[rollei_list] Re: Flash Bulbs
----- Original Message ----- From: "Elias Roustom" <eroustom@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 5:32 AM
Subject: [rollei_list] Flash Bulbs
I remember some months ago we discussed flash bulbs - here's a photo that amazes me in terms of the capacity of bulbs: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationallibrarynz_commons/3326203787/
Most likely shot with a press camera of some sort, another occasional topic of discussion. 

Enjoy,

Elias
Given the date and the area covered I think this is more likely flash powder than a flash bulb. Flash bulbs became available in the early 1930s so its not impossible that this was photographed with one but flash powder was in wide use before that, and continued to be used for press work for a time afterward, and was capable of lighting very large areas. In fact, powder continued to be used for lighting large area architectural and similar photography long after flashbulbs supplanted them for press work. Flash powder was generally used in a holder consisting of a V shaped long trough with a large reflector above it. This resulted in a rather soft quality of light compared to bulbs or to strobe. For a long time these flashguns used an arrangement similar to a cigarette lighter for igniting the powder but electrically triggered flashpowder guns were available later. Flash powder has an enormous light output and has been used in the past for cave photography and similar subjects. 
  Powder can be used for color photography.

--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx




---
Rollei List

- Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org
- Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org 

- Online, searchable archives are available at
http://www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list

Other related posts: