Working with Bellows

[ldhrads]

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I have now put together my M9, Visoflex 3 and leica bellows 2.

 

I have never worked with Bellows for close up.

 

It seems that this takes me very close!!! I have my 35 cron mounted on the bellows.

 

Any helpful suggestions would be great!!!

 

Thanks

 

I'm putting this on the M9 forum as well to get some feedback

[Michael Hiles]

That kits is for CLOSE UPS.

 

To focus you will have an easier time with the adjuster that moves the whole unit rather than just the lens.

[zeitz]

The rangefinder coupled lenses are really not ideal for bellows use unless you want super close up. Many of the longer lenses from 90mm and up have removable lens heads that can be mounted to the bellows with adapters. The 65mm Elmar was make specifically for bellows work. It will focus from inifinity to close up when mounted on bellows II. This subject can take pages to describe. I recommend buying a Leica catalog on ebay from the period of 1960 to 1984 to get the diagrams of how the Visoflex system works. The good news is that most of the rings and adapters are readily available and at reasonable prices.

[Guest Ron (Netherlands)]

The rangefinder coupled lenses are really not ideal for bellows use unless you want super close up. Many of the longer lenses from 90mm and up have removable lens heads that can be mounted to the bellows with adapters. The 65mm Elmar was make specifically for bellows work. It will focus from inifinity to close up when mounted on bellows II. This subject can take pages to describe. I recommend buying a Leica catalog on ebay from the period of 1960 to 1984 to get the diagrams of how the Visoflex system works. The good news is that most of the rings and adapters are readily available and at reasonable prices.

 

Indeed 35mm lenses are not very suited for this purpose: I mostly use the 90mm Summicron, Elmar or 135mm (Hektor) lens.

[spydrxx]

The 90 & 135mm lenses, for me are the most versatile on the bellows, followed by the 65 (which I no longer own). The shorter focal lengths, which can be used, IMHO. bring one too close to the subject, making lighting difficult. I'll try to attach an old Visoflex chart which may be of use to you.

[AlanG]

You could probably get some old enlarging lenses and process lenses for almost nothing. They'd be ideal. Many are in Leica screw mount.

[luigi bertolotti]

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If you can mount your Summicron 35 on the bellows 2, it means that it has the proper adapter to mount bayonet mount lenses: 35 is not the best focal for such a combo (it enlarges a lot, and Summicron isn't optimized fro such works with subject almost in touch with front lens): as other have said, 90 and 135 are the best, expecially if you dismount the bayonet adapter, take the proper adapters and use the lens unit only of lenses like the Tele Elmar 135 or Elmar/Elmarit 90 (personally, I expecially like the lenshead of Elmar 90 f4 3 elements)