How about flash bulbs?

[Phil_F_NM]

"Aaaaaalllllll hands on the flight deck and smoking sponsons, muster at the bow of the flight deck for FOD WALKDOWN!"

Speaking of FOD, we had a PH on our boat who earned the name "Tumbleweed" by walking behind and EA-6B while it was thrusting to maneuver into position on the cat...
It wasn't me, I was an AG at the time.

Phil Forrest

 

[hepcat]

"Aaaaaalllllll hands on the flight deck and smoking sponsons, muster at the bow of the flight deck for FOD WALKDOWN!"

Speaking of FOD, we had a PH on our boat who earned the name "Tumbleweed" by walking behind and EA-6B while it was thrusting to maneuver into position on the cat...
It wasn't me, I was an AG at the time.

Phil Forrest

Too funny... I was in the VP Navy. The closest I was to being on board ship in my five year tour was that I once had to cross the quarterdeck of the USS Proteus AS-19 to visit a buddy on a boomer, the USS Ethan Allen SSBN 608.

We should stop hijacking this thread and maybe start one of our own in the Members Only section?

😀

On Edit: I started a new thread... Hangin' at the Gedunk...

 

[grapejohnson]

How much different is using a flashbulb as far as correct exposure goes? What settings does one use to get a good exposure as compared to an electronic strobe? From what I've seen, bulbs have a much nicer, more even and less harsh effect.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

You have to know the output of your bulb and use Guide Number but in the case of flashbulbs, your shutter speed DOES matter for exposure as well as flash synch. So you need to know your bulb's burn rate (FP bulb vs standard bulb for leaf shutter,) the Guide Number and finally if the synchronization delay on your camera works. Once it's dialed in, there is no other way you can get that much portable light emitting power. The light can be quite harsh or it can be soft, depending upon your reflector (if used,) distance to the subject, bouncing the light and again, your shutter speed.

Phil Forrest

 

[hepcat]

How much different is using a flashbulb as far as correct exposure goes? What settings does one use to get a good exposure as compared to an electronic strobe? From what I've seen, bulbs have a much nicer, more even and less harsh effect.

There isn't much difference in exposure... you set your exposure according to the guide number on the bulb. The light source is just a light source. It's how its modified that gives you either a harsh or soft effect. Most of the bulb flashes had an off-set to the side of the lens and were raised to one degree or another. They also had a reflector of 5" to 6" in diameter to make the light source larger. Most of what you see today with on-camera flash is a tiny tube in a tiny point-source reflector directly above the lens.

If you take the time to modify your light source properly you won't tell any difference between a bulb and electronic flash. That said, electronic flash is a LOT more versatile, controllable, and programmable. Bulbs just light up an area by brute strength.

 

[sevo]

How much different is using a flashbulb as far as correct exposure goes? What settings does one use to get a good exposure as compared to an electronic strobe? From what I've seen, bulbs have a much nicer, more even and less harsh effect.

No. They can appear softer than electronic potato masher flashes of similar form and power by being less directed so that there can be more reflected weight from ceiling and walls (if these are close and bright enough). But unless the environment helps, they are more harsh, the actual light source being generally smaller in relation to power and too hot for much diffusion in front on them.

As flash meters generally won't cope with their burn pattern and duration, exposure requires calculation from the guide number. The guide number for standard use and distance tables for the same are on the boxes, and beyond that, most makers had booklets listing a wide range of guide numbers for different sync methods and exposure times.