I'm tired of replacing high priced Technika bellows, again and again!

[Bill_1856]

This will be my fourth new bellows since I bought the camera from a studio photographer's widow in 1972.
Average cost of replacement has been about $400 a pop done by professional repairmen.
The camera has had only light use, kept in moderate humidity air conditioned home. Bellows from 60 year old Zeiss Ikontas and Maximars stored in the same conditions are all in perfect shape, as well as post-WW2 Graflex equipment.
There's something wrong with the bellows supplied from the factory!
Has anyone had any experience with these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271185097247?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Ari]

If you search the forum archives, you'll see that eBay seller ecbuyonline comes well-recommended.
I have used them a number of times, twice for Technika bellows (two different cameras) and several 8x10s as well.
Rudy is the contact and his customer service is beyond reproach.
Quality is very good, though they may send you the wrong size occasionally; no harm done, unless you're in a real hurry.
Overall, a very reliable source and well-priced.

You'll have to glue the bellows yourself, but again, there's a lot of information here on how to do that.
I used Plio-Bond cement, but others swear by other glues.

[vinny]

Sounds like time for a recall!
Rudy at ecbuyonline is your guy. He does nice work.

[Jeff Dexheimer]

I can vouch for ecbuyonline. I have purchased two bellows from him and they have both been perfect.

[BarryS]

Rudy is a nice guy, but the quality of the 11x14 bellows I received from him wasn't great. It was mis-sized, a bit crooked, and it leaked light. Not to mention the smell. My impression is Rudy contracts with guys to build the bellows and I may have gotten a dud from a sloppy worker. He graciously accepted the return and reimbursed the shipping, but it was a waste of time. I ended up with a bellows from Custom Bellows and the quality and fit are at another level. Yes, it costs 2X as much, but it's 10X the quality.

[Sal Santamaura]

...it costs 2X as much, but it's 10X the quality.The thing my late grandfather said that I most remember is "you're not wealthy enough to buy cheap things."

[Daniel Stone]

The thing my late grandfather said that I most remember is "you're not wealthy enough to buy cheap things."

I'm gonna quote that one down the line, if ya don't mind ;)?
Maybe not just here. That alright?

[mdm]

Funny the way people think. The expensive factory bellows are no good. Expense doesent always equal quality. The 11x14 bellows I got from rudy were immaculate.

[vinny]

Rudy is a nice guy, but the quality of the 11x14 bellows I received from him wasn't great. It was mis-sized, a bit crooked, and it leaked light. Not to mention the smell. My impression is Rudy contracts with guys to build the bellows and I may have gotten a dud from a sloppy worker. He graciously accepted the return and reimbursed the shipping, but it was a waste of time. I ended up with a bellows from Custom Bellows and the quality and fit are at another level. Yes, it costs 2X as much, but it's 10X the quality.

I questioned him on a set I rec'd because the material was different than the previous set and the work was a bit sloppy. He told me that he has someone else (intern type)do all the bellows for domestic sales (China) and he does the rest. That particular set stunk like hell as well. Somehow, my order was fullfilled by the helper. The bottom line-he fixed the situation at no additional charge and I had new bellows two or three weeks later.

[Bob Salomon]

Bill,

There is nothing wrong with the bellows from the Linhof factory. But there may be a problem with the way your camera is used or stored. We have no complaints of a properly installed Linhof bellow, that is properly used, and not abused, failing that often.
Now four in 42 years is not normal. But where did all of these bellows come from? Marflex? Who installed them? Marflex? How old is the camera? Apparently it is more then 42 years old, per your statement.
And do you use those old Ikontas and Maximas the same way that you use the Linhof?
And exactly what is wrong with the bellows that you feel that it needs replacement? Pin holes? Messed up folds? sagging? Tears?

[Richard Johnson]

How come I have bought several 40-50 year old Linhofs with what appear to be original bellows in good shape? Certainly they are thin and less durable than a studio monorail's bellows but so long as they get to spend some time unfolded and get a little leather treatment what's the problem?

I tried an EC Bellows, you get what you pay for... I don't see how paper/cloth will hold up better than leather.

[Liquid Artist]

How come I have bought several 40-50 year old Linhofs with what appear to be original bellows in good shape? Certainly they are thin and less durable than a studio monorail's bellows but so long as they get to spend some time unfolded and get a little leather treatment what's the problem?

I tried an EC Bellows, you get what you pay for... I don't see how paper/cloth will hold up better than leather.

My 63 year old Standard Press still has the original bellows and in good shape.
Like you say, I just use it.

However I would sure like to know what the best leather treatment for it is.

[Sal Santamaura]

Rudy is a nice guy, but the quality of the 11x14 bellows I received from him wasn't great. It was mis-sized, a bit crooked, and it leaked light. Not to mention the smell. My impression is Rudy contracts with guys to build the bellows and I may have gotten a dud from a sloppy worker. He graciously accepted the return and reimbursed the shipping, but it was a waste of time. I ended up with a bellows from Custom Bellows and the quality and fit are at another level. Yes, it costs 2X as much, but it's 10X the quality.


The thing my late grandfather said that I most remember is "you're not wealthy enough to buy cheap things."


I'm gonna quote that one down the line, if ya don't mind ;)?
Maybe not just here. That alright?Perfectly fine. Not even any need for attribution; just get out there and propagate the "anti-Walmart" mindset. :D


Funny the way people think. The expensive factory bellows are no good. Expense doesent always equal quality. The 11x14 bellows I got from rudy were immaculate.If you read the posts carefully, you'd have understood that my response was referring to the difference between an eBay-sourced, incorrectly-sized, crooked, light-leaking, smelly option versus a more expensive one made by Camera Bellows in the UK. Unrelated to Linhof factory bellows. There's nothing funny about the way I think.

As for Bill's experience, even though his home is air conditioned, how do we know there haven't been alligators munching on his Technika's bellows while he was out shopping over the years? Those critters might just have expensive tastes, ignoring the Ikontas, Maximars and Graflexes when snacking. ;) ;)

[tgtaylor]

Best leather treatment? Probably saddle soap but I haven’t tried it on leather bellows yet.

My Toyo MII came with all three factory bellows: bag, regular, and long, and they were all in mint condition. The previous owner said that pinholes resulted from stretching out the bellows too far. The front standard on the MII reverses allowing you to use a longer FL without changing bellows which is tempting but I agree, doing that often will results in pinholes developing on the edges of the folds.

Another thing is to make sure that the bellows folds correctly when closing the camera to avoid the creases in the leather which develop otherwise. Finally, make sure that the focusing cloth is only attached to the metal/wood part of the back and not the bellows. I use a BTZS dark cloth and if the elastic is placed on the back of the bellows instead of the frame, it will cause the bellows not to close correctly. It took me a month of fidgeting with the bellows when closing to figure that out. Now I’m very careful to make sure that the DC is only attached to the frame.

Thomas

[Bill_1856]

Thanks for the input. New Chinese bellows ordered.
Wish me luck -- it's (otherwise) a great camera!

[Mark Sampson]

Saddle soap is for dirty harness tack. Neat's-foot oil will likely dissolve the glue along the seam in the bellows. Lexol is a product meant for leather-bound books and will probably be the best product for leather camera bellows; I used it successfully when I owned a Tachihara. I've never owned a Technika so can't help with the OP's issues, though.