DIY - Photography/Flash - Electronics

Converge happens here: DIY - Photography/Flash - Electronics

The idea is to use several disposable camera flashes (array) to build a homemade studio strobe softbox which is triggered by flash light, or by PC sync cable, or by wireless radio signal. Below are good references:


Here is a very simple optical sync circuit: solar cell flash slave, used in a project using disposable camera's flash. It uses a schematic in an old book: "Electronic projects for photographers", (By Walt Bregach, TAB Books, 1983, now out of print), with 2 main components:

• two small solar cell fragments (available from many electronics suppliers)
• one SCR, digikey part #C106DGOS-ND (ON semi, 400V, 4A) $0.55/pc, or NTE5457.

This project (Disposable camera ring flash) uses several disposable camera's flashes: it is at both here and here. Several flashes are 1.5V powered up in parallel, one flash is triggered by RD616 wireless trigger receiver (can handle high trigger voltage), others share the same trigger circuit (Photo Slave) which gets light from a photo cell. An eBay wireless flash trigger (RD616 wireless flash trigger: $20 Ebay - search: "flash trigger 16 channel wireless") is mentioned. Carl Vogt's $5 Photo Slave circuit is also mentioned.

BTW, a very simple and creative image stablizer. Just a washer and bolt! :)

And a homemade studio strobe rig with umbrella clamp and modeling light.