Hello:

After having a GREAT time sparking up about 30 press bulbs with my 4X5 Crown and 2773 3 cell flash over Christmas (I think my kids sight has come back now), I am running short on bulbs. I got some great images! I tried using my Honeywell Strobonar Auto 770 with the original 2 prong plug that works great with the 2773, and it will fire the Strobonar, but it apparently will not synchronize with the shutter, even at 1/20th of sec exposure. The Strobonar has a 3 hole female connector. Any suggestions on a way (cord, etc.) to make this work as it should? Unfortunately I don't have other cords. And will my images be anywhere as nice as with the huge bulbs that have a HUGE fun factor?

Thanks,

Blair

PS. After posting this, I see a message below about shutter firing the bulb before the shutter actually open, whereas the strobe is instantaneous. Sounds like I am SOL on this strobe deal for my Crown, right?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: bgoates on 2005-01-24 20:36 ]</font>

Shutter has to have a switchable flash sync and be set to X for strobe. The delay on older shutters can be disabled and the contacts turned into an X sync for strobe use but bulbs would no longer work without the shutter being restored to the previous state.
using an insulated piece of wire with bare ends connect between any two of the three contacts briefly to see which fire the strobe. The correct pair will fire the instant of contact.
Charles

Blair: As Charles said, to sync with electronic flash, your shutter must have an X sync option. Some shutters had M-X, which would allow both bulbs and EF. Some just had X. Since you've already taken good pics with bulbs, we know your shutter has an M setting. Look for an X - it just might be there.

The extra receptacle on your flash [you mentioned it has 3 female imputs] is merely so your 2-prong plug can plug into it from either side. Try it!

Thanks so much for the reply. I have used my Crown previously only with available light, and my Christmas flash fun was the first time I sparked up some bulbs (GE 22B). I just guessed on proper f stop for my distance and it luckily only took 2 shots to expose with the bulbs properly. I did not want to figure guide numbers etc. that I don't fullly understand anyway. As I mentioned, I have no problem firing the flash with the shutter. It was simply not synchronizing so I got no exposure on the super slow Polaroid type 55 film when I used the strobe. It worked just fine (got good exposure anyway) with the bulbs.

Now I need to "splain" some things Lucy. My shutter is a Graphex full synchromatic that has stops for "X", "M", "FX", and "off". I just noticed this after reading your post. Now, most remarkably, the setting is on X now and I don't think I changed it since I used either flash system. According to your response, this should have been the proper setting for the strobe, correct?

I could do some experimenting now, but I will wait for your advice before wasting more valuable film.

Thanks Again! Anxiously waiting for your responses all!

Blair

OK, you set the shutter on "X" and connect the strobonar to the lens sync terminals. NOW open the hood over the ground glass and focus the lens at infinity with the aperture at wide open. Point the camera at a wall 8 to 10 feet away, cock the shutter, and while looking at the ground glass trip the shutter. If you see a momentary full image simular to open for focus then the sync is functioning properly, if you see the shutter blades to some extent then the sync needs servicing. Try "FX" and see how much shutter blade is present if at all, and on "M" you will see a lot of shutter blade. It helps if the wall is white but its not necessary. 1/50 or 1/100 is a good shutter speed to test with.
Charles

Charles posted an excellent method of determining the current status of your sync "on the cheap". It could be your shutter hasn't been serviced in "awhile", and thus is slow, and because of that it just happens to sync with your bulbs. Or, you may have just adjusted the exposure to the amount of light available from the bulb [you said you didn't compute it with guide numbers, which means you, in effect, figured it "backward".

On X, that sync should be instant - thus, looking through the lens at the moment of exposure with the strobe SHOULD produce a full image of the iris [it should have been completely opened before the exposure]. If not, then it needs a CLA. You've got the basics to shoot with either light source.

Thanks again, so much, for the response. Once I saw my shutter on X, and it was working with bulbs, I figured it might be slow, after I read your first responses. Indeed the camera has been sitting in its case for 30+ years and the shutter definately needs a cleaning. At less than about 1/10th it sticks, but above 1/25th, it "sounds" about right, and exposes correctly in the 1/100th to 250th range with ambient light. I don't have a light meter so I have used one of my SLRs to estimate proper aperture and shutter settings. And DUH, of course I don't need to waste film; I can open up my back and check for flash. I should have figured that out myself, DUH. Anyway I will mess with it, maybe this weekend, and report results.

I am having so much fun with the flash on this camera and the images are really incredible with the blinding flash bulbs. Again, can I expect the high intensity light look with the Strobonar??

Thank you so much!

Blair

"Again, can I expect the high intensity light look with the Strobonar??"

Now Blair, there is light, then there is LIGHT! It's not fair to compare the Strobonar to a 22B bulb. The strob will produce a fair amount of light, but if you compare those pesky little guide numbers, I think you'll find the strob comes up short.

Bulb flash pics have a reputation [well earned, I think] for achieving a better modeling effect due to that intensity.

That may, or may not have an effect upon your flash photography. The output of the bulbs permit a smaller f stop, or increased distance of coverage. The strob is obviously cheaper to operate, will sync at any speed, and will stop action, but is more limited in range. That's a fair tradeoff.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: alecj on 2005-01-26 20:55 ]</font>

And that strobe won't damage your subject's eyes like those bulbs will either.

Using the 35mm SLR with a "normal" lens or a wide to tele zoom set to the wide end will function as well exposure wise as a regular hand held meter but is a lot bulkier.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-01-26 23:24 ]</font>

Flash bulbs have great output, but...Shutter speeds greatly affect your guide number. An example.. #5 using ASA 400 film the guide for 1/30th is 370, but crank up to 1/250 and it drops to 210. The guide # for my old 3900 Vivitar at that asa is 240. The bigger bulbs would have a greater output, but the price on anything but the #5 and 25 is pretty pricey. Just my 2 cents..Russ

Greetings all:

Yes! I am back in business with the Stobonar Auto 770! The fun factor definately decreases some with the strobe but my kids don't run and hide like they did when I pointed the camera at them "armed" with a huge bulb. They could even feel the heat. The batteries in the strobe are old and weak and don't hold a charge for long. Any suggestions on replacements?

Previously I stated, "My shutter is a Graphex full synchromatic that has stops for "X", "M", "FX", and "off". After I put my glasses on, I found my shutter to have a Black "M" a Red "M", "FX", and off". Black for black colored shutter speeds with bulbs, red for red colored shutter speeds with bulbs, and FX for strobe. Much to my delight, the FX setting worked fine with my strobe! I tried the experiment suggested above, looking at the ground glass. I got nothing on either "M", a nicely illuminated screen on "FX", and a small blip on "off". I read a manuel for the strobe, and as mentioned above, you only need 2 contacts, so my original cord is fine. I have "read up" a bit on the shutter too.

No, my images are not as nice as with the 22B's, but they are ceratinly acceptible. I have about 4, 6-packs of 22B's left, and 3 six packs of mega 50's. I will save them for special occaisions. I will do some ebaying for more to get that exeptional image.

Thank you all for taking the time to help the newbie! Enjoy your silver halide and photons.

Sincerly, Blair

Quote:

The batteries in the strobe are old and weak and don't hold a charge for long. Any suggestions on replacements?

Run em down and discharge the unit completely. Open it up and see how many batteries are in there and what size. They should have a voltage and amp hour (Ah) rating on them. Do not use lesser batteries as the strobe will not last for long between charges. If it has 1.2 Ah then you can use 1.4 or 1.6 Ah in their place. They will be solder in type Nicad's available from Radio Shack and other electronic suppliers. If you have never done any electronic repair find a technican to replace them for you, some batteries are difficult to solder in.
When opening the battery pack any thing comming out of or around the batteries in the way of white or green goo or powder is battery leakage and is corrosive.

Happy shooting!
Charles

You can get new batteries for Strobonar flash units from Batteries Plus. I have a few Strobonars that I've had them put new cells in for under $20.00 each.

-Mike

Thanks again so much for your assistance.

Blair