Hi everyone - just wanted to chime in...
This is not a Multiblitz Press Universal.
Hope that helps.
Hi everyone - just wanted to chime in...
This is not a Multiblitz Press Universal.
Hope that helps.
They are Ultra Blitz, at least I'm pretty sure they are. I used the same units for wedding work about a hundred years ago.
They attached to a rechargeable power supply, not a 300v battery as suggested above. It was a wet cell battery and only worked with these heads.
The suggestion re: the V indicating angle is correct, you could also remove the reflector and shoot "open tube" flash. Anyone else old enough to remember open tube flash work?
As far as their use today...might make a planter?
JD
Potentially fatal levels of current travelled over the cords of early electronic flashes, so be sure that you've got cabling that the insulation isn't broken down and that won't zap you-- definitely replace any 40-60 year old rubber coated cables!
Also, for what it may be worth, and for anyone with enough electronic experience and background to try DIY, a modern Quantum Turbo or Turbo 2x2 is a 12 volt battery inverted and stepped up to 300VAC. These units have the ability to zap and top off a large capacitor in a couple seconds time. May be some application here to substitute for long-obsolete HV wet cells.
Oh lord! I have seen those exact units somewhere but for the life of me cannot remember the name!
"I would like to see Paris before I die... Philadelphia will do..."
I suspect that these flash heads might actually have been made by Osram (who held the flash tube patent at the time) - they are typically unbranded and I've run across them with quite a variety of power packs and corresponding flash cord sockets. The brand-less nature of them in particular suggests one central OEM.
The last I saw of Ultrablitz was as part of (Frankfurt based electronics, not Nuremberg camera) Braun. They continued to use the name Braun Ultrablitz for part of their flashes into the SCA age.Originally Posted by Bob Salomon - HP Marketing
Be really careful with these old flash guns. Sync voltages were ridiculous. The Press Universal has a sync voltage of 156 V. That would fry any modern camera. I assume the Ultrablitz is in that same area.
Multiblitz Studio Lighting - Premium Quality - Made in Germany since 1948.
While this does not answer your original question, if you find the voltage necessary then you might consider creating your own battery. I used a Singer Graflex #250 flash (with bare tube) that used an Eveready 510-volt (nominal voltage) battery made of 9-volt batteries wired in series.
With more time to think on it, I'm pretty sure I remember the name Braun was stamped on the power supply.They are Ultra Blitz, at least I'm pretty sure they are. I used the same units for wedding work about a hundred years ago.
They attached to a rechargeable power supply, not a 300v battery as suggested above. It was a wet cell battery and only worked with these heads.
The suggestion re: the V indicating angle is correct, you could also remove the reflector and shoot "open tube" flash. Anyone else old enough to remember open tube flash work?
As far as their use today...might make a planter?
JD
These were old units when I used them in the mid-70's and weren't all that powerful even by the standards of the day. Can't imagine there would be any hope in making them useful at this late date. Your money could be better spent on a modern unit that would be 1) more reliable, 2) more powerful, and 3) a hell of a lot safer to work with.
JD
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