Bulb flash guns 101?

[mrmekon]

As Halloween is right around the corner, I'm thinking that by going to parties as a "1940s news photographer" I can have a costume, photograph the party, and acquire some fun new toys at the same time! So, with that in mind, can anyone give me a thorough run-down on the old flashguns that used bulbs?

I've been looking around a bit, and the biggest unanswered question I have is was there a standard connection for these things? If I do find one, what are the chances it'll have a PC cord and sync properly with my Omega Rapid (I know, not old enough...)?

And does anyone have any recommendations? I've found the Graflex and Heiland ones that the Star Wars dorks collect, and a recommendation for Honeywell Tilt-a-Mite from cavers, though they don't have the nice long metal handle. It needs to be <$50 US since it's primarily a toy... if I had a real budget I'd just deck myself out with a full Speed Graphic outfit.

Thanks!

 

[Dave Pritchard]

If you don't have a flash unit by now, just buy one! There are two main bulb styles. I was lucky enough to get a Speed Graphic with a flash unit that had a 9" reflector, a BC unit, and an adapter for using bayonet-base bulbs in a screw-base flash unit.

1. Buy an old flash bulb unit.
2. Buy the appropriate flash bulbs for it.
3. Buy batteries.
4. Poof!

The older flash bulb units used household electrical cord ends for their connections. Talk about freaking dangerous! Why are you concerned about flash sync? Is this a prop for Halloween, or a serious attempt at flash photography? Flash bulbs are serious fun, and produce serious amounts of light. The older cameras should have a flash sync setting that works for flash bulbs. Newer ones will not.

 

[mopar_guy]

If you are really interested in Speed Graphics and using flashbulbs, I would highly recommend checking out this site:

http://www.graflex.org

Go to the Helpboard section and go to the flash forum. There is a veritable goldmine of information there. If you are located in the US, there is still an abundance of these old flashguns around.

I would recommend trying to get a 2-cell or three-cell Graflite. You will also need to have a sync cord. Graflites require a household style end and most front shutters need a bi-post connection. If you get a flashgun with a 5 inch reflector, you should be able to use GE #5 or Sylvania Press 25 bulbs which are commonly available on eBay for around $1 per bulb. If you get a 7 inch reflector, you would want to find mazda base bulbs such as GE #11 or #22 or Sylvania #2 or Press 40. These bulbs look like a regular household light bulb.

Some common pitfalls are old, hard cords that are falling apart and the fact that these shutter are upwards of 50 to 60 years old and they may not function properly. In my opinion, you would probably not have time to get a working outfit put together in time for Halloween unless you get lucky.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Dave

 

[bdial]

Your Koni-Omega probably has an M sync for larger bulbs like press 25's. The really small AG-1 bulbs can work with x sync.
If you go with the Graflex type flash guns, the flash gun side for the sync cord uses a household type electrical plug (the older non-polarized type). You can get a household to PC cord from Paramount and other suppliers. It's a fairly common set up for studio strobes as well.
Smaller flash guns like the Honeywell will likely use pc cords and some have them built-in.

 

[paul ewins]

I'd second the graflite recommendation. You can get adapters to use the smaller bulbs rather than have to fork out for screw base bulbs. FWIW, the graflex flash gun the Star Wars guys want (if they know what they are on about) is the shiny chrome version, not the satin chrome graflites. One tip to help avoid misfires: the contacts on the bulb oxidize slightly so just give the a light scuffing before use.

 

[mrmekon]

These ones that use solenoids to trigger the shutter are throwing me off. They can also be triggered by an 'M' PC outlet, right?

Most of these are supposed to mount to a Speed Graphic with ring clamps. What's the proper way to mount it to a camera using the tripod socket? I think I can make my own bracket that one of those ring clamps can attach to for a few bucks, but is there a more correct way?

Is this a prop for Halloween, or a serious attempt at flash photography?

This is definitely a serious photographic venture. The halloween prop is just a side benefit.

 

[mopar_guy]

I have seen a couple of different styles of brackets that could attach a flash gun tube and which also have a flat part to mount a camera with the tripod socket. Any of these should work fine for you.

Flashbulbs have a couple of basic characteristics that make them different from electronic flash. The first thing is that you are literally playing with fire. The flashbulb is constructed much like a regular bulb except inside the bulb is a fine wire mesh inside an oxygen atmosphere. There is a primer mixture that starts the metal inside the bulb burning when 3 volts of direct current is applied to the bulb. This "flash" of light is actually a real fire but it takes a while to get going. The delay for medium peak bulbs is approximately 20/1000 second or 20 milliseconds to the peak output of the bulb. Unless there is some way to delay the shutter from opening, the shutter will open and close before the peak output of the bulb. That is why flashbulb cameras needed "M" sync.

There are two basic theories on how to synchronize a flashbulb:

1. Use a shutter with a built-in synchronizer. This was generally a geared delay mechanism inside the shutter to delay the shutter opening until the flashbulb was putting out it's peak light.

2. Use a solenoid shutter release. Pressing the trigger button on the flash will ignite the bulb and the electro-magnet in the solenoid will produce a slight delay before the shutter is tripped.

I hope that this helps.

Regards,
Dave

 

[mrmekon]

Yep, thank you. I wasn't sure if the flashes required one or the other, but it seems like they work with either.

Terminology has also been a pain... "flash unit" seems common, though some call them a "flash synchronizer", which is distinctly different from the solenoid which is also sometimes called a "flash synchronizer".

Anyway, I ended up getting a Graflex (brushed aluminum style), two Heilands, and a brownie hawkeye with flash for dirt cheap. I'll play around with those and see what works.

Is there any fear of the bulbs exploding and spraying glass everywhere? I read one warning about that, but none of the reflectors have heat shields or anything. I *really* don't want to spray burning hot shards of glass into my friends' faces.

 

[bdial]

There is a definite hazard of that, though I've never had it happen. Later bulbs have a plastic coating that is supposed to prevent shattering.
The bigger hazard, for me recently, is screwing the bulb into place while the hand holding the flash gun was also holding the trigger button.
Those bulbs are really bright from 3 inches away, and really, really hot when they go off.:rolleyes:

 

[Pompiere]

Some of the older cameras that didn't have flash sync would have you open the shutter in bulb mode, then fire the flash manually, then close the shutter. It would have to be pretty dark to avoid having shadow images from the shutter being open before and after the flash. Of course, with the old ASA 10 films, it may not matter.
I have aquired several boxes of flash bulbs with the cameras that I have been given. Who would have thought that the bulbs were more valuable than the cameras? If I sold them, I would more than covers the cost of the cameras I have collected.

 

[mrmekon]

Everything has arrived except the bulbs and the sync cord, so I can't test anything yet. All I can do is wait... AND BATTLE THE DARK SIDE!

 

[mrmekon]

Bulbs came in today, and I discovered that the test button worked but the shutter socket didn't on the graflex. Ended up taking the whole thing apart, and discovered that the metal contacts were warped, so whenever I plugged the sync cord in it stopped making contact with the battery. A little mound of solder fixed it right up, and then I blinded myself in the mirror. Apparently 40 feet is not a safe distance.

 

[Ralph Javins]

Good morning, Mr. Mekon;

Well, you do have a few days left before Hollow's Eve. I like the idea for your supplemental activity associated with "the 1940's news photographer," although, as others have indicated, it really should be done with at least a Crown Graphic, if not a Speed Graphic (Helps build strong bodies in 8 ways!). (Well, back in the 1940's and 1950's, it was a Wonder that it was only 8 ways.) The cost of food to feed a flash gun is getting to be expensive these days. I remember buying the 144 bulb case of AG-1 flash bulbs for only about $20.00. Now the prices are almost that for a box of 12, if you can find them.

You do have KEH right there in your backyard over in Smyrna. They might be able to provide some of the equipment you need also.

Perhaps it is a good thing that you limited yourself to just the World War II Era. If you had decided to go to an earlier time as one of Mathew Brady's photographers, you would have really been playing with fire. Flash powder is really impressive when you ignite an angle iron trough filled with that stuff.

 

[mrmekon]

Oh, I'm definitely tempted... but I just upgraded my enlarger this year, and thought "6x7 is fine, I'll never need any bigger than that." Damn it.

Got a Mamiya Six on the way. At least it's from the right decade, but nowhere near the right size.

KEH doesn't allow local pickup, and charges the same to ship to me, 8 miles away, as to you. It always irks me when I have to pay $15 shipping to them.