Internal Bellows Reflections

[Neal Chaves]

If you both just showed me the negatives and said nothing about bellows, I would say it was "bromide drag" during processing. I've had lots of experience with light leaks and bad bellows and doesn't look like this.

The top right corner on Balazs could be a light leak, but I also see the same dark streaks as in Ice-Racer's

[Joe O'Hara]

Just looking inside the camera at the matte black surfaces can be misleading. The problem is that the light that scatters onto the film and degrades the low values is mostly the tangent rays, i.e., those just grazing the surface at a low angle. Take any "flat black" cloth or painted surface and tilt it so that it is almost parallel to the light source and you will see what I mean. They never look quite so "black" then. Internal reflections in the lens don't enter into it: with modern MC lenses it is only an issue if the light source (usually the sun) is in the image or just outside it.

It is, I'll admit, a big PIA but the only good solution IMO is to use a lens shade that cuts off all of the light outside the image area, in other words, if it were any smaller, you would get vignetting. Real fanatics (I'll not name names but some may have some guesses) have recommended using an 8x10 with a reducing back for smaller format film. I am not among those but I use a rectangular Lee shade on all occasions regardless of the light conditions.

Edit: Just noticed this was an old thread. I stand by my comments anyway.

[r.e.]

I use a rectangular Lee shade on all occasions regardless of the light conditions.

Hi Joe,


You may be have a prior version, but is this basically the Lee hood that you're using? I have the Lee100 holder. I've been considering this, but it's pretty expensive.

[Bernice Loui]

Using a lens with far excessive image circle for a given film / imager format aggravates the problem of stray light bouncing around inside the bellows.

Some view camera folks are obsessed with using lenses with the largest image circle possible.


Bernice

[Balazs Szabo]

If you both just showed me the negatives and said nothing about bellows, I would say it was "bromide drag" during processing. I've had lots of experience with light leaks and bad bellows and doesn't look like this.

The top right corner on Balazs could be a light leak, but I also see the same dark streaks as in Ice-Racer's

Yes, the top right is a leak from the edge of the flap of the holder.

I thought about the streaks possibly being caused by bromide drag, but this is tray developed, so they wouldn't be straight lines IMO. With insufficient agitation I remember getting blotchy highlights, and so I just can't explain the straight lines.

I get them regardless my agitation patterns and I also tried brush development only to find the same lines. I agitate continuously for the first 2 minutes ( 1 minute alone results in the aforementioned blotchiness ) working with a highly diluted developer (hc110 at 1:79) and then 15 sec every minute.

I'm open for suggestions ��

[Balazs Szabo]

I made this, but due to COVID surge, had very little time for photography this last summer to use it. The few times I went out I was working in a wooded area.
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...=1#post1580047

Thanks, I'm experimenting with a simple retractable rubber hood, but with movements employed and a wide angle lens the only real solution will be a compendium hood, indeed..

[Balazs Szabo]

Just looking inside the camera at the matte black surfaces can be misleading. The problem is that the light that scatters onto the film and degrades the low values is mostly the tangent rays, i.e., those just grazing the surface at a low angle. Take any "flat black" cloth or painted surface and tilt it so that it is almost parallel to the light source and you will see what I mean. They never look quite so "black" then. Internal reflections in the lens don't enter into it: with modern MC lenses it is only an issue if the light source (usually the sun) is in the image or just outside it.

It is, I'll admit, a big PIA but the only good solution IMO is to use a lens shade that cuts off all of the light outside the image area, in other words, if it were any smaller, you would get vignetting. Real fanatics (I'll not name names but some may have some guesses) have recommended using an 8x10 with a reducing back for smaller format film. I am not among those but I use a rectangular Lee shade on all occasions regardless of the light conditions.

Edit: Just noticed this was an old thread. I stand by my comments anyway.

Hi Joe,

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

The inside of my bellows is indeed quite reflective, even at normal angles.. At low angles it seems almost glossy

A quick question about the Lee hood: I don't see how the length of this is regulated without the usual metal structure on the outside ?

Thanks again,

Balazs

[Balazs Szabo]

Using a lens with far excessive image circle for a given film / imager format aggravates the problem of stray light bouncing around inside the bellows.

Some view camera folks are obsessed with using lenses with the largest image circle possible.


Bernice

What you're saying makes sense. Unfortunately I can't afford having 2 or 3 lenses of the same focal length and then choose based on the necessity of movements.

With that said I don't think 398mm is an overkill, although still significantly bigger then the ic needed to cover 8x10.

Lens hood it is then, I guess ..

[Joe O'Hara]

Balazs-- I use the previous "wide angle" Lee filter, which has a 4x5 aspect ratio. I agree the new version is insanely expensive-- more than many of us spend on our main lens!

We put up with lens shades so that we can use lenses with large ICs, so that we have movements available to us. Otherwise, why use a view camera?

The bellows that mine is made from is stiff but flexible. You just pull it out to the length you need and collapse it back for storage.

[r.e.]

Lens hood it is then, I guess ..

Given that you're in Italy, you should be able to find a more attractive price on a Lee Hood than the U.S. price. However, note that the Lee needs a Lee Holder to work. If you need the name of a European reseller, send me a personal message.