Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Technical Discussion Forum for all Paul C. Buff, Inc. Products

Login

Post a reply
 [ 30 posts ] 

Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:54 pm

Site Admin
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:49 am
Posts: 1432

Chaya,

Not suggesting anything negative toward you - no foul - no offense. Sorry if that was implied. Just keep seeing posts like "Gee, you should do such and such to this or that design". Sounds easy but is extremely difficult in practice.

We are already investing the months and dollars in the battery powered 320Ws light mentioned. But it will probably take a year (educated guess) before it can become a product.

BTW, if you think an Einstein at 4.3 lbs is heavy on a stand, try a B1 or Rovelight - waaaaay bigger and heavier. I always try to design as lightweight and small as possible.

Comments always appreciated. ;)




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Wed Jan 07, 2015 9:00 pm

Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:44 am
Posts: 100
Location: Chicagoland, USA

First - a disclaimer: I completely get that with some types of assignments - and with weddings in particular - there are many additional tough issues like securing gear, portability, weight, theft, and lights toppling. Plus, we have all seen worthy discussions before about "I am trying to go as lite as possible with as much functionality as possible". By Paul's comments, it certainly sounds like he and the innovators at PCB get it and are working on something.

Until the new product is released, I'll throw this out there. What is below won't work for everyone or for every situation. I don't always move my gear like this or take this much to every shoot. But even if I am going as lite as one stand, one speedlight, one mod, one camera, and one lens, I am looking for a way and excuse not to carry any of it. If at all possible, I pull it in my "photography wagon" seen below. Further, I don't unload/load when on location and/or moving from spot to spot. I work OUT of it.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/92211832@ ... 621998947/

What can fit in/on it all at once?:

- a lightstand case and a light kit bag
- two e640's + hard reflectors & grids
- booming drop-pin lightstands; counter-weights, portable lightstands
- two VML's, triggers, etc.
- two speedlights
- umbrellas, softboxes, grids, quickrings, gobos, 5' x 8' diffusion panels
- foldable tri-grip reflectors, foldable portable changing room
- portable wind machine
- 4 foot folding ladder
- camera backpack with multiple bodies and primes
- bigger telephotos - clipped to the side of the wagon
- a multitude of grip items

This wagon has gone up elevators in Chicago, been pulled around forest preserves, and many places in between. On Christmas week I did a family portrait session in a lobby of an upscale resort hotel. If I were the GM of that hotel I would not want a photographer pulling this John Deere looking thing into my lobby, so I draped a fancy looking holiday cloth over it and no staff said a word. There are many, many creative ways to move gear around.

On an additional note, I am glad that this thread was not about literally changing the shape of the Einstein housing and its overall look. I know some don't like its "squareness", but that shape makes it pack very efficiently and flexibly into a variety of bags. Before investing in Einsteins, Bowens were my go-to monos. I liked them, but taking them on location was not as easy.

Craíg

http://www.craigwasselphotoart.com




Last edited by craig16229 on Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top Top
Profile
 
Website
 

#

Thu Jan 08, 2015 1:07 pm

Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:18 pm
Posts: 23

Paul, I didn't realize you were already so invested in the upcoming 320 WS light and thought you were speaking about the Einstein 640.
At this point, could you tell me the approximate weight of the 320 WS light you are producing?

As for the Einstein 640's weight I think it's remarkably liteweight for the output that it has and very efficiently designed. That's why I brought them in the first place. But I realize now that for what I shoot I could get away with a light that's half the power. And I'd love if it if there would be an Einstein light with half the weight.
I know a 320 WS light with an included battery would be extremely popular . For me though it's reliability first and weight second, which if this light weighs a lot doesn't solve my issues of trying to lighten my load.

Good luck with the continuing production of this new light. I'm sure it will be a hit with photographers like all your other photography gear has been.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Fri Jan 09, 2015 12:55 am

Site Admin
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:49 am
Posts: 1432

We're still in the concept/early design stage, so we don't know the exact weight. Definitely a whole lot lighter than B1 or Rovelite.

I believe it will be somewhat lighter than Einstein - half the capacitor weight but plus the battery weight, which will be pretty low. Definitely a very bright LED modeling lamp, but dimmable to way-low power consumption. But I'm getting way ahead of things. It's too early to say exactly when or any real details.

I'm at our family compound on Mobile, Al bay right now and I'll have some comments about Rovelite as soon as our second test unit comes in and I can refine some of the preliminary tests my staff has already done.

Craig - glad you understand my approach to size and weight. I don't get those 7 pound lights that are bigger than a bread box – why???




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Fri Jan 09, 2015 12:57 pm

Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:18 pm
Posts: 23

Craig, I like your images on flickr. The lighting and composition are great.
Regarding your gear - OMG there is no way I could shlep all that on my own. And I wouldn't want to own all that gear either. I'm not knocking your having so much stuff, just saying that for myself I need to keep my gear to a minimum. It makes life easier for me and makes setting up and tearing down after a wedding quick and effecient. It also doesn't appeal to me to have tons of gear in my car all the time and I could see myself running to my car all the time for stuff I need and forgot cause it was in a different case...
I just brought a Manfrotto XL roller case and combined my 4 10.8' lightstands, 3 Einstein lights, 3 vagabond mini batteries, 2 7' umbrellas and 2 "60 umbrellas in one case, where before they were in 2 separate cases. 1 Einstein light I keep in a smaller manfrotto roller case in which I also carry 2 camera bodies with attached lenses, 2 speed lights, triggers, recievers, batteries, etc. I also have a very lightweight 3 step Rubbermaid ladder (for me) and another foldable 2 step stepstool ( for my subject). That's it! I love having only 2 cases it is really freeing! I hate being tied down to my equipment.
Before I shot weddings I assisted a photographer who shot weddings for 30 years. She also had a ton of gear and had her second shooter carry her stuff in and out of the car. I assisted with the setup and holding the lights. I found the setup tedious and time consuming taking out stuff from 4 different cases that, with the right equipment could have been combined in 1 case. When I brought stuff for myself, although I kept gear choices light, I brought extra stuff which I later sold when I saw I could do without them, like a camera bracket for instance, which lightened the load of gear and setup and teardown time.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Fri Jan 09, 2015 1:07 pm

Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:18 pm
Posts: 23

Paul, the Rovelight sounds like it will be an AMAZING light and if it ends up weighing 3 lbs and something ounces I'm definintely getting 4 of them. I"m staying tuned for details!




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:18 pm

Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:44 am
Posts: 100
Location: Chicagoland, USA

Chaya wrote:
. . . .Craig, I like your images on flickr. The lighting and composition are great.
Regarding your gear - OMG there is no way I could shlep all that on my own. And I wouldn't want to own all that gear either. I'm not knocking your having so much stuff, just saying that for myself I need to keep my gear to a minimum . . .


Hi, Chaya

First - thanks for the compliment on my work.

Also - know that I am not knocking your comments at all - but you may have missed the two most important points of my post.

The first was the disclaimer that my photography wagon is usually not practical for most wedding photographers. I totally get that.

The second point, though, is that for many assigments this is a way to easily move gear (as opposed to carrying it) even if you don't take very much and especially if you don't have an assistant. I have heard it many times from speedlight stalwarts: "It's way to much to carry an Einstein and a VML. That's why I carry three or more speedlights and gang them together .. . . so I can stay lite". I did a weight/cost/setup time comparison a few years ago and I realized that - at least for me - it was false economy. As I said, even if I am taking just one speedlight or Einstein, one stand, one body, and one lens, I don't want to carry any of it if I don't have to. I want to roll it, and those big fat tires on my "photography wagon" make the pull very, very easy; weight just becomes almost a non-factor.

Do I always take this much? No. I took those example photos just to show in the extreme what can be pulled by one person - easily. When I take a lot, do I use all of it on every shot? Also no. It's kind of like having your studio with you, though. When you see something that makes you want to grab particular piece of gear, you just walk to the wagon and pull it out.

Craíg

http://www.craigwasselphotoart.com




Top Top
Profile
 
Website
 

#

Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:19 pm

Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:44 am
Posts: 100
Location: Chicagoland, USA

craig16229 wrote:
Chaya wrote:
. . . .Craig, I like your images on flickr. The lighting and composition are great.
Regarding your gear - OMG there is no way I could shlep all that on my own. And I wouldn't want to own all that gear either. I'm not knocking your having so much stuff, just saying that for myself I need to keep my gear to a minimum . . .


Hi, Chaya

First - thanks for the compliment on my work.

Also - know that I am not knocking your comments at all - but you may have missed the two most important points of my post.

The first was the disclaimer that my photography wagon is usually not practical for most wedding photographers. I totally get that.

The second point, though, is that for many assigments this is a way to easily move gear (as opposed to carrying it) even if you don't take very much and especially if you don't have an assistant. I have heard it many times from speedlight stalwarts: "It's way to much to carry an Einstein and a VML. That's why I carry three or more speedlights and gang them together .. . . so I can stay lite". I did a weight/cost/setup time comparison a few years ago and I realized that - at least for me - it was false economy. As I said, even if I am taking just one speedlight or Einstein, one stand, one body, and one lens, I don't want to carry any of it if I don't have to. I want to roll it, and those big fat tires on my "photography wagon" make the pull very, very easy; weight just becomes almost a non-factor. BTW - I do not have assistants :-)

Do I always take this much? No. I took those example photos just to show in the extreme what can be pulled by one person - easily. When I take a lot, do I use all of it on every shot? Also no. It's kind of like having your studio with you, though. When you see something that makes you want to grab particular piece of gear, you just walk to the wagon and pull it out.

Craíg

http://www.craigwasselphotoart.com




Top Top
Profile
 
Website
 

#

Sat Jan 10, 2015 6:45 pm

Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:18 pm
Posts: 23

Paul, I wrote I'll wait for more details on the Rovelight. Actually, I just realized the Rovelight is a Flashpoint monolight. I meant I'll be following the details on the new upcoming 320/WS light when you post them. Yes I'll wait a year for them if the light suits my needs.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:06 pm

Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:18 pm
Posts: 23

Craig, I agree with you that in most cases it doesn't make sense to use 3 speed lights ganged together as opposed to one lightweight monolight. Besides for the cost and setup, its complicated keeping track of how much power the batteries have left in them and then changing all of them. I really don't understand how people shoot weddings with speed lights unless they are shooting very few pictures. I only use my speed light on camera as fill at receptions and I change my eneloop batteries once or twice or switch out the speed light with another one that has fresh batteries. I cannot do that for 4 lights on stands. The godox 360ws flashes do seem like good subsitude for monolights on location jobs but they seem pretty delicate. I can't say for sure, I haven't tried but they seem like they would split in two with one drop on concrete. Also for weddings, I like AC power for a light since I could plug them into a wall outlet and not have to worry about them, otherwise the problem is the same with the godox light as with a regular speed light, which is changing the batteries after shooting a few hundred pics.
As for having a lot of gear or a little, I guess everyone has their own preferences.




Top Top
Profile
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post a reply
 [ 30 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 95 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum


cron