Speed flashbulb system, versus electronic flash...

[fotch]

Flash bulbs meant for focal plane shutters had a longer burn time to accommodate the moving slit. Electronic flash cannot do this, AFAIK. I think the bulbs were labeled FP or something similar.

[Prof_Pixel]

Flash bulbs meant for focal plane shutters had a longer burn time to accommodate the moving slit. Electronic flash cannot do this, AFAIK. I think the bulbs were labeled FP or something similar.

If I remember correctly, FP bulbs were bayonet-base, gas filled fast peak bulbs designed to be used with X sync at faster shutter speeds. Regular flash bulbs didn't work well at high shutter speeds because you only got to use a small part of the burn (and thus got a low guide number).

There were long peak bulbs designed for focal plane shutters; I think they were all screw-base.

[lxdude]

If I remember correctly, FP bulbs were bayonet-base, gas filled fast peak bulbs designed to be used with X sync at faster shutter speeds. Regular flash bulbs didn't work well at high shutter speeds because you only got to use a small part of the burn (and thus got a low guide number).

There were long peak bulbs designed for focal plane shutters; I think they were all screw-base.

I understand FP to stand for focal plane. However, regarding X-sync- I have several cameras with separate sockets for X sync and FP sync.
So it would appear they were not designed for X sync.

[lxdude]

Flashbulbs were/are often used in large reflectors. And they put out a deliciously large amount of light.

Electronic flashes are often designed to be as small as possible. That means smaller amounts of light pumped into smallish reflectors.

The size and the shape of the reflectors and the quantity of light emitted by the source makes a big difference on how the photos appear.

Flashbulbs in a large reflector

Sunpak makes, or made, the 120J flash, a bare bulb with large parabolic reflector, to emulate bulb-type flashes. Anyone I've talked to who has used one has loved the quality of the light from it, compared to regular strobes. Prices on used units have remained strong.

Some other companies made similar units.

[Prof_Pixel]

From this: http://www.apug.org/forums/archive/i.../t-102581.html it appears the fast-peak bulbs I remember were type F. They required the use of the X-sync terminals.

[lxdude]

Flash bulbs meant for focal plane shutters had a longer burn time to accommodate the moving slit. Electronic flash cannot do this, AFAIK. I think the bulbs were labeled FP or something similar.

As I recall, they were called fast-rise, even-burn, long-burn types.

[Bill Burk]

What about the pulsed electronic flashes? Has anyone adapted something like the Olympus flash for OM-4T for FP sync?

[fotch]

"FP sync was used with FP (flat-peak) flash bulbs designed specifically for use with focal-plane shutters."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_synchronization

[Roger Cole]

Were there older (lens) shutters that had M synch but not X?

As people have said, flashbulbs put out a huge amount of light. I don't have any, or anything that uses them, but some day I will. A press camera with working properly cammed rangefinder and flash with a stock of bulbs is on my "someday, because it would be cool" list.

[Dean Taylor]

Of those you've dealt with, which US retailer might be my best resource for flashbulbs, then?