# Looking for a Portable, Powerful Light System: What to get?



## Kauz

Hello Everyone,

Lets see the input I can get from you on this one.

I'm looking for a lighting set up that can do the following for me:

- Portable : For portraits all over town, from athletes to bands, and even quick *shudder* for-hire portraits
- Powerful : A two light and power pack that can throw light for snowboard and other action sports sequences
- Fast : I'm trying to strobe these sports sequences (a basic two, light set up for swimming and volleyball, obviously you'd ideally have 4, but an expandable system might cover this in the future)
- Durable : if I'm taking these everywhere, it needs to be durable. Nuff said.

So who has tips?

I'm obviously looking to balance cost versus all of these things. I've looked at the Elinchrom Ranger AS but I worry about the power output being assymetrical. I looked at the Paul Buff Einsteins but worry they aren't powerful enough or won't refresh fast enough being self-contained. Profoto seems way too expensive. Help??


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## Derrel

DynaLite   Dynalite

Speedotron    Speedotron

You are right: Profoto **is** too expensive.


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## Kauz

I've looked at Speedotrons, particularly because I know they're the industry "Standard" for arena lighting, and the black line would give power, but would it be versatile?


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## Village Idiot

The elinchrom is weather proof though and includes a battery powered pack as opposed to having a battery ran to a pack ran to your heads. It'll be a bit less cumbersome and probably better for your situation. You could always look at monolights with a small battery attached to the stand or the head itself. Refresh rate will become a problem with most lights that are ran off a battery, especially if youre running something that requires more power. It takes forever for my 1200w/s blackline pack to refresh running off an Innovatronix Tronix Explorer XT SE battery.

Some reviews:
Elinchrom Ranger RX Speed Studio Lighting and Flash Review
Review: Elinchrom Ranger RX « General « EdwardHor.com
Confessions of a Photographer » Blog Archive » RSO &#8211; a Review (Sort Of) &#8211; Elinchrom Ranger AS Speed


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## gsgary

Elincrom Quadra


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## Kauz

gsgary said:


> Elincrom Quadra



Your insight is baffling. Care to explain, though?


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## KmH

Kauz said:


> gsgary said:
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> Elincrom Quadra
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> Your insight is baffling. Care to explain, though?
Click to expand...

How about doing a quick Internet search?: ELINCHROM - Ranger Quadra RX


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## Kauz

KmH said:


> Kauz said:
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> gsgary said:
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> Elincrom Quadra
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> Your insight is baffling. Care to explain, though?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> How about doing a quick Internet search?: ELINCHROM - Ranger Quadra RX
Click to expand...


I'm glad that people can up their post count, but this isn't helpful. Google is great. I never knew about it. No. I want some insight into why the Ranger Quadra would be better than X.


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## MLeeK

I am sold on the Einsteins, personally. I had the opportunity to play with them with a photographer friend in arizona and they truly impressed me. I can't say I put their recycle time to the test, but for power output that is a lot of light for a single light. I certainly didn't ever have to max out the power on it. I wasn't in the dark, but not in the greatest light by any means.

Honestly for portability? I am a David Hobby fan with the speedlights.  Especially for some of the things you mention-specifically the snowboard and sports stuff. Those suckers can pack a punch and they can be stuck ANYWHERE to give you light in the coolest ways. 
I am not sure I am sold on Hobby's cheapie favorite, but a lot of people are. I'd like to have about 4 Canon 580EX II's, but I don't see the money tree bringing in a harvest that allows for that either... For now I am working with one Sigma 610DG SUPER, Sigma 530DG SUPER and some old canon flash guns. I think I have another Sigma maybe a 500DG ST? I can't remember. I can create anything I need to with those suckers! 
The new 610DG Super is pretty impressive and IMO it comes in between the Canon 430EX II and the 580EX II. Has the off camera capability of the 580EX II which is what pushed me to add one.


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## D-B-J

Paul C. Buff - AlienBees B800

Why not alien bees?


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## camz

I'm with MLeek here. I have 7 speedlites and pound for pound there's nothing more portable, nothing more durable and nothing more flexible. All seven, with their radio triggers can easily fit in my pack. If I need power, I have a rig where I can attach 3 speedlites on a mount but you know I rarely had to as the 580 EXII I find are very sufficient. You combine the high speed sync technology, with the power of these flashes, these babies really push your lighting pretty far. You can easily kill the ambient and sufficiently light 3 people full body(and then some) at high noon with one of these speedlites.


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## MLeeK

If you find what Camz and I are saying interesting read up on Hobby's blog. Strobist


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## Village Idiot

The problem is, The Elinchrom Ranger RX puts out over about 4 times more light than say a 580EX II and has one battery. You'll also have an easier time using a modifier with one Ranger RX head vs. with 16 580EX II lights. I shudder to think of battery management. I had a B800 that I was having trouble lighting two people with because of the distance it had to be for coverage and the large softbox on it. There's not much of a replacement for more power when you need more power.

Speedlights have their place and I think that the ultimate compromise is having a kit of speedlights and a larger lighting kit, but if you can only have one you don't want to end up purchasing the wrong thing.

Edit: PCB products don't really fit the durability criteria IMHO.


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## gsgary

Kauz said:


> gsgary said:
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> 
> 
> Elincrom Quadra
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your insight is baffling. Care to explain, though?
Click to expand...


One of the best lights for on the go 
ELINCHROM - Ranger Quadra RX

Not sure if you can get them in the US, gets rave reveiws i have their studio lights, there was a reveiw in Professional Photographer this month and he could not find a negative about the Lencarta 
Safari Li-on Portable Flash System - Lencarta


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## camz

Village Idiot said:


> I had a B800 that I was having trouble lighting two people with because of the distance it had to be for coverage and the large softbox on it. There's not much of a replacement for more power when you need more power.



VI how big was your softbox? I use a 42" with a single 580 with couples all the time at high sun, no issues. I guess that depends on your style. 

Yep there's no doubt you'll get 3x-4x the power for something that cost a few $K vs $475.  What justified it for me was that my speedlites were getting all of the use while my Quantum system was just collecting dust. Like you mentioned if affordable it's good to have both, I just favor the convinience of the speedlites.


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## Village Idiot

camz said:


> Village Idiot said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had a B800 that I was having trouble lighting two people with because of the distance it had to be for coverage and the large softbox on it. There's not much of a replacement for more power when you need more power.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> VI how big was your softbox? I use a 42" with a single 580 with couples all the time at high sun, no issues. I guess that depends on your style.
> 
> Yep there's no doubt you'll get 3x-4x the power for something that cost a few $K vs $475. What justified it for me was that my speedlites were getting all of the use while my Quantum system was just collecting dust. Like you mentioned if affordable it's good to have both, I just favor the convinience of the speedlites.
Click to expand...


How close is your softbox to your subject? I'm positive you can't get any distance at all without it becoming a fill light or less. It just doesn't have the power.

With price comes convenience and features. You can get a 1200w/s mono light for just under $400 and a VML batter for about $205, IIRC. You can then strap or velcro the battery to the head and have an ultra portable 1200w/s monolight for a little more than the cost of a 580EX II. You can also get a 285HV for about $100, but you're also out on the weather sealing, TTL operation, fine adjustments, and other features of the $470 580EX II. It all depends on what features you want. For power, portability, ruggedness and weather sealing, it's going to be hard to beat the Ranger RX if the price is within the OP's range.

FP2420 Flashpoint 2420 Monolight, 1200 Watt Second Fan Cooled Strobe, 120 volt.
Paul C. Buff - Vagabond Mini Lithium


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## 2WheelPhoto

I pro photographer I know uses old Elinchrom 500's to throw around on location.  He has 4 of them. Says with his battery he can get hundreds of flash fires and thats using the modeling light.  Would this be an alternative to speedlights on location?

I found one on ebay: E++ 500 WS Elinchrom 500 Studio Flash - TESTED - Very Nice | eBay


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## camz

Village Idiot said:


> camz said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Village Idiot said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had a B800 that I was having trouble lighting two people with because of the distance it had to be for coverage and the large softbox on it. There's not much of a replacement for more power when you need more power.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> VI how big was your softbox? I use a 42" with a single 580 with couples all the time at high sun, no issues. I guess that depends on your style.
> 
> Yep there's no doubt you'll get 3x-4x the power for something that cost a few $K vs $475. What justified it for me was that my speedlites were getting all of the use while my Quantum system was just collecting dust. Like you mentioned if affordable it's good to have both, I just favor the convinience of the speedlites.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> How close is your softbox to your subject? I'm positive you can't get any distance at all without it becoming a fill light or less. It just doesn't have the power.
Click to expand...


I say at full power I don't go beyond 60 inches with a single 580 EXII. But that's all I really need as it's always above the subject in result outside the frame. But you called it VI, it doesn't do much beyond that. I do not disagree at all with your points VI, all valid. 
Op, here's some samples using just *one* 580 EX flash, something to consider on what it can bring:


Afternoon sun:















Killed the ambient on afternoon(Shaded) and snooted single flash:







Afternoon Sun:








this one is almost high sun:







Late Morning Sun:


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