A New Bare Bulb Flash Arrives

Robsphoto wrote in post #16168159
I think we are going to get to a point to where we are going to start throwing our "mouse" at each other!!

As long as no one is rocking this guy: MOUSE

So some people don't care about remote power adjustment? Fine. Then don't buy remote power control. And if you already bought it don't use it, leave it at home, whatever. It's not a big deal.

ZoranC wrote in post #16168398
So some people don't care about remote power adjustment? Fine. Then don't buy remote power control. And if you already bought it don't use it, leave it at home, whatever. It's not a big deal.

Agreed!

Landcruiser wrote in post #16168228
http://www.youtube.com …ture=youtube_gd​ata_player

A better use of time than reading this

What seems to be happening, in my view, is that most people are trying to raise legitimate questions about the Cheetah Lights and how they fit into the continuum from speedlites to multi-thousand Ws pack/head studio lights. As well as, based on personal experience, describe the capabilities and how they have helped the photographer accomplish useful work.

Some people are amateurs, that for economic or other reasons are trying to make one category of light do all the work for them. Others focus on one type of shooting, studio or whatever, where a single lighting category does what they want. And others are professionals that do a variety of work and have found that having more than one category of lighting kit offers them flexibility to more expeditiously satisfy their shooting needs.

And then there are the trolls, that pop into the conversation, make remarks that suggest one or a group participating in the discussion are "----" because they think " ----- ". Unfortunately, when that happens there is a tendency for those attempting to have a meaningful and mutually constructive conversation to become defensive and that, combined with the troll's continued goading, knocks the thread even farther off topic.

If I can be so presumptive, please let's ignore the trolls, be courteous to one another's perspectives and continue a useful conversation about the hybrid* lighting system that is the basis for this thread.

*my term for these lights that I consider a "hybrid" between speedlites and studio strobes in size, capacity and light output.

dmward wrote in post #16168555
What seems to be happening, in my view, is that most people are trying to raise legitimate questions about the Cheetah Lights and how they fit into the continuum from speedlites to multi-thousand Ws pack/head studio lights.
...
Some people are amateurs, that for economic or other reasons are trying to make one category of light do all the work for them. Others focus on one type of shooting, studio or whatever, where a single lighting category does what they want. And others are professionals that do a variety of work and have found that having more than one category of lighting kit offers them flexibility to more expeditiously satisfy their shooting needs.

If photography was cars lights would be akin to wrenches, a tool to work with. Every single newb wrench monkey I have ever seen doesn't have problem knowing from a very start, without needing anybody to tell him, that one can't do everything with a single wrench and that wrench that delivers more costs more. Thus people expressing disappointment that certain photography wrench can't do everything and cost 99 cents makes me scratch my head and wonder where all of that out of touch with reality nonsense is coming from, especially when it is expressed by experienced wrench monkeys.

dmward wrote in post #16168555
*my term for these lights that I consider a "hybrid" between speedlites and studio strobes in size, capacity and light output.

I think "hybrid" is good way to describe them.

Nightdiver13 wrote in post #16168077
This whole post is just silly. What are you even talking about here? First you say let's talk price not features, then go on to discuss nothing but features. Huh? Then you claim no one buys speedlights without TTL. So all those manual speedlights on the market are given to people as gifts? Then you make a ludicrous claim with no data to back it up regarding Einstein owners jumping ship. All just silly...

Maybe you missed this:

Chad D wrote in post #16167244
compare cheetah to QTM is a better comparison

...and Sigma Pi's two references already about getting back to price?

Making comparisons includes features, as well as price. Whilst the Cheetah fans want to celebrate the low price - this comes at a cost of the lack of features. Simple.

Perhaps the "new barebulb flash" with its lack of "features" is a niche product? It certainly wouldn't cut the mustard on sports events, or any time critical event involving changing light conditions where the choice of the photographer would be a TTL flash function or maybe a shutter priority camera function, but if you only use your lights in a limited environment - then you may well be fine, until one of those other occasions occurs.

As JColman said: "I'm happy for you that you don't need the same features that I do in a light system." Thats fine, and it cuts two ways - if every other photographer is faced with the same limited requirements then you might have no need of any modern flash or camera functions. Some do, and that lack of a feature is more noticed when the function is most needed and you don't have it.

yes QTM is superior !!! I so agree with you !

LOVE the HUGE Rx ! OH and the cables on the Rx !! that is a HUGE FEATURE !!!!
what was cheetah thinking a Rx unit that you dont have to use cables and is nice and small ! silly cheetah

and I hate being able to see digital number read outs on my Tx ! what is Cheetah thinking actually seeing numbers ! OH silly cheetah

I love paying twice for half the power ! I mean that is just great business sense for me pay more for less ! I have to use that feature with my clients when I tell them ! well you will pay 2x more for me and I will give you 2x less ! they will eat that up !

and love paying out the nose for outdated HEAVY battery tech !

and TTL !
I NEED TTL in my OCF setup in modifiers ! I mean that is why profoto and eli and my photogenic and all those systems are fully TTL !!!
pros really need TTL flash in everything to be taken as a serious pro !!!


I mean look at this beauty ! its a thing to behold of modern smooth design and technology !!! the display kinda reminds me of my watch in 1980 dang where is my miami vice outfit ! I have to be cool at the next wedding !

PhotographersWorldWide wrote in post #16168896
Maybe you missed this:


...and Sigma Pi's two references already about getting back to price?

Making comparisons includes features, as well as price. Whilst the Cheetah fans want to celebrate the low price - this comes at a cost of the lack of features. Simple.

Perhaps the "new barebulb flash" with its lack of "features" is a niche product? It certainly wouldn't cut the mustard on sports events, or any time critical event involving changing light conditions where the choice of the photographer would be a TTL flash function or maybe a shutter priority camera function, but if you only use your lights in a limited environment - then you may well be fine, until one of those other occasions occurs.

As JColman said: "I'm happy for you that you don't need the same features that I do in a light system." Thats fine, and it cuts two ways - if every other photographer is faced with the same limited requirements then you might have no need of any modern flash or camera functions. Some do, and that lack of a feature is more noticed when the function is most needed and you don't have it.

PhotographersWorldWide wrote in post #16168896
Maybe you missed this:


It certainly wouldn't cut the mustard on sports events, or any time critical event involving changing light conditions where the choice of the photographer would be a TTL flash function or maybe a shutter priority camera function, but if you only use your lights in a limited environment - then you may well be fine, until one of those other occasions occurs.

ummm....no thank you. Even if the Cheetah lights had TTL function, I would turn it off. I use to own 3 600EX-RT's. They had excellent TTL functionality. I sold them the day my Cheetah lights arrived.

So why do you think it would be my choice? Can you unequivocally say that every photographer prefers TTL? Of course not. Perhaps you depend on TTL, I don't.

And if you don't think weddings are not "time critical" events then you haven't worked with me.

jcolman wrote in post #16169179
ummm....no thank you. Even if the Cheetah lights had TTL function, I would turn it off. I use to own 3 600EX-RT's. They had excellent TTL functionality. I sold them the day my Cheetah lights arrived.

So why do you think it would be my choice? Can you unequivocally say that every photographer prefers TTL? Of course not. Perhaps you depend on TTL, I don't.

And if you don't think weddings are not "time critical" events then you haven't worked with me.

I suppose you turn off the TTL on your 580EX as well.. whilst connecting a PW to your camera to trigger your Cheetah lights Manually? Link to post

Why do you EVER need a 580EX on camera? Why are PW's needed? Why can't the Cheetah system JUST suffice?

You'll note in my post I said "or any time critical event involving changing light conditions where the choice of the photographer would be a TTL flash function or maybe a shutter priority camera function," You no longer have that choice, it's been removed by the fact the function doesn't exist for you.

Given the choice - I'd dare say you would prefer the 600EX-RT's with a higher output.

Can we get back to talking about the Cheetah lights in a constructive manner? This is ridiculous...

Ya'll gonna bark all day little doggies, or ya'll gonna bite?

Got my shipment info from Edward last night. This thing is going to compliment my set up perfectly.

Back to price and other factors. Based on my experience with Cheetah, the customer service side is top notch, & local to me. So that is a huge plus.

I think it's pretty natural to compare things that are priced very similar that serve the close to the same purpose. With the CL 360 & AB800 +VML being very close in price and in W/S I think it's a comparison that will be made many times in the future.

Then it comes down to the matter of what works best for that individual, or other incidentals so naturally this will vary quite a bit. This is where the remote power comes in or even the mounting system, that will sway a person to one product or the other.

PhotographersWorldWide wrote in post #16169379
I suppose you turn off the TTL on your 580EX as well.. whilst connecting a PW to your camera to trigger your Cheetah lights Manually? Link to post

Why do you EVER need a 580EX on camera? Why are PW's needed? Why can't the Cheetah system JUST suffice?

You'll note in my post I said "or any time critical event involving changing light conditions where the choice of the photographer would be a TTL flash function or maybe a shutter priority camera function," You no longer have that choice, it's been removed by the fact the function doesn't exist for you.

Given the choice - I'd dare say you would prefer the 600EX-RT's with a higher output.

Since you bothered to look up that I have a 580ex flash, why do you say that "that (TTL flash function) doesn't exist for me". Honestly, are you simply stupid, blind or both?

What you fail to understand is that I use my 580ex on camera and my Cheetah lights off camera exclusively. I use the ettl mode on my 580ex and all my other lights are in manual mode. As I mentioned earlier, I don't want my off-camera lights to provide any ttl function. None. Zip. Nada. Nyet.

You ask "why can't I just use the Cheetah system?". Here's an example when I use both. When I'm walking backward, during a sparkler exit, I need an on-camera flash to provide light on the couple. I also use off camera light to provide backlight. This is one instance where a light like the 600EX-RT would work fine. But the 600EX-RT has it's drawbacks and that's why I sold them

You presume that I would prefer the 600. I already said that I don't. I use to own 3 of them. If I preferred the 600's, don't you think I would have kept them?

I prefer the Cheetah system. The CL-360 is more powerful than the 600- not the other way around. The Cheetah lights recycle quicker with their Lithium-ion battery. I don't have to worry about changing batteries during the evening like I did with the 600's. I like the open bulb design better than an enclosed speedlight. This gives me more flexibility in my lighting. I also prefer the easier to use power adjustment on the transmitter better than the 600EX-RT menu system.

As I mentioned, I am a pro who owns, and uses, three different (four if you want to count the two 580ex lights I own) light systems. However the Cheetah system has almost made my other systems obsolete. But I still keep them around for those jobs where I may need more than 4 lights, or more powerful lights.

Please don't try to tell me that I "need" this system or that system. I have what I need. And I make a good living using them, thank you very much.

Chad D wrote in post #16168970
I mean look at this beauty ! its a thing to behold of modern smooth design and technology !!! the display kinda reminds me of my watch in 1980 dang where is my miami vice outfit ! I have to be cool at the next wedding !

Well, I suppose thats one step better than comparing antique T2 flashes with Cheetah's - why don't you go the whole hog and compare what the real receiver looks like rather than a transceiver capable of controlling MULTIPLE Quantum's - all at once with one receiver in TTL - linked by "all those" cables or SEQUENCING (btw.. those features not supported by Cheetah either):

Chad D wrote in post #16168970
yes QTM is superior !!! I so agree with you !

Nothing here has really changed from day #1 it seems.