Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
Hi -
Any recent experiences with the ECbuyonline Fuji GS645 bellows vs. camerabelllows.co.uk? I see that the former (from Hong Kong/China) is made of nylon fabric - can anyone comment on the materials for the UK product? Are there any other choices out there? These have to fold up very thin, so I don't imagine there is a huge variety of ways to make them.
The only reason I am asking is that Frank Marshman made the somewhat puzzling comment the other day that wherever he was getting them was not making them anymore and that he was having quality issues sourcing them from Asia. Camerabellows (where everyone thought he was buying them) seems to still be making them, and the ECbuyonline customers (of a wide variety of replacements including the GS645) seem to like them.
The last time I had one of these cameras with a set of Fuji-supplied replacement bellows, they seemed to be a thin plastic, almost like a polypropylene. That doesn't seem like a great materials for a bellows (over time), but who knows. And if the worst thing that happens is a bellows replacement every 30 years (that's how old all of these cameras are, and it's a very high-stress use of bellows), that's ok.
Thanks!
Dante
Any recent experiences with the ECbuyonline Fuji GS645 bellows vs. camerabelllows.co.uk? I see that the former (from Hong Kong/China) is made of nylon fabric - can anyone comment on the materials for the UK product? Are there any other choices out there? These have to fold up very thin, so I don't imagine there is a huge variety of ways to make them.
The only reason I am asking is that Frank Marshman made the somewhat puzzling comment the other day that wherever he was getting them was not making them anymore and that he was having quality issues sourcing them from Asia. Camerabellows (where everyone thought he was buying them) seems to still be making them, and the ECbuyonline customers (of a wide variety of replacements including the GS645) seem to like them.
The last time I had one of these cameras with a set of Fuji-supplied replacement bellows, they seemed to be a thin plastic, almost like a polypropylene. That doesn't seem like a great materials for a bellows (over time), but who knows. And if the worst thing that happens is a bellows replacement every 30 years (that's how old all of these cameras are, and it's a very high-stress use of bellows), that's ok.
Thanks!
Dante
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Custom Bellows (ex Camerabellows, ex Glanville's) don't seem to have any standard types in stock, but do special orders only - the Chinese off-the-shelf replacements will be more affordable and available without delays. The Custom bellows that I have are the same vinyl/textile/cardboard/textile laminate I have on all my reasonably recent large format cameras. Probably everybody uses similar materials.
fuji645
Established
I had my Fuji GS bellows replaced with an item from Hong Kong some years ago..must be the one you cited. Nice nylon bellows installed by the now departed Essex Camera in NJ. At the time, the Hong Kong company made replacement bellows for a wide variety of cameras.
rhl-oregon
Cameras Guitars Wonders
I recall an RFF thread about leather bellows for the gs645. Here:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115432
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115432