[wolfiegirl]

UPDATE: ALL FIXED NOW. *PHEW*
Thanks for all the prompt assistance!! Please return to your stations.

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Not sure if this is the right place to post but here goes..

:ugh:

So I thought I'd be a smarty pants and try out the bellows I've got.

It's a m42 mount, so I screwed it onto my Pentax M42 adapter, and then screwed the adapter into the k100d.

Sweet. Lots of fun playing with the bellows.

But.... now I want to take the bellows off and can't................

Bellows is too big to unscrew directly from the body. It hits the flash thing that protudes out.

I can't unscrew the adapter, coz it's got the spring thing I need to use my finger nail to unscrew.

What do I do? How do I get it off? A quick search on here hasn't come up with anything that has worked. This is the closest I've gotten and the answer isn't helping me.

Starting to panic here!

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Last edited by wolfiegirl; 11-18-2011 at 09:35 PM.

[RioRico]

Does the bellows have a fairly fat pin sticking out the side of the camera mount section? Both of my M42 bellows do. If it's there, unscrew the pin to let the mount rotate. If not...

[Adam]

If you got it on you can definitely take it off again...if you loosen the bellows enough could you perhaps get to the adapter release flap?

[Tom Woj]

Could you take a pic of it with another camera so we can see how it's not able to rotate/how it's stuck?

I'd try what Adam said, maybe theres enough of a gap in between the mount's to hit that release pin?

[wolfiegirl]

Does the bellows have a fairly fat pin sticking out the side of the camera mount section? Both of my M42 bellows do. If it's there, unscrew the pin to let the mount rotate. If not...

no I took off two metal screws, but it's the base of the bellows that hits the flash head that won't make it unscrew properly.

is the adapter release flap the m42 mount thingy?

the bellows itself looks relatively well put together..although I see two microscrews along the side. Will go and take a picture (thank god I also have a spare camera).

It's a Panagor extensioin bellows for Pentax if that helps? *bites nails*

[wolfiegirl]

ok, here are pics:



And a close up of how the bellows is stuck. It's a bit tricky to focus on a manual lens (the wide angle auto is at work)



So you see if I keep turning the bottom of the bellows will hit the top of the camera...

[wolfiegirl]

okay... just started unscrewing one of the micro screws and the main part fell off. now stuck with a small metal collar that's only abt 2cm... THANK GOD.

I think I got lucky that this was an old bellows because the black collar feels sticky like glue..

anyway, I unscrewed that, and voila!!! M42 ADAPTER MY OLD FRIEND!

PHEW......... talk about panic stations!!!

I might give this bellows thing a rest for a while now. *slumps onto couch*

Thanks for the prompt assistance!!!

[Nick Siebers]

Sounds like you have it fixed. I bought a cheap set of extension tubes off eBay (no communication needed, under$10) and use the smallest one between the bellows and the body. Much easier to get it on and off.

Have fun!

[wolfiegirl]

That's a good recommendation Nick. I might do that next time. I didn't even try to look up tips on bellows when I put it on this afternoon. Just thought, right, let's have some fun..... Yeah all fun and games until the bellows doesn't want to come off... :ugh:

Might invest in some m42 extension rings, after I grab a drink and see what the results of my little bellows enlarging lens photo shoot are like

[Tom Woj]

I was gonna suggest CHAINSAW!

Too late now ...

[wolfiegirl]

I was gonna suggest CHAINSAW!

Too late now ...

bwahahaha.... yeah i can just see it now. our 1500kw chainsaw on my pwecious k100d.. *gulp* that's what nightmares are made out of Tom!

[Mike Cash]

I have the same thing and there are a couple of simple ways to remove the bellows:

Loosen the set screw so the bellows body rotates freely and bump it up against the flash. Then tighten the set screw and rotate the bellows body until it hits the flash. Repeat over and over again.

Or you can use the above technique to initially loosen the bond between the bellows body and your M42 adapter and then with the bellows collapsed and the set screw loosened insert two or three fingers inside the bellows. Spread your fingers outward so they rub the inside of the bellows mount ring and simply unscrew it from the adapter. Easy as pie.

[wolfiegirl]

I have the same thing and there are a couple of simple ways to remove the bellows:

Loosen the set screw so the bellows body rotates freely and bump it up against the flash. Then tighten the set screw and rotate the bellows body until it hits the flash. Repeat over and over again.

Or you can use the above technique to initially loosen the bond between the bellows body and your M42 adapter and then with the bellows collapsed and the set screw loosened insert two or three fingers inside the bellows. Spread your fingers outward so they rub the inside of the bellows mount ring and simply unscrew it from the adapter. Easy as pie.

Hey Mike,

Oh ok so this kind of thing is normal??? What does the first technique do? Is it supposed to unloosen the way it happened with me? I wasn't really paying attention, just tried to unscrew the micro side screw and suddenly the main bellows fell off. Considering I was on the couch and the way I had the bellows I thought perhaps gravity had simply done it...

Must admit I'm a bit skeeered to put it back on now. Might give bellows work a rest for a little while. It's not like I don't have any other macro options these days...

Another question - why would the mount ring have glue if it's supposed to unscrew and be unmounted so easily?

[excanonfd]

Buy a cheap Chinese M42 adapter, remove the spring and the screw, torque the adapter on tight to the bellows and use it like a K mount bellows.

[wolfiegirl]

good idea excanonfd! do i need one that focuses to infinity?