"Magnesium" flashbulbs
 

Anyone ever "played" with 'em?

I think I lit off a few a long time ago with just a battery. Back then the flea markets had a lot of cool stuff and it wasn't as easy to keep myself entertained.

I use flashbulbs sometimes when I take photos indoors, some of my cameras are too old to syncronize with electronic flash, for those I use bulbs, or get out a newer camera that works with a modern flash, if my supply of bulbs is low.. in the 50's and 60s many cameras had a switch to use either type. flashbulbs take time to ignite and reach peak brightness, so they actualy need to be set off slightly before the shutter opens. A camera synched for bulbs with a modern flash wont work because the flash will be over before the shutter opens.

Could you clarify what you mean by "magnesium" flashbulbs? Are they just the ordinary flashbulbs or something special?

Not really. When I was younger, I had a bunch of flashcubes (which were very much obsolete at the time) and I used them up taking actual photos.

I still have a few other flashbulbs left, but I'm keeping those as part of my modest camera collection.

So why is magnesium in quotes? It made me wonder, and apparently zirconium was a more modern alternative medium... but yeah, aren't they by and large magnesium?

Ordinary.

What cameras did had a 30 milisecond delay for slow bulbs?

I like your questions because they prompt me to learn more.

This site http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Flashbulbs
says that several things were tried and finally settled on the wire-filled bulbs made with magnesium-aluminum alloy.

I once took a box of the old fashioned magicubes that required electric to set them off...wired all four in series and then the box in parallel and set the entire mess off with a 9 volt battery. My mom jumped shouting "WTF was that???" :jawdrop:

I have a few of these left over from my folks' camera days. Interesting that the Sylvania bulbs are actually marked with the Westinghouse "W".

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4529/3...7082267c_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4523/3...d41d47c0_b.jpg

Buried somewhere I have a box of them but they have the traditional Edison base, so, if you want to REALLY wake someone in the morning and make a hell of a mess you put one in their ceiling light or the back of the fridge.

For years I kept one in my tool box for the silly reason (?) that it would handy should I ever need to start a fire.

I have a Kodak Motormatic from the 60's which I haven't been able to talk myself into getting rid of. Just way too cool to listen to it advance itself! I've hoarded quite a bunch of bulbs for it though it's really hard to imagine I'll ever use them.

Well obviously it's actually a Sylvania 'W.' :D

Yes, you can make a hoax like that.
But with me such bulbs for use and base for 'em :D A base with a reflector included.

I've got a box of assorted flashbulbs, some bayonet some Edison...One of the Edison base bulbs is freaking massive (about the size of a 200W incandescent), and instead of having that steel wool type of metal in it, it's contents look more like wadded up aluminum foil...

I've been thinking about selling some of the bulbs. I've got basically zip vintage camera wise, and don't really plan to get or use any.