Interfit EX150 MKii any good?

CrazeUK

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Hi guys.

Can someone tell me if the Interfit EX150 MKII is any good as a home sudio lighting kit?

As a beginner, i dont really want to spend huge amounts of money.

Is £150 for a used kit ok with a slightly damaged umbarella (one arms of the umbarella has come loose from the material)?
 
The EX150's alright (I started off with one), but it is quite restrictive. It uses a proprietary mount which means only EX fit accessories will be able to be attached to the flash heads. You may not think this is important now, but in the future, when you want to add different modifiers (snoots, different reflectors with grids etc.) then you'll find your options are limited.

I'd suggest looking at the Lencarta offerings.

The Smartflash 200 is just over £100. Add a spring damped stand for £20 (I'd normally recommend air damped - but if you're on a budget...) and a reflective umbrella for £15. You're at £145 and you've only got one light stand, one modifier and one flash but I've done commercial shoots with that much/little equipment and results have been just fine. Master the one light, then move on to more...

In my opinion, Lencarta is great value for money, I've never had less than excellent service from them (and I own an Elitepro 600, home product table, boom arm (my only disappointing purchase tbf), Safari Classic 600, reflector arm, background set, white muslin background, honeycomb grids) and I'll continue to buy from them whilst the service and product quality remains as I've previously experienced.

The other benefit of the Lencarta stuff is the Industry Compatible Bowens S-Fit mount - so when your experience grows and when you need more equipment all you need to do is compliment your existing equipment - not replace it in its entirety.

Hope that helps :)
 
I think Nick's covered most things very well there, so not much to add. I started with Interfit heads, and they got sent back twice thanks to faulty voltage regulators that tripped out the entire ring main (not helpful when you're on a job). In the end I sent them back to WEX, paid a bit more and got LAstolite Lumen8 heads. Like the Lencarta heads they use the 'standard' S-type bayonet rather than Interfit's own mount which opens up a whole world of modifiers, at cheaper prices than Interfit will charge. The Interfits I had were Venus (I think) but even those didn't 'feel' quite right, and weren't that great to use. It's hard to put my finger on why, I just didn't get on with them as well as other heads I'd used. I spent more on the Lastolite heads but I don't regret it.

All I'll say extra, is you wil hear a lot of people bigging up Lencarta heads on here. I've never used them, I'm sure they're excellent, but what I'm trying to say is there are other options too. :)
 
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Ah yeah, reading back my post it does look like a bit of a Lencarta ad :lol:

I've got no connection with them other than as a happy customer (in fact I do have a connection with a different lighting mfr which I've not mentioned as I don't think it meets the OP's needs)

Yup - other manufacturers are available. My viewpoint regarding the Lencarta stuff is purely my own based on my personal experience and from the OP's mention of his experience and budget :)
 
Hi guys.

Can someone tell me if the Interfit EX150 MKII is any good as a home sudio lighting kit?

As a beginner, i dont really want to spend huge amounts of money.

Is £150 for a used kit ok with a slightly damaged umbarella (one arms of the umbarella has come loose from the material)?

Rather depends what's in the kit doesn't it? If £150 is around half retail or better, then it's prolly a decent deal. And also assuming that's what you want. Personally, I think newcomers are better off with just one head, that you can do so much with, and build and custom outfit from there. I've yet to see a kit that contains exactly all the items I would want, which is a big plus with Lencarta - you can swap things in and out of the package and still get the bundled price.

BTW, Interfit EX fitting is the same as Elinchrom - tons of stuff available.
 
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Guys thanks so much for the info.

Unfortunately the sale was time sensitive..
I was on business for a few days in the town where they where for sale. A bit bored so thought i would look up the next thing on my photography purchase list. I posted the thread and hoped for a response before i went.

Anyways, i just went with it, i was a bit wound up so thought a bit of retail therapy would do me good.. :S

It came with:
3 x flash heads,
2 x full size stands,
1 x mini stand,
3 x reflector bowls,
1 x snoot,
2 x umbraellas,
1 x reflector sheet,
1 x soft box,
all the cables and sync cables
1 x Infra red hot shoe flash trigger.
1 x kit bag

Its basically the kit that is on jessops from my original post.

Here is the head:
EX150-mk2-head.gif

I want it for quite basic stuff for the moment, so just wanted something to learn on.
The way i saw it was, if i keep it in good nick as long as i get my money back i dont really care, and can upgrade.

The one thing i didnt get was what you mean by propiatory mount, Do you mean for the reflector bowls?

hobbies-photography_20120912-001.jpg
 
Not bad value for that money and as stated uses the Elinchrom Mount so there are some 3rd party modifiers you can buy - check out the ones for the Calumet Genesis range as well. This also gives you an upgrade path to the Calumet or Elinchrom lights if you really get into studio flash and feel the need for a more upmarket set-up.

Paul
 
Not bad value for that money and as stated uses the Elinchrom Mount so there are some 3rd party modifiers you can buy - check out the ones for the Calumet Genesis range as well. This also gives you an upgrade path to the Calumet or Elinchrom lights if you really get into studio flash and feel the need for a more upmarket set-up.

Paul

Thats good. Although i dont know what modifiers are? i presume things like barn doors etc.


I have my first friend booked in for a shoot next week :D
 
Thats good. Although i dont know what modifiers are? i presume things like barn doors etc.


I have my first friend booked in for a shoot next week :D

A modifier is anything that modifies or shapes the light - umbrellas, softboxes, reflectors, beauty dishes etc. It's the modifiers, AKA light shapers, that control the light and make the difference.
The one thing i didnt get was what you mean by propiatory mount, Do you mean for the reflector bowls?
A 'proprietary mount' is an accessory (modifier) fitting that is unique to that brand, if your lights had it then you would struggle to find accessories to fit it - but don't worry, this model doesn't have a proprietary mount.
 
Hey guys. thanks for the advice and info.
I still havent used the kit, although tomorrow i plan to try some product photography with it.

Thanks again
 
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