Only use WA Bellows?

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Darwinean_John
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Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Darwinean_John » Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:07 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

At the moment I expect using LF mainly for Cityscape, Tabletop, Macro and some Landscape erring towards using lenses at the wider end of the spectrum. I read somewhere that a WA bellows can usually accommodate lenses up to 210mm, which is likely to be my largest lens. If so, I'll order Ebony with WA Bellows.
Is that true? Any potential issues?
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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Charles Twist » Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:14 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hello John,
I couldn't comment on Ebony WA bellows but the Linhof TK ones will not stretch to 210mm - maybe 150mm. In your case, the bellows will be further stretched by you doing table-top/macro work. With a 120mm lens, on macro, I most often use the normal bellows.
Best regards,
Charles

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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Joanna Carter » Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:02 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

The SV45Te comes with a "combination" bellows. From experience, they are fine down to a 72mm lens. Don't forget, you can't use a lot of movements with most W/A lenses.
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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by richard littlewood » Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:19 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Sometimes with longer lenses WA bellows stretch too much (even if they allow focusing) and can present a really good inner surface for light to bounce off. A decent solution is a top hat lens board, or a really effective lens shade.

Darwinean_John
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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Darwinean_John » Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:19 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Combination bellows sounds interesting. Is there any way of having a decent range of movements with a 72
Eg a study of tall buildings in London without converging verts?
Scuse my ignorance but what's a top hat lensboard?
I use Lee's shades (normal and WA) so hope that will help.
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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Charles Twist » Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:34 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Personally, I find that for city architecture, I need a lot of movement to conserve verticals. I am not sure how effective combination bellows are. Top-hats are the opposite of recessed boards. The front projects outward so that the centre of the lens is further forward than the front standard. That way, less bellows draw is needed.
Best regards,
Charles

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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by richard littlewood » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:07 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I decided to try to get away with using combination bag bellows on a Walker SF with lenses up to 240. I think Mike Walker gives something like 160mm max draw with these, but I found a 240 worked even though the poor bellows were totally stretched. As I mentioned internal reflections became a problem due to loss of baggyness, so the 240 lens is now on a 32mm top hat - an Ebony one at that - and I still have to watch those internal reflections. I'd rather do that than have the faff of carrying and swapping bellows. Studio stuff, inside, I'd stick with normal bellows for the extra draw.

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Thingy
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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Thingy » Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:19 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I have both Ebony's universal bellows for the 45SU & their wide bellows. The universal bellows offer extensive movements on all my lenses down to the Nikkor 90/f4.5, though the Nikkor 120/f8 ideally needs bag bellows as the rear element is as large at the front element! The wide bellows are designed to use with lenses 150mm and smaller. You will not be able to use them with the 210mm. They are a lot better than Linhof's bag bellows though (for the Color Kardan 45 model, anyway) To be honest, I only use mine with my Nikkor 120/f8, Rodenstock 75/f.4.5, and Schneider 58XL lenses, where they give appreciable movement, though there is very limited movement available with the 58XL. As Joanna has said, Ebony's excellent universal bellows, available with the SV series and 45SU cameras, offer a good range of movements that are unavailable on standard, non-Ebony, bellows. The images below should give you an idea of the differences between the bellows. The universal bellows offer no real movement on the Rodenstock 75/f4.5 and none on the 58XL, whereas the wide bellows do offer movements, and are, IMHO, essential for ultra-wide lenses used for architectural photography.

Ebony Universal bellows

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Ebony Wide bellows

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Fully extended

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Fully retracted

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Image Image
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Thingy
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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Thingy » Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:47 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Top Hat lens board extension system

This is what they look like:

Image

They extend the range of the bellows, so that if you only wanted to take one bellows with you on a trip, but wanted to use a 180mm lens with it as well as wide angle lenses, you would buy the extension panel back plate, add a of 35mm long extension tube and the appropriate front panel (available in Copal 0 and 1 shutter mount sizes) and mount the lens on the front panel. The panels and tube screw into each other. I don't think it would be practical to use the top hat system to add a 210mm lens to use with the wide bellows. I would recommend buying the camera with the universal bellows and seeing if, having used them, you want to add a wide bellows later.

You can buy the top hat panels via the link below.

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/product.as ... &PT_ID=163
Love is an Ebony mounted with a Cooke PS945.......

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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by Darwinean_John » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:33 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Great stuff, thanks all - pics very useful Thingy, cheers
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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by dave_whatever » Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:11 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I saw the bellows Cornish uses last year, like a normal bellows but with a bag section at the front, looks like a good all-round solution. They're not leather but some other fabric, i believe from that Camerabellows place. I got them to quote me a set, came to about a ton if I remember right.

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Re: Only use WA Bellows?

Post by richard littlewood » Mon Feb 01, 2010 11:21 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Dave. Sounds like the sort of bellows Mike Walker uses. They are a stiffish waterproof like fabric, lined, and with a couple of inches worth of bellows on the back - bit like the ebony. Good thing is this fabric is very flexible, and it dosnt mind getting soaked, even packed away wet. It is dead practical.

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