I'm looking for some kind (any kind) of electronic flash for my Speed Graphic. Any suggestions?

Thanks, from a lost and lightless photographer.

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On 2003-10-29 20:56, moristano wrote: I'm looking for some kind (any kind) of electronic flash for my Speed Graphic. Any suggestions? Thanks, from a lost and lightless photographer.

Well, you've got your own answer: "(any kind) of electronic flash". In operation, there is no difference between electronic flashes. One works the same as any other.

Now, to your camera...

Forget the focal plane shutter's body synch. It can _only_ work with flash bulbs, and FP (focal plane) bulbs at that.

Next is the shuuter on your lens. And hopefully you have one? There is your only chance at using an electronic flash. _IF_ it has synch, _AND_ has X synch, you can use vitually any flash. If it doesn't have X-synch, you're out of luck. The older shutters only offered synch for flash bulbs. The only slightly old shutters offer X, M and somtimes FP synch. The newer shutters only offer X synch.

So, the real qustion is what kind of shutter do you have and does it have synch?

If it doesn't, don't lose hope. "Standard" lenses can be had quite inexpensively in shutters with synch. And replacing your lens/shutter would be the only way to get it. Although there are some people who have added synch to the old shutters. It's far too expensive to have done professionally, but possibly something you may be able to do yourself. If you're comfortable taking apart a shutter, modifying it and putting it all back together. For a standard lens, it's easier to lay out a 100 bucks for one with synch...

Rich,
Many thanks for the info. Using your input, I called the people at Paramount, and they are sending me out a cord to synch my flash to my Speed Graphic.

Hi. FYI, the flash cord doesn't synch the flash to the camera, it merely connects it. Synch, or synchronization, is accomplished by the timing mechanism in a flash-synched shutter. The contacts close, thereby igniting the flash, approx. 5 milliseconds before the shutter is wide open for F lamps...approx 20 ms before shutter wide open for most M lamps...and at the exact moment the shutter is wide open for electronic (strobe) (X) flash. That is assuming the shutter has settings for F, M, and X. If the shutter doesn't have built-in flash synch, synchronization may be accomplished with a solenoid attached to the shutter tripper. Hope this info is helpful as you continue to learn how all this madness works. Fred.

Well, my lens has the M and X settings so I'm hoping the cord will work. We'll find out.

Thanks for the reply.

It should. The obvious test is to look through the camera and trigger the shutter. if you see a flash, you're synched. I'm using a Vivitar 285 with mine, on a Stroboframe bracket intended for square MF cameras. It hangs off the left side, and I attach the three cell flash handle on the right side and trigger the shutter with solenoid as being less detrimental to stability than using then body mounted release.

Rob Dean

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On 2003-11-01 04:13, rsdean wrote: It should. The obvious test is to look through the camera and trigger the shutter. if you see a flash, you're synched. I'm using a Vivitar 285 with mine, on a Stroboframe bracket intended for square MF cameras. It hangs off the left side, and I attach the three cell flash handle on the right side and trigger the shutter with solenoid as being less detrimental to stability than using then body mounted release. Rob Dean

Hi. Run the test with a white card and the aperture wide open. You should see a perfect bright circle when you look through the camera and test the flash. If you see shutter blades that are not wide open, the synch is off. Fred.

The question has been answered but here's a long forgotten way to easily sync non synced shutters. It's the Kalart automatic synchronizer which came with certain models of Kalart Speed Flash guns. It's a cable release with a sync switch and a 2 prong (bi-post) plug that fit onto the flash gun. A bi-post to pc cord will fit it. It has settings for instant and delay. The sync time is adjusted by screwing the threaded adjuster in or out until in sync, using the test method described by Fred. When you see no shutter blades, it is in sync. These things show up on that famous auction site from time to time, for about ten bucks.

Well, I got a cord from Paramount, and loaded up my Polaroid holder with a sheet of film and, first try, got a great B&W picture of the piano in my living room, black and white keys perfectly exposed.

Thanks for all the help.

Electronic flash is kilovolts of electricity arcing through a gas filled tube, it's instantaneous.
If I do buy a speed graphic with flash sync 'prongs' on the shutter it's 'M' sync.
However I therefore cannot use my Metz 45CT1.
This doesn't sound good.
Is there any gun around which can take the bulbs Meggaflash make.
Correct me if i'm wrong but the official Graflite guns took only bulbs which are long out of production.

The 3 D-Cell Graflex Synchronizer Battery Case #2773 which has a lamp socket for screw-base bulbs such as the GE #11, GE #22, and Sylvania Press 40, and the Graflex 7" Reflector #2747 is what you need for the Meggaflash screw-base bulbs.

The Graflex aluminum handle bulb flashgun is not as popular with the SW people as the older Graflex shiny chrome handle bulb flashgun is, so prices are reasonable for the #2773 and make sure that you get the #2747 7 inch pan reflector and not the #2745 5 inch angled reflector (which is for the smaller bayonet base bulbs.)

As you may already know, the Meggaflash bulbs are the PF200 (high intensity medium peak), PF300 (high intensity slow peak) and the PF330 (long duration flood flash).

Good luck with your project.

graflite

Some shutters that do not have X sync setting still have X sync. An example is the Flash Supermatic. To get X sync just don't set the flash delay timer. Russ