Studio Lighting Kits

3rdPlanetPhotography

I'm trying to decide between 2 studio lighting kits. I've posted the 2 links below. Does anyone know any good/bad about any of these. The Alien Bees are American Made... the Britek's aren't, however, I've used Briteks in a lab before and they were great. Any suggestions?

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRO-PORTRAIT-STUDIO-KIT-W-3-440-W-S-STROBES_W0QQitemZ7563991456QQcategoryZ30087QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

OR

http://www.alienbees.com/intergalactic.html

Please let me know what you think.
thanks
kc7dji

blackwaterstudio

Go with the AlienBee's the customer service alone is bar none.

Owen

Just ordered Bees myself. They'll arrive Tuesday.

They're affordable and quality, form what I have heard.

3rdPlanetPhotography

Thanks for the advice. I like the bees but they are just out of my reach for price. I've ordered the Briteks instead for this go around. If all goes as planned I can make some $$$ turn around and my second order and 3rd and so on will be the Bees if they are good.

I'd be interested in hearing from some of you that have the Bees.... I have only heard good but have yet to see any results.

Thanks a million
kc7dji

JimM

My concern on the others is it looks like you can only choose 1/4, 1/2, or full power? I think you might want more flexibility than that. Maybe I am reading it wrong. Please let us know what you find and how they work.

Blurmore

Alien Bees
I did a lot of research on lights before I purchased AB's. Hardcore pro film people will disuade you from purchasing any Paul C. Buff light, pointing to Speedotrons or Elinchromes which are BOTH great lights, but cost 2-3x as much. Before I purchased my B's I had nothing but great experiences using White Lightnings (A Paul C. Buff brand legendary with wedding photographers) for weddings. Tough, reliable, powerful, and consistent ENOUGH for use with 400 speed film. Here is where the big bite with Pros who recommend Elinchromes or Speedotrons comes down on Paul C. Buff products (and this is not my criticism but what I have heard), when shooting with very low tolerance setups (think wide open, and slow ISO) exposures are not consistent enough shot to shot. As a wedding photographer for traditional portraits you RARELY shoot wider than 5.6 and if in the world of modern emulsion you are shooting 100 speed film, you are a masochist. There was a time when to get great saturation, and awesome grainless images you had shoot with 100 or 160 portrait film, since NPH 400 or Portra 400 have been around the difference is detectable, but for purposes of selling images negligable. Rating 400 speed NPH at 320 to intentionally over expose a little and get the exposure into the punchiest part of the 4 stop range allowed by 400 speed film, you can hedge your bets and get great exposures from almost any strobe.

So how does this apply to digital, when we are taught to expose to the left, and have instant proofing? For me it boded well for the Alien Bees, whose portablility, simplicity, portable power options, durability, and price point, beat anything out there. I got a whole system with stands and modifiers, and the vagabond power system, for what a single head could cost me from other manufacturers. I don't think my AB 800's would cut it if I was shooting film and trying to light a whole ballroom, but at 800 ISO on my 20D I can light even the biggest space with no more than 3/4 power on the B's. If this is your first studio set-up you will NOT be dissapointed with any Paul C. Buff product.

Owen

My lights arrived today. Having fun.

3rdPlanetPhotography

Very nice Owen... I'm jealous!

Owen wrote:

My lights arrived today. Having fun.