Looking for place that works on Kodak folding cameras (cla/new bellows)

Disconnekt · Jul 26, 2023

I have a Kodak Monitor Six-20 (6x9) & a 3A Series III (122 "large" format) camera that I want to get cla'ed & new bellows installed.

Anybody here know who works on Kodak folding cameras that I can send those two cameras to? I already emailed Jurgen (certo6) and he said he doesnt work on kodak folding cameras anymore, Blue Moon Camera doesnt work on them. I messaged another place in Portland, waiting for them to answer, looking for other places as a "just in case"

waynecrider · Jul 26, 2023

Just checked what my Monitor is and it's a 616. The bellows is good tho, lens isn't good.

Here's a bunch of info on one site: https://mikeeckman.com/2016/02/kodak-monitor-six-20-1940/

Another idea: A lot of guy around here hack their bellows cameras and make a snout for them which would not
require a bellows. There are some really nice pictures in

Camera Building, Repairs & Modification

Check it out.

Sirius Glass · Jul 26, 2023

Steve's Camera Repair in Culver City California has worked on my Pacemaker Speed Graphic.

Steve's Camera Service Center

4355 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230, United States

+1 310 397 0072|

nosmok · Jul 27, 2023

The Monitor, while not impossible to fix, is in fact very difficult to replace a bellows on-- which sucks, because 1) they will all need bellows replacement at some point thanks to those terrible synthetic OEM units that last maybe a third as long as leather would have, and 2) the Monitor is engineered to within an inch of its life and is tough for non-specialists to work on (I had one that had been sent back to EK twice-- 2 different repair stickers to prove it). It's probably easier to take that wonderful lens off and put it on something else-- I have done this to good effect-- unless you have a ton of 620 (and no 120) film.

blee1996 · Jul 27, 2023

I have a few Kodak folders including Monitor Six-20. The Ektar/Anastar/Anaston lenses are wonderful. The simpler shutters are fine, while the 800 shutter is more problematic.

Since they are so cheap to buy (especially if you are patient), I would probably just find another better sample than trying to CLA them.

@nosmok idea of transplanting Kodak lens to 120 folder is a good one. And there are infinite models of German 6x9 folders to migrate to.

John Wiegerink · Jul 27, 2023

First, I confess to loving the older semi-pro and pro Kodak cameras from the 40's and 50's. Was Kodak perfect? Very near perfect at the time, but when somebody at Eastman Kodak decided (probably a bean counter) to use a man-made bellows instead of leather they errored. While they were good for a while they just didn't hold up and small little creatures liked dining on the inside of the bellows. Must have tasted good to those little guys I guess. I've replace several bellows on these Kodaks and while not easy it's certainly not impossible either. I have a user Kodak Monitor 620 that I have completely gone over and it's one of the finest picture takers I have. It has the red letter (SPECIAL) lens on it and is as good or better than any of the Tessa's on my Zeiss Super Ikonta cameras. I also have several Kodak 3A cameras, but their bellows seem to hold up much better. If you search the big auction site you can find Kodak replacement bellows from time to time, but the bellows for both the Monitor 616 and 620 are hard to come by. Kodak bellows are always numbered and you just watch for the number bellows you need. The numbers for the Monitor 620 is #69895 and for a Monitor 616 it's #63681.

anthonym3 · Jul 27, 2023

waynecrider said:
Just checked what my Monitor is and it's a 616. The bellows is good tho, lens isn't good.

Here's a bunch of info on one site: https://mikeeckman.com/2016/02/kodak-monitor-six-20-1940/

Another idea: A lot of guy around here hack their bellows cameras and make a snout for them which would not
require a bellows. There are some really nice pictures in

Camera Building, Repairs & Modification

Check it out

waynecrider said:
Just checked what my Monitor is and it's a 616. The bellows is good tho, lens isn't good.

Here's a bunch of info on one site: https://mikeeckman.com/2016/02/kodak-monitor-six-20-1940/

Another idea: A lot of guy around here hack their bellows cameras and make a snout for them which would not
require a bellows. There are some really nice pictures in

Camera Building, Repairs & Modification

Check it out.

I have a fairly clean, dust inside126 4.5 kodak anastigmat from a MONITOR 616 that is in working condition that probably need a cla. I also have a donor body pinholes in the bellows. Would you like to make an offer?

Disconnekt · Jul 27, 2023

Someone had send me a link to a photographers site named Jim Grey talking about pinholes in bellows (here: https://blog.jimgrey.net/2022/05/24/repairing-bellows-pinholes-in-folding-cameras/) & mention a UK photographer Sandeha Lynch saying he made bellows for various medium & large format cameras (http://www.sandehalynch.com/camerawork/bellows.php). I messaged him & he said he made bellows for the Kodak Monitor Six-20 before. it'll take a week or so to get done, then mailed it to me (£58 shipped, ~$78usd).

He said he doesn't do designs/bellows for the Kodak 3A anymore, but said to message www.custombellows.co.uk and they should be able to make the bellows for me.

Disconnekt · Jul 27, 2023

Out of the 10 or so places I emailed, only two places said they can do a cla & install new bellows (just not make them) for the Kodak Monitor 620 & Kodak 3A.

Kurts Camera Repair in San Diego, CA said the can do a cla & install the bellows for ~$250.

Camera Service Pro said they could also do a cla & install the bellows, but you would have to mail it in to get an estimate.

John Wiegerink · Jul 27, 2023

There is a seller from China on the big auction site that sells replacement bellows. He says he can make to order and his seller ID is "mytongguy". If it were me I'd pull the bellows and send it to him. He said send measurements, but if it were me I'd pull the bellows and send it directly to him. As far as any specialized Kodak repair personnel???? Most have probably died off by now. Still, most any good repair person could CLA a Monitor as it's pretty straight forward and not that difficult. If I can do it most folks reading this can.

Terence · Jul 31, 2023

John Wiegerink said:
First, I confess to loving the older semi-pro and pro Kodak cameras from the 40's and 50's. Was Kodak perfect? Very near perfect at the time, but when somebody at Eastman Kodak decided (probably a bean counter) to use a man-made bellows instead of leather they errored. While they were good for a while they just didn't hold up and small little creatures liked dining on the inside of the bellows. Must have tasted good to those little guys I guess. I've replace several bellows on these Kodaks and while not easy it's certainly not impossible either. I have a user Kodak Monitor 620 that I have completely gone over and it's one of the finest picture takers I have. It has the red letter (SPECIAL) lens on it and is as good or better than any of the Tessa's on my Zeiss Super Ikonta cameras. I also have several Kodak 3A cameras, but their bellows seem to hold up much better. If you search the big auction site you can find Kodak replacement bellows from time to time, but the bellows for both the Monitor 616 and 620 are hard to come by. Kodak bellows are always numbered and you just watch for the number bellows you need. The numbers for the Monitor 620 is #69895 and for a Monitor 616 it's #63681.

Google isn't turning up anything for me. Any idea what the bellows number is for a Kodak No2 Hawkette, 6x9? I have one of the Bakelite ones in otherwise sweet condition, but the bellows is shot. I emailed Sandeha Lynch, but never heard back, unfortunately.

John Wiegerink · Jul 31, 2023

Terence said:
Google isn't turning up anything for me. Any idea what the bellows number is for a Kodak No2 Hawkette, 6x9? I have one of the Bakelite ones in otherwise sweet condition, but the bellows is shot. I emailed Sandeha Lynch, but never heard back, unfortunately.

No, I can't find anything. I think these were British made and were given away as some promotion type thing and never sold. If I had to guess I'd say the bellows off a Kodak Jiffy 620 might be a good close fit. That might be your only choice.

Disconnekt · Aug 8, 2023

I emailed

Disconnekt said:
Someone had send me a link to a photographers site named Jim Grey talking about pinholes in bellows (here: https://blog.jimgrey.net/2022/05/24/repairing-bellows-pinholes-in-folding-cameras/) & mention a UK photographer Sandeha Lynch saying he made bellows for various medium & large format cameras (http://www.sandehalynch.com/camerawork/bellows.php). I messaged him & he said he made bellows for the Kodak Monitor Six-20 before. it'll take a week or so to get done, then mailed it to me (£58 shipped, ~$78usd).

He said he doesn't do designs/bellows for the Kodak 3A anymore, but said to message www.custombellows.co.uk and they should be able to make the bellows for me.

I got the bellows from Sandeha. Took roughly a week to get them. Ordered from him the July 27th, he sent 'em out August 1st & I got 'em on the 5th.

I sent the Kodak Monitor & bellows to Kurt's Camera Repair down in San Diego. When I first messaged them he had gave me a rough estimate of $250 to do a CLA & to replace the bellows, I just had to supply the bellows.
.
I had asked if they could order the bellows for the 3A through through either nabell.com (they need the specs in order to make them) or through Custom Bellows (they're in the UK, they need the bellows in order to send me the right ones), but they said no.

So for the Kodak 3A, I dont have a way to get the bellows taken out to get one made from CB, unless a repair place does it (dont feel comfortable taking the bellows out myself). I may message Camera Service Co (down in Georgia) down the road to see if they can "be the middle man" to get the bellows from CB & I'll (obviously) pay them for it.

nosmok · Aug 11, 2023

Disconnekt said:
I emailed

I got the bellows from Sandeha. Took roughly a week to get them. Ordered from him the July 27th, he sent 'em out August 1st & I got 'em on the 5th.

I sent the Kodak Monitor & bellows to Kurt's Camera Repair down in San Diego. When I first messaged them he had gave me a rough estimate of $250 to do a CLA & to replace the bellows, I just had to supply the bellows.
.
I had asked if they could order the bellows for the 3A through through either nabell.com (they need the specs in order to make them) or through Custom Bellows (they're in the UK, they need the bellows in order to send me the right ones), but they said no.

So for the Kodak 3A, I dont have a way to get the bellows taken out to get one made from CB, unless a repair place does it (dont feel comfortable taking the bellows out myself). I may message Camera Service Co (down in Georgia) down the road to see if they can "be the middle man" to get the bellows from CB & I'll (obviously) pay them for it.

1) It might be possible to find NOS Kodak 3A bellows on ePay, or other 3A format bellows that would fit. I did that a few years back, maybe 5 years or so. It helps if you have the catalog number, which is findable online with diligent searching, but just knowing that 3A roll film, type 122, has a negative 3-1/4" x 5-1/2" and that the lenses are `6.5-7.5 inches FL at infinity (so ~9"-10" length extended for 6' focus) will get you close.

2) Removing and replacing the bellows on a 3A is a hell of a lot easier than on the 620 Monitor. I've done it on a couple 3A's but have never succeeded on a Monitor in several attempts.

Looking for place that works on Kodak folding cameras (cla/new bellows)

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