Grumble grumle FLASH fricka fracka...
Village Idiot
Registered Users Posts: 215 Major grins
Tax time = dilemma.
I have a $1000 to reinvest in my buisness. Other than my portable flashes, my current studio flash setup looks like this:
1 Alien B B800
yeah....that's it.
I need more.
I'm being very indecisive.
I was thinking about picking up an ABR800 the 320 w/s Alien Bee ring light. and a Vagabond II, BUT...Paul C. Buff has had talks about the new Einstein digital strobes (500w/s and 1000w/s) that are supposed to be coming out. Supposedly they'll work with a $20 battery and they won't need the vagabond. I'm very hesitant about picking up a vagabond in the first place, especially if the only light in my arsenal that is going to use it is a ring light.
In fact, I'm hesitant about picking up any more alien bees. I could spend more than $1000 if I have to, I want quality and durability. I'd like to have at least a 500w/s strobe and I'd like the option of being portable. I'm not always going to be able to be connected to an outlet.
The problem is, I see digital strobes won't work with a vagabond and something like the Elinchrom Ranger series with the battery and head are so expensive.
Are there any other solutions besides waiting and/or saving for something like the Elinchrom kit? I've been looking at Bowens, Elinchrom, and several other brands that seem to be better lights than the Alien Bees. I'm not knocking the bees, because they most certainly can hang for the price, I just want precision with adjustments, color balance, and output along with durability of the units. I hear of people that have AB "clamps" break on them all the time. They're plastic. I don't want to worry about having the large softbox I'm using bring the light crashing down because it's too heavy for the plastic mounting piece.
I have a $1000 to reinvest in my buisness. Other than my portable flashes, my current studio flash setup looks like this:
1 Alien B B800
yeah....that's it.
I need more.
I'm being very indecisive.
I was thinking about picking up an ABR800 the 320 w/s Alien Bee ring light. and a Vagabond II, BUT...Paul C. Buff has had talks about the new Einstein digital strobes (500w/s and 1000w/s) that are supposed to be coming out. Supposedly they'll work with a $20 battery and they won't need the vagabond. I'm very hesitant about picking up a vagabond in the first place, especially if the only light in my arsenal that is going to use it is a ring light.
In fact, I'm hesitant about picking up any more alien bees. I could spend more than $1000 if I have to, I want quality and durability. I'd like to have at least a 500w/s strobe and I'd like the option of being portable. I'm not always going to be able to be connected to an outlet.
The problem is, I see digital strobes won't work with a vagabond and something like the Elinchrom Ranger series with the battery and head are so expensive.
Are there any other solutions besides waiting and/or saving for something like the Elinchrom kit? I've been looking at Bowens, Elinchrom, and several other brands that seem to be better lights than the Alien Bees. I'm not knocking the bees, because they most certainly can hang for the price, I just want precision with adjustments, color balance, and output along with durability of the units. I hear of people that have AB "clamps" break on them all the time. They're plastic. I don't want to worry about having the large softbox I'm using bring the light crashing down because it's too heavy for the plastic mounting piece.
On a scale of 1 to 10, my awesomeness goes all the way to 11.
0
Comments
Alien Bees are good lights and they work with the Vagabond system "now". If you want to wait on another lighting system that "might" work for you (the Einstein lights) then wait, but you won't have what you may need "now". You seem able to wait so that might be best.
Buy according to your needs, not your wants. In the long run that strategy can serve you well.
You can always use multiple speedlights on a custom bracket to give fairly equivalent power into umbrellas and that system can be very portable. The problem is softboxes and other monolight attachments are difficult to adapt to the speedlights if necessary.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums