# White Lightning X3200 - who else should I look at?



## Ron Smith (Apr 1, 2015)

Two questions here.  I'm looking at the PCB White Lightning X3200 head and 30x60 soft box. 

1) For folks who have one of these - what do you think of it? Build quality, features, pros - cons...that short of stuff.

2) What other brands should I be looking at for similar 1320w/s power in the $550 - 700 price range? (see below for context)

What I shoot:
I shoot a lot of motorcycles, sometimes outside, and I want to have more power and a large modifier. I'm getting a 30x60, but I'm planing to build a scrim to get an even larger modifier and would use the monolight with it also.   

Other equipment I have:
I have 3 speedlights with two 30x30 boxes, that I'll use with a new monolight.  I can get pretty good results with these, but find predicting all the reflections and highlights on shiny curved surfaces (that would be every part on a bike) is incredibly time consuming, so I'm looking forward to a modeling light for the main source to help reduce the trail and error. 

I also have used some borrowed (higher end - 1750w) CFL softboxes and like continuous light for static subjects, but they are a real pain to set up and haul around - so I'm really hooked on strobes now, as I shoot on location in settings or the builders shop. 

Thoughts about PCBuff lights?


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## tirediron (Apr 1, 2015)

I would go for a pack and head system; something like a Speedotron Blackline setup; 2401A pack, a (true) 2400 w/sand 3-4 102 heads.  Used on fleabay, you can probably get that for <$750.  Compared to the WL line, this stuff is built like a TANK!  The WL line is decent, but compared to a Black line system it's like a kid's toy.


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## Ron Smith (Apr 1, 2015)

Thanks Tirediron -I'll check them out.  Had not considered pack and head as they seem like a lot more to pack and carry, but like the power!


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## tirediron (Apr 1, 2015)

Ron Smith said:


> Thanks Tirediron -I'll check them out.  Had not considered pack and head as they seem like a lot more to pack and carry, but like the power!


 A little bit heavier, but... you only need one power-supply, one trigger, and all your controls are right there are your finger-tips.


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## Derrel (Apr 1, 2015)

What Buff calls 1320 W-s is probably about 600 W-s in Speedotron, with equal-sized reflectors, in terms of actual f/stop at 10 feet. Buff has over-stated its model number units with regard to their Watt-seconds since their infamous "White Lighting 5,000" and "White Lighting 10,000" coffee can units of the 1980's. Watt-seconds has no fixed, consistent, brand-vs-brand relationship to flash output

Giving light units numbers that are over twice the Watt-seconds is deceptive. As I recall from testing a few summers back, outdoors, a single Speedotron Black Line 102 head with 11.5 inch 50 degree reflector gives me about f/13.5 at 13 feet at 100 ISO outdoors, at 400 Watt-seconds from a 2403B pack.

Lighting gear is almost always a lot cheaper used than it is new. Depends on what features are important to you, and what kind of modeling lights you feel you can power on-location. High-powered, 250 Watt quartz lamps draw a lot of power from sine wave battery set-ups, but are actually useful when lighting up large areas.

Pack and head systems offer the most bang-for-buck when you need more than two flashes, or when you want real power. Monolights are small and pack easily, and have no heavy packs, but they are also pretty heavy as flash heads go, especially in the higher powered model range. If all you want is flash power, used Brown Line 604 packs are very low-cost, and 802 packs are also low cost.

Black Line 2400-series packs are widely available, in 4- and 6-outlet variations, and different prices, depending on how old they are.


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## Ron Smith (Apr 1, 2015)

Derrel - have to agree the PCB model numbers are meaningless.  The unit I was looking at has a spec of 1320 w-s, but the numbers are called into question when the marketing is so cheesy, even though I have read good things about PCB customer service...    

Now about pack and head units - I'm not intimidated by used...  are repair parts and service available on these things?  I have to research how old these units are and if I can fix'em if I need to.    

I think if I can't plug in on location - I will make do with speedlights.  There is always a generator - the motorcycles don't seem to mind the noise.


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## Derrel (Apr 1, 2015)

Speedotron service is available across the USA, and also from the factory in Chicago. Their equipment has been designed for durability and ruggedness. I had a Brown Line 402 pack reconditioned by them a few years ago for $79 and $20 shipping back to me from Chicago, so $20 there, $79 for new capacitors, and $20 air freight back to me...on a pack I payed $49 for in non-working condition from e-Bay. I have a 1986 D1602 pack and two (of three) M-11 heads still working on ORIGINAL flashtubes...one tube out of the original three tubes lost a bar fight with a concrete floor in 2007...started talking smack and the concrete cold-cocked him...the flash head still works. So pack and three heads, all still functioning since 1986.

I like the Brown Line D402, 4-outlet, 400 Watt-second pack, and have two of those. I have a D604 and a teeny-tiny, 5-pound, two-outlet D202 and a D1602 also. I have some Black Line D2403B packs, an 805 and a 405 and various heads. It's rugged as heck. I read about PCB replacing broken stuff all the time...I get the 'customer service' angle they push...I've only used Speedo's customer service department once, since 1986, on a thrasher D402 I bought, as above, non-working from eBay. It looks like an early 1980's vintage to me, based on serial number. I got it in 2007.

I dunno....Tronix Explorer 1200 battery/sine wave inverter, large PVC milk crate wired to a small luggage cart + a 12- to 28-pound pack, and a light stand bolted to the luggage cart's handle...easy, rolling location lighting...you have heavy ballast, and a 13-foot max light height.

If you have more money *DynaLite* has some GORGEOUS, time-proven portable stuff....really,really wonderful. I used an older 500 W-s "M" series pack and head system a few years back. Their stuff is very solidly made. They have some neat RoadMax setups. Dynalite dynamic lighting

Check out their videos!   Videos Dynalite


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## tirediron (Apr 1, 2015)

Another vote for Speedotron's customer service.  I needed a new 'push to flash' switch for one of my packs.  I telephoned them, a REAL PERSON answered the 'phone and in two minutes, took down my credit-card info, what I wanted and I received the order ten days later.  Talk about no-hassle!


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## Ron Smith (Apr 2, 2015)

You guys are convincing me.  Now off to the internet...     I did find a bunch of Speedtron packs on ebay with a quick search.  It looks like your right about hitting sub $700 for a set up with several lights.   Thanks for the advice.


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