Alien Bees Vs White Lightning

[mizuno]

http://www.white-lightning.com/

http://www.alienbees.com/

Are these two companies essentially the same thing with different names? All their products, packages etc are almost identical...

Confused. :confused:

[Mark_Cohran]

http://www.white-lightning.com/

http://www.alienbees.com/

Are these two companies essentially the same thing with different names? All their products, packages etc are almost identical...

Confused. :confused:

Different strobes made by the same company (Paul C. Buff). White Lightnings are (I believe) generally more powerful with more features and are more expensive.

Mark

[FlashZebra]

One of the big design differences in the Alien Bee and the White Lightning is in weight of the units.

The Alien Bee units use a new and unique design on the power supply where the very heavy power transformer has been eliminated. The White Lightning units use a more traditional design with the transformer in the power supply.

Both use almost the exact same accessories. I have a friend with a studio that uses both AB and WL in the same studio.

Both AB and WL are quality units. Both are designed and marketed by the same company.

If you do not have a fixed studio and will mostly be ad hoc or location studios, the much lighter and easier to carry Alien Bee units are most likely the better choice.

Enjoy! Lon

[coreypolis]

alien bees are the consumer end, and through forums like this have become e-famous

WL are more powerful and built to a higher specification, and of course slightly higher price point. Personally I don't think either one is that great. I'd get Calumet monoblocks before either of those

[scottbergerphoto]

Take a look at the SP Excalibur line. I have three SP 3200's.

[Mark_Cohran]

alien bees are the consumer end, and through forums like this have become e-famous

WL are more powerful and built to a higher specification, and of course slightly higher price point. Personally I don't think either one is that great. I'd get Calumet monoblocks before either of those

I've been using White Lightnings for 8 years, and most of the pro's in my area use them as well. I've only had one minor problem, and the company fixed it immediately. I don't know why anyone would have a problem with them, especially if they've used them extensively.

Mark

[Longwatcher]

And of course I love the AB's I have been using since Nov 2002. As does almost anyone that owns them.

The only lights I consider better overall on a price versus function basis are Elinchrom lights and they tend to bee out of my price range.

I considered WLs, but I did not see enough of an advantage over ABs to justify the price.

beesides the AB's come in cool colors.

However, if you can afford WLs they should bee better then ABs and they do have a good rep with the people I know who own them.

[lakiluno]

is your use of bee instead of be a reference to the AB's?

I wish I could afford some AB's...and an extra room for a studio :D

[Longwatcher]

is your use of bee instead of be a reference to the AB's?

I wish I could afford some AB's...and an extra room for a studio :D

Of course and I either have a living room or a studio (pick one) and I shoot from my entryway because I get more room that way.

It takes abour 45 minutes to go from one to the other. (not including props)