Chris Gardner
31-Aug-2005, 22:56
Hello,
I was recently fortunate enough to acquire a second hand Ebony SW810 camera to replace my Deardorff. While second hand the camera may as well be brand new. My question is to anyone with SW810 experience in particular.
My main 8x10 lens is a Schneider 150 xl and I was a little suprised at the SW810 bellows' stiffness. I am reluctant to immediately start distorting the bellows' pleats for maximum front rise. I found that if I rise first at a greater extension and then draw back I can attain rise more easily, but do get some pleat distortion regardless. Of course I understand this will happen since it is not a bag bellows, but compared to my SW45 the 810 bellows are much less supple. The 4x5 pleats are just leather while the 8x10 pleats seem almost like they have traditional cardboard stiffeners in comparison.
God knows I don't want my camera to look like this guys (at the auction site:Item number: 7542203896), especially when his is "barely used". I'm joking, but seriously that just looks sad.
What have been others' experiences, if any? Do you just go with it and gently reform the pleats when back at zero rise? Should I assume that after enough pleat distortion I will lose bellows rigidity and 'gain' sag at full extension? Alternately, does anyone have experience with the SV-model bag bellows, and if so, what is it's max extension?
Thank you in advance.
I was recently fortunate enough to acquire a second hand Ebony SW810 camera to replace my Deardorff. While second hand the camera may as well be brand new. My question is to anyone with SW810 experience in particular.
My main 8x10 lens is a Schneider 150 xl and I was a little suprised at the SW810 bellows' stiffness. I am reluctant to immediately start distorting the bellows' pleats for maximum front rise. I found that if I rise first at a greater extension and then draw back I can attain rise more easily, but do get some pleat distortion regardless. Of course I understand this will happen since it is not a bag bellows, but compared to my SW45 the 810 bellows are much less supple. The 4x5 pleats are just leather while the 8x10 pleats seem almost like they have traditional cardboard stiffeners in comparison.
God knows I don't want my camera to look like this guys (at the auction site:Item number: 7542203896), especially when his is "barely used". I'm joking, but seriously that just looks sad.
What have been others' experiences, if any? Do you just go with it and gently reform the pleats when back at zero rise? Should I assume that after enough pleat distortion I will lose bellows rigidity and 'gain' sag at full extension? Alternately, does anyone have experience with the SV-model bag bellows, and if so, what is it's max extension?
Thank you in advance.