Battery-less Flash

[pico]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Battery-less Flash for Leica w/o flash synch. Drawing of the same here.

 

Please correct me if this post is impertinent. I thought it to be an interesting device. I have several from a buy-out of an old camera shop in the Seventies, and was just organizing things for disposal.

 

The link above is a picture from the instruction manual for a Flash Tronic brand flash that uses bulbs, no battery, and works for Leicas without using a socketed flash synch. Another curiosity is one with three flash heads for that extra stop, but I have no picture at the moment.

 

--

Pico in the tropics of MinneSnowta (we are in the midst of a major Schneesturm here)

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[wlaidlaw]

Battery-less Flash for Leica w/o flash synch. Drawing of the same here.

 

Please correct me if this post is impertinent. I thought it to be an interesting device. I have several from a buy-out of an old camera shop in the Seventies, and was just organizing things for disposal.

 

The link above is a picture from the instruction manual for a Flash Tronic brand flash that uses bulbs, no battery, and works for Leicas without using a socketed flash synch. Another curiosity is one with three flash heads for that extra stop, but I have no picture at the moment.

 

--

Pico in the tropics of MinneSnowta (we are in the midst of a major Schneesturm here)

 

It might have been even better if it had a small carbide steam generator and turbine dynamo set to make enough electricity to fire the flash bulb. I love it that someone has gone to the trouble to make this incredibly complicated device, when a 9v battery would work just as well. I do recall that some early flashes used a 22V battery, which I also suspect was overkill to fire a bulb.

 

Wilson

[giordano]

When I saw the photograph I hoped it might be some wonderful system that used carbide and spring-loaded pistons and a spark to produce a bright little acetylene-and-air explosion. What a let-down to see that it actually uses ordinary flash bulbs.

 

I remember flashguns with the little 22v batteries. They were connected via a resistance to charge a capacitor which actually delivered the firing current, so (a) it didn't matter if the wires inside the bulb got short-circuited during the explosion and ( the flash would still fire even if the battery was on its last legs.

[pico]

It might have been even better if it had a small carbide steam generator and turbine dynamo set to make enough electricity to fire the flash bulb.

 

Ah! a Steampunk flash? It is available in three or nine-head models.

 

I love it that someone has gone to the trouble to make this incredibly complicated device, when a 9v battery would work just as well. I do recall that some early flashes used a 22V battery, which I also suspect was overkill to fire a bulb.

 

Those are rather overly confident statements.

 

How do you know a 9v battery will do just as well? The problem is more than voltage. A bulb flash can drain a typical 9v battery quickly. Most of the 22V battery models charged a capacitor that fired the bulb. The 22v battery is still available.

 

The unit was actually quite simple, mechanically. I have six and they all still work. They became available shortly after WWII, and were usually fitted to the Printex rangefinder large and medium-format cameras which were very military-like. One of their prime markets was police field work. There is an advantage to never having to worry about leaky batteries (considering the era), and use in very cold environments.

 

The device works regardless of the camera having a flash-sync socket, but most large bulb flashes worked that way - the flash triggers the camera shutter, and the flash can usually provide two different stand-off delays as needed with different classes of bulbs.

[pico]

When I saw the photograph I hoped it might be some wonderful system that used carbide and spring-loaded pistons and a spark to produce a bright little acetylene-and-air explosion. What a let-down to see that it actually uses ordinary flash bulbs.

 

You have inspired me. The Steampunk models I have, and make, could be modified to ignite an oxygen + acetylene mixture. Nah. That might kill the photographer and the subject, or give the photographer the nickname "Lefty". Carbide + water would work, but it's just so 'old fashion'.

 

BTW, most of this old flash stuff was acquired for spelunker photographers.

 

Nah. That's just the MinneSnowta Cabin Fever talking. (Heck of a storm out there right now.)

[wlaidlaw]

Pico,

 

I had for a long time, a Graflex flash gun, which used 3 D cell batteries, totalling 4.5V. I used to use Phillips PF200 Edison Screw bulbs, which were like a small nuclear explosion going off. 4.5V never failed to trigger them. Sadly my children found the Graflex in the attic one day and converted it to a light sabre.

 

Steam would be difficult to get to work a flash but somewhere, I do have a Cox Pee Wee .020 glow plug engine, which could be coupled to a small permanent magnet electric motor, to act as a DC generator. This would charge the capacitors and connected to the right discharge tube, would result in a nitro methane burning flash.

 

Wilson

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[masjah]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

A vague childhood memory; wasn't there once a film/comedy sketch about a mad inventor who tried to make a television work off gas?

[iphoenix]

Ah, what a beautifully creative mind. I have a couple of .049's. Would they be overkill?

[pico]

[...]

Steam would be difficult to get to work a flash but somewhere, I do have a Cox Pee Wee .020 glow plug engine, which could be coupled to a small permanent magnet electric motor, to act as a DC generator. This would charge the capacitors and connected to the right discharge tube, would result in a nitro methane burning flash.

 

Wilson, from where would the methane come? Don't tell me! The visual is too funny to bare!

 

Ah, what a beautifully creative mind. I have a couple of .049's. Would they be overkill?

 

Methinks we could accommodate the racket of two .049s powering a flash if we had deaf clients. Let's imagine the scene and be happy.

[wlaidlaw]

A vague childhood memory; wasn't there once a film/comedy sketch about a mad inventor who tried to make a television work off gas?

 

John,

 

Professor Branestawm I think. The original books were illustrated by Heath Robinson.

 

Wilson

[giordano]

Long, long ago I sketched out an air-acetylene hairdryer for female boilermakers. Does that count as mis-spent youth?

[iphoenix]

"ouch!'

[Pecole]

Pico,

 

I had for a long time, a Graflex flash gun, which used 3 D cell batteries, totalling 4.5V. I used to use Phillips PF200 Edison Screw bulbs, which were like a small nuclear explosion going off. 4.5V never failed to trigger them. Sadly my children found the Graflex in the attic one day and converted it to a light sabre.

 

Steam would be difficult to get to work a flash but somewhere, I do have a Cox Pee Wee .020 glow plug engine, which could be coupled to a small permanent magnet electric motor, to act as a DC generator. This would charge the capacitors and connected to the right discharge tube, would result in a nitro methane burning flash.

 

Wilson

 

Good idea ! I'll try with my ED Bee 1cc diesel engine...

[gyoung]

 

Methinks we could accommodate the racket of two .049s powering a flash if we had deaf clients. Let's imagine the scene and be happy.

 

For a while I used a Mecablitz (502 I think) which made such a whine when recharging that everybody looked round at me, and on at least one occasion stopped a speaker in mid delivery of the speech

 

Gerry