4x5 Speed Graphic Has Bellows Sag

[Steve M.]

My Speed Graphic has a bit of the old bellows sag. First time that I've had one of these w/ this issue. It's nice and soft, no tears, just droops in the middle some. Any ideas on a DIY fix that doesn't involve removing/replacing the bellows?

 

[sevo]

Turn it! Self-supporting view camera bellows are generally supposed to be turned by 90° every few days so that they don't grow a permanent bend into one particular orientation.

If the sagging on yours is due to the bellows having gone too soft, you may have to devise some kind of support, like a thread loop suspended from a wire.

 

[Steve M.]

OK, that's a very good idea. I'll flip it over for a spell and see how it goes. Thanks.

 

[oftheherd]

It would take a lot of sag to affect photos, since the light rays from the top are going to the bottom of the negative. Have you noticed it having an effect?

If turning it doesn't help and you have to hold the bellows up, you could try something like a ring glued to the bellows (or rivited if you have the means to do so), and latched to the top or across to the back of the camera.

 

[JoeV]

Turn it! Self-supporting view camera bellows are generally supposed to be turned by 90° every few days so that they don't grow a permanent bend into one particular orientation.

Every few days????? You're kidding, right? More like every few years or decades. (Scratches head, mumbles to self.)

 

[Phil_F_NM]

If it actually affects the image, you can take some fine gauge wire, bend it into a fitting rectangle and slip it into the fold that is affected most. I'm thinking half as thick as a wire coathanger. A length of 18ga spring steel would hold that thing up longer than the camera will be useable probably. It would sit across the bellows, so you'd still be able to collapse it. You can make the fix more permanent with a bit of gaffer's tape.

Phil Forrest