Sound (microphone) flash trigger

Mel_P

Mel_P

Mel_P

Soldato
Joined
27 Feb 2004
Posts
2,586
Location
Kent
Has anybody seen a flash trigger that uses a microphone? I seen circuits on the net but wonder if anybody does "a little black box"?

Thanks.
 
TangoAlpha said:
Kit - no soldering required

I built a similar one (an optical trigger with a delay circuit) for photographing droplets and splashes. Wish I'd built it earlier as it would have saved a lot of time during the Jan photo competition :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Awesome, I was wondering if anyone was selling pre-assembled units. The only problem now is how to connect it to my flash (SB-600). Any ideas?
 
You need a hot-shoe adapter with a flying co-ax lead. Chop the end off the lead and wire it to the output of the circuit. I'll try to find an on-line image.

Here we go
 
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Hi all - knocked together a microphone flash trigger! f22 / bulb / darkish room -dropped coins onto table. First coin triggers the flash! :D

dropped_coins.jpg
 
Here's a "dropped spud" - need to experiment a bit more with lighting and angles! Such fun.......

dropped-spud.jpg
 
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jtaubman said:
Just wondering where you sourced your components for the trigger. I will probably get the kit from the US, but the postage is more that the kit?
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head I know of three large UK electronics components companies that deal over the internet. I can't name them because they would be classed as competitors. I'm sure you're capable of using the internet to search for them.
 
I have done some searching, but was unable to find a UK site with 400v SCRs, unfortunately, I am better at photography than electronics, so am not sure what substitutions I can make.
 
These numbers ( search "C106D P1a") are available on the "High Street": OCUK don't sell these.

V A A V mA
C106D P1a 400 5 3.2 1 0.25
C106M P1a 600 5 3.2 1 0.25

I bought / built mine years ago when electronics was the thing and magazines were full of such circuits; AND computers began with ZX... !!
 
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C106D was certainly the classic thyristor used in the old designs although today, with low-voltage flashes, I'd be more inclined to use a MOC3020 opto-triac. Back in 1977, whilst studying logic design as part of my Computer Science degree, I built a unit that would fire up to eight flashes sequentially, not that I could afford that many as a student..... It was all TTL as that was all there was then and, obviously, used a load of C106Ds. I'm trying to dredge up the design so I can re-create it but can't find a decent source of logic ICs or their specs.
 
Snapshot said:
C106D was certainly the classic thyristor used in the old designs although today, with low-voltage flashes,
Click to expand...

The "spare" remote flash I use generates 180v across the flash base just before it is ready to trigger. As you say modern flashes are about 6v.
 
Thanks very much everyone. I will try and get the bits together and see what happens. I have an old flash from my Minolta x700 so I will try that one with it and if I kill the flash no harm done.
 
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