"FP" Flash Bulbs?

[custom film holders for fl]

I was reading through the manual for my Mamiya and read about FP

bulbs. Are these still made? I know they don't have the "techie"

factor of an electronic flash, but the ability to synch at higher

speeds than 1/60 sounds interesting. Besides having to change the

bulb between images, what are the other drawbacks of this system?

 

Thanks in advance.

[kelly_flanigan1]

FP bulbs have an almost constant output over the transit time of a typical focal plane shutter; 1/60 sec etc. Thus a 1/1000 second exposure can be made to stop action. These bulbs became obsolete when Xenon strobes became available to the masses. FP bulbs have a different foil in their insides; which causes them to have a flatter illumination verus time curve. The old Phillips bulbs had model numbers like PF 24 or PF 45 ; for FP synch; ie focal plane shutters. The guide number drops as the shutter speed is increased; because focal plane shutters are then having a narrower slit width above their synch speed.<BR><BR>Some ancient Giant edison base FP bulbs had real long durations; these were used for the old speed graphic cameras; when the focal plane shutter was used. These big bulbs have a nice toasting effect on the skin; when screwed into a live socket. One usually had a small test lightbulb; to test the socket.

[mozart 2]

When I was much younger, I worked in a camera shop in central Illinois. Nearly all of the sales force, including the then current and previous owners, were musicians.

 

When of the stories that "Hap" told me was that he and "Max", another musician who also worked at the camera shop would often sneak one of these old flashbulbs, which looked like a 60 watt bulb, in the piano players light placed on top of the piano.

 

Needless to say, when the piano player turned on his light - usually after a break - he and the folks around the piano were blinded for a moment and usually one of the fuses blew in the dance hall.

 

I suspect that a number of boxes of these old bulbs may still exist in the basements of some of the better camera shops. In fact, Rex Camera in Peoria may still have some of these bulbs around.

[kelly_flanigan1]

The old bulbs are still around. The last ones I bought were at a thrift store in Ventura,CA. I got about a dozen at 10 cents each!. They are edison base; clear; and the smaller ones; about the size of a 15watt edison base bulb. The regular giant number #50 bulbs draw alot of current to fire; and can pit SOME shutter's contacts. I have a rig with an SCR trigger; and capacitors; which buffers the current from the shutter contacts. BUT; the SCR is darn sensitive; once we had our sting of #50B's blow while our PC cord to the camera was moved pulled across the floor. The static charge fired the SCR; and the bank of bulbs went off.