Do I need standard folding bellows if my bag bellows covers 75mm to 210mm on 4x5?
Asked 6/5/2016
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I use a 4x5 monorail camera with lenses from 75mm to 210mm. I have both standard folding bellows and bag bellows, and the bag bellows is required for my wide-angle lens. Since the bag bellows also gives me about 30 cm of extension, it seems like I could use it with the 210mm too. Is there any practical reason to carry the standard folding bellows into the field, or can the bag bellows do everything in this range?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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Only if you prefer the ease of use with folding bellows as compared to bag bellows.
Bag bellows can be prone to sag in a way that partially blocks some of the light from the lens. Depending on the type and number of movements used, it may not always be obvious from just a cursory look if part of the bag is in the light path or not.
They're also fussier to get to store correctly in a camera, such as the Sinar P2, where the front and rear standards latch together for transport. Since you haven't indicated what type of 4X5 monorail camera you have, we have no way of knowing if yours is or isn't such a camera. Of course if you have two sets of bellows with you in the field, at least one of them will be detached from the camera during transport.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—mainly for handling convenience rather than because of extension. If your bag bellows has enough extension for your 210mm, it can work across that range. But standard folding bellows can still be preferable because bag bellows may sag and intrude into the image path, especially depending on the camera movements you use. That obstruction is not always obvious at a glance. Folding bellows are often tidier and easier to manage in use and transport as well. So if the bag bellows covers your focal lengths, you don’t strictly need the folding bellows for extension; the main reasons to bring it are easier handling, less risk of sag blocking light, and possibly more convenient packing depending on your camera.
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