Bellow Repair
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- spazoid1965
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 7:36 pm
- Location: Marble Falls, Texas
Bellow Repair
This is my first post on this website. I have a question about repairing bellows. My Nikon F bellows has sprung a few small leaks. I'm still using it. But I'm having to wrap dark cloth around the bellows to keep the light out. Does anyone have any tricks or suggestions about how to fix my equipment?
- Charles Krebs
- Posts: 5865
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
- Location: Issaquah, WA USA
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Welcome!
-- "Liquid electrical tape" (lots of brands out there, and inexpensive. Just do a web search)
-- Black gaffer tape or masking tape.
-- Black fabric paint (craft, fabric or art supply store)
-- http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/home.php?cat=16
If you have a few then there's a fair chance the bellows will develop more if the leather/fabric/coating are deteriorating. (At least that was my experience back in the view camera days). So keep an eye on it.
To track down the leaks, extend the bellows in a dark room with a rear lens cap attached. Find a small flashlight (bare-bulb is best) that you can insert into the front. Move it around and look for the leaks.
f it is just a few you can usually close them up in a variety of ways.My Nikon F bellows has sprung a few small leaks
-- "Liquid electrical tape" (lots of brands out there, and inexpensive. Just do a web search)
-- Black gaffer tape or masking tape.
-- Black fabric paint (craft, fabric or art supply store)
-- http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/home.php?cat=16
If you have a few then there's a fair chance the bellows will develop more if the leather/fabric/coating are deteriorating. (At least that was my experience back in the view camera days). So keep an eye on it.
To track down the leaks, extend the bellows in a dark room with a rear lens cap attached. Find a small flashlight (bare-bulb is best) that you can insert into the front. Move it around and look for the leaks.
- spazoid1965
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 7:36 pm
- Location: Marble Falls, Texas
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- spazoid1965
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 7:36 pm
- Location: Marble Falls, Texas
Hey Peter, Do they have a website?Peter De Smidt wrote:Or have Custom Bellows in England make you a new one. They were/are the OEM maker for Sinar, Linhof, Canham, and many others.They have the bellows from my Century No. 7 as we speak. Turner and Western Bellows in the US aren't making bellows anymore.
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- Posts: 350
- Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:53 am
I am currently in the process of making and folding a new bellows. I am practicing with photocopy paper to begin with. Getting the folds right is the biggest challenge. When I have succeeded I will post what I did
Still learning,
Cameras' Sony A7rII, OLympus OMD-EM10II
Macro lenses: Printing nikkor 105mm, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G, Schneider Kreuznach Makro Iris 50mm , 2.8, Schnieder Kreuznach APO Componon HM 40mm F2.8 , Mamiya 645 120mm F4 Macro ( used with mirex tilt shift adapter), Olympus 135mm 4.5 bellows lens, Oly 80mm bellows lens, Olympus 60mm F2.8
Cameras' Sony A7rII, OLympus OMD-EM10II
Macro lenses: Printing nikkor 105mm, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G, Schneider Kreuznach Makro Iris 50mm , 2.8, Schnieder Kreuznach APO Componon HM 40mm F2.8 , Mamiya 645 120mm F4 Macro ( used with mirex tilt shift adapter), Olympus 135mm 4.5 bellows lens, Oly 80mm bellows lens, Olympus 60mm F2.8
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- Posts: 350
- Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:53 am
I gave up trying to make my own replacement bellows, making the template was time consuming. The major problem was as I expected folding the bellows; I am sure a jig of some sort is necessary. I contacted Custom Bellows. They quoted GBP 88.00 for a replacement Mamiya 645 bellows. This quote excludes VAT and postage, and I was required to send the old bellows and mounting plates to them( already with the courier) Quoted turn around time is 2-3 weeks.
Still learning,
Cameras' Sony A7rII, OLympus OMD-EM10II
Macro lenses: Printing nikkor 105mm, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G, Schneider Kreuznach Makro Iris 50mm , 2.8, Schnieder Kreuznach APO Componon HM 40mm F2.8 , Mamiya 645 120mm F4 Macro ( used with mirex tilt shift adapter), Olympus 135mm 4.5 bellows lens, Oly 80mm bellows lens, Olympus 60mm F2.8
Cameras' Sony A7rII, OLympus OMD-EM10II
Macro lenses: Printing nikkor 105mm, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G, Schneider Kreuznach Makro Iris 50mm , 2.8, Schnieder Kreuznach APO Componon HM 40mm F2.8 , Mamiya 645 120mm F4 Macro ( used with mirex tilt shift adapter), Olympus 135mm 4.5 bellows lens, Oly 80mm bellows lens, Olympus 60mm F2.8
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- Posts: 350
- Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:53 am
Just an up date I received the replacement bellows from Custom bellows a good couple of weeks ago. Its very impressive much higher quality the the original material.
Still learning,
Cameras' Sony A7rII, OLympus OMD-EM10II
Macro lenses: Printing nikkor 105mm, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G, Schneider Kreuznach Makro Iris 50mm , 2.8, Schnieder Kreuznach APO Componon HM 40mm F2.8 , Mamiya 645 120mm F4 Macro ( used with mirex tilt shift adapter), Olympus 135mm 4.5 bellows lens, Oly 80mm bellows lens, Olympus 60mm F2.8
Cameras' Sony A7rII, OLympus OMD-EM10II
Macro lenses: Printing nikkor 105mm, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G, Schneider Kreuznach Makro Iris 50mm , 2.8, Schnieder Kreuznach APO Componon HM 40mm F2.8 , Mamiya 645 120mm F4 Macro ( used with mirex tilt shift adapter), Olympus 135mm 4.5 bellows lens, Oly 80mm bellows lens, Olympus 60mm F2.8
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- Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:10 am
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