Graflex.org

[Springback]

Hello! My new old Crown 4x5 needs a headlight. Theres lots of competition on e-bay what with the light ***** fellows, but there seems to be an occasional 2-cell handle out there. Will they power up a big enough charge for my 45 or were they meant for a smaller camera? Thanks!

[Les]

For the most part the size of the camera has no bearing on the size of the battery case. I doubt you'll be using many press 40s or press 31s now that they are over $3 each. Best stick with 5s or 25s--the bayonet sized bulbs. These give plenty of the light, particulalry when paired with Tmax 400 or tri-x.

The biggest problem any of these battery cases has to overcome is A. internal resistance and B. shutter release resistance.

The problem manifests itself in the form of "the bulb went off, but the solenoid didn't trip the shutter" If your lens is syncronized then this won't happen, you may push the button and the solenoid not trip the shutter, but at least you won't lose a bulb.

Keep all contacts clean and bright (Radio shack sells a fiberglass pencil brush that will beat any wire brush hands down.) And keep the right amount of play in the linkage between the solenoid and the shutter so it can gain momentum to trip it.

And above all---use fresh batteries!

The only other problem you may have to overcome is the titters and snide comments when you saddle up next to the other press photographers with your flash looking like a ten year old boy in last years' suit--just a little bit too small.

[clnfrd]

The most He-man-looking flashgun I've seen in a long time is a built-like-a-fortress Demornay-Budd I have in my collection. It is well-made...super heavy-duty...uses three D-cells...accomodates medium-base 40's, 22's, 11's, etc. in the battery-case socket...but also uses 5's and 25's, etc in the reflector that is bright chrome...segmented...adjustable for different distances with a large plastic knob on the rear of the reflector that adjusts the depth and light-dispersing angle. Neat, huh? I've never seen another one like it...but it's too big for my 2X3's. Just thought I'd throw this in FWIW. Fred.

[alecj]

If you are using a solenoid release on your camera, look at the solenoid closely. The Graflex solenoids were designed specifically for different power requirements. If you solenoid has a 2 on it, then the 2 cell flash is OK. But, if your solenoid has a 3 on it, then you "should" use a battery case with 3 D-cells in it. Assuming you aren't also using it for flash sync too, I'm not sure what harm, if any, an underpowered solenoid would sustain, but I just wanted you to know what Graflex intended for them to have.

[Les]

Well a solenoid designed for 4.5 v won't have much pulling power when given 3.0v. Now according to Graflex you should NEVER use a #2 (rated at 3.0) with three cells (4.5v) because it would trip too fast--- and yet I have a factory Anny that was set up just that way.

[Baker]

Les: Must've been built at the end of a shift, when the assembler was tired (or possibly in the morning, and he was hung over...)

On flashes: What kind of bracket is on the camera? A flat strip, or something with the ends bent 90 degrees with slots in them? A lot, if not most, of the Crowns had brackets for the not-a-sword-handle-in-a-movie Graflite, which you should be able to get pretty cheap (mine was $20, and came with both heads in perfect condition). It's aluminum with a black plastic battery cap, and uses the bracket with the slotted ends.

[Les]

And that bracket with the slotted ends looks like the brackets the leather handle fits on--- that way you can use two Graflites, on on the right and one on the left.

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