# Einstein 640w used



## brihalbach (Apr 5, 2014)

I am looking to create my own home studio and to be able to go on location. From what I can see people go bonkers over the Einstein 640. Is it as good as every says it is? Does anyone know of a place to look for one that isn't their own website?


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## Designer (Apr 5, 2014)

E-Bay ?


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## brihalbach (Apr 5, 2014)

tried ebay. They sell what seems like everything but the light


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 5, 2014)

brihalbach said:


> I am looking to create my own home studio and to be able to go on location. From what I can see people go bonkers over the Einstein 640. Is it as good as every says it is? Does anyone know of a place to look for one that isn't their own website?


Buff only sells direct.  There are no retailers so if you want an Einstein and you can't find one used you'll have to go through them.     Have you tried the classified sections of other photo forums?   Granted, I've not seen many come up for sale, most that I've seen with them are quite happy.


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## Derrel (Apr 5, 2014)

Specifications of the Einstein 640 are really pretty good. Fast flash duration, consistent color temperature as the light is powered lower and lower, decent level of power for most users. Price is neither low-low, nor exorbitantly high. It's arguably the best and most-advanced monolight Paul C. Buff offers. Their highest model White Lightning Ultra units probably have a bit higher flash output, but the Einstein was designed to be a bit more technically-advanced than the W.L. or Alien Bee lines.


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## Patriot (Apr 5, 2014)

I don't think that's a unit people give up much. I'm also looking to get one.


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## brihalbach (Apr 6, 2014)

Thanks for the input, I was afraid of the fact no one else sells them. $500 really isn't as bad as some I have researched, thats for sure. Needed to exhaust ll my options trying to find one before I make that plunge.


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## Designer (Apr 6, 2014)

Let's say you did find a used one somewhere.  Unless you really strike it lucky and find an estate sale where they just want to get rid of it, you might expect to pay from 50% to 75% of the new price.  Yet you know nothing about how many times it was used, the true condition of it, or the remaining useful life it has.  For something that has little used market exposure, you're going to be lucky to find one.


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## KmH (Apr 6, 2014)

Does Paul C. Buff sell refurbished or used Einstein lights?


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## Derrel (Apr 6, 2014)

Patriot said:


> I don't think that's a unit people give up much. I'm also looking to get one.



EXACTLY!!!!!!! People get rid of entry-level stuff quite often, as they upgrade to better and better gear. That's one reason so many 18-55 and 55-200 kit lenses are flooding the market, and why so,so few Einsteins are being sold used; the Einstein was Mr. Buff's effort to design a high-specification, very capable monolight that would sell for hundreds of dollars less than high-end Profoto or Elinchrom or Bowens monolights. Once a Buff system user buys an Einstein, there really is no "upward" movement in that product line.

Now...sometime in the future, if there's a significantly improved model, like say an Einstein 1000, then the Einstein 640's might be sold-off en masse by upgraders. But until there's something newer, and better, or more attractive, the Einstein 640's are probably going to be bought, used, and kept.


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