(Semi) Bag bellows conversion for Burke and James 5x7

[Arg6442]

Hello everyone!

For the last few months, I've been putting my new Burke & James 5x7 through its paces. I've discovered that I absolutely love the focal length of my 90MM Super Angulon. Stopped down to f/64, the lens looks like it could provide ample movements.

However, given the long, not-very-supple bellows, I can't even focus the lens to infinity without loosening the standards and letting the rise go wherever it wants to go (they even tighten up when using a 180 with movements. For a few days, I've been devising a solution to this. It involves making a smaller version of a bag bellows such as this one (http://www.foto-net.de/net/dyo/gross_ww.html), and then cutting the camera's original bellows at around 2/3 of the way to the front standard and attaching the bag to the bellows on one end and the front standard on the other. This would leave me with something vaguely simmilar to the attached photograph (a linhof WA bellows).

In theory, this should get rid of the tightness when the camera is at a short focus and allow me to do fairly easy movements. This also wouldn't restrict my focal length options. I'll never use anything more than a 210 (and even then, I'm not sure), so maintaining part of the bellows will allow me to draw out. Since the bag bellows wouldn't be enormous, It also wouldn't be too much of an issue when folding up.

Can anyone think of any major reason why this wouldn't work or shouldn't be attempted?

If everything goes well, I'll post an update once its done.

[mdarnton]

I made a very deep recessed lens board for my 90/5.6 SA, but I never used it after I discovered that my 65 SA would focus in it. It might have had some movements with the 90, but I never checked.


BJ 5x7 w/65mm Super Angulon! by Michael Darnton, on Flickr

The 65 is short on coverage, though, so movements didn't matter:


Adams St by Michael Darnton, on Flickr


Federal Plaza by Michael Darnton, on Flickr

[John Earley]

I made a very deep recessed lens board for my 90/5.6 SA, but I never used it after I discovered that my 65 SA would focus in it. It might have had some movements with the 90, but I never checked.


BJ 5x7 w/65mm Super Angulon! by Michael Darnton, on Flickr

The 65 is short on coverage, though, so movements didn't matter:

Very nice recessed board. How deep is it? Your photo reminded me that I need to remove the focusing hood on my B&J 5x7 since I really hate it.

[Jim Jones]

As cheap as 5x7 B&Js have become, buy another one and convert it to a true bag bellows. Leave the original bellows intact on the other B&J for normal use.

[mdarnton]

I think the board is 1.5 inches deep. I made it of 3mm baltic birch plywood with adhesive felt on the back for a light trap. Probably, knowing me, the whole thing was put together with super glue.