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2026-05-17 Sunpak Auto Zoom 3600 Thyristor Flash


The Sunpak Auto Zoom 3600 Thyristor is a very impressive flashgun. I acquired either this exact flash, or one very like it, almost 40-years ago. I was working in a photography retail operation and could buy the remote sensor for this flash for a pittance (something in the $5 range). I had dreams at that time I might be able to rework it into a flash meter, which was ridiculous as I didn’t have enough electronics knowledge to even approach such a project. A year or so later I went to a McBain’s sale and picked up the flash to go with the sensor for a very reasonable price—something in the $45 range. I still have that flash, but exactly where is another problem.
    The Sunpak is a “Potato Masher” style electronic flash, popular since the Honeywell Strobonar flash made high-power photojournalism requirements change from flash bulbs to electronic flash. 
    Here is the Sunpak compared to a Bell&Howell Model 40. I would classify the Model 40 as a weekend semipro wedding photographer flash while the Sunpak stands head and shoulders higher for reasons that will become obvious. It is amusing the Model 40 is more powerful, but that is going by the calculator dial that indicates a guide number of 128. Keep in mind performance of electronic flash is often inflated.
    In the Sunpak instruction book they suggest you “form” the capacitor by charging the flash until the ready light flashes and then fire it three times. Many ready lights come on when the flash is 80 per cent charged. Of course with thyrister flash used on Auto,  having full charge only counts at maximum range.
    The Model 40 is a six AA cell flash, so the same as the Sunpak.The Model 40 carries the AA batteries in the head inside a battery compartment. The lid to the compartment tends to fall off when there are no batteries loaded.










 
    The Sunpak holds the AA batteries in a cartridge. The cartridge has a red sticker that matches a red sticker inside the battery compartment. The cartridge only slides down when loaded with red spots together.
    If you needed cartridges for big shoots, more cartridges were sold as an accessory. 





    The cartridge is held under a flap in the head. Some have criticized that as placing too much weight high in the flash (Metz units carry their batteries in the handle’s base). On the other hand the original Honeywell Strobonars carried their Ni-Cads in the head too.










    Closed, the battery compartment forces the cartridge down and snaps shut firmly. With or without the cartridge the battery lid is both attached and firmly latched.












    So when I came across this flash I had to see what it was priced at. Being in a Value Village I am becoming used to items on the shelves that have to be taken to the front to be priced. When it was priced at $6.99 ($7.34 with tax) I snapped it up.











The Sunpak 3600 has as advantages—
  • the flash is powerful (GN 33 m or 110 feet at ASA 100)
  • there is a six-battery clip accessed under a flap in the head
  • it can use both Ni-Cads or Alkaline AA batteries
  • a 110 volt power source is available
  • a 510 volt battery power source was available
There is a four stop auto choice.















There is a seven stop manual flash power range (1/64 to full)—
  • 1/32 and 1/64 can keep up with 4 fps motor drives










The head can tilt and swivel.
















There is an accessory filter/lens frame that clamps over the flash.















The flash has a bracket that is very firm and rugged with plenty of adjustments.
    
    If you get the sensor mentioned earlier, it attaches to the flash very securely and slides onto the camera’s hotshoe. As I remember the remote sensor had even more f/stop choices for the auto operation.


And that is a point to stress, Sunpak make very well thought-out units. Everything they do works, and works well.
    Except maybe the Zoom designation in the flash’s name. Instead of a zooming head to adapt the beam width to different lenses Sunpak sold a lens and filter assortment. You could fit both wide-angle and telephoto fresnel lenses in the holder. No zooming required, but fumbling with different lenses can be a pain.
    I should also mention the flash—without remote sensor— requires a PC cord to sync with your camera. This one does not have the cord, so actually using it will be a bit of a problem. One end of the cord has a PC male tip (for the camera connection) while the other end has a small phono plug. 
    Now I have something else to look for to pair-up with this flash to make a useable item! As Yogi Berra said, “It’s like déja vu, all over again.” 

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