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Thread: Need advice on ULF bellows

  1. #1

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    Dec 2019
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    Need advice on ULF bellows

    Hello.

    I am newbie and planning an ULF 16x20, with the lens Goertz red dot 24in lens.
    How long should the bellows be for the lens in that camera? I want to know the min and max(if there is) length of the bellows.
    Maybe I will want to use the camera for landscape with other lens, but I plan to use it for portrait.
    Thanks in advance.

    Jongin

  2. #2
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    At least double the lens focal length

    In 6 hours more advice will show up

    Depends if head only, head and shoulders, or full body

    Good luck!
    Tin Can

  3. #3

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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    Thank you, Tin!
    Do you mean if I choose wider lens, say, 14in, the bellows needs to be longer than 28 inch?
    And for 24in lens, it should be at least 48inch long?

  4. #4
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    You need to study a bit

    Here is a free page on a pay for knowledge website.


    How I Calculate Bellows Factors & Magnification Ratios For Large Format

    There other free websites, but this was the first I found.
    Tin Can

  5. #5

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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    Quote Originally Posted by Tin Can View Post
    You need to study a bit

    Here is a free page on a pay for knowledge website.




    How I Calculate Bellows Factors & Magnification Ratios For Large Format

    There other free websites, but this was the first I found.
    ----
    Thank you so much Tin!

  6. #6

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    Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    You will need to do some research, but there may remain some things you might not get from research.

    Your research will tell you with a 24" non-telephoto lens and 48" off bellows you will be able to get image size of 1:1 (life size). What research is unlikely to tell you is depending upon what you are going to use a 16x20 camera for, that might may or may not be appropriate...

    Similarly,you are not likely to find in your research of the potential issue of not being able to focus some wide angle lenses at infinity because you cannot compress the bellows enough....

    Good luck in your efforts,

    Len

  7. #7
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    Len, what wide angle lens are you thinking of?

    Usually we want a 'normal' lens that has a focal length matching the format diagonal.

    OP stipulated a lens that meets that

    Of course there are exceptions

    OP consider this thread https://www.photrio.com/forum/thread...verage.138825/

    Quote Originally Posted by Len Middleton View Post
    You will need to do some research, but there may remain some things you might not get from research.

    Your research will tell you with a 24" non-telephoto lens and 48" off bellows you will be able to get image size of 1:1 (life size). What research is unlikely to tell you is depending upon what you are going to use a 16x20 camera for, that might may or may not be appropriate...

    Similarly,you are not likely to find in your research of the potential issue of not being able to focus some wide angle lenses at infinity because you cannot compress the bellows enough....

    Good luck in your efforts,

    Len
    Tin Can

  8. #8

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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    Randy,

    In post #3 above, he did ask a question about a 14" WA lens. The common ULF 14" WA lens I can think of is the 355 G-Claron.

    I know on my 8x10 field camera with 32" bellows length that I know I have to put the camera into major contortions to focus a 165 Angulon at infinity, in part due to bellows compression and also due to the closest distance between the front and rear standard that they can come together. I can do it, but was not the way I originally thought.

    One of those things you find out about not by research, but by trying to do, aka the School of Hard Knocks. I expect we have a large number of alumni members here...

    My experience on the issue, and no research performed for that knowledge,

    Len

  9. #9
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    Of course, but a 14" WA is far from a 165mm Angulon. I have one. I also have set of 16X16" bellows with 40" of easy extension, that folds down to under 2". Custom Bellows UK, made them. They are for a 14X16" camera using 14X17" X-Ray film holders, which don't use the entire 17" of film available normally.

    Cameras vary...

    By the way, 'TIN CAN COLLEGE' is The School of Hard Knocks and everyone is an alumnus.

    Now it's up to the OP

    Happy Holidays everyone!

    Quote Originally Posted by Len Middleton View Post
    Randy,

    In post #3 above, he did ask a question about a 14" WA lens. The common ULF 14" WA lens I can think of is the 355 G-Claron.

    I know on my 8x10 field camera with 32" bellows length that I know I have to put the camera into major contortions to focus a 165 Angulon at infinity, in part due to bellows compression and also due to the closest distance between the front and rear standard that they can come together. I can do it, but was not the way I originally thought.

    One of those things you find out about not by research, but by trying to do, aka the School of Hard Knocks. I expect we have a large number of alumni members here...

    My experience on the issue, and no research performed for that knowledge,

    Len
    Tin Can

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    USA
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    130

    Re: Need advice on ULF bellows

    I have a Richard Ritter 16x20 camera and could barely focus a Nikon NIKKOR-W 360mm f6.5 lens at roughly 8 feet (I was photographing a Sycamore tree in tight quarters). The bellows barely compressed enough for me to focus the lens. And the lens vignetted on the negative.

    I have not tried my 355mm G-CLARON on the 16x20 , but I am skeptical it will focus at infinity...

    Daniel

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