Bellows replacement question

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I have an 8X10 Orbit/Calumet C-1 camera and would like to replace the bellows on it. Any recommendations on who can do this? Also (and this may be a dumb question)do I send the camera off to whoever does it and they put it on, OR do I send in the measurements and then they ship me the new bellows, and then I have to somehow install it? I'm not much of a do-it-yourselfer. Finally, are new bellows expensive? My thanks for your advice. Ben Calwell

-- Ben Calwell (bcalwell@aol.com), August 28, 2000

Answers

I had a bellows made for my Calumet C1 approximately 6 months ago by Flexable Products in Florida. Cost was $175 and all I had to do was send them my old bellows with the bellows frame on both ends. Quality was okay but not as good as I was expecting. Turn around time was 3 weeks.

-- Ron Lawrence (leica@interpath.com), August 28, 2000.

I replaced the bellows on my Deardorff 8X10 last Spring. I ordered the bellows from Camera Bellows Ltd in England, thru Lee Filters Headquarters in L.A. The cost was $247.00. The quality is excellent. I got synthetic material instead of leather. The person to talk to is John Addler @(800) 238-1228. I chose to send measurements instead of the frames. Because the measurements were faxed to England, the bellows arrived in only 2 weeks. I was able to pay with a Visa card. The installation was not difficult.

-- Steve Barth (wsbarth@networld.com), August 28, 2000.

Definatly go for camera bellows - IMHO they are the best avaliable, true they don't usually provide the replacemants in leather, but I feel the synthetic material is more durable, especially outdoors.

-- David Kirk (David_J_Kirk@hotmail.com), August 29, 2000.

Ben, You can check out their web site at:

www.camerabellows.com

and even order by e-mail from there. Regards, ;^D)

-- Doremus Scudder (ScudderLandreth@compuserve.com), August 29, 2000.


Try questioning Bender http://www.benderphoto.com

-- Matthias (matthias.schuerfeld@uni-koeln.de), May 15, 2001.


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