very easy because of the hinged film cradles. Open the camera back, retract the winding knob swing the cradle out and put the take-up spool into place. Same procedure for the film spool. Insert the film paper backing into the take-up spool and advance it using the knob until it's well engaged. The film winding requires alternate movements clockwise and counter-clockwise. Close the camera back. Open the red window and advance the film via the advance knob until the red window shows "1". If the numer "1" isn't already in the film counter window, hold the reset lever and make a counter-clock movement, it should show then. Resetting is important as the sophisticated mechanism has a compensation, according the turns to the film number, so spacing will always be correct.

 

[MaxElmar]

It's pretty simple, but it confounds me sometimes. And I have to force myself to trust the counter. Fortunately the Ennagon in my Balda Mess-Baldix delivers the goods so, all is well. Love that little camera - MF in my pocket.

 

[charjohncarter]

I agree, but every once in a while I'm nervous I've messed up. One time I just inched the backing to the number one, but I never fully wound the knob to advance to the point of setting the shutter to release so I had to use a cable release for the first frame. I've had other problems: one time I held the camera vertical while winding and that somehow jammed the advance, so now I am careful to be sure to wind with the camera horizontal.

All in all, it is the nicest folder I have (Balda Hapo 66e) Max, you are right the lens on my Balda is great, it is Enna Haponar probably the same as the Mess.

Ektar 100 by John Carter, on Flickr

TriX HC-110h Rodinal by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

I agree, but every once in a while I'm nervous I've messed up. One time I just inched the backing to the number one...

On the second film I ran through it and before I was aware of the automatic take-up spool diameter compensation, I used the ruby window to align the frame numbers by advancing fully clockwise and inching along until the number appeared. This worked fine for the first few frames, then the shutter button jammed and I'd to press the actual shutter-release rather than the button on the top-plate.

John: cracking pics! My Baldix has the f4.5 Baltar 75mm lens, which perhaps isn't the best of the Baldix lenses but is still pretty good above f8.

Thanks, all, for the helpful replies. 🙂

 

[charjohncarter]

Thanks, I think you will be happy with your model, I've only shot f 3.5 a couple of times and it looked fine so I'm sure yours will be fine too. They are so small it is easy to travel with them. My model the Hapo 66e was made for a department store in Germany and sold there only. It is not top of the line but the pictures are great.

I did have to do an adjustment of the rangefinder and fixing the lens so the meters/feet matched what the rangefinder said. It wasn't to hard but I had to make a piece of plastic (6x6) and frost the surface to focus the lens.

This is one of the times I used it full open or almost full open (probably f 4.0):

Ektachrome 200 expired by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

I did have to do an adjustment of the rangefinder and fixing the lens so the meters/feet matched what the rangefinder said. It wasn't to hard but I had to make a piece of plastic (6x6) and frost the surface to focus the lens.

Well, It's a great camera to slip in my pocket and I love it! I removed the cover and cleaned the rangefinder optics, but didn't touch the projection glass, and it made a heck of a difference.

I haven't done the lens thing yet although I did frost a piece of plastic in a bead-blaster to check the lens but it seems to focus OK where the rangefinder says to focus. I'd to make a slight adjustment to horizontal rangefinder adjustment, but not much.

Dummy Run by Russell W Barnes, on Flickr

 

[charjohncarter]

See how great the 6x6 negative looks. It has everything you want.

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

See how great the 6x6 negative looks. It has everything you want.

Certainly does! I wished I hadn't got rid my 1960s Yashica Mat (bought in '85; sold about three years ago) now, but hey ho... It had a good lens and gave sharp images but was not as portable as the Baldix.

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

I do note that the knob has to be wound a fraction of a turn clockwise occasionally, maybe due to movement with being in my pocket, or backlash on the ratchet and tension from the film pulling back?

Noooooo! This isn't right! I did this and on developing the film, I'd wound it on so much I'd lost three pics!

I'll leave well alone with the winding knob in future. If it ratchets back in my pocket then so be it. I should've realised this.

 

[charjohncarter]

There are a lot of tricks with this winding system. The only advantage you get from this system is you don't have to look at the red window. Seems like a huge engineering project for Balda to gain so little.