RB67 Bellows Replacement: Original vs Aftermarket Bellows
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
I’m doing a bellows replacement today on an RB67 and though that I would pass along some information on the bellows that are available for replacement.
Photo two shows the original Mamiya bellows (5000-15011) replacement part. This part includes both the front and rear frames already installed/glued into the bellows material. This is the best solution as the frames are factory glued perfectly to the frames and the bellows thickness is correct. Unfortunately, these bellows are no longer available since Mamiya stopped production around 2014. They show up from time to time on places such as ebay. My supply of them is gone.
Photo three shows the bellows (from China) that are readily available and these are probably the best compromise and what my clients usually purchase. But, keep in mind that the frames are not included so you need to remove the frames from the old bellows and glue them to the new.
Photo fours shows what I think are pretty terrible bellows. These are also available online and in looking at them, you can tell they are a bit rougher. But mostly, the biggest issue is that they are made from slightly thicker material so that they will not compress enough to get infinity focus. These bellows have material that is 0.017” thick. The previously mentioned bellows are 0.013” in thickness. You often see these bellows in various colors. I would avoid them as they will cause unhappiness.
