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Thread: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

  1. #61

    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Graham View Post
    15 minutes in the dark is plenty of time, at least for me. I can easily spare 15 minutes a few times a year doing this kind of preventive maintenance. You don't need very much time to catch a leak if the source light is bright enough, the bellows are fully extended, and the room is truly dark.

    As for the rest, had I realized that you have 15 posts in this thread I wouldn't have responded. You antagonism against this seller is a little odd, and doesn't seem to be based on anything except deductive fallacies. Brand loyalty is fine, and in the case of Camera Bellows it's probably well-deserved, but it is not evidence of the inferiority of another product.
    I am contributing to this post for the benefit of future readers that may want quality control with established bellows materials to at least consider. If this individual produced his bellows with the synthetic material Canham bellows uses in the bellows they put on their camera I would be all over it, but the price would likely be indifferent to Camera Bellows. My point is that the lower price point likely comes for a reason. As is always the case you and everyone else is free to follow your chosen course of action unencumbered. Retrospectively speaking over the years I wish I would have had the benefit of respondents that were willing to share their experiences that do not necessarily agree with the general trend of a post that was presented in a pragmatic straight forward manner. Unfortunately, we are in an era where unless someone just agreements with the post, they are looked down upon. I just see things differently and feel the exchange of divergent opinions wherever and however they manifest themselves are good for all to consider. Again, I am not digging on the maker. I just question the quality of the materials he is employing in his bellows as the reason he has such a low price point which is what my friend found out the hard way. All I want to do is focus on making photographs with as little noise and ancillary distractions as possible.

  2. #62

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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    I bought a set of bellows about five years ago from EC buyonline, and they started to pinhole in the corners after about 3 years use. The holes were very small and I could fix them by painting the corners of the bellows with fabric paint, but they were big enough to ruin negatives if I was shooting in bright conditions. It did take me a while to pin the problem down though because I thought I wouldn't have a problem with 'new' bellows. The bellows still look cosmetically perfect, so chances are you wouldn't think to check them until you had a problem. I use my camera about once a month, so there is a chance the problems could come sooner if you used your camera more regularly.

  3. #63

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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    I know my bellows, fortunately, blocks IR light, but this discussion has convinced me to check my bellows more often -- especially if I am hiking into any area where I know I will never be again. The check is easy and quick in the darkroom -- along the lines of checking my engine oil. It not only tells me if I have a leak or burning oil, but let's me know how dirty it is.

  4. #64

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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    Quote Originally Posted by Tobias Key View Post
    I bought a set of bellows about five years ago from EC buyonline, and they started to pinhole in the corners after about 3 years use. The holes were very small and I could fix them by painting the corners of the bellows with fabric paint, but they were big enough to ruin negatives if I was shooting in bright conditions. It did take me a while to pin the problem down though because I thought I wouldn't have a problem with 'new' bellows. The bellows still look cosmetically perfect, so chances are you wouldn't think to check them until you had a problem. I use my camera about once a month, so there is a chance the problems could come sooner if you used your camera more regularly.
    That's very disappointing to hear, but thanks for the information.

  5. #65

    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Graham View Post
    That's very disappointing to hear, but thanks for the information.
    My friend who shoots weekly experienced his bellows failure in four months similar to Tobias's comment. The failure was at the bellows creases and it was a series of small pinholes consistent with structural degradation at this point across many of the pleats. He was photographing in Death Valley which very likely forced the issue front and center. He showed me some of his negatives disappointed that was clearly something very wrong and my suggestion to check his relatively new bellows was the last thing on his mind.

    My Canham 810 woodie is going on 15 years and not even a hint of a pin hole in the bellows and I photograph at least three to five full days just about every month consistently. It is the last thing on my mind and they have never let me down so I do not even bother to check.

  6. #66
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    Throwing in my two cents worth: I bought an 8x10 bellows from ecbuyonline2008 maybe three years ago. They were poor quality, pieced together from small scraps of fabric, with bubbles, wrinkles, and glue residue showing. Later when I mentioned it here on another thread, other members told me that the seller sends out bellows like that occasionally, and you have to complain and send them back to get the higher quality you were promised in the listing. By then I'd waited too long, so I just lost out. Hardly the way to build a good reputation for your business...
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

  7. #67

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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    I bought an 8x10 2D bellows from the seller in Japan (Tokyo photo), came to regret it. The first bellows I received looked very well made, but was 2 inches shy of full extension. It turned out they didn't have a rear extension rail to test their bellows fully, they said nobody had mentioned it before. I had to send them a photo of their bellows on my camera as proof - after reviewing that photo they apologised and offered refund or replacement - I opted for replacement, though this meant me paying a second lot of shipping, to send the first bellows back.

    Waited for them to make a new jig, or whatever it involves - the replacement bellows was certainly long enough, but the biggest folds inside the rear standard looked a bit odd. I kept it and wish I'd just had my money back, it's lost shape quite badly. I contacted them again, they offered a refund if I sent it back - but that way I'd have paid about $70 in shipping and still wouldn't have a bellows.

    If you buy from them, make sure they've tested the bellows you are buying fully, at the max extension you want to use. If you are ok with a shorter bellows the first set I received would have been just fine. They have some nice touches, new frames included which are pre-drilled, light weight - but my faith in Japanese technical excellence took a heavy blow with that purchase!!

    I wish I'd just bitten the bullet and had a new bellows made by Custom Bellows, I later read somewhere that they have the original designs for most bellows. You get what you pay for, most often.

  8. #68

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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    I've bought 3 bellows from Custom Bellows up to 11x14 and they've been perfect and fairly priced! I've never seen an advantage of going anywhere else. You get what you pay for!
    Last edited by Luis-F-S; 26-Nov-2017 at 15:09.

  9. #69
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    My own experiences: I've bought several bellows from Rudy (ecbuyonline), including a custom job for a Toyo 810M. These were red, thinner material than normal, and extra long (900mm).
    All were a perfect fit, well-made and durable. The Toyo bellows also included the frames, which were supplied by Rudy.
    Out of, say, 7-8 bellows from Rudy, only one didn't work (both ends were too small), and it was quickly replaced by the correct size.
    So, nothing but good things to say about ecbuyonline.

  10. #70
    http://www.spiritsofsilver.com tgtaylor's Avatar
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    Re: Bellows from ecbuyonline2008???

    I bought a used extra long (750mm) bellows from Japan so that I could use the 480 and 610mm lens with the 4x5 Toyo ROBOS but they arrived with a zillion pin holes. I contacted the seller and he promptly refunded the purchase and shipping charges and told me to keep the bellows rather than sending them back so I ended-up having the hardware for new bellows which I bought from Rudy. Rudy didn't charge extra for the long version and the bellows look works perfectly.

    Thomas

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