"Martin Lynch" wrote in message
om...
What kind of bulb is used on the built-in flashes for most standard
cameras?

Just wondering, cuz the bulbs are BUILT IN, which means you have to
just hope they never blow out for the life of the camera? How many
flashes are they usually rated to?

First, on terminology...the reusable ones (electronic flashes) are referred
to as
flash tubes (specifically, they are xenon flash tubes with xenon being a
noble gas).
I don't know what the usual life is (I suspect hundred of thousands or even
millions
of flashes...the capacitors go bad far sooner than any flash tube I've ever
seen...I
even have a 31 year old one still working fine with original tube and
capacitor and
it has seen use on Nikon F, F2, FM, FM2n, N8008, and D70 with each camera
being purchased new while in production. Should it ever go out, xenon flash
tube
manufacturers can be readily found in the Thomas Register and companies like
bulbman.com carry them.

I would worry more about how long I'd last rather than the flash tube... g

George