90mm and bag bellows

[keith english]

I have had a Zone VI 4x5 standard field camera, and enjoyed it, for about 15 years. I also bought a 90mm Caltar and the Zone VI bag bellows, which I have hardly used. It seems the field camera, even with the bag bellows, just want focus anywhere near infinity without almost having to clamp the standards together, then of-course there is no movement. The bag bellows seem to stiff to allow any movement. Is this normal?I was wondering if this combination just doesn't work. I tend more to tele than wide anyway. May try to sell it and get a 400mm.

[lenser]

Keith,

I've got the Zone VI and bag bellows which I use successfully even with a 47mmm lens. With my 58mm and 90mm lenses, I have tons of movements even at infinity.

Do you have a true bag bellows or is it the old version that was made as half pleated with a bag attached to the front of the pleats? If you've got that one, perhaps the pleats don't allow as much compression, but the true bag bellows seems quite supple enough that you should have no trouble whatever.

You are tilting the front assembly backward and then setting the actual front standard upright and parallel to the film aren't you? If not, that will allow much more compression than you are currently getting.

[keith english]

Thanks, I have the old version apparantly. It is half pleated. It seems too stiff to focus the 90 at infinity, even with the front tilted back as far as it will go.

[lenser]

Hi, Keith.

I once had one of those and it actually came unglued between the pleats and the bag section. I used it with a 90mm and don't recall having any problems, but I was not trying for large amounts of movements. I have the Zone VI 1995 catalog which actually gives directions for using that half-bag bellows with illustrations, but it may be significant that it is being used with a 120mm lens. If you send me your email adress at Tludwigpix@yahoo.com, I will scan those pages and send them to you.

I now use the bag bellows that is pure bag. I see them on eBay fairly often and they seldom go for a very high price. Another source is KEH.com in Atlanta. Perhaps they can help.

It's worth the inverstment to get this version.