Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I keep the frosted domes in place, so no touching the modeling lamps here (until it fails, and replacement was handled with a cloth).

I have done a lot more shooting since that modeling lamp failed, and all 4 (three original, one newer) have been fine. So mine didn't start dropping like flies or anything.

It may be more of quality/yield thing with the bulbs themselves, not directly related to the E640 design. I am still using my 4 V1 E640s, just in case that turns out to be a factor.

Not here, I'm careful to use the packing material when installing the lamp. Maybe it's just a bad batch of lamps. <shrug>

It just seems strange - I have an AB400 and AB800 that each probably have a couple hundred hours on them and I've only lost one lamp between the two... and that one failed because I butterfingered it out of the box and dropped it (DOI=Dead On Installation). ;-)

For the voltage data point: 110v here.

we are looking into it. In the mean time, please contact customer service regarding replacements.

The modeling lamps should last in excess of 2000 hours. As tech said, we are looking into it. It's possible someone got some finger oils on the lamp(s) or that the vendor shipped us a flaky batch.

It's important to never touch a quartz lamp like this without a napkin . . . finger oils can cause localized heating of the surface of the lamp, and early failure. This may be the fault of one of our workers or a worker in the lamp factory. Regardless, you deserve an apology and, of course, replacement lamps.

BTW, AB lamps have a glass outer envelope over the quartz envelope and thus are not nearly as sensitive to finger oils.

I've had to replace two Einstein modeling lamps in my 110-volt units. These are subjected to very light (no pun intended) use in my home studio. I do not run the lamps full-on. Also, I have never removed the domes, except to replace the lamps. I use cotton gloves to handle the lamps, the same ones I use for my photographic printing.

I got my Einsteins in May and I haven't had a modeling bulb failure yet.

Tim