Graflex.org

[dvonk]

i have a graflex 3 cell flash, and there is nothing behind the 'glass eye.' (besides the spring) from what i gather, there is supposed to be some kind of small light blub behind there, for like testing the battery or something. can someone please tell me what exactly it would be for, if i had one? also, is there anywhere i can still get these old bulbs? thanks.

[Les]

I can't give you the right letter designation for the original bulb, but essentially it boils down to a 4.5 v flash light bulb (witout the lens)

In dark places, throw the switch and you've got yourself a flash light, not exactly a bright one by today's standards but it helps.

Later on Kalart (and Hugo meyer) came out with the foco-spot which put the bulb into the view finder. Many times you'll find an odd looking cable that threaded into this glass eye socket and gave power to the lamp inside the RF.

With the focospot on it projected two images of the filiment onto your subject (say the interiors of B25s during construction) then you adjusted the focus until they coincide and shot.

[dvonk]

if i had a bulb, how would i turn it on? would i just hold down the red button?

[MR]

Near the top of the flash there's a metal stud on the side. That's the on/off switch for the bulb. Slide it up for on, down for off.

[mopar_guy]

Hello,

Here is another add-on for an old post.

I have noticed that my Graflex flashes will spin around a bit in the clamp that holds them. Since the reflector is a parabolic shape this would throw the focus of the light from the flash either to the right or the left. Turning on the small bulb will project a small patch of light that I assume roughly coincides with the focus of the reflector. Spinning the flash from side to side with this "glass eye" turned on allows the flash to be centered on the subject or perhaps a compensation for paralax.

Regards
Dave