Are those Graflex lightsabers or sabers that were made back in the old days useful for anything, or is it better to stick with modern flashes (whether using a Speedgraphic or otherwise)?
Are those Graflex lightsabers or sabers that were made back in the old days useful for anything, or is it better to stick with modern flashes (whether using a Speedgraphic or otherwise)?
They make an excellent handle if you are using the camera for handheld photography. Handheld works best if you can grip the camera with two hands. I bought one on ebay, sans reflector, that I attach to my Super Graphic for handheld work. (Recommend removing the batteries ... makes it a lot lighter.) The flash housing provides a solid grip for the right hand, while the strap is a weaker connection that aids in supporting the camera with the left hand.
There used to be a fitting from Graflex that allowed attachment of the strobe head to the top of the flash housing. I had one back in the 50s. Haven't seen any around in decades. If you wanted to mount a strobe head on one it would probably require a custom fabrication.
The other option would be to use it as originally intended. I believe there are some sources around for the old-fashioned flash bulbs. But to do this you would need to consider adding the necessary synch cords and you would also need a solenoid for your shutter release. Unless you want to do this for nostalgic reasons it will be a lot more trouble than working with a generic electronic flash.
al
Nothing beats flash bulbs to illuminate a scene - or to temporarily blind muggers while you make a quick getaway.
There's a tutorial somewhere (I think on the base website here) telling hot to convert one to a battery-powered flash for your graphic.
********Originally Posted by Ole Tjugen
Nothing beats flash bulbs to illuminate a scene - or to temporarily blind muggers while you make a quick getaway.
Yup. It worked for Jimmy Stewart with his Exacta in the Hitchcock film, Rear Window. Although, being in a wheel chair, his getaway was a moot point.
*****
I kind of like the solenoid for firing the shutter in hand held. I am thinking of trying to convert it to use a little bitty ca. 3v lithium camera battery.
Mine powers the light in the rangefinder.
Greg Lockrey
Wealth is a state of mind.
Money is just a tool.
Happiness is pedaling +25mph on a smooth road.
Greg, I have to ask you. Are you using it as a flash as well? That's a heavy rig (with the batteries) to be using it just to power the rangefinder. I never had a need to use a rangefinder when it got that dark.
Would like to see photos of your gear. I know that Kalart and Linhof had provisions in their rangefinders for projecting focusing beams. Are there any others?
al
John, mine takes three D cells.
You may need to think 4.5 volts instead of 3. I presume that is what the solenoids would be designed for.
al
There were solenoids for 3 volts and for 4.5 volts. They are numbered as no. 2 and no. 3, respectively. If you are going to use flash bulbs, you don't need to go through the agony of trying to synchronize the flash, solenoid and shutter if your shutter has an "M" flash sync. You only need a cord to go from flash to shutter sync terminal. You can still trip the shutter with a solenoid, too, though. In fact, using a solenoid is by far the most shake free way to trip a hand held camera. Most people don't know that by removing the strap on the Pacemaker Speed/Crown models, the Graflite clamps will mount directly onto the strap brackets, giving you the option of right, left, or dual mount flashes. Two Press 40s at once will let you take a picture of San Francisco. From Denver.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks