FlashBulbs: 

The First Flash Bulbs

It wasn’t until 1930 that the first flashbulb became commercially available. These bulbs were created by Johannes Ostermeier and they were quite large compared to the flashes of today — roughly the size of a typical light bulb that you would use in your home. The first bulbs were made using magnesium filaments and oxygen encased in a glass bulb. Again, they weren’t a perfect solution — sometimes the bulbs detonated too early, and sometimes the glass exploded — but they were definitely an improvement over the magnesium lights.

Around this same time, synchronization improved, making it much easier for photographers to produce the light when needed, during shutter actuation so that fewer shots were missed.

Over the next 30 years, bulb technology improved as well. Plastic replaced glass as containment for the bulbs since it was less likely to shatter on detonation. Eventually, zirconium replaced the magnesium because it provided a much stronger light. One major issue remained, however: Flashes could only be used once. Detonate it and you had to replace it.

Philips 5245 extenders

Flash Cubes:

PFC4 & MAGICUBE These flash units contain 4 blue flashbulbs, each with its own individual reflector. The PFC4 flash unit is used on instamatic, pocket, and instant cameras which carry a battery, needed for ignition of the flashbulbs. The magicube, however, developed for use on other series of instamatic and pocket cameras, does not require a battery for ignition. A flashbulb is fired mechanically by a striker which is released from its mounting in the base of the magicube by a percussion system built in the camera. Both the PFC4 and the magicube are suitable for use with all black-and-white and colour films, including instant film.

The iconic Kodak Flashcube, a lighting device that almost every older photographer remembers with mixed emotions, was the next revolution in lighting technology. When it hit the market in the 1960s, it meant that photographers now had a flash that could be used four times instead of once. This nifty little device featured four compact bulbs, so once you used one, it was necessary to rotate the cube and use a new bulb.

Flashbar cq Flip Flash:

The "flashbar" contains 10 hafnium-filled, har-glass flashbulbs, each with its own individual reflector, divided in two groups of 5 bulbs. The two groups face in opposite directions, so that the bar has to be turned round after 5 flashes. The power needed for ignition is provided by a battery in the camera.

The "flashbar" is specially developed for use with some specific instant cameras and is therefore, suitable for all instant films used in these cameras.

Test Bulbs