Very Narrow Bellows

[Frank R]

Will a narrow tapered bellows prevent the use of movements (especially tilt) on a view camera? I am thinking of very narrow bellows like the ones on old 9x12 plate cameras like shown below. I have a very old Poco and I find that the narrow bellows take up very little depth when fully collapsed.

I am curious if a 4x5 camera could be built along the lines of an old 9x12 Patent Etui but include front tilt. And include the ability of interchangeable lenses.

 

[MarkS]

It seems that you can achieve that very tapered bellows only by having a very small front standard. That could affect the lenses you could mount on the camera; many might be too large to fit. Movements might not be affected as long as you're not extended out all the way, as the camera in the photo is. Very thin, pliable leather bellows, like on the 1980's Tachihara I once owned, would also be a plus.

 

[Frank R]

It seems that you can achieve that very tapered bellows only by having a very small front standard. That could affect the lenses you could mount on the camera; many might be too large to fit. Movements might not be affected as long as you're not extended out all the way, as the camera in the photo is. Very thin, pliable leather bellows, like on the 1980's Tachihara I once owned, would also be a plus.

I agree. I am considering the size of the lensboard to be just wide enough to use my Polaroid Prontor shutter that holds my 240 Germinar W; the widest shutter I own.

The Patent Etui was a very compact bellows camera due to some interesting design changes. The narrow bellows is one.

A 4x5 Patent Etui would make a super compact backpacking style camera. It would be near ideal if it could have at least front rise and front tilt since these are the movements most often used.

I am not sure I would bother incorporating front tilt if the narrow bellows would vignette the image in some way.