Speedotron Brown Line - $450 a good deal?

I'm jumping (more like diving) straight into the studio. I haven't worked with studio lights before and have about a $500 budget. I would like 2 strobes in that kit (all inclusive, stands, umbrellas). I found this on craigslist, but I'm not too well versed. The thing that gets me here is if if these are $1300 brand new, then why is he selling so cheap?
I know that monolights are probably a little better, and the recycle time on these are slow, but I'm mainly looking for some learning lights and i can wait 3-5 seconds inbetween cycles. Thanks

The asking price is $450:

Great Shape!!! Very Little Use Description from web site below: $1300.00+ New

DM802B CC 2-Light Travel System - 21141
Each of the incredibly portable 2-light systems packs easily into the trunk of any car, offers enough power and control options to handle a variety of assignments. Supplied with power pack and two M11 light units with reflectors, umbrellas, stands and soft carrying case.

1 - D802D LV Power Supply 21282 in package
2 - M11 CC Light Unit with 7" Reflector 22230-7 in package
1 - 45" Photoflex Adjustable Silver Umbrella 24535 in package
1 - 54" Photek White Umbrella with Removable Black Back 24539 in package
2 - 7.5' Air Cushion Stand 25562 in package
1 - 4 Section Soft-Sided Medium Carrying Case 25535 in package

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Trevor

Bueller? Bueller?
Okay so does anyone own speedotrons? The brown line ones? M11s?
Just looking for some feedback.

I don't know from Speedotrons.
What's the watt-second spec on the power pack?

You may think a 3-5 second recycle time is ok, but it will eventually drive you nuts and you'll get some monolights as soon as funds allow, and then what will you do with the Speedotron setup?

usaftrevor87 wrote in post #13410868
I'm jumping (more like diving) straight into the studio. I haven't worked with studio lights before and have about a $500 budget. I would like 2 strobes in that kit (all inclusive, stands, umbrellas). I found this on craigslist, but I'm not too well versed. The thing that gets me here is if if these are $1300 brand new, then why is he selling so cheap?
I know that monolights are probably a little better, and the recycle time on these are slow, but I'm mainly looking for some learning lights and i can wait 3-5 seconds inbetween cycles. Thanks

The asking price is $450:

Great Shape!!! Very Little Use Description from web site below: $1300.00+ New

DM802B CC 2-Light Travel System - 21141
Each of the incredibly portable 2-light systems packs easily into the trunk of any car, offers enough power and control options to handle a variety of assignments. Supplied with power pack and two M11 light units with reflectors, umbrellas, stands and soft carrying case.

1 - D802D LV Power Supply 21282 in package
2 - M11 CC Light Unit with 7" Reflector 22230-7 in package
1 - 45" Photoflex Adjustable Silver Umbrella 24535 in package
1 - 54" Photek White Umbrella with Removable Black Back 24539 in package
2 - 7.5' Air Cushion Stand 25562 in package
1 - 4 Section Soft-Sided Medium Carrying Case 25535 in package

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Trevor

Speedotrons are workhorses. If they're actually in good shape this is a very decent price. The M11 heads have removable reflectors and take a whole slew of Speedo accessories. You're getting 2 lights, an 800 watt pack, stands, umbrellas and a case. And they recycle a lot faster than 3-5 seconds!!

I say good deal!

The guy said they are in great condition. I'm going saturday to test them and probably pick them up. He bought them about 3 years ago for his in home studio, but has now stopped shooting as a side business. If I remember right, he got them brand new. Cause he said he still has the receipt and he will bring it when we meet.
I am just new to the studio world and almost got taken on some like cowboy studio light kit, a guy tried to pass off as inferits. I told him "i might new to studio lighting, but not photography".
But my understanding of the m11 heads, is I can buy a new flash tube and a larger power pack and go from 800-1600 and anywhere in between? I haven't been able to totally confirm this yet, but thought someone on another forum said that. Which i understand a new powerpack is a good chunk of change, but still.
Thanks for your help. I will probably definitely buy them if everything pans out

I'm sure 3-5 seconds will drive me nuts sooner or later, but i've read up a little more and the 3 second recycle time was with 3 light kit, at full power, so it should be a lot quicker.

Yes, this is a fair deal for all that and there are Brownline packs up to 1600ws. The equipment is of the highest quality and it will last a lifetime and always be repairable. But it's old-fashioned (see below).

I started with a small Brownline and two small heads.

Recycling time depends on how much power you use.

The only negative about all Speedotron but the latest Blackline is that you do not have the very precise, simple control of light output from each head that more modern lights have. You can easily reduce total output to 400 or 200 and can make certain other variations by connecting the heads in diferent ways but it takes a little practice. Also, Brownline and Blackline are not compatible.

2003 B&H pricing of a 802 power supply $500, each M11 head $229. B&H catalog back then did not have a full travel kit in Brown line (there was a Black line 805 travel kit)

I learned on those kits back when I was in college at ACC - their beauty dishes are top notch, the lights are ridiculously tough (have to be!) with all those students using them on a daily basis. Super durable, very consistent pop to pop.

As for recycle times, it really depends on how much power you crank. Full power, you might notice it a bit, but not really - and it's rare you're shooting full power. In fact, I had to "bleed" light from a head in the closet to get the amount of power I wanted, even though I was almost to the lowest watt/seconds for that. It's that strong.

Only drawbacks is the packs are HEAVY. Not really travel friendly. You can't really control the lights in increments like you can with the digital stuff nowadays, but that's workable though.
Seriously, for $450 bucks, I'd take it, and smile all the way home.

Zansho wrote in post #13419396
I learned on those kits back when I was in college at ACC - their beauty dishes are top notch, the lights are ridiculously tough (have to be!) with all those students using them on a daily basis. Super durable, very consistent pop to pop.

As for recycle times, it really depends on how much power you crank. Full power, you might notice it a bit, but not really - and it's rare you're shooting full power. In fact, I had to "bleed" light from a head in the closet to get the amount of power I wanted, even though I was almost to the lowest watt/seconds for that. It's that strong.

Only drawbacks is the packs are HEAVY. Not really travel friendly. You can't really control the lights in increments like you can with the digital stuff nowadays, but that's workable though.
Seriously, for $450 bucks, I'd take it, and smile all the way home.

I'm with Zansho...it's a good deal. Jump on it.
I have the 1604 pwr pack with 3 M11's and have used them for 10 yrs. No major problems. As he said...they're built like a tank

Good to know! Thanks for all the responses.
I am picking them up tomorrow afternoon
Freaking stoked to get them home and start shooting whatever is around, staplers, books, i don't care haha
I also read about the same problems though with the output, but I found a tutorial about a guy who basically made his own ND filter for the strobes to bring down the power to what he needed it for when he needed between certain wattages. So I might try that out. Thanks again for all the help. Good to know my money will be well invested

Wilt wrote in post #13419378
2003 B&H pricing of a 802 power supply $500, each M11 head $229. B&H catalog back then did not have a full travel kit in Brown line (there was a Black line 805 travel kit)

Prices haven't crept up much at all since then.

Current Helix Pricing:

D802 Power Pack $529.99
M11 Heads $229.95/ea. (no reflector)
7" Reflector for M11 head $35.50/ea.


They do list a whole kit, pretty much what you're getting:
(1) 21282 - D802B LV power supply, 800Ws
(2) 22228 - M11 light units with 7" umbrella reflector
(1) 24535 - 48" silver reflector umbrella
(1) 24539 - 54" Photek umbrella with removable black back
(2) 25562 - 7.5' travel light stands
(1) 25533 - 3 section soft carrying case
$1099.95

So, $450 is a very reasonable price assuming good condition.

Search Speedotron Brownline Model Mayhem in your web browser. They have information that may help. The only thing that I'd add is that the system you're looking at has relatively long flash durations. It would not be very good at stopping action.

For $450, you won't have a problem selling the system if you decide to move in a different direction. When I finally decided to upgrade, it took less than a month to sell the Brownline system on Craigslist. My system consisted of (2) D1204's, (3) M11CC's, extra reflectors, head extension cables, sync & sync extension cords, soft case.

Trevor...here's the manual for the brownline series. It will be helpful.
Good luck...
Paul

http://www.speedotron.com/res​ource/instruction_manu​als/brown_power_suppli​es

Check e-bay for additional Speedo gear.

I found a deal with a blackline setup on Fred Miranda with a 400w/s pack, 5 202VF heads, all the cables, and reflectors for $1200 and a 1200w/s pack for $600 on e-bay.

You guys have all been a lot of help!
I just picked them up yesterday and was playing around all night haha
These things are mint, don't even have a scratch. The guy who had them before set them up in his shop and then never really used them cause he only took photos of model cars.
Anywho, thanks for all the help! Once I find a willing model I will have to post some pics.