How Can I Get More Bellows?

[miket-nyc]

I recently bought the kind of camera I've wanted since I was a teenager: a 4x5 Wista field camera. I've used press-type cameras for years, but this is the first time I've had the real thing. For it I got a 150/5.6 Symmar in a Compur shutter. I was happy to have the Symmar, because it's a convertible lens and becomes a 265/12 by unscrewing the front element.

But the first time I tried this, I discovered that the Wista doesn't have enough bellows to get out to infinity with the 265. Is there some way to get around this problem, or am I stuck? I could buy or make an extender for the lensboard, but one advantage of having a convertible lens is to get a second focal length without having to carry around bulky junk, and an extension would be even bulkier than a second lens.

Mike Taglieri

[Duolab123]

Nope, 265 mm of extension at infinity, twice that at 1:1. I have a Calumet CC series wide angle camera, monorail but short bellows. I have a 150, too long for that really nice handy camera, I found a clunky Calumet recessed lensboard and used it as a cone backwards. But like you say, not pleasing to lug around on a lovely field camera.

[Bob Salomon]

Wista has enough bellows to get over 600mm of bed and bellows. You just have to order the correct bed extension and bellows.

[Doremus Scudder]

You don't say which Wista camera you have...

My Wista DXs and my Wista SW all have 300mm of bellows extension, which should be enough to infinity focus and then some with your 265mm converted lens (unless, for some reason the lens requires more extension than its focal length to focus at infiity...).

A top-hat lensboard isn't all that clunky; I use one for my 300mm lens on the above-mentioned Wistas. I can focus to nine feet or a bit closer with my Nikkor M 300mm on the extended board and using all the 300mm of bellows extension.

Best,

Doremus

[ic-racer]

I have a similar issue with my Horseman 4x5. The "teleconverter" for the 150 lens makes it a 300mm, but it is not a telephoto. So, to focus this I attach my extension bellows. The good thing is that the extension collapses to just the right length for the 300mm.

[Keith Pitman]

With a converted lens, you need more bellows than the nominal focal length. The only convertible lens I have converts to 475mm in one configuration, but the flange focal length is 545mm.

You don't say which Wista camera you have...

My Wista DXs and my Wista SW all have 300mm of bellows extension, which should be enough to infinity focus and then some with your 265mm converted lens (unless, for some reason the lens requires more extension than its focal length to focus at infiity...).

A top-hat lensboard isn't all that clunky; I use one for my 300mm lens on the above-mentioned Wistas. I can focus to nine feet or a bit closer with my Nikkor M 300mm on the extended board and using all the 300mm of bellows extension.

Best,

Doremus

[Bob Salomon]

You don't say which Wista camera you have...

My Wista DXs and my Wista SW all have 300mm of bellows extension, which should be enough to infinity focus and then some with your 265mm converted lens (unless, for some reason the lens requires more extension than its focal length to focus at infiity...).

A top-hat lensboard isn't all that clunky; I use one for my 300mm lens on the above-mentioned Wistas. I can focus to nine feet or a bit closer with my Nikkor M 300mm on the extended board and using all the 300mm of bellows extension.

Best,

Doremus

This is how you get more bed and bellows extension on Wista.

https://www.wista.co.jp/e_wista/e_sh...2/e_acces2.htm

[ic-racer]

Interesting to see how Wista extends the front of the camera rather than the back. Looks to be more sturdy than Horseman's approach. That Horseman extension back, though, attaches and removes in seconds.

[Luis-F-S]

Why I use a Deardorff V5. 23" of bellows can use anything up to a 19" Artar! Otherwise, you can use a Sinar F2, you can add additional bellows till the cows come home! I've used it with a 35" lens!

[Duolab123]

Looks like to the OP no easy resolution. The inverted recessed lensboard is no good if you want to use the lens with the front element and still have a nice compact unit. You want to keep the convertible lens on a normal lens board.