Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

While vigorously searching for problem threads related my issue, I came up on this thread, thus my response.

This year I took delivery of 3 "great" products. An einstein 640, a cyber commander, and a CSXCV CyberSync Transceiver(all new from paul c buff). Last week during a street photo shoot(I was about 300 pictures into the shoot, about 1/4 of them with the strobe) the cyber commander RANDOMLY shuts off, turns back on with what seems like 2 1px wide purple colored lines criss crossing each other, after it turned on it shuts off and refuses to reboot.

I went about the fundamental troubleshooting steps like removing batteries, memory card, holding certain buttons, giving it time in between reboots, nothing worked. I switched to a fast lens to use available light and after about 30 minutes it randomly decides to turn back on and function. The first thought in my head is, "what if that happened during a wedding?" I have been shooting commercial and editorial for a while, but recently started to get into weddings, and I love it. So I was grateful it turned back on and continued on about my shoot.

Next day I give technical support a call and they were polite but not very helpful. I can appreciate this though, because what can they really do over the phone. They inform me I can send my unit in to "maybe" get repaired if there is something wrong with the unit. I explain I needed it for 2 shoots I had that weekend, sorry no type of quick exchange/repair program(sucks).

So moving forward I do the 2 shoots, and midway threw the second shoot this time the EINSTEIN decides to RANDOMLY stop working! It wasn't dropped, there wasn't rain, humidity, fire, kids, NOTHING. My assistant was holding it the entire time! It just randomly stops firing, I try firing it from the cyber commander and I can here the light recycling IMMEDIATELY after, but no strobe is firing. Regardless of the power setting, the light will play it's recovery sound immediately after being triggered, but no light emits. I try to trigger it from the test button on the back, NOTHING. I figure maybe its the bulb or fuse, although strange for it to die out so soon(and randomly). So I pack the strobe into the bag and switch to a faster lens once again(I was angry at this point).

I get home, replace the strobe bulb, modeling lamp, and fuse, nothing.. I have great hope in this gear but this is the second time in less then a week TWO pieces of your equipment failed during a shoot. Before going professional with my business I was in IT, and before that I was an electronics repair technician for 4+ years. I feel confident in saying these issues are not due to user error. I'm not here to trash the gear, in fact I appreciate it greatly and always try to promote it to my friends and online community. These recent problems are really testing my faith in your gear though.

I just started to accept wedding contracts like the OP here and it simply isn't in my budget to have 3 cyber commanders, and 3 Einsteins on hand every time I do a shoot. I can understand backups and definitely think its a must, and when my budget can afford it, I will gladly abide!

Just posting this for others to read that might experience the same problems. Again, this post isn't to trash the gear, I've been in love with it since the day I bought it and the people at paulcbuff seem very warm. Customer support isn't open today(sunday) So I'll be calling tomorrow and probably be told once again, it needs to be shipped in. This leaves me without a strobe for 2 shoots and a wedding next weekend, and while I share the fault because I should have a backup I can't help but think this wouldn't happen with some of the other gear my friends always harp on me to buy. Hoping for a quick resolution, happy shooting!