Will Extreme Stretching of Bellows Effect Sharpness?

[Bob Salomon]

Wow thank you everyone for your advice it's been very helpful. I have taken apart the camera and had a good look at everything, there is slight movement in the bellows if the camera is pointed down, something I haven't noticed before. I think investment in another standard and another bellows will be helpful as when they are maxed out focusing is almost impossible.

Another lens is also a possibility, at the moment I am using a schneider 150mm any advice as to what would be a good replacement lens in this situation
maybe a dedicated Macro?

Thank you
Jon

You would get much better results and eliminate your problem with a true macro lens like the 120mm Apo Macro Sironar.

[Ken Lee]

You would get much better results and eliminate your problem with a true macro lens like the 120mm Apo Macro Sironar.

What Bob said !

Given the size of the prints on your web site and the corresponding effort and expense, using a non-macro lens for this purpose is inconsistent at best. I've used that lens and it's truly superb.

[Dan Fromm]

I think investment in another standard and another bellows will be helpful as when they are maxed out focusing is almost impossible.

Another lens is also a possibility, at the moment I am using a schneider 150mm any advice as to what would be a good replacement lens in this situation
maybe a dedicated Macro?

Hmm. It seems that you're focusing by moving a standard, most probably the rear. This changes the magnification. Real people select magnification by setting and locking extension, then focus by moving the camera/lens assembly or the subject. Consider doing that.

With a 150 mm lens and 1000 mm of extension you're shooting at around 5.67:1. You'd do well to use a shorter macro lens. 55/2.8 AI/AIS Macro Nikkors are abundant, inexpensive and will easily cover 4x5 at that magnification. Reverse the lens, hang it in front of a #1. SKGrimes will make an adapter to do this (M52x0.75 at the lens end, M40x0.75 at the shutter end) for not much money.

You don't seem to know much about photomacrography. Lester Lefkowitz' book The Manual of Closeup Photography is a good introduction. Used copies are available for little money from vendors who sell through, in alphabetical order, abebooks.com, alibris.com, amazon.com, ....

[Sal Santamaura]

...Real people select magnification by...

Do you think the OP's a bot rather than a "real person?"

Way to welcome a new member.

[Dan Fromm]

Well, Sal, the OP sets up a camera like a bot.

Amend "real people" to read "people skilled in the art."

Cheers,

Dan

[bakerbang]

you got me I am not a real person but an AI created by Google and sent out into the world to test my humanity. On the side even though I knew nothing about it I thought I would try some photomacrography. Turns out I am pretty good at it, although that Lester Lefkowitz book looks good and I have ordered it.

Unfortunately I won't be able to read it as I have failed the humanity test and Google is wiping my humanity drive.
Rumbled by Dan Fromm......................

[Dan Fromm]

bakerbang, its wonderful that you think you're good at photomacrography. Shortly after my first excursion into photomacrography I formed much the same impression of my work. Boy, was I mistaken. I hope you started better than I did.

Errare humanum est.

[aluncrockford]

You might well find that reversing the lens will help, the length of the bellows extension has no relevance to sharpness. if you are using flash then use the open shutter technique ,that should sort out any movement issues and also get around the problem of firing the lens when its reversed

[Bob Salomon]

You might well find that reversing the lens will help, the length of the bellows extension has no relevance to sharpness. if you are using flash then use the open shutter technique ,that should sort out any movement issues and also get around the problem of firing the lens when its reversed

If the bellows isn't extended enough, or if it is extended too far, then you will be out of focus so bellows extension is very relevant to sharpness.

[tgtaylor]

One thing for certain: Extreme stretching of the bellows will lead to pin holes/tears in the corners.

Thomas