Does macro photography still use bellows?

justtakingpics · 04-21-2010, 04:58 AM

Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here.

Use to you used bellows to get really good macro photography? Is this still the way to get this type of photo? Magnifying diopters never get close enough. I mean really really small worlds.

Thanks.

jerrymcg · 04-21-2010, 05:36 AM

I've been using bellows for about 35 years and continue to do so. I perfer them to macro lenses. Of course the macro lens has more flexability but, for really close up work, nothing like a bellows.

flippedgazelle · 04-21-2010, 05:40 AM

Yup, folks still use bellows, though many folks use extension tubes since they are more portable.

**grey goat** · 04-21-2010, 07:50 AM

I've never used a bellows, though I've wanted one in the past, and wouldn't mind having one.

I do have a set of Pentax K extension tubes, though. And a Kiron 105 macro, as well as an EBC Fujinon 55/3.5 macro.

**Lowell Goudge** · 04-21-2010, 12:11 PM

depending on the bellows and lens, a bellows is much more useable.

my bellows

Is a home project.

It began as a miranda bellows with a soligor 135mm F2.8 lens which was designed to mount on a bellows. (no focusing helix and the barrel was too short on its own to mount on a camera)

The lens had a defective aperture that could not be repaired.

I bought a 135mm enlarging lens with 18 blade aperture and mounted it in a T mount adaptor.

I also have a set of miranda extension tubes (also shown) that let me go way past 1:1.

What makes this user friendly is that the bellows has a second slide on it, in the middle, where you mount on a tripod. what you do is set the extension where you want it for magnification ratio (there is ascale on the bellows for this) and then you can slide the whole assembly back and fourth for close focus, and then do a fine adjust with the rack and pinion focusing.

With a macro lens to achieve the same type of control you need a macro focusing rail to mount the camera onto.

The other advantage with a bellows, of course, is that you can change the focal length by changing lenses, If I put a 50mm on this I coulf get 3:1 enlargement easily, and perhaps more.

stover98074 · 04-24-2010, 02:40 PM

I user yesterday's gear with today's DSLR cameras for macro work. If you are okay with using manual focus lenses this is a great solution.

Here is a link on the process.

Here is a link to sample photos taken with the bellows and manual focus lenses:

Macro Bellows Flowers - stover98074's Photos

justtakingpics · 04-25-2010, 07:07 AM

How much money did you spend on your macro outfit?

**Lowell Goudge** · 04-25-2010, 07:44 AM

Originally posted by justtakingpics

How much money did you spend on your macro outfit?

I have 3 different macro kits.

The bellows I showed cost $125 to put toghether, the most expensive part was the enlarging lens. the bellows itself was about 30 and the extension tubes are about 10,

I have an M42 kit with an SMC 50mm F4 Tak, a set of Pentax M42 extension tubes, a M42 pentax focusing helix (15-30mm variable extension tube) all of which cost me $100

I have a K mount kit with SMC-M 100mm F4, vivitar auto extension tubes. all of which I bought in the 1980's for about $200 at the time.

stover98074 · 04-25-2010, 08:41 AM

I bought the bellows as part of bundled purchase. I am guessing they would cost between $50 and $70 in decent shape. I paid about $70 for four enlarging lenses (50mm, 75mm, 105mm and 135mm). I would say the average price is $25 to $30 per lens. The lenses are not in the best of shape - and I do not notice any adverse effect on my photos. The bellows were almost new even though they were manufactured 40 years ago. The owner never used them.

Ben_Edict · 04-25-2010, 12:19 PM

I have an original Pentax bellows (K-mount), which I still use for extreme macros. I use it either with one of my "normal" macro lenses or with my Canon 25mm loupe lens, which can give me extreme magnifications, beyond 1:10. This is nearing photomicroscopy and lighting gets more difficult.

Ben

Blue · 04-25-2010, 01:20 PM

Originally posted by justtakingpics

Use to you used bellows to get really good macro photography? Is this still the way to get this type of photo? Magnifying diopters never get close enough. I mean really really small worlds.

Thanks.

Bellows are still being used for macro, especially for greater than 1:1. Keep in mind that bellows have always been a special piece of equipment for a very specialized use. There may actually be more people using them overall now than 20 to 30 years ago.

axl · 04-25-2010, 03:20 PM

how does one use bellows anyway?
sorry for silly question but I have no bliming idea....

Ben_Edict · 04-25-2010, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by axl

how does one use bellows anyway?
sorry for silly question but I have no bliming idea....

It is nothing else, but a flexible extension tube. Instead of the rigid tube you have a flexible bellows, which's length you can adjust. To make precise adjustments and keep the lens mounting flange on one end of the bellows parallel to the camera mounting flange on the other, there ist usually a set of rails or one more massive single rail under the bellows, and the bellows is fixed to the two standards, that run on those rails.

Ben

axl · 04-25-2010, 03:33 PM

Thanks Ben..

pbo · 04-25-2010, 05:34 PM

I just won the bellows from ebay (Asahi Pentax Auto Bellows from this auction), gonna try them out soon with some enlarger lenses... The price I think was reasonable - 50 bucks for the whole package plus shipping, no lens though... will have to look around for some affordable enlarger lenses, but then I'd also need an m39 adapter and a M42-PK adapter... Damn you and your article stover98074

Oh, and I'm planning to make the camera end into PK by gluing onto it a cheap ring adapter with its little metal piece taken out, and then put a little hole to retain the bellows position on camera.

04-21-2010, 04:58 AM	#1
justtakingpics Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 288	Does macro photography still use bellows? Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Use to you used bellows to get really good macro photography? Is this still the way to get this type of photo? Magnifying diopters never get close enough. I mean really really small worlds. Thanks.

04-21-2010, 05:36 AM	#2
jerrymcg Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Enfield, Ct. Posts: 1	bellows use I've been using bellows for about 35 years and continue to do so. I perfer them to macro lenses. Of course the macro lens has more flexability but, for really close up work, nothing like a bellows.

04-24-2010, 02:40 PM	#6
stover98074 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 153	Pentax Auto Bellows I user yesterday's gear with today's DSLR cameras for macro work. If you are okay with using manual focus lenses this is a great solution. Here is a link on the process. Here is a link to sample photos taken with the bellows and manual focus lenses: Macro Bellows Flowers - stover98074's Photos Last edited by stover98074; 05-08-2010 at 09:39 AM.

04-25-2010, 08:41 AM	#9
stover98074 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 153	Bellows Cost I bought the bellows as part of bundled purchase. I am guessing they would cost between $50 and $70 in decent shape. I paid about $70 for four enlarging lenses (50mm, 75mm, 105mm and 135mm). I would say the average price is $25 to $30 per lens. The lenses are not in the best of shape - and I do not notice any adverse effect on my photos. The bellows were almost new even though they were manufactured 40 years ago. The owner never used them. Last edited by stover98074; 05-08-2010 at 09:40 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Canon ef macro - fd bellows	Eric 130152	Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands	6	08-31-2010 05:04 AM
For Sale - Sold: Everything Macro: Bellows, Ext. Tubes, Macro Lenses	MikeDubU	Sold Items	12	03-14-2009 07:10 PM
A macro tutorial with bellows	Peter Zack	Photography Articles	74	02-21-2009 12:14 PM
just got a macro bellows!	timbo13	Post Your Photos!	10	08-26-2008 04:24 AM
1st macro from bellows	Douglas_of_Sweden	Post Your Photos!	7	04-26-2008 06:54 PM

04-21-2010, 05:40 AM	#3
flippedgazelle Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NJ, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,270	Yup, folks still use bellows, though many folks use extension tubes since they are more portable.

04-21-2010, 07:50 AM	#4
grey goat Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Spring Green, WI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 926	I've never used a bellows, though I've wanted one in the past, and wouldn't mind having one. I do have a set of Pentax K extension tubes, though. And a Kiron 105 macro, as well as an EBC Fujinon 55/3.5 macro.

04-21-2010, 12:11 PM	#5
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,887	depending on the bellows and lens, a bellows is much more useable. my bellows Is a home project. It began as a miranda bellows with a soligor 135mm F2.8 lens which was designed to mount on a bellows. (no focusing helix and the barrel was too short on its own to mount on a camera) The lens had a defective aperture that could not be repaired. I bought a 135mm enlarging lens with 18 blade aperture and mounted it in a T mount adaptor. I also have a set of miranda extension tubes (also shown) that let me go way past 1:1. What makes this user friendly is that the bellows has a second slide on it, in the middle, where you mount on a tripod. what you do is set the extension where you want it for magnification ratio (there is ascale on the bellows for this) and then you can slide the whole assembly back and fourth for close focus, and then do a fine adjust with the rack and pinion focusing. With a macro lens to achieve the same type of control you need a macro focusing rail to mount the camera onto. The other advantage with a bellows, of course, is that you can change the focal length by changing lenses, If I put a 50mm on this I coulf get 3:1 enlargement easily, and perhaps more.

04-25-2010, 07:07 AM	#7
justtakingpics Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 288 Original Poster	How much money did you spend on your macro outfit?

04-25-2010, 07:44 AM	#8
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,887	Originally posted by justtakingpics How much money did you spend on your macro outfit? I have 3 different macro kits. The bellows I showed cost $125 to put toghether, the most expensive part was the enlarging lens. the bellows itself was about 30 and the extension tubes are about 10, I have an M42 kit with an SMC 50mm F4 Tak, a set of Pentax M42 extension tubes, a M42 pentax focusing helix (15-30mm variable extension tube) all of which cost me $100 I have a K mount kit with SMC-M 100mm F4, vivitar auto extension tubes. all of which I bought in the 1980's for about $200 at the time.

04-25-2010, 12:19 PM	#10
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	I have an original Pentax bellows (K-mount), which I still use for extreme macros. I use it either with one of my "normal" macro lenses or with my Canon 25mm loupe lens, which can give me extreme magnifications, beyond 1:10. This is nearing photomicroscopy and lighting gets more difficult. Ben

04-25-2010, 01:20 PM	#11
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by justtakingpics Use to you used bellows to get really good macro photography? Is this still the way to get this type of photo? Magnifying diopters never get close enough. I mean really really small worlds. Thanks. Bellows are still being used for macro, especially for greater than 1:1. Keep in mind that bellows have always been a special piece of equipment for a very specialized use. There may actually be more people using them overall now than 20 to 30 years ago.

04-25-2010, 03:20 PM	#12
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	how does one use bellows anyway? sorry for silly question but I have no bliming idea....

04-25-2010, 03:32 PM	#13
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by axl how does one use bellows anyway? sorry for silly question but I have no bliming idea.... It is nothing else, but a flexible extension tube. Instead of the rigid tube you have a flexible bellows, which's length you can adjust. To make precise adjustments and keep the lens mounting flange on one end of the bellows parallel to the camera mounting flange on the other, there ist usually a set of rails or one more massive single rail under the bellows, and the bellows is fixed to the two standards, that run on those rails. Ben

04-25-2010, 03:33 PM	#14
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Thanks Ben..

04-25-2010, 05:34 PM	#15
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	I just won the bellows from ebay (Asahi Pentax Auto Bellows from this auction), gonna try them out soon with some enlarger lenses... The price I think was reasonable - 50 bucks for the whole package plus shipping, no lens though... will have to look around for some affordable enlarger lenses, but then I'd also need an m39 adapter and a M42-PK adapter... Damn you and your article stover98074 Oh, and I'm planning to make the camera end into PK by gluing onto it a cheap ring adapter with its little metal piece taken out, and then put a little hole to retain the bellows position on camera.