/ˈsnæp.ʃɒt/Filling The Gaps: The Belca Beltica, A 35mm Folding Camera
I have a lot of cameras, but until recently I never had a 35mm folding camera. Then, a few weeks ago, I was leisurely scrolling the Kamerastore website when I came across this lovely black folding camera, the Belca Beltica. Unusually for me, it was in the ‘Certified’ category and was, ‘found to be working correctly [and any] flaws present will … will not affect typical use’. In this instance, there was ‘some minor haze on the viewfinder and some wear on the body’. This won’t affect use, so it looks like I have a 35mm folder now.
The Belca Beltica was made by the East German VEB Belca-Werk in Dresden between 1946 and 1951. It has a Meyer-Optik 50mm f2.9 Trioplan lens and a Cludor shutter with speeds of 1s—1/200s (+B). Unusually, the shutter button is on the left side of the top plate of the camera. The button to the right of the viewfinder is to open the front flap of the camera. My model is quite tightly wound, even seventy years after its production, and springs open with a mighty ‘thwack!’ so I tend to hold the flap and let it open slowly, just in case it’s not good for the camera.
Beneath the viewfinder is a distance dial with markings from 0,6m to infinity. I believe this is a parallax adjustment system, perhaps like an early rangefinder, but I’m not sure. On the right-hand side of the top plate is the frame counter, which is adjusted manually, and turns with a satisfying click. On the top left, next to the shutter button, is the rewind knob. On the base of the camera is a wheel to advance the film, and next to this another button that disengages the wind-on between frames.
Loading and using this camera is a bit of a palaver, though in practice is easier than it sounds. To load the film, the tab on the film header is pushed under the little ‘flap’ on the wind-on spindle (which actually holds the film very securely) and the sprockets aligned with the cog wheel. Advance the film with the wheel until it stops, then push the film advance button. There’s a little click, then you can wind-on again. Repeat the process, and when the film is secure, close the back.
Wind-on one more time, pressing the advance button each time. On the top of the camera you can then adjust the frame counter to zero. Shooting involves the same process except this time, cock the shutter and set the speed and aperture. Judge the distance to the subject and set this distance on the focus ring. Set the parallax dial to the same distance, compose the image and press the shutter. Then press the advance button and wind the film to the next frame. At the end of the roll, pull on the wind-on wheel, which will disengage the film advance and allow the film to be rewound back into the cassette.
For my first outing with the Belca Beltica I used one of my rolls of the new colour shifting film from Harman, Switch Azure. This is a film like Lomochrome Turquoise where the layers on the film emulsion have been mixed up. However, although Turquoise has a quite wide ISO range, Azure uses the same film base as Harman Phoenix and is rated at ISO 125. We took the camera to Costa Nova and Vagueira, where we had lunch, and later to the Feira de Março in Aveiro. As usual, I used the Camera Meter app to judge the exposures. I’ve posted the whole roll in an album on my Flickr if you want to see the rest of the images.
In conclusion, I was really happy with the Belca Beltica, it’s a quality camera, even 60-odd years after its release. Mind you, it’s not a camera for rapid shooting situations, and I’m always finding myself pressing the button to open the camera instead of the shutter button. The multiple steps mean you really have to think, and if you forget to wind on between shots there’s always a chance of multiple exposures. I’m also loving Harman Switch Azure, and as it’s much easier for me to get hold of than Turquoise, I might have a new favourite.
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The Belca Beltica And Harman Switch Azure
Explore this photo album by Keith Devereux on Flickr!