Bathroom dimmer switches

[SUNRAY]

From your interest in photography, you will; be aware of the 'Bulb' setting of a camera shutter. More recently, one would use a cable shutter release (or, even more recently, an electronic equivalent) in order to keep the shutter open for as long as one wanted, but originally it was done pneumatically by squeezing a rubber 'bulb' (the shape of a bulb which grows in the ground) attached to the camera mechanism by tubing

Kind Regards, John

Interestingly the explanation I've always known before is the shutter was opened and then the flash was set off. Originally this would have been the action of removing the lens cap but by the time a shutter system was being used the flash was no longer a magnesium flash pan is was a flash bulb.

As to the shutter release mechanism, my gut feeling is the cable would have come first, such as this example:

Further I imagine pneumatic solutions in the 19th century would potentially be rather bulky. The images of cameras I've found in my quick google search with such systems appear to be more recent.

However this is my gut feeling and I have not attempted to look for a definitive answer.

 

[JohnW2]

Interestingly the explanation I've always known before is the shutter was opened and then the flash was set off. Originally this would have been the action of removing the lens cap but by the time a shutter system was being used the flash was no longer a magnesium flash pan is was a flash bulb.

I've never heard that suggestion, but I suppose it might have been credible. However ...

As to the shutter release mechanism, my gut feeling is the cable would have come first, such as this example: ............ Further I imagine pneumatic solutions in the 19th century would potentially be rather bulky. The images of cameras I've found in my quick google search with such systems appear to be more recent.

Well, I certainly had pneumatic ones back in the 1960s (and may still have some somewhere ). However, more to the point, Mr Wikipedia says ...

The Bulb setting (abbreviated B) on camera shutters is a momentary-action mode that holds shutters open for as long as a photographer depresses the shutter-release button. .................... Decades before the first flashbulbs, some box cameras and many view cameras and folding cameras came with a detachable pneumatic shutter release with a rubber bulb on the end; "Bulb" refers to the rubber shutter release bulb.

However this is my gut feeling and I have not attempted to look for a definitive answer.

See above - although I don't know to what extent you trust Mr Wikipedia to give a "definitive answer"

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I have looked at my old camera the remote connection seems to screw in with a tapered thread just like the later versions, so just pre-war did not use a bulb. It was a boden cable.

 

[JohnW2]

I have looked at my old camera the remote connection seems to screw in with a tapered thread just like the later versions, so just pre-war did not use a bulb. It was a boden cable.

If you look on-line, there are countless still available today, and it looks as if most of them would screw into the tapered thread (which I think were/are very 'standard') of almost any camera had had provision for remote shutter control. This is one of the first hits I got, typical of most I looked at - and there is definitely a 'bulb' ...

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I have never used the camera pictured it was my dad's he said he bought it for 6D in Germany just after the war, and it uses a 8 slide cassette half plate size, took me long enough to work out how it opened, and longer to work out how to close it again, I did one put the D-SLR behind it with no lens on the D-SLR and took one picture with it, was considering making an adaptor due to the parallax correction it has, but easier today to do it in Photoshop.

I thought it may be worth some thing, but internet hunt seem so many made no real value.

 

[SUNRAY]

If you look on-line, there are countless still available today, and it looks as if most of them would screw into the tapered thread (which I think were/are very 'standard') of almost any camera had had provision for remote shutter control. This is one of the first hits I got, typical of most I looked at - and there is definitely a 'bulb' ...

View attachment 280134

Kind Regards, John

Personally I take everything on Wikipedia with a pinch of salt.
For a start I corrected:
A page showing how to wire lights which showed the 'loop-in' being filled with neutral and hence bulb holder wired to 'L' & 'SN'
A page showing XLR connectors wired LRX to match the layout of, or LXR to match the numbers, of DIN connectors. Either method worked but they both meant the screen was being used for the cold or hot of a balanced audio circuit. If all of the connectors in a system were wired the same (incorrectly) it meant the screen/earth connection was not made first.
A page showing incorrect numbering on DIN connectors.
DOB of Queen Victoria.

So no I don't trust Wikipedia.

That is the exact same pneumatic system Dad purchased in the 60's/70's. Initially he used the silk covered cable release from his 20's Leica, the thread seems to be universal since at least 20's AFAIA.

The camera I showed is from turn of the century so sixty years old when you and my dad got the pneumatic system.

 

[JohnW2]

Personally I take everything on Wikipedia with a pinch of salt. .... So no I don't trust Wikipedia.

Fair enough. However, it's certainly not only the Wikipedia which holds that view. It's only a couple of days since I saw that Wikipedia article but, for decades I have believed that the rubber bulb of a pneumatic shutter release was the reason it was called a 'Bulb'/'B' setting, so I must have read there somewhere else, decades ago.

That is the exact same pneumatic system Dad purchased in the 60's/70's. Initially he used the silk covered cable release from his 20's Leica, the thread seems to be universal since at least 20's AFAIA. The camera I showed is from turn of the century so sixty years old when you and my dad got the pneumatic system.

I don't know enough to argue, but I do suspect that pneumatic ones were around pretty early, maybe even before the 'mechanical cable'ones. If I ever have the time, I might try to delve into the history!

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Fair enough. However, it's certainly not only the Wikipedia which holds that view. It's only a couple of days since I saw that Wikipedia article but, for decades I have believed that the rubber bulb of a pneumatic shutter release was the reason it was called a 'Bulb'/'B' setting, so I must have read there somewhere else, decades ago.

I don't know enough to argue, but I do suspect that pneumatic ones were around pretty early, maybe even before the 'mechanical cable'ones. If I ever have the time, I might try to delve into the history!

Kind Regards, John

I'm not disputing the longevity of pneumatic systems, it just feels counter intuitive to me.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm not disputing the longevity of pneumatic systems, it just feels counter intuitive to me.

Without doing more research, I just don't know. Most of the pneumatic ones being sold today are pretty long (typically 6 metres / 20 ft) and I suspect that a mechanical shutter release cable would be rather iffy at that length.

Albeit a different matter, this 'vintage' product on e-bay uses a pneumatic mechanism to achieve a 'self timer' (i.e. shutter release delay) ..

... and the description says :

This is the Rex Model 205 Self Timer, developed by Carl Weber in 1951, Made in Germany.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Been talking to a firend today about cameras (I'm thinking of getting something better than I currently use) and he has worked within the photgraphy environment most of his working life.
As these things do it progressed to other aspects.
Talking about the 'Bulb' setting he says the meaning has changed over the years, he thinks it originated in Germany or France and was the position for holding the shutter open, in later cameras it became the setting for flash and usually had a predetermined open time but delayed to allow the flash to achieve full intensity.
He produced a bellows camera where B setting held shutter open while button pushed then 35mm camera of 60/70's sort of era, plugged in an electronic flash and looking through the shutter could see it fire on ↯ setting, on B setting the flash was not visible through the shutter due to the delay. O setting simply opened the shutter while button pressed and a sideways D did the same but a noticable delay before shutter opened to reduce camera shake.

I cant swear to it but the more I think about my old Practica LTL's which were stolen 30 years ago and hardly used for maybe 10 years before that due to buying Pentax ME super's : B opened shutter, ↯was for electronic flash and the speed control was marked in 2 colours indicating speeds suitable for flashbulb. If I remember that correctly it seems to be inconsistent.
All I think I rember about the Pentax, being automatic, is an X setting for flash but whether that's for electronic or bulb I remember not.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Interesting find here? :

Shutter Types - Antique and Vintage Cameras

www.earlyphotography.co.uk

 

[SUNRAY]

Interesting find here? :

Shutter Types - Antique and Vintage Cameras

www.earlyphotography.co.uk

View attachment 287217

Very nice find, thanks. I think that just about wraps up the origin.

I still say, like so many other things, the term has been used for different purposes over the years.

 

[JP_]

How about one of those multi-colour light bulbs in a standard socket with a remote?

Like this NetBoat Colour Changing Bulb B22 10W, RGBW LED Bulb Lighting with 21 Key Remote Control, Dual Function, 12 Colour Choices for Home Decoration Bar Party KTV Stage [Energy Class E]

 

[SUNRAY]

How about one of those multi-colour light bulbs in a standard socket with a remote?

Like this NetBoat Colour Changing Bulb B22 10W, RGBW LED Bulb Lighting with 21 Key Remote Control, Dual Function, 12 Colour Choices for Home Decoration Bar Party KTV Stage [Energy Class E]

I have something simlar in RGB without the white and 7Watt but quite frankly they would be nowhere near bright enough to light a room. I use them in desk lights or theatre type sound and lighting control desk and dim back stage illumination, being able to vary the colour is useful to prevent light spill on different coloured walls etc.
The white may make a huge difference, experience/opinions would be useful please.

 

[RandomGrinch]

I have something simlar in RGB without the white and 7Watt but quite frankly they would be nowhere near bright enough to light a room.

I have remote controllable 10W RGBW and plain White bulbs, and they would be enough to light a small bathroom.
However, as I mentioned in #5, I use a lightwaveRF remote switch in my bathroom. This controls an RGB bath panel that I made - it too has a similar remote (to that pictured above), to change colour etc.
So in theory, I could use the RGB controller to control the panel, but for me the convenience and looks of having a neat conventional looking light switch by the door, far outweighs the cons of looking around in the dark for a cheap looking plastic remote that I've hidden out of view!