• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

Need new bellows

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
203,590
Messages
2,856,852
Members
101,917
Latest member
Swarls
Recent bookmarks
0

mark

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
5,704
Both my 2Ds (8x10 and 5x7) need new bellows. I did a search here but I saw nothing very new. Is Ebay the way to go or is there someone else? I'm located in the US
 
I'll second the recommendation of Custom Bellows in the UK. Excellent product, fair price, quick turnaround and shipping, and consulted to help me get the best fit. Nice people and very competent.
 
Last edited:
Custom Bellows is excellent. They may even have original patterns for your bellows.
 
Custom Bellows is excellent. They may even have original patterns for your bellows.

As Glanville's made the bellows for Kodak Ltd there's a good chance they have the patters. Glanville's became Camera Bellows, who themselves became Custom bellows it's still the same family.

Kodak Ltd made Half Plate and 10x8 2D's here in the UK and finally the Half Plate Specialist 2 essentially an upgraded 2D. The British Half Plate 2D is identical in size to the US 7x5 version as they both use what's now termed International backs.

Ian
 
I’m also a satisfied customer of Custom Bellows for a 5x7 and whole plate 2D. I sent the old bellows to them and they mounted the new bellows on the frames. Custom Bellows was excellent to deal with and the bellow are very high quality. I also felt the price was very fair.

Roger
 
Another vote for Custom Bellows. You will, most likely, have to send him the original, which adds another 30 bucks or so to the cost. He is pretty insistent on that, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The only time he would sell me a bellows without the original for reference was for a Vest Pocket Kodak. The original bellows on that was pretty much dust.
 
I've got an 8x10 bellows from an abandoned project of several years ago. It's not made for a 2D: the rear opening is 10x10 and the front is 4x4 (you'll want something 7x7 ideally) and the extension is around 20 inches, though you could adapt it to work if you don't need it to look pretty. Yours for the cost of postage.
 
I needed a new bellows on my technikardan, and I could buy a Chinese bellows on eBay for about US$180. I contacted Custom Bellows to find their price, and it turns out they were barely more expensive, and, if I shipped them my old bellows, they would mount the new bellows on my old frame, saving me the trouble. The Chinese bellows were probably good too—I went with Custom Bellows, so I can’t comment on the quality of the other, but I’m a very happy customer of Custom Bellows.
 
The Chinese bellows were probably good too—

I wouldn't bet on that. I tried one of those sellers on the auctions site a while back. Even after providing exact measurements, they couldn't get the size right. I gave them two tries and ended up going to Custom Bellows. I finally did get a camera that the Chinese bellows would fit on, and it turned out they were not fully opaque!
 
I have decided to go with custom bellows. Quick and pleasant communication. Now trying to get to the PO to get things mailed out.
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom