5x7 Bellows

[Mark MacKenzie]

Hi All,
I am going to make a new bellows for my Ansco 5x7 View camera. Its the grey painted one with black knobs with the lens tilt. The original bellows is tight stretched out to about 16". The camera rails themselves can stretch maybe 5 more inches.

How long is a customary bellows for a 5x7? I have 2 14" lenses I would like to use for portraits. Seems like an 18" or even a 20" inch bellows would be better?

Appreciate any advice. Thanks, Mark

[chris_4622]

If you are going to use it for portraiture the extra bellows is useful so I recommend going the full extension of the camera. The bellows shouldn't be tight at that extension either. When doing the layout add 20% or so to the length for the folds, depending on the web width.
And good luck.

[mdarnton]

I'd take whatever the camera would stretch to. You don't have to use all of it but you might miss it some day if you don't have it. A modern bellows will probably be of thinner material so you shouldnt have to worry about too much bellows thickness when completely collapsed.

Mine (grey and chrome early 40s model) will stretch to an inch short of the track end. Board to glass maximum is 19 inches currently, 20 inches potential. My Gundlach will go to 23.5 inches and that's full extension.