Why pay extra for lighting equipment? Where's the quality?

In looking at a number of different vendors, I've noticed that there can be quite a price differential, to the tune of several hundred dollars or more (say between Alien Bees and Elinchrom - or whatever, doesn't really matter).

Now, I know that you usually get what you pay for, but I don't have any strobes or softboxes or light stands or radio transmitters to play with. So, for those discerning studio lighting users out there - why pay extra for lighting equipment? What bang are you getting for your buck?

This is a good question. From a newbie perspective, what makes Profoto so much more expensive (hey if we're going to talk price, might as well throw them in there) to anything else with comparable specs*


I know at some point, when you're a established, working photographer, you just get the best, and that's understandable.


*maybe there isn't really anything else comparable, I haven't really seriously researched

The things I hear most are reliability and consistency. High end models are built to be used and used again. You can shoot all day, and you can shoot fast, and still see no problems. Also the consistency of the light temp, flash power, and flash duration are all extremely close if not spot on every time. If you are living off your photography you need to know your equipment will perform well and consistently every time. So I wouldn’t call it “bang for your buck” as much as insurance.

Lithriel wrote in post #6501162
In looking at a number of different vendors, I've noticed that there can be quite a price differential, to the tune of several hundred dollars or more (say between Alien Bees and Elinchrom - or whatever, doesn't really matter).

Now, I know that you usually get what you pay for, but I don't have any strobes or softboxes or light stands or radio transmitters to play with. So, for those discerning studio lighting users out there - why pay extra for lighting equipment? What bang are you getting for your buck?

There is a lot of very cheap lights on e-bay with adequate power, say 300WS but still nobody buy them because:

- They will break very soon and when you least expect it.
- You will spend much time post-processing pictures to correct the white balance and exposure (and it is not sometimes possible)
- You will look like a professional photographer with a P&S camera
- Afterwards you will buy decent lights and the money you spent on cheaps are lost unless you find a next victim to buy them.

I currently only own Speedlite's.

That being said, most who own AB's or Elinchrom's on this board are happy with both.

The AB user's love the price and happy with the results.

Elinchrom owners feel the consistancy they get with the Elinchrom's is worth it.

That being said (again), I think you would be happy with either choice...

-Mario

I think you'll find that the more expensive models offer greater consistancy over the shoot. In particular - colour temperature. You have to be able to depend on the head producing the same light both during repeated shots as well as at the shoot from start to end of a session.

As previously mentioned, durability is also high on my list of requirments; I need something that will last - many "lower cost" units just don't have the build quality for much of what I need them for.

TJ

Lithriel wrote in post #6501162
In looking at a number of different vendors, I've noticed that there can be quite a price differential, to the tune of several hundred dollars or more (say between Alien Bees and Elinchrom - or whatever, doesn't really matter).

Now, I know that you usually get what you pay for, but I don't have any strobes or softboxes or light stands or radio transmitters to play with. So, for those discerning studio lighting users out there - why pay extra for lighting equipment? What bang are you getting for your buck?

Bang for the buck--> Consistency, repeatability, power range, total power, control, reliability, wireless firing; All these things separate the higher end equipment from the lower end equipment.

I've been asking myself similar questions to what you've asked here. If you do a search for Alien Bees in the lighting forum you will find that AB's have a color shift at lower power. When you look at higher end lights you will see that they move from rocker or slide analog power settings to digital settings. Even when power output is identical, some lights recycle faster than others. Light duration can be a factor also. Many of your higher end mono lights and generator/strobe combos have short duration flash tubes suitable for freezing action. Some lights let you vary power over a 5 f-stop range, others, 6, 7, even 8 f-stops. Most digital systems give you 1/tenth of an f-stop control over power output. Some photographers need that control, others won't use that kind of control properly or simply don't desire it.

Power input matter also. Many of the higher end models can operate on voltage below 110v/115 that would toast other appliances/equipment you own. Helps keep them alive on location shoots in countries where power isn't as stabil as it should be.

If you go with monolights that control output in 1/10th of a stop over a X f-stop range, you have to set each light individual. If you go with a generator/strobe set up, you control each light from one location. Your higher end generators will also let you control the group in 1/10 f-stop settings from a single adjustment knob. Higher end monolights and generators will offer built in radio receivers. Profoto's built-in wireless is compatible with Pocket Wizard's.

Currently I'm shooting with 580exII's and 550ex's. It's taken a while to locate the above information and decide what kind of studio light set up I will go with.

Some people like the redundancy of mono lights. Others like the control a generator can provide.

hope this gives you something to think about.

You pay for these:

1) Build and manufacturing quality: most of the high end units from the big brands will never have to visit a technician in their whole life and they withstand some abuse -although if you are a complete beast with your gear of course it will get broken lol-

2) Output power Consistency: From pop to pop you will get the same reading in exposure this is nice when you have to process a whole lot of photos.

3) White balance consistency: You won't get silly variations in the Kelvin temperature from shot to shot, they will remain constant, again this is nice because you won't be having to adjust lots of photos of the same photoshoot to look the same in terms of WB.

4) No silly color casts: some of the low end gear will produce color shifts that certainly are unwanted -like magenta casts yuk...-

5) Designed to withstand long photoshoots

Etc, etc, etc.

For the hobbyist anything could be fine although some have more money in their wallets and can afford high end gear, but if you are working you need units that won't die in the middle of a photoshoot, that are reliable, that won't produce post processing nightmares -variation in the output power, color and/or white balance- and that are able to work at your speed -yeah that 2 sec recylcing isn't an issue until you really have little time frame to work with the talent :P-

Some of the difference (more expensive unit) can be...

• Wider variety of professional accessories from original manufacturer or third parties
  
• More consistent power output from shot to shot
  
• More consistent color balance between power levels
  
• Accurate and repeatable detent controls for 0.1EV light control, (not variable sliders without detents)
  
• Built in radio remote receiver or IR remote receiver
  
• Multi-channel outputs that can be ganged or separately controlled (power packs)
  
• Symmetrical vs. assymetrical control of separate channels (power packs)
  
• Faster flash output duration, rather than longer duration, for full power output
  

Thanks for the info everybody. It seems to be pretty clear-cut what the benefits are.

I'm sure that it would vary depending on whether photography is a profession or a hobby, but for those of you who have worked with cheaper and high-end equipment, were these benefits worth it for you?

Lithriel wrote in post #6506017
I'm sure that it would vary depending on whether photography is a profession or a hobby,

I agree... My experience is that a light source must at minimum have consistent color balance and power output to be considered professional quality. Noticeable color shifts and inconsistent output should be unacceptable in the professional world.

A hobbyist doesn't need those two qualities in a light source. It would be nice...but not necessary.

Lithriel wrote in post #6506017
but for those of you who have worked with cheaper and high-end equipment, were these benefits worth it for you?

The real element that separates high quality lighting sources from medium and low-level is "even coverage" of light and smooth transitions between light and dark. Lower quality light sources produce obnoxious hot spots and abrupt transitions between light and dark. This results in spotty coverage of the subject and images that lack mid-tones & micro-contrast.

However, brands like Broncolor are well known for producing even coverage of light and smooth gradations. That's the main the reason why photographers will spend $4000+ on something like a hazylight http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …zylight_Soft_So​ftbox.html

Profoto striplight:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …riplight.html#a​ccessories

Elinchrom Indirect Bank:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Softbox.html#a​ccessories

I forgot to include in my message #9, what I consider to be among the most important features...

Modelling light which is >150 watts, so it can be seen even in bright ambient conditions
Fan cooling, for use of high powered lights in softboxes

These last two things are actually the straw that broke the camel's back for me, in trying to use less expensive products...and pushed me over the edge into truly professional quality gear.

Gentleman Villain wrote in post #6506216
I agree... My experience is that a light source must at minimum have consistent color balance and power output to be considered professional quality. Noticeable color shifts and inconsistent output should be unacceptable in the professional world.

A hobbyist doesn't need those two qualities in a light source. It would be nice...but not necessary.
The real element that separates high quality lighting sources from medium and low-level is "even coverage" of light and smooth transitions between light and dark. Lower quality light sources produce obnoxious hot spots and abrupt transitions between light and dark. This results in spotty coverage of the subject and images that lack mid-tones & micro-contrast.

However, brands like Broncolor are well known for producing even coverage of light and smooth gradations. That's the main the reason why photographers will spend $4000+ on something like a hazylight http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …zylight_Soft_So​ftbox.html

Profoto striplight:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …riplight.html#a​ccessories

Elinchrom Indirect Bank:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Softbox.html#a​ccessories

The idea that higher end strobes have a superior 'quality' of light seems to be widespread on the internet but I don't know what this is based on other than regurgitation of advertising or brand snobbery. I shoot Elinchrom, I've rented Broncolor on plenty of occasions and I've dabbled with a lot of other cheaper systems when needed. There's nothing 'magical' about any of them, the quality of light produced is entirely due to the modifier used and given that these can be quite easily adapted to fit any strobe there is no reason not to buy the brand of strobe you need and then adapt the modifiers you need afterwards.

Photographers buy high-end equipment because of all the reasons mentioned above, namely consistency, reliability and durability. If you're at the stage where none of the above matter to you then by all means go with an entry level system.

It would seem to me that if the strobe was not producing consistent color that it wouldn't matter what accessories or modifiers you'd have on it - it would still be inconsistent. While the light itself is not of lower or higher quality, it's production is. Would that be correct?

Lithriel wrote in post #6506017
Thanks for the info everybody. It seems to be pretty clear-cut what the benefits are.

I'm sure that it would vary depending on whether photography is a profession or a hobby, but for those of you who have worked with cheaper and high-end equipment, were these benefits worth it for you?

Yes, simply because your ass in the line with the client and you want gear that won't fail you-->which leads to not failing the client