Calumet cc-401

[john_campanelli1]

I just got a Calumet CC-401 in great shape. It has a 26 inch rail and

I am wondering if I should maybe get a smaller rail. I have an

graphic view camera case I would like to use. Does anyone know of an

alternative case for such a long rail? What are the advantages of the

longer rail?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[steve_levine]

Calumet makes a hard case for this camera.The long rail is for using long glass and doing close-up work.For 1:1 you need twice the focal length in bellows.A 300MM lens is a 12" lens,so closeup with this common long 4x5 lens would require 24" of extention.

[jerry_flynn1]

Just as a historical footnote: because the camera was not modular, Calumet used to make three versions of this camera. The normal camera had a 16" rail, there was the long version (that you have) and also a wide angle version with a shorter rail, more flexible bellows and a recessed front standard. Perhaps you could find the 16" rail somewhere, but I suspect it would have an entire camera attached to it. Exchanging rails at that point would not make a lot of sense. :^)

[janko_belaj]

<p><i>Perhaps you could find the 16" rail somewhere, but I suspect it would

have an entire camera attached to it.</i>...wouldn't that be nice? to buy a rail

and somehow get a camera too ;-))<br>

(I would like to buy a lens cap for 355 G-Claron. with fixed lens beghind it... It

won't make me any trouble to drill a hole on lens cap ;-)))<br>

(sorry Jerry, i just think that sentence is a best "dream" of the day:)</p>

[james_chinn]

My first camera was the short architecture 401. I bought a new bellows and had a longer rail made at a machine shop. When I bought the camera with a 203mm ektar it cost 250. The new bellows $200 and the rail $90. Today on eb** you could pick up a complete body with the longer rail for $100 to $150. Then you have a spare bellows, extra knobs, (they break easy) ground glass, springs etc. The other option is call MPEX or Badger or Lens and Repro, they may have a rail available off a real junker.

[jon_shiu]

You might just put it upside down in one of those wide mouth tool bags and let the rail hang out the ends... although they do make long tool bags also.

[pvp]

I bought a Calumet 540 a year ago; it came with an 18" rail. I bought a 12" rail, which is great with a 6" lens. I recently bought a 10" lens, though, so now I'm back to the longer rail. Don't forget that the true extension your camera offers may be somewhat less than the length of the rail; I can get a bit more than 1:2 with the 10" lens on my camera.