Looking for Bellows Maker

[David Karp]

Another thread on this topic: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...-8x10-Kodak-2D.

I believe there are several other threads. I have a bellows from Rudy, one made by Western Bellows (Jim is now retired), and one that I have not yet seen from Custom Bellows (it is going to be attached to a camera that is being worked on). I suspect my Walker Titan SF bellows were made by Custom Bellows. All are excellent quality. The material for both the Western Bellows and Walker Titan bellows are thinner and more flexible than the bellows I received from Rudy. I don't know if this is because I chose the red material for the exterior of the bellows. Rudy's bellows is plenty flexible for my purposes. I sent him the bellows frames and he glued them to the bellows. If I was doing lots of short focal length work and needed to be able to use lots of camera movements, Custom Bellows is the way to go. I believe they make the super flexible bellows that Canham uses. You can see a photo of this here: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...canhamdlc.html.

[Matt Stage]

I just ordered a 14x17 bellows from Custom Bellows in Birmingham England. They were kind of fast - I ordered them on Sunday, got a notice that they were completed with an invoice on Monday and had a package on my doorstep in Los Angeles on Friday. The quality is excellent. It may be the current exchange rate, but their price was excellent, a full $150 less than the price quoted by Rudy. YRMV

[StoneNYC]

I just ordered a 14x17 bellows from Custom Bellows in Birmingham England. They were kind of fast - I ordered them on Sunday, got a notice that they were completed with an invoice on Monday and had a package on my doorstep in Los Angeles on Friday. The quality is excellent. It may be the current exchange rate, but their price was excellent, a full $150 less than the price quoted by Rudy. YRMV

How much? I'm looking for that particular size bellows.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Stone, I'm building Matt's camera for him with his help. If I'm not mistaken I think it was around $450.00 delivered. I paid over $500.00 for mine some time ago. The bellows is about 42 inches and is very well made as Matt said. His Black Mamba 14 x 17 should be done in January.

[McGirton]

I am restoring a fullplate camera and asked for prices from Custom Bellows and Rudy from eBay. CB = around 250€ and Rudy around 130€, that's quite a difference. Seeing both are doing good work I have yet to decide but it should be obvious where my decision leans to.

[peter schrager]

Go with custom bellows..you pay for what you get in this life

[Len Middleton]

Interesting that this comes up on a regular basis, and two threads within the last month or so...

Might want to look at how important it is to get it right the first time, and potential costs and consequences of not getting it right.

1. Will the camera be used for commercial or commissioned work? What is likely the response from your potential client, if things go wrong? What might be the impact to your reputation if you cannot deliver what and when needed?

2. Will it involve considerable expense (time, travel, accommodations, expensive film and processing) before you find out there is a problem or not? Or will you just be doing a couple of sheets at a time and can re-shoot if needed?

3. Similar to item 1 above, is the bellows part of some work being done for a customer and the quality of the finished product can have a significant impact on your reputation? Interesting to note that those doing work for others and have a reputation for their work (Richard, Jim, Tracey) have made their choice...

4. Is this a one-off, or will this be part of larger project where multiple / similar cameras are being made, and costs become more critical. That is one scenario where one might be prepared to experiment with alternate suppliers.

Peter's comment in #26 is the correct interpretation of the cliché. You do not get what you pay for, as one could overpay for poor quality, but most times you pay for what you get...

FYI, I chose Custom Bellows UK, based upon the second point...

[McGirton]

I'd agree to all of that if there wouldn't be positive reviews about the cheaper option. No doubt the price of the more expensive one is well worth it, but in this case I'd say the cheaper one isn't to be ruled out right away.

[Len Middleton]

I'd agree to all of that if there wouldn't be positive reviews about the cheaper option. No doubt the price of the more expensive one is well worth it, but in this case I'd say the cheaper one isn't to be ruled out right away.

Unfortunately currently there seems to be limited options, and it is not my intent to dissuade anyone.

I do not benefit if any of the current bellows providers sell a bellows to another LF photographer as I have no relationship with any of them, so my comments are intended to assist in understanding the potential issues in making the decision, as my contribution to the LF community here.

In my professional practice (non-photographic) advising clients, I often see individuals and organizations making poor decisions where the focus of the decision is based primarily upon purchase costs, rather than a total life cycle cost perspective. These include: operating & maintenance costs; time, effort & individual and organizational focus; opportunity costs; and economic impact of damaged reputation as a result of not providing the promised service or good, as promised and expected.

This decision is not nearly as complex as many, but it is not without risks...

[minesix66]

Plus 1 on Custom Bellows, I have used them for my medium format folder cameras. They are excellent.