Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash - Modern flashes?

mgilbuena · May 17, 2011

Good afternoon,

I was curious if there existed such a device whereas the flashbulb mount could accomodate a modern flash tube that has been adapted to fit the flashbulb base? Obviously, this device would also have to accomodate for the come-on delay that a bulb would exhibit. Does such a device exist?

If not, aside from using bulb mode and tripping a flash manually, is there any other way to trip a modern flash with a Brownie Hawkeye flash?

michaelbsc · May 17, 2011

The "best" solution would be bending the contacts so that the circuit is closed when the shutter is open fully.

I've seen I instructions on a web site somewhere, but can't say where off the top of my head.

I imagine if you take one apart it should be reasonably clear what is required.

EDIT: Here it is

Dead Link Removed

Pgeobc · May 17, 2011

>>Does such a device exist?<<

In a word, no. Sorry about that. Moreover, the flash sync is all wrong for electronic flash. With enough money, anything can be arranged, I guess, especially in this day and age, but...

michaelbsc · May 17, 2011

Pgeobc said:
>>Does such a device exist?<<

In a word, no. Sorry about that. Moreover, the flash sync is all wrong for electronic flash. With enough money, anything can be arranged, I guess, especially in this day and age, but...

They're pretty simple cameras. It's no money at all. See the link I posted in my edit above.

The Brownie Hawkeye was a marvel of midcentury manufacturing engineering. It was inexpensive, but decent. Of course there were hoards of far nicer and more versatile camera's on the market. And there were hoards of cheap tin junk, too.

But the Hawkeye was both decent quality and manufactured at a cost that put it in reach of the average consumer. Maybe not so versatile as a good German made shooter, but far better than the junk sheet-metal competition.

michaelbsc · May 17, 2011

And a shutter release!

http://mconnealy.com/vintagecameras/hawkeyeflash/page2.html

mgilbuena · May 20, 2011

Thank you for links. Great reading material and a possible weekend project!

michaelbsc · May 20, 2011

It seems I measured it as f/8, but I don't recall exactly.

GtownRick · Jul 26, 2015

The link that is posted above for the flash modification is dead. However, it can be found here in the web archive website:
https://web.archive.org/web/2007010...emens.com/ConvertingBrownie/BrownieFlash.html

wblynch · Jul 27, 2015

A couple of years ago I found an electronic flash holder for the Brownie that lets you use a shoe mounted flash. It was a limited run and I was lucky to get one. I always thought it would be cool to rip my Diana flash apart and build it into an original BHF bulb holder.

I still haven't bent the internal contacts yet so I can use it.

celticguitar666 · Sep 28, 2015

I have the mini bulb holder and luckily I have stocked up on more than I will probably use of the M2 bulbs. I like the mods for adding a shutter cable release and tripod
Dwight

Denverdad · Sep 30, 2015

In (there was a url link here which no longer exists) I pointed out the adapter I found which can be used for just this purpose. They can be used on many old Kodaks including the BHF. Checking just now I see that they're still available! See here.

You will still need to modify the contacts to get the timing right though, for example as is in the link provided by GtownRick.

Jeff

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash - Modern flashes?

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