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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Building a small light kit Elinchrom D lite 4 or AB-800?
Matthew Bush, Photographer
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Hattiesburg | MS | USA | Posted: 8:39 PM on 02.02.11 |
->> Ok looking to build something small that I own. I have a set of White Lightning 1600's as part of staff gear but I am working on getting a small set of lights for personal projects and some portraits and seniors. I would like to be able to use them in a pinch in a gym but I have the big lights for that so its not a deciding factor. I have narrowed it down to ether two Elinchrom D-lite 4's or two AB-800's. Regardless I will also be using a Vagabond Mini-Lithium to power them
Price is about the same on the kits with light stands and small softboxes. (Below a grand)
I am really concerned about the D-Lite's sync speed. Apparently some people report that they can only sync at 160th. I know I can sync at 250th with the Bee's. I also really like Paul C Buff's customer service.
Any experience between the two ? |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 11:47 PM on 02.02.11 |
| ->> One thing I didn't like about the D-Lites was the non-standard umbrella hole they use. Much smaller than normal. I compared these two and went with the AB800s and have been very pleased with my choice. |
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Ron Manfredi, Photographer
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Merrick (Long Island) | NY | | Posted: 11:50 PM on 02.02.11 |
| ->> Matthew, I am not clear on you comment about sync speed; isn't that a product of the camera/shutter design? |
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Matthew Bush, Photographer
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Hattiesburg | MS | USA | Posted: 12:25 AM on 02.03.11 |
| ->> Ron- I was mistaken when researching the D-Lites. Apparently the older D-lites would not sync above 125th with the trigger they ship with. |
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Jonathan Castner, Photographer
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Denver | CO | USA | Posted: 10:52 AM on 02.03.11 |
| ->> Been using the AB800's for about 5 years now and simply love them. |
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Kent Miller, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 11:48 AM on 02.03.11 |
| ->> Elinchrom. |
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Butch Miller, Photographer
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Lock Haven | PA | USA | Posted: 1:27 PM on 02.03.11 |
->> I have 6 AB lights ... 2 AB1600's and four AB800's ... been pounding them in the studio and on location for over 6 years ... they are the Timex of mono lights ... take a licking and keep on ticking ... in that time I have had just one issue with a flash tube that burnt out (just last week) ... three days later, new tube in place and going strong.
When you compare price, size, weight and light output to other options ... along with the great customer service ... they are hard to beat ... |
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Brian Ray, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Fort Worth | TX | United States | Posted: 1:37 PM on 02.03.11 |
->> Matthew,
All else being equal, consider whether or not you will ever want to rent extra gear to supplement your kit (extra stripboxes, etc etc). If so I would think about going with the Elinchroms simply because, at least in my neck of the woods, finding a rental house that stocks AB/WL/Balcar-compatible speedrings is a lot harder than finding one with plenty of Elinchrom accessories. That said, I've been beating up a set of AB's for years and love them cause they just don't quit (except when I have to go looking for extra speedrings).
As in Canon/Nikon debates, your mileage may vary so get whichever set gives you the most confidence while shooting. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 10:55 PM on 02.03.11 |
| ->> Bear in mind that the D-Lite Elinchroms are not compatible with other Elinchroms. They're tiny little monoblocks that reek of cheapness and in no way (aside from the color) resemble the rest of the Elinchrom family. |
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Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
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Powell | TN | USA | Posted: 10:13 AM on 02.04.11 |
->> while the Dlites are cheaply made, they still have the guts of the real deal... No professional ever looks at only the camera body when purchasing a system of gear... you look at the glass that the company offers as a large part of the equation. People buying strobes need to look much deeper into the light modifiers offered by the company.
The D-lights are no less cheaply made than the AB's, that's for sure... Nothing on the market is more bulletproof than a Paul Buff product, but there is a huge problem with that whole entire system, in my opinion... You really cannot effectively use a light bank much larger than a medium as the hardware that attaches the bank to the head is flimsy. I have seen people tear off their modeling light and flashtube when attempting to use a larger bank. And using them outdoors with a large bank is pretty much out of the question...
Last, while I've not tested the new Einstein unit yet, WL product has always suffered from lack of consistency, pop to pop, in terms of both output and color temp... With all of us shooting digital these days, that's less of a problem, I admit, but the Elinchrom stuff is ultra consistent and offers fast recycle, short flash duration (without doing new math), and exacting output pop after pop...
One last comment, I would estimate that maybe as much as 40% of all magazine covers have been shot with the 74" octabank since they came out with it back in the day. There is something about the light coming out of them that is just not able to be duplicated, even by Chimera. None of the cheaper chinese knock offs come close, and keep in mind, AB stuff isn't designed for use in an octabank.
Anyone considering Elinchrom as an option without also buying an octabank is nuts... they are really awesome...
but, I give AB high marks for reliability, the great company that backs what they sell, fast repair turnaround, killer warranty service, and good reflector design... so in a way, you can't miss on either side of the fence... |
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Shane Psaltis, Photographer
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Aquebogue | NY | USA | Posted: 12:25 PM on 02.04.11 |
->> Ab-800 definitely , have been pounding these lights for over 5 years an they keep ticking,
They are lightweight and durable.
Shane |
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Thomas Boyd, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 12:33 PM on 02.07.11 |
->> I recently had one of my five SB's go out that use for off camera location lighting. Instead of over-paying for a 15-year-old Nikon strobe, (thanks strobist!) I bought a dead Turbo battery, had Batteries Plus recell it for $35 and bought a used T2 QFlash from KEH.
I'm into it for less than $250 with a brand new cell.
I also bought a Nikon cord so I can power my other strobes with the battery if needed.
Of course, it's not as powerful as the strobes above, but it's very reliable, recycles very fast, durable and is highly portable. |
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