Finding/making bellows frame for CAMBO Legend 8x10 bellows

[Bogdan Karasek]

Hello,

There is a Chinese company that advertizes custom made bellows for various LF cameras (see auction site) and have inquired about a custom made bellows for a Cambo 8x10 Legend.

I have put together two Cambo Legend 8x10's, so I have one set up with 8x10 standards, front and back, and another one, a 4x5, using the front standards from the 8x10, as front and rear standards on the 4x5. Unfortunately, the Cambo 8x10, as most 8x10, has a tapered bellows. Right now, the bellows are joined at the smaller tapered ends. I want to set up the camera with one bellows, one size from front to back, 11 in sq and 48inches long. I do a lot of macro imaging. I have a 8in sq Packard that will be mounted on the back of the front lens board, thus allowing me an unrestricted access to old barrel lenses.

The problem is that the bellows maker in Hong Kong does not have bellows frames for the bellows. That's my problem....

Where do I find 2 bellows frames so I can mount the bellows to the Cambo standards.

One solution, albeit a bit costly, would be to buy two reducing backs, 8x10 > 4x5, remove and sell the 4x5 backs, and cut out the rest of the 8x10 panel to the exactly dimensions of the existing frames on the 8x10 tapered bellows that I have already.

Are there there other viable solutions, can bellows frames be bought somewhere? Is there a bellows maker elsewhere who also makes the frames and attaches/glues the bellows to the frame??

Where do people find the frames when they buy frameless bellows? Does anybody have a set of wasted bellows but the frame could be recycled?

Cheers!

Any and all ideas are welcome.

[cowanw]

If the object is to use the Packard shutter, you could build it in a box and attach ordinary 4x5 lens boards front and back to the shutter box. then mount it between two 4x5 standards on the front of your rail. this gives you your cambo mounted lenses and your shutter and the regular bellows. Tilt and shift is more complex but doable.

[vinny]

I'm awaiting bellows for my new 8x10 from him as well. I'll be machining my own frames. You could search out an online cnc shop and have a friend draw them up for you.

[Tin Can]

PM in a minute.

[Dan Fromm]

Bellows frames are lens boards with an empty center. If there were 8x10 Cambo lens boards, you could sacrifice a pair of them.

Unfortunately there are no 8x10 Cambo lens boards. There are, however, attachments for 8x10 Cambo standards. You can use one of them, e.g., your ground glass back, as a pattern. If you have the money -- ask them how much -- SKGrimes can use the pattern to make two bellows frames for you.

I gather that you want the long square bellows to be able to use your Packard. Think hard about whether a 4x5 Cambo standard with a smaller Packard behind it will do what you need. 4x5 Cambo boards are relatively inexpensive, Grimes recently charged me around $40 for converting a 4x5 Cambo board into a bellows frame.

[Bogdan Karasek]

If the object is to use the Packard shutter, you could build it in a box and attach ordinary 4x5 lens boards front and back to the shutter box. then mount it between two 4x5 standards on the front of your rail. this gives you your cambo mounted lenses and your shutter and the regular bellows. Tilt and shift is more complex but doable.

THe packard shutter I have is 8" sq so it is larger than than the Cambo 4x5 lens boards. And I need to be able to extend to 48"; using the tapered bellows, I start getting vignetting because the 8x10 tapered bellows are not long enough and I have to join a 4x5 bellows. This creates a bottle neck if I have 0ver 36 inches of bellows extension. Long term solution is a square bellows from front to back.

Thanks for the input.

[Bogdan Karasek]

Bellows frames are lens boards with an empty center. If there were 8x10 Cambo lens boards, you could sacrifice a pair of them.

Unfortunately there are no 8x10 Cambo lens boards. There are, however, attachments for 8x10 Cambo standards. You can use one of them, e.g., your ground glass back, as a pattern. If you have the money -- ask them how much -- SKGrimes can use the pattern to make two bellows frames for you.

I gather that you want the long square bellows to be able to use your Packard. Think hard about whether a 4x5 Cambo standard with a smaller Packard behind it will do what you need. 4x5 Cambo boards are relatively inexpensive, Grimes recently charged me around $40 for converting a 4x5 Cambo board into a bellows frame.

Hello, I have the tools to make the conversion myself. I recently took a 8x10 > 4x5 reducing back, removed the 4x5 and sold it and then cut a hole in the back to accommodate a 6.5x8.5 full plate film holder. I'll probably land up doing the same thing. Buy two reducing boards and cut out enough so that the bellows fits. Also , I just received an offer of a perforated 8x10 bellows and will buy that, and use the frame. Then, just a question of getting another frame.

Thanks for the imput.

[Bogdan Karasek]

I'm awaiting bellows for my new 8x10 from him as well. I'll be machining my own frames. You could search out an online cnc shop and have a friend draw them up for you.

Hello,

Out of curiosity, what kind of glue are you planning on using to glue the ends of the bellows to the frames?

Cheers, Bogdan

[Harold_4074]

Bogdan,

Assuming that you are doing exclusively studio work, you could consider making one or more plywood boxes that will just mate with the bellows frame recess in the 8x10 standard. This would be the LF equivalent of an MF extension tube, except that you would use the traverse mechanisms of the rear and middle standards to lock the extension in place. Some black foam weatherstripping on the ends of each box and either black paint or flocking paper on the insides, and you would be in business. It would be pretty easy to test the idea using foamcore and gaffer's tape.

(By the way, I am just delighted with that 610mm Nikor that you sold me!)

Harold

[Bogdan Karasek]

Bogdan,

Assuming that you are doing exclusively studio work, you could consider making one or more plywood boxes that will just mate with the bellows frame recess in the 8x10 standard. This would be the LF equivalent of an MF extension tube, except that you would use the traverse mechanisms of the rear and middle standards to lock the extension in place. Some black foam weatherstripping on the ends of each box and either black paint or flocking paper on the insides, and you would be in business. It would be pretty easy to test the idea using foamcore and gaffer's tape.

(By the way, I am just delighted with that 610mm Nikor that you sold me!)

Harold

Hello,

I'm very pleased that the 610 worked out for you.

Thanks for the idea of using foam core to make an extension box. I have some downstairs and will it try is out.
Cheers, Bogdan

[Harold_4074]

Bogdan,

Please let us know how this works out for you. I have Legends in 8x10 and 4x5 with some extra rail segments, and might be inspired to look for an intermediate standard so that I could do the same thing as you.

Regards,

Harold