Another What to Buy Post

Don't care much for these types of post, but I thought perhaps I can get some good insights on what question I need to ask myself before purchase.

Right now my lighting setup consists of two Nano stands, a 580 EXII, a Nikon SB-28, two Westcot convertible umbrellas, and Skyports. I don't have studio space and mostly like to do location shoots.

Option #1: Alien Bee AB800, 13' lightstand, AB 48" octabox, 48" grid, and Vagabond power system.

Option #2: Two more speedlights, one lightstand w/ boom, large (60") reflector, a couple of snoots for the speedlights, two more Skyport receivers and associated cords, and a few more packs of Enloop batteries.

Like I mentioned I like to do location stuff and want. I also just like to buy once and want to keep my options for upgrade open.

Any insight into this purchase would be appreciated. I'm kind of leaning toward the AB setup; however, it would be a little mroe expensive, so if option #2 makes more sense I would get it for sure.

Thanks

Speedlites are very expensive, only go that way if you're going to use wireless ETTL or radio poppers - but I think that's unnecessary. Get some Vivitar or Sunpark flashes, they work well and cost a lot less. You can add battery packs cheaply enough too, but you lose portability.

Studio strobes come into their own if you need a lot of power or to shoot quickly or all day. They don't burn out beacuse of their fans. Shoemount flashes can, and aren't as powerful.

tim wrote in post #6024460
Speedlites are very expensive, only go that way if you're going to use wireless ETTL or radio poppers - but I think that's unnecessary. Get some Vivitar or Sunpark flashes, they work well and cost a lot less. You can add battery packs cheaply enough too, but you lose portability.

Studio strobes come into their own if you need a lot of power or to shoot quickly or all day. They don't burn out beacuse of their fans. Shoemount flashes can, and aren't as powerful.

When I said speedlights I mean't any brand, Nikon, Vivitar, Sunpak, ext. I don't plan to use ETTL other than one camera flash now and then, and I already have that.

Two more small flashes and excessories or one big flash and accesories. The extra power would be nice at times, but so would two smaller more compact light sources. Which option would offer more flexability? Are three light sources enough for most situations? Would four flash open up a whole new relm of possabilities?

What are you photographing, where, and how much time do you have to do it?

To me, when "portability" means I have to set up multiple stands, rig multiple triggers, and set up multiple modifiers to do the same job that I could have got done with one strong strobe it seems to lose appeal. If the idea is to light your subject from many different angles then go with the hot shoe flashes. But if you just need more power, I'd go with one strong strobe, even if it means a little extra weight.

Strobes all the way, many high level pros using strobes over speedlights, just learn how t make your strobes to be portable, i have 5 strobes, and if i can't buy something to make those strobes more portable then i have one 580 and i will add another 580 and using my reflector as another source of light [for fill] and i am done.

Tareq wrote in post #6025220
Strobes all the way, many high level pros using strobes over speedlights, just learn how t make your strobes to be portable, i have 5 strobes, and if i can't buy something to make those strobes more portable then i have one 580 and i will add another 580 and using my reflector as another source of light [for fill] and i am done.

I have two flashes and am looking for another light source; I would also like to try our a modeling light

Haru wrote in post #6024628
To me, when "portability" means I have to set up multiple stands, rig multiple triggers, and set up multiple modifiers to do the same job that I could have got done with one strong strobe it seems to lose appeal. If the idea is to light your subject from many different angles then go with the hot shoe flashes. But if you just need more power, I'd go with one strong strobe, even if it means a little extra weight.

Good point; pushing me towards the AB's.

tim wrote in post #6024567
What are you photographing, where, and how much time do you have to do it?

Single models on location. I have all the time in the world; they usually lose interrestbefore I tire. I also like to make the most of my home; however there is not a lot of room there. Would an AB 800 be unusable in a smaller space?

Seems to me you should be closely monitoring eBay for Norman or Lumedyne 200 or 400 WS battery powered flash systems. You shoot mostly on location, apparently like to travel light (inferred from the Nanos and Wescotts), and could use more power. Norman and Lumedyne meet those reqirements.

One thing to keep in mind: The Alien Bees 800 (or any monolight, for that matter) has all of its weight concentrated in one lump which will be perched high atop a light stand. That is not a particularly stable configuration when "on location" might mean outdoors. The Lumedyne and Norman type flash units are really mini pack and head systems. The heads weigh next to nothing and are thus much less of a problem when waving seven and a half feet in the air. Most of the weight is in the pack which will, most likely, be sitting on the ground.

I don't believe you mentioned budget. If cost is no object, there's always the Hensel Porty (and Elinchrom Ranger) system waiting to suck up your dollars.

Dave F.

I'd say go with small strobes, if you want to do location lighting. If my setups go beyond a single light, I find unpacking and repacking even a couple of speedlights to be more hassle than I like: bulky studio strobes, especially if I had to use battery packs, would be even more cumbersome. Modeling lights, while nice, aren't really going to do you any good unless they're in a relatively dark studio, and even then it's gonna be hard to get very far with them with any modifiers mounted. Assuming you're shooting digital, just fire off a test-shot, and that'll show you where your light's going well enough.

So I guess my recommendation is to buy a couple more Speedlights and accessories. I'd tend to advise going for older Nikon units with optical slaves built in, so you can get away without extra radio receivers if necessary (the one on my SB-26 works so well that I still haven't gotten around to buying a third PW, in over six months of owning the strobe. It's sometimes difficult to use, but usually it works great, even outdoors in the sun). Studio strobes are great if you have a studio to leave them set up in, but for location work, they're just way too bulky, imo.