Really need Sinar extra wide bellows for 58mm?

[Chris Gardner]

I have recently begun to build a 4x5 Sinar P outfit, but have yet to acquire a wide angle bellows. My widest lens is a Schneider 58mm xl. I know Sinar's literature states that the extra wide angle bellows is for 65mm and shorter. As a quick experiment I focused my 58mm with no bellows at all and it looks like there could be enough room for standard wide angle Sinar bellows frames. So does anyone have 'field' experience with this, or have a regular wide bellows they could try with a 65 or shorter lens to verify that I need to shell out the extra $ for the extra wide bellows.
Thank you.

[tor kviljo]

Depend on how deeply recessed WA lens board you use. I have a 75mm on flat lensboard and barely makes it with standard bag-ballows (but then that 75mm is an odd version-lifted from a mamiya press/Polaroid 600 SE). If Your 58 is on a deeply recessed board, give it a try: the bag bellows demand a space between format frames equalling the exposed part of bellows frames (this is the same plastic frames you have on Your standard bellows - those that the bellows-material is glued to) + 0.5cm room for 2x bellows-fabric thickness. Sorry, I have my Sinar at home, don't have opertunity to measure it exactly now...

[Armin Seeholzer]

Hi Chris

Your question is not fully clear to me. If you really want have shift possibilitys then you need one of the wide angel bellows. But why you not just test it by yourself. Put the lens on the camera and the standard bellows and see how it works. Maybe you can focus the lens at infinity maybe not. I do not have this lens I have the APO Grandagon 55mm and the 47mm XL from Schneider and I use the normal bag bellows not the double folded one.
Hope it helps!

[Ellis Vener]

Are you taking into account the thckness of the bellows material as well the frames themselves?

Here is a trick learned years ago when using Sinar P , F or C cameras with very short focal length lenses: Make life easier by moving both function carriers either in front of or behind the collar that fits into the tripod block.

[Chris Gardner]

Tor
- Right I could probably purchase regular wide angle bellows and use a recessed board, but all my lenses are on Technika boards and I use the Sinar-Tech adapter so I'm not wed to the Sinar camera only and have the huge boards in my bag.

Armin
- Just to clarify with you... Am I correct in understanding that you use a 55mm lens with a flat lens board on a Sinar with a normal (not double folded/extra wide) bag bellows?

I know I need a wide angle bellows, but before I purchase one I want to know if I need to spend the extra $150+ (used prices) for the extra wide model over the normal bag bellows. It would be best if I can find someone that has one or the other setup so I don't have to make a purchase to really find out. Setup being: 58mm lens or 55mm with normal bag bellows.

Ellis
- Thanks for the tip, but with the 58mm the collar does not yet pose a problem that I noticed with my 'bellows-less' experiment. I roughly focus across the room (15 feet), sans bellows, and the standards did not hit the collar.

I appreciate anyone's time on this. Thanks for the info so far.

[Armin Seeholzer]

Hi Chis

Yes I use the 55mm with just the cheaper wide angle bellows and with a flat lensboard with no problems and I could even use the 47 mm XL with it but just for more tilt and swing possibility I use the 47 mm on a recessed lens board. If I would the 47 mm only use for 4x5 then I would just use it on a flat board but with my RFHs I can use a bit more tilt and swing and shift without getting black corners so thats the only reason for the recessed lens board for the 47XL. So for your 58 mm you just take the cheap one its anyway not cheap I see no problem!
Good light!