??? What In the --SAM HECK-- Is This Fargin' Thing ???

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 12, 2012

It's not a Leica M to PC adapter. It's not a Kodak bayonet to PC adapter. So what is it? I have ten of them in a bag that I'd like to sell but can't... because I don't know what they are!! About ten years ago I had a dozen of them. I lost one a few years ago. I lost another a few days ago. At this rate, by the year 2062, I'll have lost them all!!

The smaller end seems to be standard PC female... a male PC does fit although it's just a bit tight. The male end is larger than your average PC male. Keep comments family-oriented, please.

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BradS · Sep 12, 2012

the more interesting questions are:
why do you have ten of these things if you don't even know what they are and...
how did these unidentified objects come into your possession?

Suggestion: if your intent is to sell, why not simply list them as "flash adapter thingy" and include a few nice photos..? (which you already have done).

polyglot · Sep 12, 2012

Is it a PC to BNC or similar? I originally thought "3.5mm headphone plug" but you say the female end is PC...

It looks very custom-handmade (poorly centred turning) but then you have 10+ so maybe if you can figure out who would hand-machine a whole bunch of custom adapters (a small-run LF camera builder?) then that might lead you somewhere.

r-brian · Sep 12, 2012

It could be a 'RCA' plug to 'headphone plug'. If so, then it's an audio connector.

Gerald C Koch · Sep 12, 2012

It's an adapter to allow the use of a standard flash cord. I have a camera that requires such an adapter.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 12, 2012

...

BradS said:
the more interesting questions are:

why do you have ten of these things if you don't even know what they are and...

I don't know.

how did these unidentified objects come into your possession?

I can't remember.

Suggestion: if your intent is to sell, why not simply list them as "flash adapter thingy" and include a few nice photos..? (which you already have done).

Because I only wish to expose my ignorance to my dear APUG friends.

It's not BNC.
It's not RCA.
It's not headphone.
Definitely single center conductor with the case used as the outer conductor.
I don't think they're custom-made.

Note that the smallest ruler markings are 1/32 inch. The outer diameter of the wider end is approximately 3/16" and the narrower end is approximately 1/8".

Gerald... What kind of camera?

zsas · Sep 12, 2012

I have no idea what it is, but after a long day, I needed this fun thread! Hope you find out what your doohickeys are!

Gerald C Koch · Sep 12, 2012

There are probably dozens of different adapters of this type. They vary in design for the non PC end. Some are screw mount, some twist-lock, some friction fit. The camera I mentioned is in storage and not readily available. So I can't measure and tell if yours is a match. Sorry. For anyone interested here is the twist lock one for a Kodak camera you mention.

http://www.ecrater.com/p/7237267/asa-bayonet-kodak-flash-cord

paul ron · Sep 13, 2012

That looks like it may be a splice for 2 PC cables Male-Fem.

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Old-N-Feeble · Sep 13, 2012

paul ron said:
That looks like it may be a splice for 2 PC cables Male-Fem.

Good guess but nope. The larger side inner conductor (pin) is too small for PC and the outer conductor is too large for PC... sort of like an elephant/mouse coupling... not gonna' do anyone any good... not the elephant anyway.

benjiboy · Sep 13, 2012

For the amount of money you would get for them if you sold them, it's not worth the trouble.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 13, 2012

benjiboy said:
For the amount of money you would get for them if you sold them, it's not worth the trouble.

Ahh... but that depends on IF I know what they are and IF I know how/where to sell them and IF they're things people want and IF they can't find them elsewhere. What about the eBay seller with all those ASA/bayo/Kodak to PC adapters at $25 a pop plus shipping? I've been thinking of buying one of the darned things for my old Ektars even though I'll probably never use a flash... just to have one. BTW, many years ago I sold probably 6-8 of those ASA-PC adapters for maybe $5-10 each. Darned inflation!!

Any more guesses?

John Koehrer · Sep 14, 2012

Old-N-Feeble said:
Good guess but nope. The larger side inner conductor (pin) is too small for PC and the outer conductor is too large for PC... sort of like an elephant/mouse coupling... not gonna' do anyone any good... not the elephant anyway.

You just need a large enough hammer. snug the loose one up by beating it on the side and beat the other end by beating it on the end.

There's nothing you can't fix beyond repair with a big enough hammer.

paul ron · Sep 16, 2012

But they do mate with eachother?

I once had an old camera that had a weird PC that seemed too large for a regular PC cord. I found out a flash unit with the reflector n all cliped into this socket, it was a flash bulb unit. Perhaps your adaptors are to use a cable so the unit can be used remotely?

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Old-N-Feeble · Sep 16, 2012

paul ron said:
But they do mate with eachother? I once had an old camera that had a weird PC that seemed too large for a regular PC cord. I found out a flash unit with the reflector n all cliped into this socket, it was a flash bulb unit. Perhaps your adaptors are to use a cable so the unit can be used remotely?.

No, they don't mate with each other. One side is PC female and the other side, although very similar to male PC, is definitely not. It apparently adapts a camera or shutter to accept a standard male PC cord. Again though... it's not Leica-M to PC nor ASA/Kodak bayonet to PC. It's something different. **Do you remember what old camera you had with the over-sized PC socket? I suppose that could be it.

paul ron · Sep 17, 2012

I'll check my collection.

John Wiegerink · Sep 23, 2012

I use one on my Kodak Medalist II and it is permanently epoxied in place. JohnW ASA to PC adapter...............

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 23, 2012

Nope... it's not an ASA-PC adapter. This doesn't have a bayonet lock.

John Wiegerink · Sep 24, 2012

Old-N-Feeble said:
Nope... it's not an ASA-PC adapter. This doesn't have a bayonet lock.

Wow! You are right about no slots. I just didn't look close enough. Now I'm puzzled too.

removed account4 · Sep 24, 2012

they are parts to a wind chime

EASmithV · Sep 26, 2012

maybe its to some kind of weird European PC cord

paul ron · Sep 27, 2012

I looked in my collection for the weird PC I thought I had n can't seem to find the one. I know it had a flash bulb "unit" that hooked on it and the PC was rather large, something I never saw before on a camera.

Well keep trying it, eventually you'll get it.

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??? What In the --SAM HECK-- Is This Fargin' Thing ???

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