"Assault Camera" - 250 L.C. flash setup

This isn't the best photo I could shoot of it, but let's face it my space is limited and this is a big, heavy, clumsy-ass setup that works remarkably well... so let's go into it a bit.

 

Awhile ago I read about people being able to use electronic flash units on Polaroid's older Automatic packfilm cameras - as there's a PC port on the side of the shutter housing, regardless if it was designed for flashbulbs or electronic units. Of all the flash units I've amassed over the last year or so, I was lucky to get my hands on a Vivitar 252 from my friend, Mike, with a bunch of other vintage film cameras and such when I bought that Schlitz globe from him. The Vivitar unit is great in that it can be mounted to a hot shoe, and it has a PC cord for older cameras. Sure-enough, I plugged it in and gave it a test shot and it worked flawlessly.

 

The only problem, of course, is that the 250 model predates electronic flash units, and the Polaroid flashgun for it merely clips onto the top of the frame... so, no mounting shoe of any kind for this camera. I originally thought my options were to cannibalize that dead 268 flashgun I got awhile back and mount a cold shoe to that, or buy one already-assembled (at $50, yeah-friggen-right).

 

Then I remembered my mom's Canon AE-1 kit had a Sunpak flash grip with a hot shoe! I dug that out, mounted the camera and flash unit, and found the PC cord to the hot shoe - gave it another test shot and SUCCESS! It also worked flawlessly at the Screw and Bolt factory last week! Not only has the need to hunt-down flashbulbs been eliminated, but now this steadies the camera much-better for when I don't have the tripod!

Done