Arca 8x10 bellows question...

I'm new to the Arca Swiss system, I just got an F-Metric 8x10. I currently have a 360mm

Apo-Symmar and a 240mm Apo-Sironar S. I'm planning on picking up a lens in the 150

-165 range in the very near future to round out my system.

 

So my first question is, will I need a wideangle bellows if I wish to use some movements

with, say, a 150mm lens? It seems like it might be a good idea, since the standard bellows

is quite flexible but also seems somewhat fragile to me, and it seems like it might get

stretched a bit using movements with a shorter lens. I know the simple solution would be

to get the lens first and try it out, but I want to buy and use the lens soon for a project and

I'm afraid ordering the bellows will take some time, so it would be nice to hear the

experiences of others who might have used the same combination.

 

Also, would the leather wideangle bellows be useable with a 240mm lens? Thanks.

My tip to you is to get the lens first and try! It's not sure that you must get a wide bellow at all it may work out perfect anyway and you save money to something else! Sometimes you can soften rigid bellows with a special vinyl clean sollution!I did it on my Liberty and it helped a little But it's all depens on the type of bellows you have!

I have a Grandagon 155 on my Arca F-Metric 8x10 with the regular bellows. This combination doesn�t get much use in the field, but I don�t recall having any problems. But now you have me curious, so I just checked mine. Back swing about 20 degrees, back tilt about 10 forward and 30 or so back. Front swing 30 degrees, tilt about 20 each way. The only problem may be front rise. I only got about 50mm before it started to pull the bellows. But with that lens, 50mm is at the edge of the circle so I wouldn�t worry about it. In the field, with that lens, I�ve never used much rise; probably no more than 10. As I said, I�ve never had a problem. But if you would have a problem, you could tilt the rail and then tilt both standards.

 

I do not have the wide angle bellows, as I�ve never seen the need. Arca tends to be conservative in rating their bellows, and they say the 8x10 leather wa works with a 240mm lens. So I�m sure it would work. But again, I don�t think you�ll need the wa for a 150mm lens.