The Costly and Inconvenient Era of Flashbulbs
Photography has come a long way from the days of flashbulbs. In the past, capturing a photo required a lot of effort and expense. People had to carry around bulky cameras and purchase expensive film for each shot. On top of that, using flash photography added an extra cost to every photo taken. The need for additional light in low-light conditions led to the development of flashbulbs.
Flashbulbs were small light bulbs filled with metal shavings of zirconium and oxygen. When electric current passed through them, they burned extremely fast, producing a bright flash. However, flashbulbs were single-use and needed to be replaced after each photo. They were also prone to exploding due to the intense heat generated during the flash. Despite these drawbacks, flashbulbs were a popular choice for amateur photographers who wanted to capture memories at night or indoors.
The Introduction of Flashcubes
In 1965, flashbulbs were revolutionized with the introduction of flashcubes. Flashcubes integrated four flashbulbs and reflectors into a simple-to-use, disposable cube. They eliminated the need for separate flash units and made flash photography more accessible to the average consumer. Cameras equipped with flashcubes automatically rotated the cube when winding the film to the next frame, ensuring a ready-to-use flash for every shot.
The initial flashcubes were essentially four ordinary flashbulbs packaged together. They still relied on electrical firing mechanisms and required a power source and a shutter-synchronization circuit to work. This often resulted in unreliable flash activation, ruining many photos. To address this issue, Sylvania and Kodak developed the Magicube in 1970.
The Magicube: Adding Explosives to Photography
The Magicube was a game-changer in flash photography. It replaced the electrically-fired flashbulbs with mechanical initiation. Instead of relying on an electrical current, the Magicube used a small metal tube filled with an explosive compound called a fulminate. When the tube was struck, the fulminate ignited, setting off a chain reaction that resulted in a bright flash.
The Magicube was designed to be simple and reliable. Cameras equipped with Magicube sockets had a built-in actuator that triggered the flashcube when the shutter button was pressed. The flashcube’s mechanical initiation eliminated the need for batteries and increased the overall reliability of flash photography.
The Explosive Power of Flashbulbs and Flashcubes
The high-speed footage captured by the Slow-Mo Guy revealed the incredible power and brightness of flashbulbs and flashcubes. Even at frame rates of 200,000 frames per second, the flash was so bright that it blew out the camera’s sensor. The initiation process, whether through mechanical or electrical means, involved explosive reactions that produced plumes of sparks and ignited zirconium filings, resulting in a brilliant flash of light.
Despite their explosive nature, flashbulbs and flashcubes were widely used by photographers of the time. They were affordable alternatives to professional-grade flash units and allowed everyday individuals to capture memories in low-light conditions. Each flashbulb or flashcube added an extra cost to photography, but the convenience and accessibility they provided made them a popular choice.
The Evolution of Flash Photography
Flashbulbs and flashcubes played a significant role in the evolution of flash photography. They paved the way for more advanced technologies, such as electronic flash units using flash tubes. Flash tubes use electrical discharges through quartz tubes filled with xenon gas to produce extremely bright flashes of light. Today, electronic flash units are commonly used in professional photography and offer even more control and versatility than their predecessors.
Photography has come a long way since the days of flashbulbs and flashcubes. The development of digital cameras and smartphone photography has made capturing memories easier and more accessible than ever before. However, it’s important to remember the humble beginnings of flash photography and the innovations that led to the technology we have today.
