Why spend money on Profoto vs Alien Bees?

Like I mentioned before, I do a lot of shooting on location. With summer coming around, my 650ws strobe with a 3' Octodome at full power is not cutting it. At F/11 the sky is still rather bright and I like the dimmer dark effect. (See, Over powering the sun) Sure I can wait until the sun starts to set, but why?

Tareq wrote in post #5631695
CALM DOWN PEOPLE!

To the OP, why you didn't ask about Bronocolor or Elinchrom vs. AB? why not Bronocolor vs. Profoto?

Now i don't use Profto and i think many in middle east don't have Profoto, so why you just stated Profoto vs. AB? We don't have ABs here as well, so what we can do then?

So what... before we make comparisons we gotta make sure the product is available in the middle east? LOL

M Powered wrote in post #5631905
Like I mentioned before, I do a lot of shooting on location. With summer coming around, my 650ws strobe with a 3' Octodome at full power is not cutting it. At F/11 the sky is still rather bright and I like the dimmer dark effect. (See, Over powering the sun) Sure I can wait until the sun starts to set, but why?

This is what I'm also going through right now.

M Powered wrote in post #5631916
So what... before we make comparisons we gotta make sure the product is available in the middle east? LOL

Yeah, it is not just USA members here even they are the most percentage, so we are ignored then

TMR Design wrote in post #5631926
This is what I'm also going through right now.

With the sun right now I need to be at least at F18. To get good exposure I need 2 AB1600 at full power.

Its only going to get worst when summer hits... Yea, so all of a sudden 1200ws doesn't seem so much

M Powered wrote in post #5632014
With the sun right now I need to be at least at F18. To get good exposure I need 2 AB1600 at full power.

Its only going to get worst when summer hits... Yea, so all of a sudden 1200ws doesn't seem so much

I hear you. We're in exactly the same boat man.

M Powered wrote in post #5632014
With the sun right now I need to be at least at F18. To get good exposure I need 2 AB1600 at full power.

Its only going to get worst when summer hits... Yea, so all of a sudden 1200ws doesn't seem so much

If all you need is one light with lots of power, then it might be worth a look to see if you can get hold of any old Elinchrom classic compacts - they used to make them in 1200ws and 2400ws. They can still be serviced although the one I have is from the early 80's and still works perfectly.

Hermes wrote in post #5632040
If all you need is one light with lots of power, then it might be worth a look to see if you can get hold of any old Elinchrom classic compacts - they used to make them in 1200ws and 2400ws. They can still be serviced although the one I have is from the early 80's and still works perfectly.

I've seen then and read about them. Right now there are a few in the B&H used department that look mighty tempting, but I'm sure they'll sell before I'm ready to buy.

Gentleman Villain wrote in post #5629549
For example, high Contrast lighting always looks good on strippers

cheap girls and cheap lights go perfect together LOL

Where do you live to think strippers are cheap?

I am coming to visit.

flipstyle72 wrote in post #5631809
haha...sounds to me that those who buy the really expensive stuff more or less try to justify and convince themselves by "overly" bad talking the cheaper stuff. Then mentality goes with ALL aspects of life purchases by EVERYONE.

There are solid points on both sides of the argument...

I don't care what people say, MP posted some shots in here that almost everyone would love to have taken shots like.

Me...i buy the cheap stuff cuz this is more fun than a living... . And when I DO create stunning shots, It's cooler to say you did it with cheap stuff.

One of the most complimented images I have from joe on the street to the more professional shooters was taken with an XT, 80dollar lens and 50dollar ebay strobes. lol.

I feel the same

RichNY wrote in post #5626594
Personally I don't buy into your cost justification argument. If you can cost justify a pair of 5Ds, a 70-200 f/2.8, an 85 f/1.2, and a 35 L for your work you certainly can cost justify another $1k more for professional lights. I'm not attacking your kit or suggesting that they don't meet your needs, but if you need that type of camera and gear for your work I don't think the cost justification argument holds up. If don't consider your work high end commercial then you might as well be shooting it with Rebel or 20D and consumer glass.

Here's the thing - I'm not lighting weddings from start to finish like a commercial job. It's not even in the same universe as doing a commercial shoot where you have to plan out all your shots and bring along a grip truck and a bunch of PA's to set up / strike the gear, and the talent is making $18k just to be there for a day. If I was doing primarily commercial, I could buy the pro kit, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't still break out the bees for simpler jobs. If I need it, I can rent a kit for the weekend from my local Calumet.

Another $1k for more professional lights? To swap what I own in PCB gear out with Profoto packs/heads would cost me at least 7K if I skimp on modifiers. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not I consider my work high-end or low-end, it has to do with what my needs are. My needs for off camera lighting are fairly simple- I can usually get away with a single head and a medium softbox, so why I'd want to overspend by 7X to get that makes no sense to me. I'm not shooting a high-end clothing catalog where color accuracey from every firing of the flash has to be perfect. I'd rather make my car payment this month.

The analogy to bodies/lenses doesn't hold up - an AB800 w/ a medium softbox does the same thing a profoto head does - it lights my subject. Maybe not with as convenient controls or as beautiful fit and finish, but it does it well enough at a much lower cost. A consumer lens, let's say an f4-5.6 zoom is not going to allow me to create shots like the 35L does. The 85 f1.2 is my favorite, but the 85 f1.8 would probably be fine 75% the time.

How do you even select a focus point on the fly with a Rebel? I know people shoot weddings with them sometimes, but I wonder how they do it. 20D's are okay, I had one a few years ago. I prefer the perspective on the FF body and the larger pentaprism makes it easier to see what the heck I'm doing. The files are still great, so they justify themselves in my book - and since it's my company, I get to make the call. It's not worth the dough to everybody, I know.

Anyway...I get what you're trying to say, but I have to say from my experience, lots of high-end wedding shooters don't even go so far as to fuss with anything other than speelights. I don't know of any high-end quality shooters that are using consumer glass, except for maybe the 50 f1.4 or the 85 f1.8.

Cheers

TMR Design wrote in post #5631450
I know that Elinchrom Skyport transmitter will talk to Style RX strobes as well as an IR remote for power control and I know Hensel has a wireless remote. Other than going pack and head what are the alternatives for remote (or at least ground level) control?

That is probably the best option, but you can also get the wired remote. Not sure how that works, I've never used it personally, but wired will be reliable enough, and you usually know which lights you're going to be mounting high enough to need a remote, no?

You're right Rudi. I believe there is an Elinchrom wired remote. For now, on location I only need to control my main light. In the studio I would want control over a main and hair light.

flipstyle72 wrote in post #5631809
One of the most complimented images I have from joe on the street to the more professional shooters was taken with an XT, 80dollar lens and 50dollar ebay strobes. lol.

And one of my best-selling images was taken with a Fuji F30 P&S and no strobes whatsoever... that does not mean that I would like to do all my work with that particular camera or never use studio lights!

TMR Design wrote in post #5633656
You're right Rudi. I believe there is an Elinchrom wired remote. For now, on location I only need to control my main light. In the studio I would want control over a main and hair light.

I just thought that it might work out cheaper than buying an RX kit (but who am I kidding, I want an RX kit, too! ).

BTW, with the exception of the D-Lite (which you can get separately), this is the best, most comprehensive Elinchrom catalogue that I have managed to find on their website: http://www.elinchrom.c​om …o%20Face/Facing​RightE.pdf