How do you store your gear and why
lens: cocked or un-cocked
Bellows: extended, closed or ?
How do you store your gear and why
lens: cocked or un-cocked
Bellows: extended, closed or ?
Paul Ward
First real camera: Nikon F2, gift from gandfather (1980), still have and use it.
Wista m45 4x5
Calumet Green Monster
Agfa 8x10 Field Camera
“A big negative is really a positive…”
All my lenses are left uncocked and either cased or wrapped. My camera lives in its case folded up.
We are the Rodenstock distributor. The factory sends the lenses to us uncocked, press focus closed, aperture at the largest opening and the shutter speed at the fastest shutter speed. If you buy a new lens that is also how it is sent by us to your dealer and how the dealer delivers it to you (unless it has been opened somewhere along the way).
We are also the Linhof and Wista distributor for the USA. Every Linhof and Wista, in factory packaging, Technika, M679, Techno, Kardan, TechniKardan, every Wista field, metal and 810 are packaged with the bellows fully compressed. That is also how we ship them to your dealer and how your dealer delivers it to you, in factory packaging). The cameras would not fit into their packaging any other way.
Well stated Bob. My LF cameras live in different places. The Sinar in it's case. The V8 in a back pack with room for 4-6 film holders. And the Chaminox 11x14 lives below my dry matt press in my matting area. All with their bellows closed and lenses uncocked.
Mark Woods
Large Format B&W
Cinematography Mentor at the American Film Institute
Past President of the Pasadena Society of Artists
Director of Photography
Pasadena, CA
www.markwoods.com
That's interesting ... I've always been told to set the shutter to the lowest speed before storing ... supposedly to save the spring mechanism. Is this a false old tale? Why the highest speed ... is there some benefit? Does it make a difference if it is a self cocking shutter? Is there a type of shutter where the speed setting would make a difference?
I think the only shutters where it makes a practical difference are those old Compurs and Grafexes that have a booster spring for the 400 speed.
Here's a quote from Flutot's Camera Repair:
"Q What's the best way to store a shutter?
.... Best to set the speed dial on 'T' or 'B' and uncocked so there is no tension on the springs."
In the past I've left my shutter un-cocked and at what ever f-stop it was at from the last shot. I'll open up the fstop now. The bellows I generally leave in the 1/3 to 1/2 open and will start to the rotation on them as well.
Thanks to all.
Paul Ward
First real camera: Nikon F2, gift from gandfather (1980), still have and use it.
Wista m45 4x5
Calumet Green Monster
Agfa 8x10 Field Camera
“A big negative is really a positive…”
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