Question about Linhof Kardan Bellows

[sharktooth]

I got an old Linhof Bi Kardan recently, and it had an oddball bellows. It looks like a combination bag bellows and regular bellows, since it has the features of both.
231778

I actually have another one that I got years ago, but that one is badly deteriorated and unsalvageable. This one seems to be O.K., so I'll probably use it.

My question is, what was this bellows intended for? I'm assuming it would be useful for short and standard focal length lenses, but maybe there was a special purpose. Should the bag portion be at the lens end or the back end?

[Bob Salomon]

That is the old design wide angle bellows. A few years later it was changed to just be a bag type.

[sharktooth]

Thanks, Bob. Do you know if the bag is intended to be at the front or rear?

[Bob Salomon]

Thanks, Bob. Do you know if the bag is intended to be at the front or rear?

Rear, I believe. But go into a closet with it and stick a flashlight in it. It’s so old it will probably be full of pinhole light leaks.

[sharktooth]

I thought it was going to be bad when I got it, especially since the old one I had was completely rotted through. When I did the light test I was surprised that I didn't find any leaks at all. One side at the rear frame attachment had come free, but that was a simple fix with some contact cement.

I've had bad luck with Linhof bellows from the 70's where the outer leather cracks leaving zebra stripes of the white stiffeners underneath. These can't be repaired at all. The older bellows from the 50's and 60's seem to be very long lasting, however. I'm guessing the stiffener material they used in the later models did not expand and contract in the same way that the outer leather did, and the leather became overstressed under certain environmental conditions.

[Tin Can]

Chamonix puts the 'bag' close to front

https://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/cameras

[many]

I got an old Linhof Bi Kardan recently,

Hi,
I am looking at one, but i am not sure if it is the Bi. The one I am looking at seems to be a mixture of Technikardan S 45 and re 45.
Can you put a picture of it for me to be sure is the same one.
Thanks.

[linhofbiker]

I have the version that fits the old 5x7 Kardan. The leather bag part is thick leather that it light tight but the rest was beyond repair. I removed the bad part and glued a 4x5 frame to to piece of plastic placed inside the bag. Now it fits nicely to my 5x7 Kardan Bi for wide angle work.

[sharktooth]

Hi,
I am looking at one, but i am not sure if it is the Bi. The one I am looking at seems to be a mixture of Technikardan S 45 and re 45.
Can you put a picture of it for me to be sure is the same one.
Thanks.

Here's a link to a Bi Kardan from Laflex.
http://www.laflexcamera.com/serviced-cameras-for-sale/linhof-bi-kardan-4x5-view-camera-excellent-condition-fully-cla-serviced

The Bi Kardan is easily identified since it has both base tilts and center axis tilts. That is the unique feature of the Bi Kardan, and what makes it "Bi"

[many]

Here's a link to a Bi Kardan from Laflex.


Thanks. Is different than the one I was looking for.

[sharktooth]

Chamonix puts the 'bag' close to front

https://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/cameras

The Chamonix has a tapered bellows, and a larger bag wouldn't fit at the back, but there's package space for it at the front. When I got the Bi Kardan, the bag end was at the rear, and I couldn't think of a reason for either a front or rear preference. It works well even with the bellows fully extended on the standard rail, so it's a nice general purpose bellows, especially if you're using wider lenses a lot.