Super Speedex (Super Isolette) bellows replacement

Mike Bates · Jul 6, 2017

Does anyone have a procedure for removing and replacing the bellows for a Super Speedex (same as the Super Isolette)? It's easy and I've done it several times for other Speedex or Isolette folders, but the Super Speedex is built quite differently in that regard.

I have the front of the bellows disconnected from the shutter. In fact, I have the entire shutter and lens assembly out of the camera.

The back of the bellows appears to attach to the camera near the film plane by eight tiny screws on the lens/folder side of the camera. With some patience and the purchase of longer 1.2mm slotted screwdriver, I've removed seven of the eight screws, but see no way to reach the 8th screw without further disassembly.

It isn't obvious what else needs to be disassembled to reach the bellows screws. I'd rather not disassemble more than needed because it gets a little complicated beyond where I'm at right now.

stan_1 · Feb 29, 2024

Have you found an answer to that question? I have the same problem.

Saganich · Feb 29, 2024

You might try asking Jurgen Kreckel (aka Certo6 online)

stan_1 · Feb 29, 2024

I read about Jurgen Kreckel, but he is running a repair business. Not sure whether he is interested in sharing the technique. I contacted him to ask.

titrisol · Mar 4, 2024

Sandeha Lynch, he sells replacement bellows and has very clear instructions both in his website and included with the new bellows

Also AlexVaras might be able to help you

Alex Varas · Mar 5, 2024

I have one Super Isolette here and I took a look of mine as well. I can’t say how it’s done because I never have done it. If I would have one in need of bellows changing I would do whatever is necessary, not saying OP didn’t tried enough.

Indeed it’s different that Isolette cameras or Record 6x9.

Taking a new look now with a flashlight I guess the bellows are clamped into a frame and the frame is screwed from the front. I can see 4 screws (painted black, hard to see) on each corner of that frame. Having the lens attached into the camera doesn’t allow me to see further but I would try those 4 screws. Put drops of acetone on each screw because they seem to me very easily to brake.

Attached one photo of one corner.

I hope this helps.

stan_1 · Mar 5, 2024

Alex Varas said:
I have one Super Isolette here and I took a look of mine as well. I can’t say how it’s done because I never have done it. If I would have one in need of bellows changing I would do whatever is necessary, not saying OP didn’t tried enough.

Indeed it’s different that Isolette cameras or Record 6x9.

Taking a new look now with a flashlight I guess the bellows are clamped into a frame and the frame is screwed from the front. I can see 4 screws (painted black, hard to see) on each corner of that frame. Having the lens attached into the camera doesn’t allow me to see further but I would try those 4 screws. Put drops of acetone on each screw because they seem to me very easily to brake.

Attached one photo of one corner.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for your reply. There are actually 8 screws: in the corners and in the middle of each side. But to unscrew them and screw them back on with the new bellows is really difficult without removing the front flap. So the big problem is how to remove the front flap?

I shave actually managed to unscrew all the small screws with the front flap on, but there is no way to get the plate out of the camera even with the bellows removed. At least none that I can find, without unscrewing the front flap. And as I mentioned, I think the front flap is being held by screws whose heads are accessible from the back of the camera at the very bottom where the film spools lie. But they are at such a weird angle that I don't get how you are supposed to unscrew them.

Alex Varas · Mar 5, 2024

Got it, let me back to the camera…

Alex Varas · Mar 5, 2024

You need these wrenches

I made them from usual hex wrenches and they are very handy for this kind of job, mines here need to be shortened because they don’t fit into the film chamber.

stan_1 · Mar 5, 2024

Alex Varas said:
You need these wrenches

I made them from usual hex wrenches and they are very handy for this kind of job, mines here need to be shortened because they don’t fit into the film chamber.

Thanks a lot! I‘ll try it out. I‘ve tried a couple of things with a lot of force but no effect. Hope I haven‘t damaged the screw heads too much. In your experience do they turn the regular way (opposite clock direction) to unscrew?

Alex Varas · Mar 5, 2024

There is no reason here for left handed screws, acetone drops help, try usual anti clockwise.

stan_1 · Mar 5, 2024

Many thanks! I‘ll try it out and report the results.

stan_1 · Mar 12, 2024

To give an update, I made the tools that you showed, but had to additionally make two in 45° angles. I made it using a Dremel-like device on Allen wrenches from IKEA. Overall, it was really really difficult to unscrew the screws (the ones holding the flap as hindges). You only need to unscrew them about 3 mm on each side, but I didn't know, so I unscrewed them completely , because the flap is sitting quite tight. It took a really long time and I was at some points about to give up and just sell it as defunct on eBay

The screws are made of aluminum I think and the heads deform easily. They must definitely have some type of anaerobic thread lock because there were residues on the screws when I unscrewed them.

Anyways, the whole procedure was really tedious and resulted in a lot of scratches on the camera body from the inside. There are kind of tin metal plates that put pressure on the film spools. To unscrew I plied these plates upwards and when I plied them back one of them broke off. So that's something to look out for.

I used replacement bellows that I ordered from a Chinese seller on eBay for around 90 euros, and that was quite good. The material seemed very robust and dense. It was a fabric type of material. Detaching the old bellows was not a problem. The plate on the back is secured, as I said, with eight screws. And after taking it off, there is kind of a rope glued around the camera opening. So, I just had to glue the new bellows to the plate and didn't need any glue on the side of the camera. Just screwed back on. Seems quite light tight.

One thing to watch out for is that the metal plate on the front of the bellows, although it is square, the distance between the screws is not the same. So, this is something to watch out for when gluing that front plate to the bellows. That is that the holes on this plate fit to the thread holes on the plate that holds the lens.

Hope these infos help in case someone else wants to replace their bellows and will hopefully have a much easier time than I had without this knowledge.

Thanks again to Alex Varas for the tip about the tools!

Alex Varas · Mar 12, 2024

Awesome guide how to! Thank you for sharing! Good job!!

Disconnekt · Mar 14, 2024

Good chance Sandeha Lynch may be able to make one for you, he was able to make bellows for my Kodak Monitor 620 last year. Send him a message, his email is on his site here: https://www.sandehalynch.com/camerawork/bellows.php

stan_1 · Mar 14, 2024

PS: another tip: on my camera the screws wouldn‘t budge with the front closed, but it worked better when it stayed open.

Elgar · May 8, 2024

stan_1 said:
To give an update, I made the tools that you showed, but had to additionally make two in 45° angles. I made it using a Dremel-like device on Allen wrenches from IKEA. Overall, it was really really difficult to unscrew the screws (the ones holding the flap as hindges). You only need to unscrew them about 3 mm on each side, but I didn't know, so I unscrewed them completely , because the flap is sitting quite tight. It took a really long time and I was at some points about to give up and just sell it as defunct on eBay

The screws are made of aluminum I think and the heads deform easily. They must definitely have some type of anaerobic thread lock because there were residues on the screws when I unscrewed them.

Anyways, the whole procedure was really tedious and resulted in a lot of scratches on the camera body from the inside. There are kind of tin metal plates that put pressure on the film spools. To unscrew I plied these plates upwards and when I plied them back one of them broke off. So that's something to look out for.

I used replacement bellows that I ordered from a Chinese seller on eBay for around 90 euros, and that was quite good. The material seemed very robust and dense. It was a fabric type of material. Detaching the old bellows was not a problem. The plate on the back is secured, as I said, with eight screws. And after taking it off, there is kind of a rope glued around the camera opening. So, I just had to glue the new bellows to the plate and didn't need any glue on the side of the camera. Just screwed back on. Seems quite light tight.

One thing to watch out for is that the metal plate on the front of the bellows, although it is square, the distance between the screws is not the same. So, this is something to watch out for when gluing that front plate to the bellows. That is that the holes on this plate fit to the thread holes on the plate that holds the lens.

Hope these infos help in case someone else wants to replace their bellows and will hopefully have a much easier time than I had without this knowledge.

Thanks again to Alex Varas for the tip about the tools!

I sent my Agfa Super Isolette off to the well known repair guy in the USA JK, for replacement bellows. 7000 miles later, I receive the camera back with replacement bellows, shoot a roll of Kodak Gold and the images all have light leak in the same areas, shoot some black and white and develop myself just to make sure it's not a film problem, and the light leak is there. Shone an extra strong spot light into the rear of the bellows and there's a pin hole in the top front corner that he missed.

I emailed him and he didn't respond. You'd think he'd say yes, I messed up, pay for the postage both ways and fix it for you. But no. I don't recommened using him after this experience, he needs to check his eyesight or close his repair business or both.

I tried to unscrew the screws either side underneath the silver film pressure plates and I couldn't, even with a straight head L offset screwdiver. They're at such an awkward angle. I cannot get to the two bottom screws at the front to get the front flap out of the way. Is there not an easier way to remove the bellows plate holder at the rear?! Any ideas or solutions would be welcome. Obviously Agfa made them this way so people couldn't fix them themselves and they had a hands on team ready to repair and charge apppropriately.

titrisol · May 8, 2024

ugh that sucks
A small dab of black fabric paint might work (albeit temprary)

stan_1 · May 8, 2024

Elgar said:
I sent my Agfa Super Isolette off to the well known repair guy in the USA JK, for replacement bellows. 7000 miles later, I receive the camera back with replacement bellows, shoot a roll of Kodak Gold and the images all have light leak in the same areas, shoot some black and white and develop myself just to make sure it's not a film problem, and the light leak is there. Shone an extra strong spot light into the rear of the bellows and there's a pin hole in the top front corner that he missed.

I emailed him and he didn't respond. You'd think he'd say yes, I messed up, pay for the postage both ways and fix it for you. But no. I don't recommened using him after this experience, he needs to check his eyesight or close his repair business or both.

I tried to unscrew the screws either side underneath the silver film pressure plates and I couldn't, even with a straight head L offset screwdiver. They're at such an awkward angle. I cannot get to the two bottom screws at the front to get the front flap out of the way. Is there not an easier way to remove the bellows plate holder at the rear?! Any ideas or solutions would be welcome. Obviously Agfa made them this way so people couldn't fix them themselves and they had a hands on team ready to repair and charge apppropriately.

I‘ve tried several different tools, and the only thing that worked were such selfmade wrenches as on Alex Varas‘ picture above. You need one for every 45 degree angle (4 in total) and they need to be really short. What helped was to fit them into a 1/4 bit screwdriver , so basically you get a screwdriver handle with such a wrench as a bit.
As I said you only need to unscrew about 3mm on each side. Worked best for me with the flap open. Then you can take the flap out of the hinges. The rest is easy. Be careful with that metal rod that sets the rangefinder.

Super Speedex (Super Isolette) bellows replacement

Mike Bates

stan_1

Saganich

stan_1

titrisol

Alex Varas

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stan_1

Alex Varas

Alex Varas

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stan_1

Alex Varas

stan_1

stan_1

Alex Varas

Disconnekt

stan_1

Elgar

titrisol

stan_1

Super Speedex (Super Isolette) bellows replacement

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