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Re: [OM] Re: Alien Bees Lights

Subject: Re: [OM] Re: Alien Bees Lights
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 23:48:29 -0400
At 13:24 4/12/03, Jan Steinman wrote:

Have you considered packs? They can be had on the used market rather cheaply. If you only need two, monos may be cheaper, but add a hair-light, and a used pack with separate lights can break even, and you can then add a fourth light rather cheaply.

I have. Considering monolights because I've used them before: a friend's pair of Photogenic lights with Bogen 9-foot stands. Monolights seem easier to set up for "location" work than packs and heads. I haven't used packs and heads so it's a "mind comparison" of power cabling and how long it requires to set them up on location. In a studio where equipment can be left mounted and cabling more controlled I might feel differently. Don't have space for a studio and don't envision having one in the foreseeable future . . . not that I wouldn't like to along with a complete darkroom too . . . my home is already too small. Been converting the dining room to a very small studio for a few hours at a time . . . but must return it to original condition same day or answer to the CINC-House.

Most of the "on location" work I envision doing with them are wedding altar returns. Two lights are almost always sufficient provided it's well diffused and bounced around. I've tried to consider how to use a background and/or kicker, but altar areas are too variable as are the wide range of groupings from one/two people to a dozen or more.

I bought a used Speedotron with seven heads for less than the price of three Alien Bees monos at our local pro photo shop.

New or used? I looked at the new pricing of the more powerful ones. The lights are inexpensive; the power supply isn't! You're right about the pricing; three or four of the 1600 Alien Bees do hit about the same price range as the higher powered ones you've mentioned. I will look at some used gear though and consider pricing.

The lights are just the tip of the iceberg. Now you'll need stands, and brallies, softboxes, scrim, gobos, barn-doors, grip for diffusers, etc. etc. etc.

Heh, heh . . .
Already have an incident flash meter (an ancient Gossen), three Bogen stands, a pair of larger silver reflective umbrellas and a pair of smaller white shoot-through umbrellas. If I understand the definition of "brollie" correctly, it's also another term for umbrella. [??] Been slowly grabbing things here and there as opportunity arises and using them with comparatively low-powered strobes. You're right that it's on a course down the slippery slope.

Another advantage of packs is you can put more weight on the stand. I have a lovely 5'x4' softbox that I'm sure would topple over with the added weight of a mono up on the stand!

At this point I have an aversion to using softboxes with stand mounted lights; they seem too unwieldly on-location and take longer to set up. Been using the shoot-through umbrellas (they do bounce more around the room). That's always subject to change with time.

And if a stand does go over, you're out a $20 bulb, NOT a $200 electronics assembly!

A significant concern when I've set up location lighting in the past. I run power cords very carefully. Never had one go over, or a near miss, but the guy I've borrowed equipment from had a monolight with umbrella go over into a wedding cake. The cake gave its life to save his light . . . not that anyone else there was very happy about that. Made a whole lot of people real happy!

Thanks,
-- John


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