Zenobia flash question

absalom1951 · Feb 28, 2019

I recently picked up a Zenobia it what I think is in darn good shape. Shutter sounds fairly accurate and optics good. My question is regarding the asa flash bayonet connection. I would like to use electronic flash , so I need someway to connect pc connection to the bayonet connection. I found an adapter on the bay, but the price is very steep-- $25 + shipping. Any suggestions ?

OptiKen · Mar 1, 2019

I don't have a suggestion but what connector did you find on ebay?

AgX · Mar 1, 2019

I guess something like this:
https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/wpima...013/21/1_2e5ad92f69ddc137ff307ffc3ce6f537.jpg

absalom1951 · Mar 1, 2019

Here's the ebay page for the adapter I found.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Electronic...TEREO-PONY-BANTAM-TOURIST-CAMERA/392212252689

yes Agx that is what I need . I wonder if I can find one without spending $30 ?

MattKing · Mar 1, 2019

It would mean going the wrong way with respect to cost, but if you need something robust and new:
Paramount Cords: https://www.paramountcords.com/

Chan Tran · Mar 1, 2019

absalom1951 said:
Here's the ebay page for the adapter I found.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Electronic...TEREO-PONY-BANTAM-TOURIST-CAMERA/392212252689

yes Agx that is what I need . I wonder if I can find one without spending $30 ?

That thing is rare I doubt that you can find it for less.

Kino · Mar 1, 2019

Go to fleabay and get an old Kodak Flash kit with the bayonette adapter. You can cut the cord and make an adapter or use flash bulbs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-KO...=item3fbc21f0bd:g:hQwAAOSwCcZcaMcf:rk:18:pf:0

Something like that...

Otherwise, hit the flea markets and thrift stores. These units are not that hard to find...

absalom1951 · Mar 1, 2019

I jus got through sorting a drawer where I found 2 new Paramount sync cords. I never even thought about Paramount til I read Matt's post.

If I figured out the pricing correctly at the Paramount web site a new cord with 1 end asa bayonette and 1 end pc , with shipping it is $49.75.
That's really a wee more than I'd like to spend , but I might go that route.

Truzi · Mar 1, 2019

Would a BNC connector or adapter fit? If so, the sync cable connection might be the hard part, unless you can do some soldering.

shutterfinger · Mar 1, 2019

A BNC is a different animal.

AgX · Mar 1, 2019

If cost is an issue one might see if one got a cord with a female PC connector at hand. And solder this to the ASA one. Or take off the AA one and solder that cord directly to the shutter. Or even take off the female PC connector from a defunct shutter an solder it in place of the ASA one.

Or take a cord with a female PC connector and solder a wire to one strand and a crocodile clip to the other and thus make a provisional adapter. (Or two crocodile clips, as I do not know the ASA one in detail.)

absalom1951 · Mar 1, 2019

I looked at BNC connector and they seemed to be a different animal-- but I'm no expert.
The flash kit from the bay might be an answer. Around $20 should buy one.
Think I'll check a couple thrift stores first, I'm usually not lucky enough to find what I need,

Umm- by the time I drive to 2 different cities to browse thrift shops I might be better off spending the $30 for the adapter--

Jim Jones · Mar 1, 2019

I haven't checked for flash sync delay on my Zenobia, but considering its age, it might be synced for flash bulbs, not electronic flash.

AgX · Mar 2, 2019

Good point!

absalom1951 · Mar 2, 2019

There's not a whole lot of info I can find on the Zenobia. But I think mine is a late model C. By the lens and shutter combination it was produced between 1954 - 1955. The early models of this lens and shutter combination had ASA sync while the later models had PC sync. Has there ever been an electronic flash with ASA connection ?

The Zenobia "camera is a clone of Zeiss Ikon Ikonta A and inherited from the Waltax ". Might be best if I stick with ASA flash, find me a flash and bulbs . Do some experimenting. The only flash bulbs I've ever used has been the Kodak cubes. In fast, I have some of those somewhere.

Thanks for everyone's input , appreciate it

John Koehrer · Mar 2, 2019

I think the sync contacts may be "adjusted" by reforming/bending them. "Reforming" is a
more expensive word than "bend".

them

absalom1951 · Mar 3, 2019

Doesn't the flash bulb require to be fired a milli-second before the shutter opens ? A micrometer ( or the ones I used years ago) could only read in thousandths .
Just out of curiosity for I will not try it , but what kind of an instrument would be used to set the flash sync ?

DWThomas · Mar 3, 2019

absalom1951 said:
Doesn't the flash bulb require to be fired a milli-second before the shutter opens ? A micrometer ( or the ones I used years ago) could only read in thousandths .
Just out of curiosity for I will not try it , but what kind of an instrument would be used to set the flash sync ?

Actually, I believe the "M" sync closes the contacts about 20 milliseconds before the shutter opens. If I were attempting it I would probably use an oscilloscope -- but I just happen to own one! I suspect there are a lot of different mysterious shutter-dependent tricks to accomplish that sync timing. If one could see the motions and figure out how to move the contact to get the contact closure closer to full open, one could fire the shutter with a connected flash and try to see the flash (off a white card or wall) through the shutter.

When this OP first came up I looked up the camera and it sounded as though some models/variations of that brand may have had X sync and some didn't -- so you might already have it. And some cameras have a switch for 'M' or 'X' (my Yashica 124G to name one). Toward the end of its production, the Argus C-3 came with X sync and instructions to use 1/25 second (or slower) shutter speed with flash bulbs. That was to keep the shutter open long enough to catch the delayed flash.

Fun stuff from the olden days!

Zenobia flash question

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