Balda rangfinder needs a litle TLC

[singram]

I have a fantastic little Balda 35mm rangefinder with a collapsible 50 mm Prontor lens. All but the slowest speeds work, exposures are perfect and the rangefinder is spot on.

The camera could use a CLA. The advance lever is stiff, the rewind knob is a bear to rewind film, and I had film jam the other day where the film would not advance properly and it stripped the sprockets on two frames. I don't know if I feel comfortable opening up this camera, so I was wondering if there was any place that still does CLA's on older manual film equipment?

I really like the shirt pocket size of this camera, and want to keep shooting with it.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[summicron1]

try Zack's. He's a sponsor of this web site and did a great job on my stereo camera last month.

 

[AgX]

Prontor is the name of range of shutters from the german manufacturer Gauthier, competitor to Deckel with their Compur range

 

[gone]

As Agx mentioned, that's the shutter name. You probably have a Westanar or Baldanar lens (probably the same lens w/ different names on the front), which are nice, sharp triplets. Is your camera the model w/ the film advance on the bottom, which looks like a large key? Or one of the folding models? The folders may have Tessar lenses on the top models. I always liked these cameras. They're small and simply built. Good serviceable design and workmanship. They made them in a bewildering range of designs.

A CLA will probably cost you as much as two or three of these cameras (or more), so I would just buy another one. The model below is my favorite. Very clean design, and no rangefinder, just guess focusing and a clear, bright viewfinder.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-...r-45mm-Lens-Printed-Manual-Agfa-/391019443338

 

[summicron1]

A CLA will probably cost you as much as two or three of these cameras (or more), so I would just buy another one. The model below is my favorite. Very clean design, and no rangefinder, just guess focusing and a clear, bright viewfinder.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-...r-45mm-Lens-Printed-Manual-Agfa-/391019443338

yeah, but then you end up with two cameras, one dead and one that probably needs servicing anyway because it's just as old as the dead one.

Get it serviced -- you end up with one good camera you know is good, and you support local industry.

 

[singram]

It is the collapsible model with the single stroke advance lever on the right hand side, knurled rewind knob on the left. The camera is fantastically small, and I like it because of the weight and simplicity. I have enough cameras already LOL and am thinning the heard as it is. I would like to get this one serviced so I have a nice walk around camera. The shutter fires almost all speeds accurately and the rangefinder is dead on. It just needs a little love.