Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Paul, I don't know what Laffer Curve is; I have a simple question:

Based on what you said above, do you regret having offered the X3200s and Zeus options in your lineup?

I use a key light and up to 4 other lights in my shoots; the key light delivers the higher output, naturally. Given I'd want to buy 5 lights with only one of them being higher output than the rest, it would be a mistake for the manufacturer to assume that I like their more powerful key light only 20% as good as their mid-power lights and that's why I only bought one. Without that one key light I would not be buying ANY of the mid-power ones, since I want them all to match in control interface as well as color temp, accessories, support, etc.

Sincerely,
Michelle

FYI - The Laffer Curve was created by economist Arthur Laffer and was the core of Reaganonics that reversed the Carter depression. It goes like this: If you tax people at 0% how much revenue does the guv get ($0). If you tax at 100% they also get $0. The curve plots tax rates VS government revenue and predicts the optimal taxation that will bring maximum income. It came out 28% at the top and worked. We are now headed for 60% and it ain't going to work.

As evidence, I offer that Paul C. Buff, Inc. has increased sales and profits every month throughout the current recession while competitors have lost sales and profits.

The present government uses the Laughable curve and is destroying the country (world) in the process.

I don't regret any products I have introduced, but if I had it to do over I would have made some different choices.

I'm not particularly fond of multi-light accessories. I lean more toward the evolution of more efficient modifiers. Just achieved GN 900 from 640WS Einstein - more on that in a few weeks.

1. Hey, it worked in Greece! :D (NOT!) Paul, if you want some fun, watch for posts on internet forums where Europeans get snarky about how great their social services are, and then proceed to figure out ways to order from B&H etc. to avoid their country's taxes. I get a big kick out of that. :lol: B&H is Laffering all the way to the bank! And so it seems are you.

2. OK, you got my attention here!


Kent in SD

Actually, Manfrotto makes a number of devices that could be used to mount multiple monolights facing into, say, a PLM. The efficiency won't be as high, but it should work.

I'll have to try that. Three E640s, One 86" Silver PLM, F??. If I can pull F32 at 10' and ISO 100 I'll be rather happy. That assumes a 1/3 efficiency loss overall (1/2 efficiency loss on the non-central lights) given the standard F22@10'.

I always get a chuckle when I see folks want more power faster speed it reminds me of Tim The Tool Man Taylor, Bigger, faster, brighter, is not alway better and in fact may be not nearly as good. I went looking at Mono lights and very few manufactures make mono light over 1000 ws and the recycle times suck, they are heavy, way to costly, and as the ws go up the cost per ws goes up at a faster rate then getting 2 smaller mono lights. Also makes me wonder just how big a place are you lighting. I work in a studio that we can park a 18 wheeler in, Have a big mutli national company footing the bill and they will buy almost anything the art dept wants, a few years back they bought 10 Photogenic Photogenic Solair 1000 Watt/Second Monolight, UV Coated Flashtube (120VAC)recycle times from .8 sec to over 3 secs I think they paid like $1300 each for them. most of the time I have to move the lights to the extreme edges of the studio and sometimes even put a extra diffuser up. You lose the low end control of the lights. I would much rather have to put a second light if needed and have total control and it is still less money to buy two einstien 640ws lights then 1 1000 ws light of less quality.

Out of curiosity, have you tried taking photos of cars in that studio?
That's one of the few indoor use cases for a high powered strobe (unless you're using large format View cameras that you need around f/32 to get enough DOF). For cars, you have to pump light through fairly big modifiers to get soft light on it.
The other uses for big lights are outside w/ big octas to light groups of people (you have to be further away) or other large objects near noontime sun.
These are edge cases though (meaning most people won't hit them)...and as mentioned pack/head systems work better at those power levels (though it's nice to have a 1000WS mono for noontime modifier case)...

Hmmmm..... this is very INTERESTING!!! Paul, is this with modifiers or Einstein alone?

This is with a new reverse parabolic reflector in the works and Einstein 640. I guestimated the distance to arrive at the GN. Just bought a laser measuring device and discovered the first test GN is more like 750.

This is about 6-8 weeks away - more info to come.

Bloody...

If that's feasible, I may never, ever need more power.
The current 86" Silver Paras are what, GN 220-250 or so with a 640ws light?

Is this "reverse parabolic reflector" still large ala PLM, or is it a smaller reflector like an improved long-throw reflector? Eh, I can wait. We still will have snow for some time. That's great news though. Thanks.

PLM is about GN 400-450 at 640WS when focused from a distance. The reverse parabolic is metal, 22" diameter and can focus (from preliminary testing) from about 9° to 30° or so.