Skyports or Cybersincs if buy Elinchrom 400BX [Archive]

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 00:50

Given the measly price difference between the two systems, I would stick with Elinchrom. Why? If you ever buy RX strobes (and the Skyport RX receivers to take advantage of the remote control), or the new BXRi, your Skyport transmitters will work with those. You won't have to dump one system just to start all over again. Think of it as buying into a system... Only if you're sure that you will never, ever, EVER buy another Elinchrom strobe, then it won't matter which you buy. They will both work the same on the BX400. But keep in mind that the BX strobes have been discontinued, and from now on, you will have to buy BXRi if you want to buy new... why waste the Skyport functionality on the new lights? ???

phsv

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 00:52

And I am guessing that that's a good system to buy into? :P j/k

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 00:55

Yeah, it sucks! I no longer get the exercise I used to, climbing up and down ladders to adjust lights... :D

phsv

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 00:59

Man, if I am not getting enough exercise now . . . I can only imagine when I get that setup!

TMR Design

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 08:43

If you're got 400BX strobes then you gain nothing by having the Skyports. I use the BX's and honestly it's just not that big a deal to adjust lights. Sure, it's not as convenient but in the grand scheme of things it's not at all a deal killer and depending on your budget it may allow for many other necessary items for your studio. I opted to have four 400BX strobes and I'm not hurting at all. Priorities for everyone will be different but my objective is to produce the best possible images I can and if it means giving up some cool, and expensive features, then so be it. For me, cost was and is a factor and the added cost of either a Ranger or RX's was not practical.

So you have to determine whether the money is best spent and what you deem as necessary for your work.

Back to your question...if you're going for RX or the Ranger then the Skyports are the way to go. If you're not planning on either then honestly it just doesn't matter. When you get down to it I've heard just as many good and bad things about Skyports and I have the Cybersyncs.

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 08:53

Back to your question...if you're going for RX or the Ranger then the Skyports are the way to go. If you're not planning on either then honestly it just doesn't matter. When you get down to it I've heard just as many good and bad things about Skyports and I have the Cybersyncs.

While I agree with you 100%, it's going to be impossible to buy more BX400 new in the near future! Since the OP will then have to get the BXRi strobes, buying Skyports now would be the smart move - unless he is absolutely sure that he will never want to buy more Elinchrom strobes in the future! If buying extra strobes is a possibility, then the extra $50 or so is money well spent...

TMR Design

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 08:59

While I agree with you 100%, it's going to be impossible to buy more BX400 new in the near future! Since the OP will then have to get the BXRi strobes, buying Skyports now would be the smart move - unless he is absolutely sure that he will never want to buy more Elinchrom strobes in the future! If buying extra strobes is a possibility, then the extra $50 or so is money well spent...

Rudi,

The used market is and always will be flooded with Elinchrom lighting gear. I didn't buy any of my 400BX strobes brand new and I ended up getting four 400BX's for what most people are paying for four RX's. My strobes are in mint condition and I guarantee there are lots more out there.

Again, priorities and availability of funds. I don't think it's as clear cut as you make it out to be.

I recently got an EL500 in excellent condition for location work and if I wanted to, I could assemble a kit with EL500's, 250's 1000's and I'd have a rockin' kit.

PacAce

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 10:45

Rudi,

The used market is and always will be flooded with Elinchrom lighting gear. I didn't buy any of my 400BX strobes brand new and I ended up getting four 400BX's for what most people are paying for four RX's. My strobes are in mint condition and I guarantee there are lots more out there.

Again, priorities and availability of funds. I don't think it's as clear cut as you make it out to be.

I recently got an EL500 in excellent condition for location work and if I wanted to, I could assemble a kit with EL500's, 250's 1000's and I'd have a rockin' kit.

Robert, did you mean to say one RX? Because I'll take 4 RX strobes anytime over 4 BX strobes for the same price. ;)

TMR Design

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 11:19

Robert, did you mean to say one RX? Because I'll take 4 RX strobes anytime over 4 BX strobes for the same price. ;)

Hi Leo,

I meant to say 2 RX's. I need a 4 light kit and the cost to get a 4 light kit with either RX's or the Ranger just doesn't make sense to me, no matter how cool the feature set.

PacAce

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 11:21

Hi Leo,

I meant to say 2 RX's. I need a 4 light kit and the cost to get a 4 light kit with either RX's or the Ranger just doesn't make sense to me, no matter how cool the feature set.

Yeah, I figured that "four RX's" was a typo. :)

phsv

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 11:55

PacAce

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 12:17

Well, I would be going to the BX route if i were to go with Elinchrom. And if I find some skyport triggers that are as cheap as the Cybersincs, should I go w/ the skyports or the Cybersincs?

That was my question, if they were both priced the same and I was going the BX route, which would be best?

I do see that skyports have a more slimline factor and Cybersincs use a common battery for power.

Assuming everything else being the same between the CyberSync and the Skyport, the one thing that would make me shy away from the Skyport is the fact that the Universal Skyport receiver has a rechargeable battery built in and, hence, would require access to a wall outlet to charge. I prefer the ability to bring extra batteries with me so that, if the battery dies, I can just replace it with a spare. Of course, this would almost be a non-issue if the unit were only being used inside a studio. (I say "almost" because it could still be inconvenient to be charging a remote unit while it's connected to a strobe in the middle of a shooting session.)

cdifoto

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 12:21

The Skyport receiver is good for thousands of shots between charges so it's a non-issue, IMHO. They do feel kinda cheap made for an Elinchrom product though, also IMHO.

phsv

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 13:14

So the cybersincs feel less "cheap"?

Titus213

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 13:33

I use and appreciate the Cybersyncs.

I would characterize the Cybersyncs as small but chunky...:lol: The channel switch is the only wonky thing about them and that's not much. Other than that I don't know what more can be said about them except they work, very well, and the price is good.

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 17:43

The used market is and always will be flooded with Elinchrom lighting gear. I didn't buy any of my 400BX strobes brand new and I ended up getting four 400BX's for what most people are paying for four RX's. My strobes are in mint condition and I guarantee there are lots more out there.

For now... The EL500 is only a few years old, and already you had trouble tracking some down in the US a few weeks ago! And don't forget - the OP might not want to buy second-hand!

Just to be clear: I agree that with the BX400, there will be no advantage to using one over the other. I am not disputing that! But... in the very near future, the Cybersyncs will have to be sold to make room for a system compatible with new Elinchrom models. At that time, the OP will have to sell them (at a loss) to buy Skyports. Why not just spend the extra few bucks now, and save in the long run?

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 17:45

Of course, this would almost be a non-issue if the unit were only being used inside a studio. (I say "almost" because it could still be inconvenient to be charging a remote unit while it's connected to a strobe in the middle of a shooting session.)

Not really! If that same strobe has to be connected to AC power as well, it's a non-issue! :)

PacAce

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 17:49

Not really! If that same strobe has to be connected to AC power as well, it's a non-issue! :)

I was thinking more of the length of the charger cord. It's not as long as the AC cord used for the strobe.

cdifoto

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 18:01

For now... The EL500 is only a few years old, and already you had trouble tracking some down in the US a few weeks ago! And don't forget - the OP might not want to buy second-hand!

Just to be clear: I agree that with the BX400, there will be no advantage to using one over the other. I am not disputing that! But... in the very near future, the Cybersyncs will have to be sold to make room for a system compatible with new Elinchrom models. At that time, the OP will have to sell them (at a loss) to buy Skyports. Why not just spend the extra few bucks now, and save in the long run?
To be fair, there are Skyport Universal Receivers and there are Skyport RX Receivers. If I'm not mistaken, it requires RX series lights to use the RX Receivers. That means he has to buy Universal Receivers now for the BX400s and then sell those at a loss to get RX Receivers if/when he upgrades.

PacAce

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 18:03

To be fair, there are Skyport Universal Receivers and there are Skyport RX Receivers. If I'm not mistaken, it requires RX series lights to use the RX Receivers. That means he has to buy Universal Receivers now for the BX400s and then sell those at a loss to get RX Receivers if/when he upgrades.

Or, he may just decide to keep some or all the BX strobes and add one or more RX strobes to the lot. RX Skyports will still be compatible with the Skyports already in use. That won't be the case with the CyberSyncs.

TMR Design

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 18:06

For now... The EL500 is only a few years old, and already you had trouble tracking some down in the US a few weeks ago! And don't forget - the OP might not want to buy second-hand!

Just to be clear: I agree that with the BX400, there will be no advantage to using one over the other. I am not disputing that! But... in the very near future, the Cybersyncs will have to be sold to make room for a system compatible with new Elinchrom models. At that time, the OP will have to sell them (at a loss) to buy Skyports. Why not just spend the extra few bucks now, and save in the long run?

I never said I was having trouble. I wanted to know if anyone knew where to get them because I didn't want to buy on ebay. I didn't have trouble finding them at all Rudi. And there are more available every time I check. The EL500 is more than a few years old.

cdifoto

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 18:07

Or, he may just decide to keep some or all the BX strobes and add one or more RX strobes to the lot. RX Skyports will still be compatible with the Skyports already in use. That won't be the case with the CyberSyncs.
Right. But Skyports aren't required to trigger Elinchrom RX strobes. The ONLY reason Skyports would be a no-brainer is if OP is lazy and/or puts his lights up SOOOOO high he can't reach them and thus needs the controls of the RX receivers...which of course neither the Universals nor Cybersyncs have.

I like my Skyports but they're not overly impressive. They just beat the crap out of eBay kits and cost half as much as PocketWizards.

PacAce

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 18:51

Right. But Skyports aren't required to trigger Elinchrom RX strobes. The ONLY reason Skyports would be a no-brainer is if OP is lazy and/or puts his lights up SOOOOO high he can't reach them and thus needs the controls of the RX receivers...which of course neither the Universals nor Cybersyncs have.

I like my Skyports but they're not overly impressive. They just beat the crap out of eBay kits and cost half as much as PocketWizards.

True, but I think it was you who mentioned the RX Skyports in your previous post. I was just following up on it. :p ;) :D

Maybe I should have, instead, corrected you and said that the Universal Skyports can also be used with RX strobes and that the RX Skyports are not absolutely required with the RX strobes. :)

cdifoto

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:27

True, but I think it was you who mentioned the RX Skyports in your previous post. I was just following up on it. :p ;) :D

Maybe I should have, instead, corrected you and said that the Universal Skyports can also be used with RX strobes and that the RX Skyports are not absolutely required with the RX strobes. :)
Yeah I only mentioned them because others are saying that's the reason to go with the Skyports over the Cybersyncs, which is true. There's no benefit to Skyports over Cybersyncs if not using the RX receivers with RX lights.

In other words, a set of Skyport Universals is as effective as a set of AB Cybersyncs but not more so.

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:45

To be fair, there are Skyport Universal Receivers and there are Skyport RX Receivers. If I'm not mistaken, it requires RX series lights to use the RX Receivers. That means he has to buy Universal Receivers now for the BX400s and then sell those at a loss to get RX Receivers if/when he upgrades.

Again, not true! He will continue using Universal receivers with the BX400, and add RX receivers to his RX strobes (or nothing to his BXRi strobes). All this while still using exactly the same transmitter(s) on his camera(s). No need to sell anything!

cdifoto

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:48

Again, not true! He will continue using Universal receivers with the BX400, and add RX receivers to his RX strobes (or nothing to his BXRi strobes). All this while still using exactly the same transmitter(s) on his camera(s). No need to sell anything!
I didn't say he HAD to sell anything, and I definitely didn't say he had to sell the transmitter. The point is if he never moves into RX receiver compatible lights, there's no real benefit to Skyports over Cybersyncs, PocketWizards, or any other universally compatible radio triggering system.

OP said BX strobes. They aren't RX compatible. OP never said he was definitely going to upgrade to RX strobes. You made that leap all on your own.

The Skyports are great and all, but they aren't the bee's knees.

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:50

I didn't say he HAD to sell anything. The point is if he never moves into RX receiver compatible lights, there's no real benefit to Skyports over Cybersyncs, PocketWizards, or any other universally compatible radio triggering system.

The Skyports are great and all, but they aren't the bee's knees.

Which bit of:

Just to be clear: I agree that with the BX400, there will be no advantage to using one over the other. I am not disputing that!

... did you not understand? ???

phsv

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:51

Wow, this thread took a life of its own! That sure is a lot of feedback from you all and a lot of different perspectives.

So if I could get 1 trigger and 2 receivers from skyport for $225 OR I could get 1 trigger and 2 receivers from cybersinc for around $210.

Wow, I think I am more confused than when I started. :)

cdifoto

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:52

Which bit of:

... did you not understand? ???
You're arguing about an upgrade path that OP never said he'd make. Heck you've got his entire future laid out for him and he isn't even on his first strobe yet.

:lol:

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:53

OP said BX strobes. They aren't RX compatible. OP never said he was definitely going to upgrade to RX strobes.

Except that the BX strobes have now been discontinued, and if the OP want to buy new additional strobes, he will have to go with the BXRi's (or D-Lites, which is unlikely if he wants the same quality). BXRi strobes are not only RX compatible, they have Skyport receivers built-in! Spending only a few bucks extra right now covers the OP's bases better, that's all. :)

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:55

So if I could get 1 trigger and 2 receivers from skyport for $225 OR I could get 1 trigger and 2 receivers from cybersinc for around $210.

Even better! Only $15 to cover all your bases. A no brainer if you ask me... :)

phsv

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:56

(laughing)

I would LOVE to get those RX strobes but just a bit out of range. I do like the idea though that if I ever do upgrade to those strobes there is no need to start from scratch.

I was thinking of the going the AB route and work the cybersincs and commander and then IF they ever release those Einsteins.

phsv

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 19:57

Except that the BX strobes have now been discontinued, and if the OP want to buy new additional strobes, he will have to go with the BXRi's (or D-Lites, which is unlikely if he wants the same quality). BXRi strobes are not only RX compatible, they have Skyport receivers built-in! Spending only a few bucks extra right now covers the OP's bases better, that's all. :)

Never knew that the BX were discontinued. How long ago was this?

Rudi

14th of March 2009 (Sat), 20:01

Retailers are selling out existing stock, but there are no more BX400 on the Elinchrom website. So, if in a year's time you decide to add another light, you will either have to buy second-hand, or go with the new BXRi strobes. Not a big deal, but why have to change your triggers at the same time?