Dazed and Confused with Novoflex

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I am considering either a Novoflex bellows or a Leica II bellows for close-up work. I already have an OUFRO.

 

The Novoflex site, at least in English, is not a model of clarity, and there is a part that retailer sites don't offer/mention, at least under Novoflex's part name.

 

If I understand correctly, I would need:

 

Universal bellows BALPRO 1: Novoflex - Universal bellows

 

Two camera to bellows adapters (LEMA + APRO) for the M 240 per section 1a on this page: Novoflex - Adapters for BALPRO 1 / BALPRO T/S

 

Two bellows to lens adapters (PROLEI + LEI-M) for M lenses per section 2a on the same page: Novoflex - Adapters for BALPRO 1 / BALPRO T/S

 

Looking on-line, I have found retailers for all these parts except LEMA. Does anyone know what LEMA is and maybe a source?

 

I gather that I would also have to buy one of these focusing racks: Novoflex - Focusing racks

 

Does anyone have comments on what the practical differences are between these racks?

 

Finally, can anyone comment on Novoflex's product versus the Leica II?

 

I am aware of the fact that attaching a Leica II directly to an M 240 causes a major problem when it comes to detaching them. If I go the Leica II route, I would plan to use the OUFRO to create 1 cm of clearance between the camera and the bellows to avoid this problem, assuming that that is enough.

 

Thanks.

[k-hawinkler]

https://www.novoflex.com/en/products/adapters/adapter-finder/adapterfinder-datenbank-en-leica-m--canon-xl/

 

Isarfoto NOVOFLEX Adapter LEMA

 

Lenses / Novoflex Adapter / Adapter for Leica M

[luigi bertolotti]

LEMA, quickly said, is similar to OUFRO... a short ring with two bayonets :

- One, male, towards M body (M type both in OUFRO and LEMA)

- Another, female, in which you fit the Leitz Bellows (in case of OUFRO) or (in case of LEMA) the Novoflex ring which, in turn, fits the Novoflex bellows

 

The pic in this link is rather explicative : - - Per baionetta Novoflex A - LEMA

 

The Italian Novoflex dealers do list LEMA (58 Euro + VAT) ... but I haven't idea if it's ready available.

 

The Novoflex Bellows does have tripod threads , so, strictly speaking, you haven't the need to buy one of the focusing racks : of course, the focusing rack is a useful plus, which make the combo like a dual rack bellows like the Leitz bellows II : by the way, I think that if you already have the OUFRO, the best thing (and the simplest) is to find a Leitz Bellows II for M : can be it's easier to find one of them than gathering all that Novoflex codes... : I think it depends, indeed, mainly from the lens(es) you would like to use : Novoflex has the advantage to accept virtually any lens you can think of , while with Leitz Bellows II (and proper adapters) you are more addressed to Leica lenses... which, as we know well, are anyway good to use... ; but you hahe anyway lot of choice : a setup made by Bellows II + 16596/UOOND ring, allows you to mount M lenses ... add a simple LTM adapter and, for instance, you can use lenses with 39x1 thread mount like most enlarging/repro lenses (Schneider/Rodenstock etc...) which are very good for Macro work.

[Guest redge]

Thanks Luigi. That's very helpful.

 

As you say, the Novoflex system works readily with lenses from other manufacturers. In another thread, wlaidlaw says that he also likes the Novoflex's fine adjustment.

 

But the Leitz bellows II, if one can find one in good condition, is quite a bit less expensive.

 

Re k-hawinkler's post above... Novoflex says on its site that it will not sell directly to people who live in a country for which it has a distributor. The third link is to an operation in Athens, Greece called Adorama. Their logo is copied from that of Adorama in New York. This may leave one with the impression that there is a relationship between the two. There isn't. There's a thread on Fred Miranda's site to the effect that Adorama New York has tried, without success, to get this Athens operation to desist.

[k-hawinkler]

May I ask which lenses you would like to use with a bellows?

You also need a ring/adapter for that.

KEH currently has several bellows II for sale.

[Guest redge]

May I ask which lenses you would like to use with a bellows?

You also need a ring/adapter for that.

KEH currently has several bellows II for sale.

 

The 135mm f4 Tele-Elmar, first version which breaks down into two pieces, and maybe the 90mm f2 Summicron-M. Unlikely to use shorter focal lengths due to working distance.

 

I want to see whether these lenses will accomplish what I want before considering a dedicated macro lens, which would probably be from another manufacturer - one of the reasons that I'm considering the Novoflex, in addition to the suggestion that it may offer finer focusing.

 

For the Tele-Elmar, my understanding is that I need part 16464; not sure whether I also need 16472 given that the head on my version of the Tele-Elmar is detachable. Don't know what I need for the 90mm.

 

I use a macro lens on my 4x5 and nothing could be simpler, but I'm afraid I'm finding the world of 35mm bellows and adapters very confusing

 

Thanks, I know that KEH has a few copies of the bellows II. I got the OUFRO from them. As is commonly the case with KEH, the condition of the OUFRO surpassed KEH's own description. Great vendor.

 

If I go the Novoflex route, I'll buy in or from Europe. The pricing there is significantly lower than in the US.

[wlaidlaw]

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I need to make clear that my Novoflex bellows is an old one and very much less sophisticated than today’s one. I paid from memory £8 for mine S/H, against the quite expensive modern system. Mine is rather like the old Leica LTM Bellows in that it has a 39mm thread at each end, male and female. This is somewhat limiting in that you can only really use LTM lenses, lens heads with either 39mm or 33mm threads (with LEIEL or LEMAR adapters). It does give access to a huge range of enlarging lenses from Leica, Rodestock, Schneider, Rollei, Zeiss, etc, which are now dirt cheap and make excellent macro lenses and normally have a 39mm x 0.5mm thread.

 

Wilson

[farnz]

… For the Tele-Elmar, my understanding is that I need part 16464; not sure whether I also need 16472 given that the head on my version of the Tele-Elmar is detachable. Don't know what I need for the 90mm. ...

For the Tele-Elmar 135/4 on the Bellow II you won't need either the 16464 or the 16472 because they're for mounting the lens head directly onto the Visoflex II or III and focussing it; you could use them but you'll make life a whole lot more complicated and a bit more expensive. You will need a 16558, which is the adaptor plate to fit the Tele-Elmar to the Bellows II, and then you can do your adjustments from there with the rack and pinion movement etc.

 

The 16558 also works with the 90/2.8 Elmarit and 90/4 Elmar lens heads.

 

Pete.

[Guest redge]

Thanks Pete.

 

I've just ordered a Bellows II and 16558. It's a start and very affordable.

[farnz]

In case you weren't aware, don't forget to fit your OUFRO between the Bellows II and your M or the back plate of the Bellows II will obscure the lens release button and you won't be able to get the Bellows II off without dismantling it.

 

Pete.

[Guest redge]

In case you weren't aware, don't forget to fit your OUFRO between the Bellows II and your M or the back plate of the Bellows II will obscure the lens release button and you won't be able to get the Bellows II off without dismantling it.

 

Pete.

 

Yes, I've read the thread about that

[wlaidlaw]

I have a spare bellows II to LTM39mm adapter that is useless to me. It is FREE to any LUF member for the cost of postage. It is not worth enough for me to bother putting it on Fleabay.

 

Wilson

[Guest redge]

Hi Wilson. I sent you a private message. I can see trying this adaptor with an enlarging lens, or maybe an old ciné lens. I think that some of the latter came in LTM.

 

Cheers

[Guest redge]

I should have the bellows II and 16558 adapter for the 135mm Tele-Elmar the day after tomorrow.

 

I'm fairly happy with how Live View and Focus Peaking work with the OUFRO 1cm extension ring/tube, but the bellows will provide much more control over magnification. If one is used to using a large format monorail camera, an OUFRO by itself is somewhat frustrating. That said, I can see how owning two of them, sometimes stacked, could be interesting.

 

Will post further when I have had a chance to try out the bellows. I'll use it for still photography, but I'm particularly interested in using it for M 240 video.

 

I should add that I used the multifunction hand grip, and Leica Shuttle, yesterday and today to try out the OUFRO with 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm lenses, and found the tethering function very helpful. It sure speeds things up.

 

Thanks again to everyone who has helped me get through the technical and nomenclature logjam on this.

[Nick_S]

Re k-hawinkler's post above... Novoflex says on its site that it will not sell directly to people who live in a country for which it has a distributor. The third link is to an operation in Athens, Greece called Adorama. Their logo is copied from that of Adorama in New York. This may leave one with the impression that there is a relationship between the two. There isn't. There's a thread on Fred Miranda's site to the effect that Adorama New York has tried, without success, to get this Athens operation to desist.

 

I have bought from Adorama in Athens (a Nikon ED5000 film scanner, Gosson Digisix meter), but they don' t have much stock, many items they just look up on the computer and bring them in a week or two later. They did manage to get me the hard to find FH-3 single negative film holder for the scanner a couple of years ago.

 

However, for Novoflex in Greece, the official distributor is also the Leica distributor, that is Skiadopoulos, round the corner in Platia Kanigos, Athens:

 

Novoflex - Adressen Auslandsvertretungen

 

Nick