Argoflex flash synch -- follow up

Having processed the first two rolls of film from the Argoflex (thanks

again, Dean!), I can confirm that although the camera has a working

hot shoe on the side (the flash fires reliably), it is clearly *not* X

synch; three flash frames and two fill flash attempts in two rolls

show no effect at all from the electronic flash I had available. I'm

expecting a bulb flash in the mail this week, which should produce

much nicer results even with the wimpy little AG-1 bulbs.

 

I'll be back later to post the scans -- probably tomorrow, since I

likely won't have time to scan today.

There aren't many cameras from that era with X sync since electronic flash did not exist then. They used flash bulbs. If you get a flashgun, make sure it takes an available battery. Many of them took weird batteries that are no longer available. Also, if the flashgun needs a capacitor, make sure its present. Flash bulbs used to be available in an enormous range of sizes, powers, delays and bulb colors. Not all bulbs fit all flashguns and not all bulbs are suitable for all types of film.

David, the flashgun I've received (came in today's mail) takes bayonet, M, and AG type bulbs, has a built-in guide number calculator for the common sizes (and I can easily extrapolate guide numbers for the others), and uses a squarish 15V battery that I'm pretty sure I can get. It's quite nice, in fact, an apparent clone of a Tilt-A-Mite, and aside from having a dead, but not corroded battery on board, appears NIB.

 

The cameras I'll be using it on are all leaf shutter types, and speeds of 1/60 or slower should give 100% light with the M and AG bulbs (and most bayonet bulbs, if I ever stumble on some that aren't extremely expensive). M3 and AG-1 are the most common, of course, and the least expensive, and I have a bunch of AG-1 and AG-1B on hand. Yes, B bulbs for color, and remember to adjust the guide number for the blue filtering on the bulb...

 

In fact, though, xenon flash dates back to the end of WWII, from what I've read -- this camera was made around 1950, give or take a couple years -- however, it was unheard of in the consumer camera class until the late 1960s or early 1970s. I had a Keystone Everflash that took 126 cartridges and had a built-in strobe, in about 1972, and my uncle had a professional Strobonar with the 450 V dry cell batteries in the early 1960s. I wasn't really thinking the camera had X synch, just wondering (I originally asked before finding the manufacture dates -- Argoflex models with the gear-coupled focusing lenses ran from 1945 to 1951, only the last, AFAIK, equipped with hot shoe for flash). My 1948-1954 Kodak Reflex II has X synch with a settable M delay, so it wasn't a completely silly question...

Donald, et al, the electronic Xenon flash was invented by Dr. Harold Edgerton in the '40s. To appreciate the little wonders of the flash world we enjoy today, you really need to see pictures of the original contraption. Donald, pull up the Ace Index website to look for that flash battery. They are available but a bit pricey. The upside is, they last a long time. I think the site is at www.acecam.com

Thanks, Glenn -- I'm going to try the local camera store and Radio Shack first, but Ace is probably a good link to have, since I also have the 22.5 V battery in the flash on my Minolta 16 MG. As you say, they last a long time, since each flash is a miniscule drain; unless the capacitor is leaky, it's essentially shelf life service.

Well, okay, via Ace I found Photobattery.com, who can supply my 15V, 22.5V, and a substitute (fortunately, not needing a precise voltage match) for the mercury cell original to my Spottie, out the door for $28 plus shipping. I'll still check locally, but I know I can get the batteries I need.