I would like to get a flash bulb holder for my Crown. It doesn't have to be Graflex. Mostly what I want is something big, that takes big bulbs, and pumps light. Looking for that WeeGee street photography look. If you can recommend something suitable I can search on the bay.
Search for Heiland flash, and Busch synchronizer, too.
Last edited by Jac@stafford.net; 19-Feb-2016 at 08:52.
I always reach for my Zeiss Ikofot, a small folding reflector shoe-mount flash.
We all do this. I think you mean the Zeiss Ikoblitz. Indeed, very handy for small bulbs.Originally Posted by Bill Burk
I think Randy Moe once showed us a compact folding flash that use big and small bulbs.
Randy?
.
The legendary Tilt-O-Mite. Handles the little ag 1 bulbs (which actually have a lot output) and much larger bulbs too. Nice exposure calculator on the back. You can figure out your guide number with one sheet of film if you test properly.
The best is the original however I believe all variations were made in Japan including the Ikoblitz. Tower (Sears) and many others are easily found.
Heiland invented the Tilt-a -Mite. Honeywell owned them for a while along with Pentax, same era.
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Tilt-A-Mite
It's really a genius design that can take 3 flash bulb types without adapters. AG 1&3, Mini Bayonet (M2,3,5)and Standard Bayonet (P5,25) flash bulbs all fit in the same place!
It folds to pocket size, tilts and has an excellent reflector.
It is a BC (battery/capacitor) design which makes the lousy batteries of that time last a long time. It also has a flash bulb check button that confirms a good bulb, capacitor charge and nearly assures function.
NOS abounds on eBay selling today for the same price as new. I have 3 of them.
The battery is available made up of 1.4 volt common button batteries and will cost more than the flash. Shop carefully. Another way is to buy button batteries by the 100 pack and tape/solder DIY.
The capacitor is usually good but also easily replaced.
Did I miss anything?
Yes, a vinyl cover is often with them for 2 purposes. One side is clear for safety of subject and obverse blue for color film with clear non blue B&W flash bulbs.
I use a single garage door opener battery in my tilt-a-mites. It is just slightly short of the contacts. Rather than bend the contacts, fold a penny over and put it in there and you're good for years.
Honeywell never owned Pentax. They were the USA distributor for Pentax until Pentax formed their own USA distributor company. As the distributor they were a customer of Pentax. That is a lot different then owning them.
My mistake Bob. My father told me that tale, he worked for Honeywell from post WW ll. He was given Honeywell Pentax Hla when I was child. I used that camera from about 1962, I was 11, for 40 years. Father so loved Honeywell he often fell on his sword for them and I assumed they 'owned'.
Nonetheless, I still shoot a Pentax MX with Heiland flash. The H1a was lost when I passed it to my nephew. It was an amazing camera. Never serviced.
I wasn't all that fond of Honeywell, when I managed a retail photo department Honeywell introduced the first automatic electronic flash gun, late in the year. I ordered a few with the instruction to the sales rep to have them ship after our inventory. He went and added a one in front of the quantity that I had ordered and had them shipped immediately. I caught a lot of flak from the main office for buying so many and having them before inventory. Honeywell played innocent, of course.
Then, years later, when I worked for Rollei of America, Rolei Werke purchased Honeywell Photographc and then had Honeywell personnel in Denver replace all of the Rollei of America employees from the President down to me. That left a sour taste again for Honeywell. But that was over 40 years ago.
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