People keep calling flashbulbs the same as speedlights

Was at a camera swap meet last Saturday and this kid kept saying his old Graflex flash was just a vintage speedlight. No man, flashbulbs are single use glass bulbs that pop with actual fire inside, not a rechargeable strobe. Had to pull a burned out GE #5 from my bag to show him the difference. Anyone else run into folks mixing up old flash tech?

2 comments

2 Comments

gibson.sean25d ago

Oh you ran into one of those guys too? I was at a vintage camera show last month and this dude tried telling me my old Heiland Strobonar was basically the same as a modern Godox speedlight. I just pulled out a spent Sylvania Press 25 bulb and showed him the aluminum foil inside where the flash powder burns. He still looked confused. Its like people think anything that makes light before the 2000s is all the same ancient junk. I even had to explain that those old bulbs get hot enough to burn your fingers off if you touch them right after firing.

wesley_grant3324d ago

Not gonna lie, Ive been that confused guy before. Walked into a camera shop a few years back and tried arguing that a vintage Speed Graphic was basically the same as a modern Polaroid because they both make square pictures. The clerk just stared at me for a solid ten seconds. Turns out knowing nothing about something doesnt stop you from having strong opinions about it.