Stearman 445 tank

I'm afraid we've been a bit slow here. We should have emphasised the bellows earlier, but we only made a fleeting reference.
 
Darren Lewey said:
It appears after testing the bellows at night with a flashlight that the source is there. Quite porous. Usage in bright sun in the last couple of months must have worn the material which was already fading. If someone can suggest a UK fitter of new bellows that would be fantastic and in the meantime would placing a cloth over the top suffice? Thanks.
Click to expand...

What camera ? I've restored a few sets of bellows over the years.

Ian
 
Toyo 45A mark 2. The bellows were initially fine at first, at least with the 180 lens. Problems occurred with the 300mm which may be down to extending the bellows and thus revealing issues. Usage in bright sun in the last month may have caused faster deterioration.
 
A latest with the bellows covered with a piece of material. I've had no light leakage for interiors. Fomapan 200 rated 100, 1/15, f5.6, 10 mins.
 

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Yes, a longer lens will expose any holes in the bellows. The other factor is that the film is exposed to light leaks for the whole time that the sheath is withdrawn. This can be much longer that the nominal exposure time as you may be adjusting the shutter or waiting for clouds to move or for the appropriate expression on a sitter's face.
There are also Chinese bellows available for your camera on Ebay, if you are interested.
I'm very pleased that you've arrived at solution.
 
Darren Lewey said:
Toyo 45A mark 2. The bellows were initially fine at first, at least with the 180 lens. Problems occurred with the 300mm which may be down to extending the bellows and thus revealing issues. Usage in bright sun in the last month may have caused faster deterioration.
Click to expand...

I asked because I can often repair some types of bellows. I used to be able to get some thin black light proof repair tape (black or brown) I think it was repackaged 3M tape which is only available in a large quantity and is very expensive, it was great for repairs to bellows like the Toyo ones or Graflex Crow/Speed and Super Graphics and the repair is permanent and almost invisible.

A couple of years ago I restored a Speed Graphic for a friend and he'd bought some Chinese bellows which I fitted for him, they were excellent quality and reasonably priced. They are made by the same people who make bellows for Chinese LF cameras.

Ian
 
Here's a link to the Chinese bellows. I am only the messenger, so you'd need to check before buying.
www.ebay.co.uk

For TOYO 45A 45A II 45CF 45AX 4x5 Large Format Camera Professional Made Bellows | eBay UK

Brand New Bellows For TOYO 45A 45A II 4x5 Large Format Product: 4x5 bellows. Suitable for: Toyo 45A, 45A II. Material: Two layers synthetic fiber with special coating to avoid light leakage. Bellows color: Black or red, please specify bellows color or we will ship it randomly, mostly black...
www.ebay.co.uk
 
That's where the Speed/Crown Graphic bellows came from. I've bought lens boards and various other bits from them including Fresnel lenses - one for y Yashicamat 124 but I put it in my Microcord instead.

Ian
 
I've also bought from these people and everything has been satisfactory. I can't speak for the bellows specifically.
 
This might be useful.
I've not used it myself, so I'm only the messenger. It might not be enough for really bad cases where replacement is the answer.

www.ebay.co.uk

Camera Bellow Repair Kit - BRAND NEW | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Camera Bellow Repair Kit - BRAND NEW at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.
www.ebay.co.uk
 
Thanks. I'm going to head to custom bellows in Birmingham for a new fitting.
 
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The newly replaced bellows from Custom Bellows are working nicely. Visiting their unit, I was surprised to find a larger operation than expected. The bellows are double lined. They did say that Toyo have a reputation for poor quality bellows and that some US buyers of the camera throw the bellows and get new fittings from CB before using the camera. The cost was £115 inc. fitting to the frames which took about 10 minutes.
 
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