Weegee fact or? 1/200 with flashbulbs?

[Bernice Loui]

Think the largest Edison/Mazda base flash bulb was a #75, 180,000 lumen seconds ?
http://lampes-et-tubes.info/fl/fl043.php?l=e

Consider the size of any electronic flash to produce THAT amount of light.

Then there was the extremely common GE flash cube that was used on Kodak Instamatic and similar cameras.

Flash bulb "guns" often had a ejector mechanism to rapidly dump the HOT flash bulb allowing another to be rapidly installed. These were the staple of Press Photographers and other Photographers who needed a lot of light for their image making needs. These were the days of 4x5 Speed Graphics and similar 4x5 press cameras.


Bernice

[Jac@stafford.net]

Think the largest Edison/Mazda base flash bulb was a #75, 180,000 lumen seconds ?
http://lampes-et-tubes.info/fl/fl043.php?l=e

Consider the size of any electronic flash to produce THAT amount of light.

They were used for night aerial photography. I have three and they just scare me! I also have bulbs that burn for 1.7 seconds. Also scary.

[invisibleflash]

Weegee was pretty flexible. I don't think he was stuck on one setting.

Here is his take on it...including the ten foot shot.

https://archive.org/details/WeegeeTellsHow

[Tin Can]

Great link with very clear audio

Thanks for posting and getting back to using the archive

[Neil Purling]

If you are photographing a corpse in a shop doorway & it IS starting to move then is was only a drunk sleeping it off. If it was shot and obviously re-animating then you have proof of the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. Take the shot & run like hell or shoot it between the eyes.

Seriously: My Crown Graphic has the Kodak 127mm Ektar in a Supermatic shutter. It is 'X' contact. Strange for a shutter made around 1948. It means I have to use 1/25th sec until the solenoid I ordered arrives' Ill send the whole thing off to SK Grimes for a CLA & maybe they can set the solenoid to trip with a 20mS delay.
The guide number for 1/25th with a #2 bulb is scary. It means I can use my stock of Eastman 4512 copy film which is 12ASA developed to a normal gamma and still get f16 at 10ft.

[rjbuzzclick]

My 1951 Speed does have a flash bulb bipin fitting connected to contacts for the moving curtain. My curtain works fine, the contacts must be corroded as they do not work.

My camera looks like new. I have tried the FP flash feature.

Randy, FWIW, on my Pacemaker Speed Graphic, the focal plane shutter curtain only has sync contacts for the bi-pin connector on the 1/30 speed. None of the other speeds have contacts nor will trigger the flash. I'm not sure if this is the case or not for the earlier versions.

Just to contribute to this conversation, here is the procedure I use for setting up the solenoids on my Graphics. I don't remember where I found it, either online, or in one of the 'Graflex Graphic Photography' books. It works for me-YMMV:

The following instructions are applicable to solenoids mounted in a clamp type mount shown in Figure 2. The same instructions may be used as a guide when adjusting solenoids mounted in a bracket type mount shown in Figure 3.

1.Loosen clamp screw so that the solenoid may be moved up or down
2.Connect solenoid release lever link to shutter release lever stud.
NOTE: The solenoid should be located in the mount perpendicular to the shutter release lever so that the solenoid armature is pulling straight into the coil assembly of the solenoid on its downward travel.
3.Set shutter at its top speed and cock. I've seen suggestions of using second to highest speed-RJR
4.Connect a solenoid cord from the solenoid to the SOLENOID outlet in battery case.
5.Press battery case switch button and hold. This will permit the solenoid armature to remain in the downward position until completion of the next step.
6.Slowly move solenoid away from shutter until shutter releases. Tighten clamp screw.
7.The solenoid armature should be at the bottom of its stroke when the shutter release lever is at the point of tripping. To test this adjustment,
cock the shutter and slowly press down by hand on the shutter release lever. At the exact point where the shutter releases, energize the solenoid by pressing the battery case switch button and hold. There should be no further movement of the shutter release lever.
8.Slowly back off solenoid cap until shutter holds in cocked position. Check adjustment by operating the solenoid. Do not proceed to the next step until this adjustment is correct.
9.Set shutter on TIME position and cock. Allow at least one second after cocking before pressing the battery case switch button. The shutter should open. Pressing the battery case switch button again should close the shutter. If the shutter fails to operate, proceed with the following adjustments, as required.
10.Adjust the solenoid cap by slowly screwing downward until shutter opens. Test after each fractional turn.
11.If shutter opens but will not close on TIME, the solenoid should be loosened in its mount and adjusted. Cock shutter. Pull down on solenoid until shutter releases. Move solenoid up in mount until shutter resets itself. A slight click will be noted. Tighten clamp screw to hold solenoid firmly in mount. Final adjustments can be made with cap adjustment (step 10).
NOTE: Because of the length of stroke and return spring characteristics of some shutters, the shutter cannot be operated on TIME and BULB with a solenoid connected. Some shutters will not hold open on BULB.
12.Test shutter synchronization by making practical test negatives. Synchronization may be tested with a reliable testing device also.
13.After repeated adjustments, if shutter and solenoid can not be synchronized correctly, the shutter should be overhauled.

[Tin Can]

Reid, fantastic data!

I will try that soon as I just bought a good lens/shutter with solenoid and Speed lens board here on the forum.

I printed out your entire message and will seal it in plastic to hang on my wall.

I do that with things I want to keep handy and remember to do. Saving to computer does not work for long for me...

And that 1/30th curtain speed is a vital tip. I felt the contacts, but may have not used 1/30th.


Thank you!

[Jac@stafford.net]

rjbuzzclick, your post should be FAQ and in the front page of this group.
Thanks very much. I have a fist-full of solenoids to try.

And what Randy Moe wrote!

[rjbuzzclick]

Randy and Jac,

You're both very welcome, I hope you find it useful.

One other point on solenoids, there is a Graflex #2 and a Graflex #3 solenoid. From my understanding, the #2 goes with the 2-cell handle, and the #3 goes with the 3-cell handle. I believe that if you switch handles it changes the timing on the solenoids. There 'might' be the possibility of damage to the #2 solenoid if used with a 3-cell handle, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[Mark Crabtree]

I messed with flash bulbs a little a number of years back. It really is simple, though foreign to most of us.

Another good source for info on using press cameras, and on using them with flash bulbs, is the Navy training manual. The one I have is Photographer's Mate 3 from 1961. Clear and concise information. The best exposure information for flash bulbs I found was in the old Kodak Professional Photoguide. Mine is a 1981 printing. That has one of those nifty calculator dials that covers a lot of variables - maybe TMI, but answered a lot of questions for me.