By John O'Keefe-Odom
Bellows: they’re not just for accordions anymore. Over the years, some people seem to have bemoaned the bellows as devices which suck up light, decreasing the maximum usable f/stop, and burdening the photographer with a bulky and unwieldy camera kit that will never be useful. Those of us who love bellows probably couldn’t disregard those nay-sayer detractions more. We’re too busy enjoying our macro bellows.
For those who haven’t used them before, let me dispel one assumption I made about bellows that was incorrect. The macro bellows on the medium or small format camera kits are not the same as view camera bellows. Even for those macro bellows kits where a tilt or shift function is available, an important part of the magic of view cameras and their bellows is, in fact, built into the lens design view cameras use. It is possible to purchase a medium format bellows kit that will turn a small or medium format camera into a miniaturized view camera. However, in order to get such a rig to work, the type of lens that will have to be used would be a view camera lens.
The structure and optical groupings of view camera lenses is simply, fundamentally different from the average bayonetted SLR lens. For example. when seen from the side, view camera lenses typically have an hourglass shape; perpendicular to their central viewing axis, the lenses are symmetrical; they bend light coming out of the rear of the lens in a way that mimics how it was bent coming in; as a trend. Bayonetted SLR lenses are asymmetrical configurations of lens elements, grouped, designed and constructed in a way that will bring the desired field of view, magnification and intensity to the recording surface in a way that’s efficient, economical, and frequently, adjustable.
One can find a way to mount a view camera lens to a medium format camera through attachments; but, cost fact remains; the view camera lens will frequently out-price the SLR lens by ten times the SLR’s price. Expect to pay between $1500 and $2500 for a view camera lens that offers a viewing angle comparable to a bayonetted SLR’s lens of a tenth of the price. If it weren’t for the additional cost of manufacturing and using view camera lenses, we would probably all find a way to bolt them onto our cameras.
For those who haven’t used them before, let me dispel one assumption I made about bellows that was incorrect. The macro bellows on the medium or small format camera kits are not the same as view camera bellows. Even for those macro bellows kits where a tilt or shift function is available, an important part of the magic of view cameras and their bellows is, in fact, built into the lens design view cameras use. It is possible to purchase a medium format bellows kit that will turn a small or medium format camera into a miniaturized view camera. However, in order to get such a rig to work, the type of lens that will have to be used would be a view camera lens.
The structure and optical groupings of view camera lenses is simply, fundamentally different from the average bayonetted SLR lens. For example. when seen from the side, view camera lenses typically have an hourglass shape; perpendicular to their central viewing axis, the lenses are symmetrical; they bend light coming out of the rear of the lens in a way that mimics how it was bent coming in; as a trend. Bayonetted SLR lenses are asymmetrical configurations of lens elements, grouped, designed and constructed in a way that will bring the desired field of view, magnification and intensity to the recording surface in a way that’s efficient, economical, and frequently, adjustable.
One can find a way to mount a view camera lens to a medium format camera through attachments; but, cost fact remains; the view camera lens will frequently out-price the SLR lens by ten times the SLR’s price. Expect to pay between $1500 and $2500 for a view camera lens that offers a viewing angle comparable to a bayonetted SLR’s lens of a tenth of the price. If it weren’t for the additional cost of manufacturing and using view camera lenses, we would probably all find a way to bolt them onto our cameras.
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