Thought I would post my experience to the list and perhaps get some
feedback. I wnated to make a bag style bellows that would handle all my
shooting from 90mm lens up to a 210 (4x5 format). I bought lightproof cloth
from FreeStyle Sales and had a go. First, the fabric was not really light
proof, a small shoe mounted flash behind the fabric in the darkroom and I
could clearly see light through the fabric. So I doubled the cloth by
contact cementing 2 layers together. Then I cut four pieces that could be
described as diamond shapes with the points cut off. I glued these four
together at the edges and glued them to the frames and what I created is a
free standing self supporting structure. I was concerned initally that it
would collapse when fully extended. The opposite has happened, it's almost
too stiff to collapse.
Back to the drawing board. I'm going to try a design that does not have
seams runing parallel to the lens axis, thinking this would allow it to
collapse better. I also need to find a fabric that is really light proof in
a single layer that is more flexible. On the subject of light tight, was my
flash inside the fabric to severe a test? Would the fabric from FreeStyle
have worked just fine in outdoor sunshine even though the flash was visible
through it?
Thanks for any input.
Dave Schneider
Minneapolis
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