Re: [Leica] Flashing

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

I was interested in the thread about flash and flashbulbs- I have often
wondered if it would be possible to create a flash tube that mimicked the
burning of the wire or foil in a flashbulb. As an eletronics techniocian,
the circuitry is no secret, but the way the electronic flash works, there
apears to be no easy way to creat a tube that keeps a sustained active
period and still retain anything like a reasonable life span!
It would indeed be nice to find a way to get a flashtube to discharge over a
period of one or two milliseconds, rather than in the one-ten thousanth of a
second!!
As to color balance, I was telling a friend who noted the yellowish lens on
a Metz flash- that I always like the Metz for that reason- The Golden Glow
seems to minimize the Uv that flouresces some dyes, and adds a warmish tone
without a filter on the lens.
Dan
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Jem Kime" <jem.kime@cwcom.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2000 3:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Flashing


> Interesting to see at photokina the revival of interest in old style flash
> units.
> Both as a chintzy accessory for the new / old Minox Leica IIIf and as a
> serious addition to the Sunpak and other flash (strobe) ranges. These old
> style guns with their dish shaped reflectors house something which looked
> like a bulb but I'm not sure it wasn't a flash cell negating ongoing
> purchases of those melting glass units!
> Anyone look more closely than me?
> Jem
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Neil Miller <plus_4@hotmail.com>
>
> > Horst,
> >
> > I enjoyed your post regarding electronic flash vs flash bulbs. From a
> person
> > who uses a flash on an M2 with a 21mm lens all the time, it makes me
want
> to
> > dig out that old Leica flash I have stored away. Or another option would
> be
> > to get the old 4x5 speed graphic out.  Just photographing the
expressions
> on
> > the people viewing this odd equipment might make an interesting series.
> >
> > Neil
> >
> > Neil A. Miller
> > 4340 E. Boulder Ridge
> > Phoenix, AZ 85044
> > USA
> > ____________________________________________
> >
> > A.H.Schmidt wrote:
> >
> > Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 12:35:48 +1000
> > From: "A.H.SCHMIDT" <horsts@primus.com.au>
> > Subject: [Leica] Flashing
> > Message-ID: <39DD3A84.121F4BBF@primus.com.au>
> > References:
> >
> > My younger son (20 years old) was invited to attend a ballroom function
> > ,organized by the university he attends.
> > It was the first time for him to have to wear formal,  a Diner jacket,
> > pants and bow tie.
> > Of course my wife wanted some pictures of him taken. (me too, by the
> > way) All dressed up and ready to go.
> >
> > Now, I'm not much good at portraits and people, but I decided to make a
> > special effort.
> > The weather forecast pointed to a fine and sunny day, so the day before
> > the event, I went out in to the back garden, to find a nice spot to do
> > the deed. I even cut a few branches, got my wife to cut the lawn and
> > made thing nice. All in vain. The Melbourne weather didn't play ball.
> > Next day, it rained. All day
> >
> > When I arrived home this day from work, Junior was all dressed up, with
> > a foolish look.
> >
> > Never the less, as a proud father, (every body says, he looks like his
> > father. The Lucky devil! ) I assemble my camera gear and we decided, the
> > photos had to be taken inside the house. A fair amount of furniture
> > shifting and moving together with removing and re hanging of pictures
> > was instigated,  then it was decided,  now is the time do have junior
> > put on to film, to be remembered for all time.
> >
> > The equipment I used: A M3, a 90 mm Elmarit (early version) and a 50 mm
> > Summar (coated). also, I had a Sunpack electronic flash.
> >
> > The session went ahead. with the normal directions like: " Look happy,
> > or you'll be in all sorts of trouble". (Lucky his older brother was not
> > present, otherwise only stupid pulled faces and body contortions would
> > have been presented.)
> >
> > After about 10 shots, things slowly started to get on to peoples nerves.
> >
> > What to do.  I told junior, who was really bored by now, to hang on,
> > bribed  him  with 20 Bucks for some extra booze  to spend at the ball or
> > after.
> >
> > I went to my room, rummaged through some boxes in a rush. It was my old
> > Leitz flash gun ,
> > bracket and a few packets of  blue flash globes. PF 1 type.
> > The flash gun still had a 22.5V Varta battery in it, I made a test
> > exposure with a bulb and
> > it still worked.
> >
> > With the new (old style) setup, I went back in to the lounge room to
> > resume the torture.
> >
> > After the first shot, and replacement of the bulb, there was a complete
> > change of attitude.
> >
> > The look of amazement of  a bulb flashing and then melting and having to
> > be replaced after each use, was astonishing. Of course he had never seen
> > a flash bulb. Now the session was interesting and fun. my son wanted to
> > replace the bulbs, also take pictures of me and my wife. It made all the
> > difference. Peace was restored.
> >
> > Now to the prints. The first lot taken with the electronic flash, where
> > not to bad, the exposure seemed ok, but somehow impersonal and
> > unfriendly. Exactly like all  my previous flash pictures.
> >
> > The second lot  where completely different. They where warmer and  had a
> > more gemuetlich look. Probably the happier atmosphere helped a bit, but
> > I believe the slightly lower colour temperature of the blue flash bulbs
> > must have helped to improve the final look.
> > I also wonder if the much longer exposure time, 1/30 sec compared to
> > about  1/2000 of a sec had something to do with it.  Maybe films like
> > the longer  exposure better, than the extremely short amounts of high
> > power light flashes.
> >
> > Some of you may have experience or more knowledge of this. It may be
> > worth while to
> > hear some comments.
> >
> > In the meantime, I looked for all my old flash bulbs. I found about 2000
> > of the, With a mixture of  Focal plane bulbs and standard X-type bulbs.
> >
> > The final prints came out better than I hoped, and a couple are worth
> > while for keeping.
> >
> > The 2 lenses I used,  performed really good. I managed to use both
> > lenses as wide open as f2.8. I could not go wider, because the limit of
> > the Elmarit is 2.8 and because with the Summar, the flash bulbs where a
> > bit to power full.
> >
> > Regards, Horst Schmidt
> >
> >
> >
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