Back to Basics - The Bellows

Using the bellows in macro photography…

… can seem a little intimidating, the first time you set eyes on the device. But it needn’t be. In this video I will demystify this amazing contraption and show you how to set it up and use it for your macro shots.

A fly eye

We look at how to mount camera and lens, and present a walkthrough of a bellows workflow, including setting magnification and focusing.

Here is a link to a simple extension/magnification calculator (thanks to Michael Jones for providing this useful tool).

http://thingsupclose.com/tools/extension-tube-magnification-calculator/

The variable "magnification" is looking for the maximum reproduction ratio - for the 50mm Nikon lens I was using, the "magnification" is 0.15X. This number will be found in the specifications published by the maker of your lens.

For more information on Nikon's PB-6 camera bellows, check out my article at: https://www.allanwallsphotography.com/blog/2018/9/10/nikon-pb-6-bellows-the-best-bargain-in-macro-photography-equipment-ever