Speed Graphic and flash bulbs

[x-ray]

How did you know if it went off or not?? I suppose they still "pop"???

The outer skin was plastic just like the 5 and 25's. They would fry and bubble up.

I actually hated to see bulbs go away. They were such a great source of intense light and very light weight. I used 5's and 25's in bay to edison screw base ( standard light bulb base) in table and floor lamps and strung the larger bulbs around a room out of reflectors and umbrellas. Connect the entire array and trigger them with a trigger box. It appeared very natural and didn't look lit. Just can't do that easily with strobes. It takes quite a large array of strobe packs and heads to achieve the same results and output as a case of #3's. When I went to strobes i settled on speedotron and would carry nearly 50,000 wat seconds with bitube heads and 4800 and 2400 ws packs. In all the weight was about 800 pounds. Each 4800 pack pulled 40 amps at 110 volts when cycling. This was the day of shooting 4x5 or 8x10 transparencies for interiors. Now digital has made it easier to balance light and get away with less equipment and come away with a more natural looking shot.

 

[Rico]

I know bulbs only via the Kodak Instamatic of 1970, but want to experiment with the real thing. The long light duration allows motion blur at one extreme, and fast shutter speeds at the other. By its nature, electronic flash is quite restricting.

 

[x-ray]

Currently I'm starting to get interested in early 1950s electronic flash units (Braun, Blaupunkt, early Metz). They typically offer guide number 60 to 100 at ISO 100, no automation whatsoever, with a convenient battery pack that you have to strap to your waist. With a suitable reflector you can get close to what you'd get with a flashbulb, and they're reusable of course.

The idea was that I wanted to try some Winston Link-esque setups of various motifs, and I didn't want to blow 20 bulbs with each shot, but the old electronic flashes can be had for $1 a piece on eBay. If you do studio work or have a wall plug nearby, there's lots of old flashes that don't have a battery but need 110 or 220V, which typically cost next to no money at all.

Look at some of the honneywell strobonars. Some of the Braun Hobby units used a lead acid battery sililar to a car battery and others used a 510volt battery that might be hard to find now and were very expensive even then. The old Graflex strobes were very good but used 2 high voltage batteries. there were AC adapeters for them too.

Some of the studio equipment could be deadly. The early bank capacitor units could produce extremely high power but if the capacitor plug was accidentally pulled it would discharge through your body. The power could exceed 75,000 - 100,000 watt seconds (joules). I think they were called ascor sun banks. 50 joules is all it takes to stop your heart. Evensome of the old speedotrons would arc if the head was pulled while the capicator was charged. I sold a 2400 ws pack to a guy and he blew a 2x4 out of a ceileing when it blew.

 

[comp_wiz101]

Talk about the tail wagging the dog! Try mounting a Sunpak 120 on a Canon GIII. It's like 3 times the size of the camera! 🙂

I restored the battery pack on a Braun F800 60s-70s flashgun unit.... the sort that you have to sling over your shoulder to carry. It has it's own grip and strobe-frame, but when I have to use it I've been treating it like a miniature studio flash.​

I did notice, though, that the graflite clamps from my Pacemaker Speed fit almost perfect onto the handle and flash head. It works out to be about a Guide number 198 @ ISO 100 (in Feet). I also have an auxiliary gun, but it spends its time as a back-light to wash out white backgrounds.​

 

[kittyjive]

You want the bulbs, I've got the bulbs

You want the bulbs, I've got the bulbs

Hi!
I'm new to this website, so I don't mean to be obtuse by simply mentioning that several flash bulbs were recently discovered when opening a mysterious case in my parent's basement a few weeks ago. In new condition are 4 #6B flashbulbs still in original GE packaging, 5 with original (now flattened) box (all are that blue color) making a total of 9 #6Bs. and 1 clear #5 bulb-all new and unused.

I'd list them on ebay, but have no idea what to charge and so have not yet done so.
1.Can anyone tell me about how much they're worth?
2.Does anyone want them?
Please reply to post or send an email.
Thanks!

PS. I found a lot of other things in that box, too, but I don't know if y'all like things listed separately or as 'lots'.

 

[Xmas]

Well before bulbs thay used to ise flash powder in a tray, why bother with new fangled, when you can really go back.

One of the press old timers stories, was taking a shot in a markee with really dark material and using twice his normal indoor amount of amount of powder, his assistant held the wooden handle to the aluminium tray aloft 'woof' when the Mg powder lit up, and the photog happened to look up to see the markee was making like the Hindenberg at Lakehurst, so he stage whispered to his assustant 'run', as they had got their shot and ran.

Noel

 

[sepiareverb]

The smell of flashbulbs! Wow that brings back memories. I used to shoot a lot of SX-70 with the flashbar- often with marlboro cigarette packages taped over for a nice red light didn't know I was being Weegee-esque!

I remember the glass? ones hitting the floor and popping at some big function when I was a kid- I think my aunts wedding ca. 1966 or so- the photog pulling them out with a hankefchief and dropping them. Is this right?