Studio Photoflash design

Azaruk · Sep 2, 2007

I have hunted through the internet with my good friend Google, but have had no luck finding what I want.

Can anybody help with a schematic (WITH transformer winding details if possible) of a studio type flash/strobe unit.

I am a keen photographer who has always wanted a small studio setup, but can't afford the very expensive (in this country - South Africa) studio units.
Thanks

Sceadwian · Sep 2, 2007

How could you have looked on google for flash/strobe and not have found anything? Doing a google search for "Strobe flash circuit" provides over a half million hits. The first one being
https://members.misty.com/don/donflash.html
which seems to contain all the information you're looking for.

Azaruk · Sep 2, 2007

Strobe design

Sceadwian said:
How could you have looked on google for flash/strobe and not have found anything? Doing a google search for "Strobe flash circuit" provides over a half million hits. The first one being
https://members.misty.com/don/donflash.html
which seems to contain all the information you're looking for.

Thanks for the VERY fast response.

When I said I had Googled - perhaps I should have said that I found nothing suitable. The site you pointed out is one I have looked at, but doesn't have the sort of info I am looking for.

I need a professional-type unit, with adjustable settings (either as power output steps, or f-stops). None of the sites I looked at have something like this, which is why I came to this board.

Thanks anyway, for replying.

Hero999 · Sep 2, 2007

Do you understand how the circuits you found work?

If not then perhaps you read the descriptions and figure them out, then you'll hopefully have enough experience to design your own. The chances are you can use exactly the same transformer, along with the oscillator plus additional components (possibly a micro-controller) to give the features you require.

Sceadwian · Sep 2, 2007

It is not difficult to modify the circuits provided to produce variable output, you just change the voltage the capacitor charges to, and/or modify the capacitor value itself, perhaps having a dial switch which changes capacitors and a simple pot hooked up to a high voltage comparator to change the voltage. The success in building a professional quality device is going to be directly related to your electronics experience, one way or another you'll pay for the unit, either in the time you spend learning to understand and build it or in cash to buy a professional unit. Aside from that, all you need is a diffusion screen. I'm not a professional photographer but I know the basics and I've used simple copy paper as a diffuser to increase the quality of some photo's. Even a white sheet would work. Building it to look good and function properly is up to you.

Hero999 · Sep 2, 2007

Sceadwian said:
The success in building a professional quality device is going to be directly related to your electronics experience, one way or another you'll pay for the unit, either in the time you spend learning to understand and build it or in cash to buy a professional unit.

I second that.

May I also add that even if it costs you the same or even slight more than a professional unit in parts, the knowledge gained in building it is well worth the extra time spent.

Sceadwian · Sep 2, 2007

With things like hi-fi audio equipment and photography flashers / light meters you can save a huge bundle building it yourself, though calibration is an issue. Nice thing about photography is you can use the pictures themselves to do the calibration, in audio if you have a good ear you can use that, or any cheap o'scope and some basical function generators can allow you calibration they don't even do on the high end units.

Azaruk · Sep 3, 2007

Thanks for all the replies.
I have a reasonable understanding of electronics - mainly in the audio and test equipment fields.

I think I want the whole flash design "handed to me on a plate" is that I am VERY cautious about working with such high voltages, have little experience in voltage doublers etc.

Ideally, for a studio set-up, the strobe heads would be line powered, which scares me even more!!!

I have gone back and looked at some of the schematics on the link given and have downloaded the relevant descriptions to see if I can summon enough courge to have a go!

Thanks again.

CheapSlider · Sep 3, 2007

You may find some useful info at Sam's Strobe FAQ
The site is geared around repairs and includes circuits of commercial units from which may get some ideas for your own design.

Simple units may be fine as fill ins but for a main unit it's nice to have a light sensor* which can detect the light from the flash and turn off the tube when enough light has been received

*Some units have a sensor extension lead which allows the flash unit to be positioned remote from the camera.

Sceadwian · Sep 3, 2007

Line voltages shouldn't scare you, though you should respect them. If you use a transformer properly rated for the current you're going to need it's very safe. Mains power is great for flash circuits because fully rectified AC mains (120 volts) will give you peak to peak voltages of 370volts (less circuit losses and local variations) perfect for flashes, and easy to double. I'd recommend using a simulator like LTspice to play around with a few basic circuits and using it's probe features to look at the voltages developed at various points. Once you know what is going on using a simulator building a real circuit is much easier. I have first hand experiance with brushes against 80u caps charged to 300 volts, you see stars just like in the cartoons =O mind you that was powered from a 1.5 volt battery... Just don't supply a circuit path across your chest cavity or wrap your hand around something carrying high voltage potentials and you're fine.

Oznog · Sep 4, 2007

Azaruk said:
I think I want the whole flash design "handed to me on a plate" is that I am VERY cautious about working with such high voltages, have little experience in voltage doublers etc.

Ideally, for a studio set-up, the strobe heads would be line powered, which scares me even more!!!

I would say don't do it. Buy a used one. These components aren't cheap or readily available outside heavily developed nations. And it's hardly just the electronics- the strobe reflector etc is a bunch of separate issues. Also for good photography there's some subtleties in tube type, voltage, resistance, inductance to get the right color and pulse width.

Hero999 · Sep 8, 2007

Use an isolation transofmer for mains testing and keep one arm behand your back, that way you shouldn't recieve lethal a shock even if you do touch the circuit.

Azaruk · Sep 9, 2007

Hybrid design done .....

First - thanks to all who reponded.

Second - Oznog - Excellent suggestion, but this sort of thing is not easy to find on the second-hand market here, and besides, despite my caution, I really want to try and build this thing myself.

The hardware aspects can, with a bit of ingenuity, be solved. Not, perhaps to high-class professional standards, but certainly good enough for my home studio.

I have cobbled together a circuit, using sections from a couple of posted designs, and included a switched-level incandescent lamp dimmer so that I can use modelling lights before triggering the flash.

I'll post the schematic before attempting constuction and would be grateful for any comments.

One lat question: When the flash is triggered, are the modelling lights switched off? I would imagine not, as the light level from the flash will certainly over-ride the incanscents, but will the incandescents cause a colour temperature shift, or give a slight red cast to the exposure?

Nigel Goodwin · Sep 9, 2007

Azaruk said:
One lat question: When the flash is triggered, are the modelling lights switched off? I would imagine not, as the light level from the flash will certainly over-ride the incanscents, but will the incandescents cause a colour temperature shift, or give a slight red cast to the exposure?

The flash is so massively bright it completely overrides any existing light.

Azaruk · Sep 11, 2007

Initial Studio Flash Design - Comments Please

OK, with much research and a lot of help from a diverse group of extremely helpful people, here's my design.

I don't want to commit it to construction until I am sure all is OK, although I have begun the process of designing printed circuit boards.

I have incorporated Rolf Randby's slave trigger on the understanding that it be used solely for private use.

All comments and criticism, good or bad, will be really appreciated.

Thanks for the help and suggestions to all who contributed to this thread.

Rolf · Sep 11, 2007

Slave Flash Trigger .........

Azaruk said:
OK, with much research and a lot of help from a diverse group of extremely helpful people, here's my design.

I don't want to commit it to construction until I am sure all is OK, although I have begun the process of designing printed circuit boards.

I have incorporated Rolf Randby's slave trigger on the understanding that it be used solely for private use.

All comments and criticism, good or bad, will be really appreciated.

Thanks for the help and suggestions to all who contributed to this thread.

Looks like quite an ambitious project you have laid out for yourself.
The great thing about DIY projects is that you can keep on modify them until you get it the way you want it. And there is no way you can void the guaranty.
Please note that the posted PIC code for my SFT is designed for P&S cameras and is not guarantied synchronize with all cameras. But if it doesn't work with your camera(s) I can get you my new professional code (on a PIC) that fires a slave on the last flash of ANY camera or the FIRST if that is needed, it is extremely flexible. The circuits are identical. See:
https://www.pbase.com/sinoline/slave_flash_trigger_iii

Good Luck

Rolf

Edit:
Here is a link that you might find useful: https://www.diyphotography.net/diy-home-made-power-pack-flashes-variations-on-a-theme

Azaruk · Sep 11, 2007

Thanks Rolf, I'll have a look at the new and improved slave unit, then try to assemble enough foreign currency to purchase a coded PIC or 4.
Thanks for an excellent design.

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