Speedotron users, untie!

Dilemma - 2403cx vs. 805 vs. 1005 pack. They're all relatively the same price, but they're going to be used on location mainly and I'm going to need the power to kill the sun and light cars as well as people.

Go big and shoot with an ND or go with several smaller packs? I have a 405, so a 405 and a 1005?

multiple 1005 and rent 2403cx when you need it is what I'd do unless you do a lot of location work...

The Tronix should be in today and I got the adapter ring but on the Kacey beauty dish on Sunday. Two test shoots are lined up for this weekend.

Any idea on where to look for used Speedo gear? Craigslist was fairly barren and E-bay and FM didn't have what I was looking for. I think the 1005 is fairly new, so it might be harder to find, but a 1205 or something shouldn't be that difficult.

They have 1005's for $800 new on Ebay. I'm not a fan of buying new with how much I see their gear prices depreciate.

I hopped onto Craigslist this morning looking for used Speedotron gear in the area. I just happened to search for "Pelican" under the photography section. There's some one that posted an add up yesterday. It's local and the add says that they have a Pelican 1690 with pick and pull foam that was an extra left over and not needed from a large order that they placed. They only want $150 for it. I sent an e-mail telling the seller that I'd take it if it hasn't been spoken for already.

I had a shoot yesterday and left all my small strobes at home and tooke the 400w/s pack and three heads with the Tronix Explorer XT SE, ABR800, stands, reflectors, Kacey beauty dish, and umbrella. What a pain. I could only fit three lights and the power pack in a rolling suit case that I had, so there was so much to carry. The 405 pack wasn't enough to entirely kill the sun with beauty dish; that wasn't entirely unexpected though. I'm probably going to get the 1005 pack in the near future and save for a 2nd one.

My mother always bugs me about getting a shot of her and dad, so I setup a practice shot at their house Friday afternoon. This was with the 405 pack, one head, the beatury dish, and the new B+W 6 stop ND filter. And they're naturally squinty people.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/cokronk/5171206​736/

FWIW, color balance seems a bit off...unless their skin is really red.

For overpowering the sun, you need around 600WS unless you're really close (like 3-4') with the head (you can do it w/ 320WS w/ a bare reflector but it doesn't look great). 1000WS is a lot better if you have any modifiers...

Is it possible to modify heads from other brands to work with Speedo packs? I ask because I saw a post mentioning some people doing this with Acute 2 heads on Speedo packs. If this is possible, I could get a ring light converted to work with my packs and sell the AB, which is a bit bulky.

I'm using 2 novatron heads with my Speedo pack. You have to find the older 5-pin heads or drill out a small hole for the center 6th (second ground) pin. I doubt the novatron heads will help you with the ringlight, though...

Yes, the Acute ring flashes can be hacked to work on Speedo packs as well as Dynalite ring flashes IIRC. Flash Clinic in NYC can do this for you.
Main negative w/ the Acute ring flash is it has no modeling lights (why I have no clue)-: and it really works best w/ their extra reflector that you have to buy separately, but it's pretty bulky w/ this reflector...
The AB isn't bad w/ the moon unit, but a bit flimsy...could have been a lot better w/ stronger plastic.

I won a used 1205CX pack on Ebay.

I think I have all the power I need now with the 400w/s pack and the 1200 w/s pack, now I just need modifiers and a way to carry everything. I figure I'll purchase modifiers bit by bit as I need them.

I started with the D402 pack, and later added a second one and about 7 various heads, but the M90 is my most used one with both a softbox and umbrellas. I just ordered a PLM from Paul C Buff. I even built a portable power supply for it so I can use it in the field. It worked great for this shoot:

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J_Nicholas wrote in post #11331334
I started with the D402 pack, and later added a second one and about 7 various heads, but the M90 is my most used one with both a softbox and umbrellas. I just ordered a PLM from Paul C Buff. I even built a portable power supply for it so I can use it in the field. It worked great for this shoot:

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Although I am slowly replacing it all with Alien Bee stuff, the Speedo's still have a place.

I think it should be the other way around. Keep the speedo, loose the AB. The Blackline is so Nice. I have 3- 805 packs 6- 202, 2- 602's and 4803CX pack if I need to get stupid with the Power. I also have pigtails for the 602's to function with the 805's. The 805's are my fav, small, light-weight, and I use them as multi light mono blocks.

My Blackline stuff is built like a tank, I like using it so much, it would be hard for me to change unless I hit the lottery and then it would be Broncolor!

I like AB you sure do get a lot for a little money and Paul has a great business. I sold all my AB and went to Speedo. The AB stuff is IMO a stepping stone to Speedo, Profoto, Dyna, ect...

I too built a battery and sine inverter fo my 805's to go on location.The VBAGII wirked great to hold my home made inverter and at $19 makes a great light stand weight as well. I amgoing to buy some of the PLM's the 86" I think. That is a nice modifier. I mainly use Westcott and Photoflex for modifiers.

I would rethink the switch to AB and think VF's in the blackline

Yeah, I don't think I'll ever get rid of them. All of my stuff is Brownline, which is like you pointed out, almost indestructible. Up until recently, all my modifers have been Photoflex. I even have a few old Smith Victor shoot through umbrellas that I use out in the field at times.

J_Nicholas wrote in post #11331334
I started with the D402 pack, and later added a second one and about 7 various heads, but the M90 is my most used one with both a softbox and umbrellas. I just ordered a PLM from Paul C Buff. I even built a portable power supply for it so I can use it in the field. It worked great for this shoot:

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Although I am slowly replacing it all with Alien Bee stuff, the Speedo's still have a place.

What was your setup for this shot? The reason I went with the pack and head systems over monolights is for shooting automotive photography. I'm going to eventually pick up a 2403 if I need it and those go for about $600 on e-bay, so it seems like no big deal to pick one up.

akfreak wrote in post #11331501
I think it should be the other way around. Keep the speedo, loose the AB. The Blackline is so Nice. I have 3- 805 packs 6- 202, 2- 602's and 4803CX pack if I need to get stupid with the Power. I also have pigtails for the 602's to function with the 805's. The 805's are my fav, small, light-weight, and I use them as multi light mono blocks.

My Blackline stuff is built like a tank, I like using it so much, it would be hard for me to change unless I hit the lottery and then it would be Broncolor!

I like AB you sure do get a lot for a little money and Paul has a great business. I sold all my AB and went to Speedo. The AB stuff is IMO a stepping stone to Speedo, Profoto, Dyna, ect...

I too built a battery and sine inverter fo my 805's to go on location.The VBAGII wirked great to hold my home made inverter and at $19 makes a great light stand weight as well. I amgoing to buy some of the PLM's the 86" I think. That is a nice modifier. I mainly use Westcott and Photoflex for modifiers.

I would rethink the switch to AB and think VF's in the blackline

I had 2 Bees. I sold my B800 and I'm debating on whether or not to sell the ABR800 ring light. If I could find a ring light that I could modify to work with the Speedotron packs, then I'd ditch it in a heartbeat, it's really cumbersome to work with and when using pretty much anything but the 70-200, it's nearly impossible to operate the AF on the lenses.

I was originally looking at the Acute 1200w/s Profoto packs that come with 2 heads, but it would have ended up costing me $4,000-$5,000 for two packs and 4 heads. So far on the 2 202VF heads, the 405 pack, 1205 pack, and the Tronix Explorer XT SE battery, I've only spent about $2,200. That about the cost of one used Acute 1200 pack with two heads. I'm happy with my purchase.

I want to get the Kacey adapter that allows us to use Elinchrom modifiers with the black lines and get a deep octabox. A PLM is on my list too along with several strip/softboxes for automotive photography.

Village_Idiot wrote in post #11332251
What was your setup for this shot?

I had 2 Bees. I sold my B800 and I'm debating on whether or not to sell the ABR800 ring light. If I could find a ring light that I could modify to work with the Speedotron packs, then I'd ditch it in a heartbeat, it's really cumbersome to work with and when using pretty much anything but the 70-200, it's nearly impossible to operate the AF on the lenses.

That shot was just quick down and dirty. One M90 head into a large umbrella just off to cmaera right, and behind me. It was a cloudy day so I was only at 200ws.

I like my ABR800, but I have to agree that I'd like to see some ringlight work with the pack. Honestly for the price you can get the Speedo stuff now, you really can't beat it.

I got my 1205 pack last night. Now it's time for modifiers. I think my first purchase is going to be an octabox.

This is from a shoot on a train. It was with one 202 head and the 405 pack running off my Tronix battery. I was using the Kacey beauty dish.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/cokronk/5219707​597/