# Strobe or Speedlite?



## nathfromslg (Apr 1, 2014)

Hey,
I have been using speedlights for a while and now the lack of power is creating problems for me and also lack of diffusers (except umbrellas) have made control of light much of a pain.
I was thinking of getting strobe light for working indoor and occasionally outdoor.

I am planning to buy this as it come in my budget 

Digitek Studio Flash DSF400 With Inbuilt Radio Receiver Sound Switch 400 Watts | eBay

any help regarding this?


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 1, 2014)

I've never heard of that strobe, but it looks like one of the low buck, cheap Chinese strobes we see on e-bay here all the time.   It's important to know what mount it uses.  When you buy a strobe you're buying into the whole ecosystem.  Light, controllers, modifiers.     

Are there any other places beyond e-bay in India where you can buy strobes?  I searched for Mettle, Elinchrom, Hensel, Godox, Jinbei, Bowens. . . . . nothing.  Honestly I'm a bit surprised by that.  Amazon India is practically the same thing.  Wow.


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## nathfromslg (Apr 1, 2014)

thanks for replying,I will buy it from local dealer,elinchrom is available here.

Jinbei I guess is sold as Digitek in India.
These are very popular in India and controllers and light modifiers are easily available and cheap.


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## hombredelmar (Apr 3, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> I've never heard of that strobe, but it looks like one of the low buck, cheap Chinese strobes we see on e-bay here all the time.   It's important to know what mount it uses.  When you buy a strobe you're buying into the whole ecosystem.  Light, controllers, modifiers.
> 
> Are there any other places beyond e-bay in India where you can buy strobes?  I searched for Mettle, Elinchrom, Hensel, Godox, Jinbei, Bowens. . . . . nothing.  Honestly I'm a bit surprised by that.  Amazon India is practically the same thing.  Wow.



Cheap? 300.00 dollars for one strobe


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## tirediron (Apr 3, 2014)

hombredelmar said:


> Scatterbrained said:
> 
> 
> > I've never heard of that strobe, but it looks like one of the low buck, cheap Chinese strobes we see on e-bay here all the time. It's important to know what mount it uses. When you buy a strobe you're buying into the whole ecosystem. Light, controllers, modifiers.
> ...


Yep, cheap!  Check out the prices for Profoto, Broncolor, Elinchrom's RX line, or even Speedotron's Force 10 units.  Not to say that they can't do the job, but they're definitely on the bargain shelf where studio gear is concerned.


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## Derrel (Apr 3, 2014)

$323.66 US Dollars for that seems too much money for a Chinese-made, Elinchrome fit monolight...I would expect to pay maybe a little more than HALF of that for a CHinese-made Mettle brand of comparable power.

Anyway, it looks vaguely familiar, the handle and casing design...seems like I've "seen that before" somewhere...

An Alien Bee 400 is $249 US dollars; the Mettle-made (?) FLashpoint 320M is $100 US dollars, and both those are in the same general power output range, which is why the $323 seems too high.


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## Bigbrianjones (Apr 4, 2014)

have you thought of adding 2 or 3 flashes in an umbrella to increase output? A tri- flash bracket will allow you to place two or three flash units in one umBrella either tripling for doubling your flash power. or use all 3 at half power to achieve faster recycle times. I use three  yn 560's in a 60" umbrella all the time.

Sent from my Event using Tapatalk


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## Bigbrianjones (Apr 4, 2014)

Many brands sell flash brackets that allow speedlights to be used in softboxes, striplights or octaboxes. Profoto, westcott, impact, lastolite just to name a few

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## Scatterbrained (Apr 4, 2014)

hombredelmar said:


> Scatterbrained said:
> 
> 
> > I've never heard of that strobe, but it looks like one of the low buck, cheap Chinese strobes we see on e-bay here all the time.   It's important to know what mount it uses.  When you buy a strobe you're buying into the whole ecosystem.  Light, controllers, modifiers.
> ...


You really can't just do a straight currency conversion.   Things aren't going to have equivalent costs between countries.  Taxes/tariffs/duties, shipping costs, inventory costs, market compositions; all these things will effect the cost of a good in a given market relative to it's cost in other markets.   Try buying fish here in Hampton Roads and then try buying the same fish in Dayton OH and you'll see what I mean.  
  What do higher end strobes cost in that market?  Hensel, Bowens, Elinchrom, etc?  Do you know?  I'm willing to bet they cost a bit more than they do here in the U.S.


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## Derrel (Apr 4, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> hombredelmar said:
> 
> 
> > Scatterbrained said:
> ...



Yes, I am aware of all that. It's a cheap, non-branded Chinese made monolight priced at $323.66 US dollars in a dirt-poor country...

I can spot a ripoff across international borders. Can you?


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 4, 2014)

I'm the one who initially called it "cheap", or did you not notice that.  I wasn't reffering to the price.    Do you know what the relative cost of other strobes is in that country?  I don't, nor do I pretend to.  I couldn't even find any other strobes for sale over there (granted I just checked e-bay and Amazon).  It's quite likely the market for photographic lighting is a wee bit smaller than it is here in the U.S. and therefore things will cost a wee bit more, amongst other reasons.


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## MOREGONE (Apr 4, 2014)

Not here to talk you out of a strobe because the power is undeniable. I have a cheap 400w Cowboy Studio (Meike) and it does just fine!

But here are some options to consider

http://amzn.com/B004UAWRCU - That will allow you to use Bowens modifiers with a speed light.

http://amzn.com/B00HS73OII - You mentioned needing more power so that would allow you to mount 2 speed lights next to each other for double the power when needed. 


Just some food for thought


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## hombredelmar (Apr 6, 2014)

MOREGONE said:


> Not here to talk you out of a strobe because the power is undeniable. I have a cheap 400w Cowboy Studio (Meike) and it does just fine!
> 
> But here are some options to consider
> 
> ...



Hello MOREGONE!
I liked your first link the bracket looks solid and sturdy , but that specific mount for two speed lights might not be the best one to chose. It looks as if the distance between the two speed lights are not adjustable and if used with a soft box or an umbrella might not give an even light.  If i would use two speed lights for an umbrella i would better tape the speed lights together, back to back, this way the they  are more centered. I believe it would create a better and more even output. Just a thought, I am not trying to be a smart ass.
Thank you for your links!!!


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