Flashpoint 620M
rickp
Registered Users Posts: 346 Major grins
I'm sure some have seen my lighting kit posts. I've been racking my brain trying to make sure I get what I need in my budget.
Anyone that has a Flashpoint, I'm looking at the 620M Kit (http://www.adorama.com/FP620MPWK.html)
what do you think about it, is there anything that jumps out at you to stay away or its a good system? Can I use any accessory or do i HAVE to use flashpoint's?
If one had a choice, Alien Bee or Flashpoint, which would it be??
thanks in advance, really!
Anyone that has a Flashpoint, I'm looking at the 620M Kit (http://www.adorama.com/FP620MPWK.html)
what do you think about it, is there anything that jumps out at you to stay away or its a good system? Can I use any accessory or do i HAVE to use flashpoint's?
If one had a choice, Alien Bee or Flashpoint, which would it be??
thanks in advance, really!
Canon 5DMk II | 70-200mm f2.8 IS USM | 24-105mm f4.0 IS USM | 85mm f1.8 prime.
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The reason I went with the more powerful units is because I often use the units outdoors and because I often use the units with double-diffused light modifiers. The Flashpoints do have a little color shift at very low output, but I haven't found it to be a major problem.
I believe that the units you linked, the 620M monolights, are similar to the older Flashpoint II Model 620 except that the "M" suffix models allow connecting an optional, proprietary DC power supply. For indoor use, especially with typical umbrellas, they should be fine for simple portrait sessions and key plus fill lighting. The more people you have to cover, or the larger the venue, the more you might appreciate more powerful units. You could always find uses for the 620M monolights as part of a future system with more lights to cover more shooting scenarios.
I believe that the Flashpoint monolights do use a proprietary speed-ring attachment, but they have a stem mount, like what you use for umbrellas, that is pretty universal. The stem mount is not terribly tight and I do use some tape to help secure shoot-through umbrellas, for instance. Again, it's not a big deal.
I think that the following adapter allows the use of "Profoto" accessories, but I don't have one myself:
http://www.adorama.com/PF9102PF.html
The Flashpoint system does have a fair number of available modifiers and I do have one of their softboxes, the 24" x 36", and I also have their barndoors. I did purchase some "universal" mount softboxes to satisfy my needs for larger sizes and they work pretty well when I need them.
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The more and more I read, the more I'm leaning towards the FP. For what I'm looking to do and what I'm getting, its hard to beat. Like I mentioned before, as I grow I can invest in better more powerful lighting, and then use these in a more supportive role, but for now, the FP is hard to beat.
Out of curiosity, if one had $1000.00 to spend on a 2 light system kit , what would the recommendation be?
R.
The answer would vary depending on the needs for the system. There is no single system that solves all potential lighting scenarios (but I keep looking anyway.) The more closely you can define your needs, the better anyone can come up with an acceptable system solution.
While what I have works for me, and I could build a pretty good $1000 kit from many of the components, it was all assembled according to my needs of the past. I don't buy according to what I "might" use, I only buy what I "need" to fulfill my needs for the foreseeable projects, adding in some extras to accommodate probable needs as well (but the extras are generally inexpensive things that will likely break or that I can easily make).
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Personally I would consider looking at Alien Bee lighting...even used very good deals can be had off ebay and the customer service is super fantastic...their modifiers are very reasonably priced and also they have battery powered units to cover all the flash units they make (Alien Bee, White Lightning and Einstein ) and they are assembled in Nashville Tn....they are designed in Nashville also......I am using a Paul C Buff 86" PLM (parabolic Light Modifier) and that thing is crazy wild and really softens the light and for less than $100 can't be beat.....but I like my Paul Buff Equipment as much as Ziggy53 likes his flashpoint and I did look at flash point before I bought my 1st set of White-Lightning flashes and again not long ago when I started the move to Alien Bees and decided I truly like knowing who is making my equipment......The retailer is no big deal to me....but with any Paul Buff Inc equipment the retailer is also the manufacturer....with in the USA you buy any and all NEW Flashes from Paul Buff Inc they have no US distributors or retailers....and I like that also........
I have one other question. (imagine that!!!!
Would it make sense or be a positive option if I got the Flashpoint 620 kit and swap out one of the 620M lights with a more powerful light like the Flashpoint 1220M? This would give me a bit more power to use with the main light. Or is it not worth the extra money??
BTW, i can control these lights with a pocketwizard Flex TT5 right? or is there a more recommended way to control both lights?
R.
There are advantages and disadvantages to using 2 different flash units, even from the same manufacturer and same general line. For instance it would mean doubling the spare flashtubes, since each version requires a different tube. If both units were the same then a single spare would generally suffice. Then again a 600WS and a 1200WS kit might give you more flexibility. No perfect single answer.
These lights do not use more than a simple trigger pulse to fire. As long as the Flex TT5 can supply that simple pulse, and in the correct polarization, it should work fine.
For controlled environment work I generally use a simple manual flash on camera to fire the monolights using their built-in optical slaves. (That same manual flash on camera generally also serves to provide some fill light and catch lights in the eyes. I always use the trigger flash indirectly however.) For weddings and events I generally use simple radio transmitter/slaves sets so that spectator flashes don't trigger my flashes.
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Most of the churches in my area are very traditional and do not allow flash during the ceremony. I use primarily speedlite flashes primarily for the getting ready, receiving line, reception, etc.
The Flashpoint monolights are used for the formals, if there's time for the setup. If time is at a premium then I use speedlites or handle-bracket flashes, fired into large flash modifiers, for the formals. I truly love the light that I get from studio flashes as it gives me much better control over ambient lighting. I generally use 2 - Flashpoint II, model 1820A, monolights so that I can even work outdoors and overpower the sun if need be. (An ND filter is sometimes required outdoors to gain control over f-stops.)
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How do you measure the power of a flash? Is that the guide number. The canon 580 II has a guide number of 190. the one you just described http://www.adorama.com/FP1820A.html has a guide number of 282. Does this mean the strobe is approx 50% more powerful than a flash?
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The guide number (GN) of a studio strobe varies with the reflector/modifier used. The GN of 282, for the 1820A, is probably with the standard 8" frosted aluminum reflector. I am unsure about the FOV coverage for this reflector but I believe it will cover a 35mm lens on a FF camera.
By comparison the Canon 580EX GN of 190 is measured when the zoom is at 105mm coverage, so a considerably narrower beam to achieve that GN. At a wider zoom that can cover a 35mm FOV the 580EX is rated at 118.
If you remember that the guide number is:
D x f = GN, where "D" is the distance from flash to subject (in feet for these posted GNs) and "f" is the f-stop setting. (ISO 100 is assumed unless explicitly stated.)
If we use 10 feet for our calculations, just to keep things simple, that means, at maximum output and with the 580EX set to 35mm coverage:
The Flashpoint II 1820A should require an f-stop of f28 (very close to f32.)
The Canon 580EX should require an f-stop of f12 (just a little more than f11.)
Since each f-stop represents a doubling of light:
f11
f16
f22
f32
... so the Flashpoint is supposed to be putting out around 7 times the light for the same degree of coverage (assuming I am correct about the 8" reflector coverage and assuming accurate GNs from the manufacturers).
As an experiment, I'll go measure the actual output from both a Flashpoint II and a Canon 580EX at full pop at 10 feet.
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you are a genius!
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The 580EX measured ~f8
For the flash meter it looks like almost 8 times the output of the Flashpoint vs the 580EX.
The Flashpoint 1820A shot at f20
The 580EX does look a little "hotter", so lets call it an f13.
So, for the actual photos the Flashpoint monolight is around 3.5 times the light.
I cannot explain the discrepancy except that it looks like I did a poor job aiming the Flashpoint for the second test. (See the light vignetting in the lower left corner with respect to the upper right.)
Anyway, the Flashpoint is much more powerful than the 580EX by these tests.
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Las Cruces Photographer / Las Cruces Wedding Photographer
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