Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I bought a Kodak Hawkeye Brownie camera along with a pile of #25 flash bulbs, and a Kodalite flash attachment. I have figured out how to take the flash off camera and fire it using wire, but is there a way I can hook my CyberSync CST to the Hawkeye's flash ports and then hook up a CSRB to the flash attachments? The Kodalite flash go very cheap on eBay, and I could buy a bunch of them. Hook up my CyberSync triggers and light up freight trains! Yes, I know I have completely lost my mind at this point, but I still want to see if I can do it.

Kent in SD

not familiar enough with the conections to say. If it is an electrical connection, i do not see why not.

If you can get the appropriate sync signal out of the camera to the CST it should work, Because of the delay in a flash bulb the sync has to precede the shutter. Don't remember what this sync mode is this was called.

The sync will be correct since I am using a 1950s era camera. It's a mechanical switch. As you depress the shutter button, it causes the connection between shutter button and flash to close a fraction of a second before the shutter trips. That completes a circuit between the camera and the flash. The battery (either two AA or two C cells) is in the flash attachment. That's what fires the flash bulb. The flash attachment fits into two metal holes in the side of the camera. I was thinking I could get two machine screws, wrap the bare wires from a PC cable around them, and insert that into the camera's holes. I could then attach a hotshoe to the PC cable, and slide a CST into that. When the shutter is depressed it will complete a circuit that should fire the CST, in sync. On the other end I could attach the mini-plug end of the PC cord to the flash. I could attach the bare wires to the flash attachment's prongs (which ordinarily slide into the camera.) I could then plug the CSRB into the mini-plug. It would be a complete circuit, I think. The batteries in the flash are what actually fire the bulb, and they are either 2 AA or 2 C cells, i.e. 3 volts? If the CSRB is simply a switch to complete a circuit, this should work, no? I'm wondering if the duration of the signal from CyberSyncs will be long enough to trigger the bulb at this point. If the circuits all seem to be there, I will then go to the trouble of making the sync cord and trying it. If it works, I'll buy four more flash attachments, modify them, and then head down to the railroad tracks some night!


Kent in SD

Your thought process is correct. Most simple cameras like that (and the one time use, Holga, etc.) have a momentary switch anyway. The brief signal from the CSRB should be enough. If not, I could see a relay helping. Timing of the CyberSyc system should not be a problem, as it is 1/4000 of a second. Please let us know if you get it to work!