Thanks, another good nugget of info and some great advice. I don't know why I didn't think of that, seems so obvious now.
Probably because I didn't receive my bellows yet.
FYI - I found a "Pentax Bellows A and slide copier attachment A" and it's on the way to me now.
It's funny, because I also found and on-line manual for the bellows, and even though there is an "M" model, and I got the "A" model, I can't see where there is anything more automatic about the "A" than the "M" was.
Oh well, it looks like it is built like a tank. Should get the job done.
I'll prolly have more questions once I get my hands on the thing,
Thanks again,
Eric
Originally posted by Not a Number A mechanical cable release is handy. It can just be a standard (single) cable. If you have the Auto Bellow (M42) or Auto Bellows-K/M/A when used with an auto lens of the appropriate mount (m42 for m42, K-mount for K-mount) you can focus/compose wide open and then stop the lens down with the cable. The cable socket on the Auto Bellows is also a button that you can press and lock by twisting it so you can still stop down the lens without a cable. The advantage of using a cable is that you don't have to touch the lens or button to stop down thus avoiding possibly jarring or moving the lens/bellows.
I have a nice vitage Minolta cable release that has a locking collar around the button which makes one handed operation a snap. The more common thumbscrew lock is a little more clumsy to operate with one-hand.
You can use the dual cable release with a single connection to the bellows only.
If you are using available lighting I recommend you meter wide open and calculate the EV shift for the appropriate shutter speed at the f-stop you will be shooting at. There may not be enough light with the lens stopped down to get a meter reading.