Another "What do I do Now" Question...

Is your Calumet the wide angle (architecture version) or the normal camera? I assume that you're referring to the 400 series, right? The architecture camera has the standards configured so that they'll smoosh together closer to accomodate shorter lenses. It's been awhile since I've had one of these (snif!) so maybe someone else here knows how to identify the them.
If you've got one, you're sittin' pretty!

My own experience with a 4.5 90mm Nikkor on a Sinar P:

Bag bellows - essential, especially for big shifts, you just cant bend them that way without damaging them

Recessed lens board - I've only twice thought it'd be helpful, both times trying to focus major tilts but in stopping down the lens and using a hyperfocal infinity focus I got around the issue... The real solution would be that Sinar didn't make the P standard rail connection blocks or tripod thingies as large as they do, maybe not an issue with your camera - maybe it is, hence the different opinions...

If anyone says their bellows works then either they have a super soft/short one (no good for portraiture on longer focal lengths) or their lens has poop coverage and/or they just aren't shifting enough to notice...

John Kasaian said:

Is your Calumet the wide angle (architecture version) or the normal camera? I assume that you're referring to the 400 series, right? The architecture camera has the standards configured so that they'll smoosh together closer to accomodate shorter lenses. It's been awhile since I've had one of these (snif!) so maybe someone else here knows how to identify the them.
If you've got one, you're sittin' pretty!

Click to expand...

Hi John. I'm not sure if mine is a 400 series or not, but from what I get, my model is the standard version of the year this particular camera was manufactured. I don't think that is architecture specific, but from what I get it does have very flexible bellows, and for what its worth I don't think there are even any bag bellows made for it. There is a recessed board though...

I use a Caltar 90mmf5.6 HR (the Topcon made lens) on my Wista DX with a flat Linhof board. The bellows are the limiting factor for shift/rise/fall. If I had a camera with a bag bellows option I'd use it, but I can do all I need to do with the fixed bellows. If you want to push a 90mm f5.6 to the limits of coverage then a bag bellows is probably wise. This lens uses 77mm filters, and the rear element is almost as large - it only just fits through the Wista's front standard