Speed Grahic flash. Does anyone still use?

[MattCarey]

We were after some flashcubes to try out with a Rollei A110

I remember as a kid finding my parents flash cubes and cheap flashcube camera. Being curious, I played with it until I found that the cubes were fired by pressing something against a wire inside the cube....So, I sat there with a flash cube and a butter knife. Of course I had to watch what I was doing....you guessed it--FLASH! while looking directly at the cube.

I'd like to say I only did this once...

Matt

[MattCarey]

it probably bears mentioning that http://flashbulbs.com/ carries an extensive inventory of new stock (not recently manufactured, but bulbs that have never been sold to end-users).

They guy who sold my brother his stash (a couple of boxes---each box containing dozens and dozens of bulbs) told me this bit--he contacted someone online--I assumed it was flashbulbs.com--and offered to sell him the bulbs. I gather that the demand is not that high, because the offer was refused.

I think my brother got the cubes for <$1 a dozen. Or, he will average that amount if I ever give him the second box!

Matt

[sajianphotos]

Thanks ya'll, good advice. For the record I really wouldn't let the beauty go for a toy (light saber). But it's amazing - I saw one on ebay in a fancy case all looking real futuristic at $300 last I saw.
http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic...s.html#Flashes
says this...
"The earlier Graflex series 3-cell flash was used as the handle of the &quit;light saber" in Star Wars. The flash units are disappearing from the used market, bought up by Star Wars enthusiasts who them convert them into light saber props and sell them for hundreds of dollars."
Otta be a law against it!
I cleaned the thing up and got it working the other night and proudly popped of a bulb to impress my wife. Once she gets her sight back I think she'll start talking to me again.
Anyway I appreciate the feed back.

[sajianphotos]

Also, if you want to sync to the body (curtain) shutter in your speed, you will need the bulbs.

Matt

How is this done?

[sajianphotos]

How's this for sacrelage?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-built-lig...QQcmdZViewItem

[MattCarey]

How is this done?

I haven't tried it, but I was given this advise here on APUG.
This was discussed in this thread--

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum44/15638-speed-graphic-barrel-lenses.html

Matt

[sajianphotos]

Thanks Matt,
That was an interesting thread.

[gordrob]

If you really want to impress someone try using 3 bulb flash heads together with the big #3 bulbs - each with a guide number of 550 for ISO 100. You can light an auditorium with this set up.
Check this link for a good idea of what can be accomplished with bulb flash (43 bulbs) - probably a feat that couldn't be duplicated with electronic flash at the same cost. Page 2 on this site shows some of his flash heads.
http://www.soulcatcherstudio.com/artists/link.html

Gord

[Chazzy]

I wish that I could remember the details, but I recall that Edward Steichen took a very impressive picture of an aircraft carrier at night using a large number of flash bulbs. I can't remember whether any planes were landing or taking off at the time, but all those flash bulbs going off would not have improved anyone's night vision! Maybe someone who has that _Steichen at War_ book can provide more details.

[kwmullet]

How's this for sacrelage?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-built-lig...QQcmdZViewItem

Hopefully, a small industry of people un-starwarring Graflex flash units will spring up.