Cambo Wide angle Bellows at what size lens?

**englishbadger** · 5-Feb-2009, 05:12

Hi All,

Im confused about the whole wide angle bellows deal. Does anyone know if there is a threshold for the combination of types of bellows and angles of particular lens.

For example, i have a 150mm lens with normal bellows,
Im considering a wide angle lens possibly 90 or 65mm and figured that a wide angle bellows are essential for this lenses. am i right?

I already have a shorter 6" rail.

Thanks all in advance

CArl

**Eugene van der Merwe** · 5-Feb-2009, 06:40

The cambo SC 4 x 5 focuses but has limited movement with standard bellows and a 90mm lens (grandagon N f6.8). If you want reasonable movement potential or want to use wider lenses bag bellows will make your life much easier.

**David Karp** · 5-Feb-2009, 07:14

With both Cambos that I owned (one like the SC, the other a 45SF), I found that I needed the bag bellows to use my 125mm without having the bellows interfere with movements. (I never tried a 135mm). The same is true of my 171 ARCA-Swiss.

**BrianShaw** · 5-Feb-2009, 07:58

Do an experiment: set your camera up with the lens plane and the film plane set 90mm apart (infinity focus with a 90mm lens). You'll see how little movement (virtually none) is possible due to bellow compression. Then try to set your film-plan-to-lens-plane distance at 65mm. You probably won't be able to do it.

In addition to a bag bellows, consider the added inch of film-plane-to-lens-plane distance that you'll gain from also using a recessed lensboard.

**David Karp** · 5-Feb-2009, 08:36

In my experience with a camera like yours, you will need a recessed lensboard plus a bag bellows to work with a 90mm or wider lens.

**Archphoto** · 5-Feb-2009, 10:05

Let me see: I have a 58XL on a recessed board, a 72XL on a recessed board, with the 75 the same, a 115 on a straight board and a 150 on a recessed board (MT) and use all of them with a bag bellows on the Sinar P2.

For architectural photography this works great.
Plenty of unrestricted movement, a bag bellows is a must for wide angles and movements.

Peter

**Vick Vickery** · 5-Feb-2009, 20:25

I use a 90mm on a flat board with a bag bellows on my Cambo with the tripod mount behind both standards. Works great; shorter than 90mm I use the recessed boards with the bag bellows and the same tripod mount arangement.