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Thread: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    Cool Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    Hi
    I am relatively new to LF, and own an Ebony RSW 45, as well as a Mamiya RZII.
    I only use the Ebony for Landscapes with a 90 & 150mm Lens.
    I have a Quickdisc, but can someone please explain to me how I use this for landscapes.
    I am baffled
    Thanks in advance

    Keith

  2. #2

    Join Date
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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    I do not think bellows is much of an issue for landscapes. You have to be within a few multiples of the focal length before you need to worry about the Quickdisc. The manual is here:

    http://www.salzgeber.at/disc/manual.html

  3. #3
    Robert Oliver Robert Oliver's Avatar
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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    You only need to compensate for bellows length if you focus on items close to the camera. Depends on the focal length but there is a really good set of suggestions on how to calculate for bellows extension on the info part of largeformatphotography.com.

    I did some calculations of all my lens and transferred the information to a cheap plastic ruler.
    Robert Oliver

  4. #4

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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    Hi Ed
    Many Thanks
    I didn't think it was too much trouble with Landscapes
    Keith

  5. #5
    Robert Oliver Robert Oliver's Avatar
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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    what's a quick disk?
    Robert Oliver

  6. #6
    tim atherton's Avatar
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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Oliver View Post
    what's a quick disk?
    a very simple and free piece of kit


    http://www.salzgeber.at/disc/index.html

    extremely handy - I've used it quite often
    You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn

    www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog

  7. #7

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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    I've never calculated bellows draw for landscapes 'cause I'm either at infinity, or close to it.

    Keith, since you're new to this stuff, it's easy to get overwhelmed with the details. Just go out and make pictures.

  8. #8
    tim atherton's Avatar
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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    Quote Originally Posted by Keefy View Post
    Hi
    I am relatively new to LF, and own an Ebony RSW 45, as well as a Mamiya RZII.
    I only use the Ebony for Landscapes with a 90 & 150mm Lens.
    I have a Quickdisc, but can someone please explain to me how I use this for landscapes.
    I am baffled
    Thanks in advance

    Keith
    as has been said - for taking landscapes it close to infinity and quite a ways this side of it, the bellows aren't extend enough to need compensation.

    Only when you start to focus closer (someone on here must have the number at their fingertips? extending the bellows x times the focal length?) do you need to compensate
    You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn

    www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog

  9. #9

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    Sep 2003
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    Harbor City, California
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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    You'll see slightly differing numbers regarding how close you can be to the subject before compensation is needed, but a distance of ten times the focal length seems to be safe.

  10. #10
    Baxter
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
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    Lymington, South Coast, UK
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    Re: Bellows Compensation for Landscapes

    I have used the Quickdisc for close-ups when I had an RSW and still use one with my SU. They are so simple and accurate to use, even for E6, all you need is some blutack for windy day.. and possibly laminate for when it is wet. I don't see why people persist with the maths (and I teach it).

    You only need to worry, if a key part of the image is very close and you are having to rack the bellows out some way beyond focal length of lens to focus. If bellows extension is modest and you are able to get that part of the image in using movements then you won't need to to apply a bellows factor compensation.

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