[LargeFormat] to ringlash or not to ringflash

[Clive Warren]

At 8:49 am +0000 26/3/02, Robert Lawrence wrote:
>"philip.lambert" wrote:
>
>>  I am currently worrying
>>  whether a bulb flash will damage a modern SLR when the shutter triggers the
>>  flash.   All comments welcome on this. Philip
>
>There are some delicate electronics in this path on a modern SLR, 
>certainly not
>designed to sink/source the current for a flash bulb, the sync socket is NOT
>mechanical as on LF shutters and you will almost certainly fry your camera
>unless you isolate the two circuits.
>
>Robert Lawrence

This reminds me of a Speed Graphic overhaul I carried out a long time 
ago. The shutter was a bit erratic so I stripped it down. The flash 
contacts in the shutter mechanism are simple but effective and made 
of brass. In this camera the  brass strips had been "blown apart" by 
years of firing off Press flash bulbs and the detritus was jamming 
the shutter every so often!

It could be a good way of getting rid of those irritating auto 
functions in modern SLRs, such as focus and metering ;-)

Some older SLRs may be designed for use with flash bulbs in addition 
to electronic strobes but not all were designed equal......

Cheers,
        Clive