Time for new studio lights. Retiring the Speedotrons

Hi,

I currently use a 3 head set of Speedotron Black line 1250 lights. I'm going to keep them for my backup set and for the studio I will eventually build at my home (Think additional 2 story 2 car garage).

I have loved the speedotrons but I am doing more and more location work. I use speedlights quite a bit, but I do want a good set of studio lights that can be a portable set as well as a main set when I get my studio done. The Speedos are just a bit more than I want to carry around all the time.

If you were in this situation, what would you consider. I see a lot here about the Elinchrom and the Einsteins. I'm beginning to look into both of those to learn what they offer and what models they have that will fit my needs. Are there others you suggest?

I have 4 E640s and a collection of soft boxes and PLMs. I use them for portraits, photographing art, doing model shoots etc. They live in the trunk of my car. I also have a lot of speedlites with a colleciton of modifiers. They also live in my car.

The man with the speakers was shot with a single speedlite to light the man and highlight the speakers.

The headshot was 4 Einsteins in a studio.

Whatever works.

BTW, I used Speedotron in the late 60's. They are real workhorses, but really heavy when they have to be carted to the middle of a factory to shoot the CEO of a paper company.

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If you are in the USA, consider Dynalite...very light weight and compact yet powerful packs (compared to the Speedotron bricks). All the advantages of separate, lightweight heads (vs. monolights). Dynalite has long been used by pros for location lighting due to their portability and reliability. And many rental shops carried Dynalite gear, so that one could easily expand one's outfit on a temporary basis.

dmward wrote in post #15340256
I have 4 E640s and a collection of soft boxes and PLMs. I use them for portraits, photographing art, doing model shoots etc. They live in the trunk of my car. I also have a lot of speedlites with a colleciton of modifiers. They also live in my car.
...

Would you mind telling us where you park your car?

@dmward Awesome pics. Thanks for the info. I hear you on the weight of the speedos. I find I'm leaving them behind and using the 600EX-RT flashes more and more.

@Wilt Thanks. I will look into those too.

tetrode wrote in post #15343185
Would you mind telling us where you park your car?

WIN.

tetrode wrote in post #15343185
Would you mind telling us where you park your car?

Under the lights in the parking lot with the BA set and both car and camera insurance premiums paid.

CxThree wrote in post #15343451
@dmward Awesome pics. Thanks for the info. I hear you on the weight of the speedos. I find I'm leaving them behind and using the 600EX-RT flashes more and more.

Thanks,
The shot of the guy with the speakers was a single 600EX-RT and an STE3 on the camera. The 600 was just the speedlite, no modifier. Camera on a tripod with ambient exposure at or just minus EC. Flash was probably O FEC.

This was shot with window light and one speedlite bounced into the corner for fill.
It would take some effort to get that kind of lighting out of monolights in a studio. It can be done but it takes experience and the right grip equipment.

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