Lencarta

[JonathanRyan]

Jonathon, He is right the Lencarta Safari light do not have modelling lights. I have one sat in front of me now :shrug:

Weird. Because mine does Seriously - I just checked. It doesn't always come on just because you press the button - it seems to come on a bit later when it's in the mood.

Mine must be the special edition.

Posts crossed with Garry. And there was me thinking I was special.....

 

[cowasaki]

The ringflash doesn't, the ordinary flash head does. As Jonathan says, it's a dim light - it has to be to avoid flattening the battery - and it can only be on for 25 seconds at a time, but it is there. Possibly the second hand one you bought has lost it's bulb?

Excellent, yes it would appear that both the modelling bulbs were loose Just pushed it back in and will give it a try once I have re-charged the battery.

That's good, its like an free extra feature I didn't know I had

Sorry Jonathon, strange that both of them had popped out of their sockets unless the previous owner had done that to avoid flattening the battery with them :shrug:

 

[Jerm]

Is there an issue with the Lencarta Safari battery ?

If there is then I'm yet to find it ! I have a spare battery but I've never needed to use it.

My 'record' is 522 half(ish) power (2 head) flashes with a decent wedge left on the battery meter.

It doesn't run off the mains, but you can of course recharge the second battery after swapping.

 

[JonathanRyan]

Sorry Jonathon, strange that both of them had popped out of their sockets unless the previous owner had done that to avoid flattening the battery with them :shrug:

No worries. If you don't use them it makes sense to remove them completely. One fewer bit of glass to break.

 

[cowasaki]

No worries. If you don't use them it makes sense to remove them completely. One fewer bit of glass to break.

I see that, should have read the destructions The bulbs were actually still in the sockets though just not pushed in far enough. Unless they came out like that in transit!

 

[cowasaki]

Is there an issue with the Lencarta Safari battery ?

If there is then I'm yet to find it ! I have a spare battery but I've never needed to use it.

My 'record' is 522 half(ish) power (2 head) flashes with a decent wedge left on the battery meter.

It doesn't run off the mains, but you can of course recharge the second battery after swapping.

I don't think there is an issue at all. You have to look after batteries though and L-Ion/MiHm batteries will die if not kept at at least 10% charge and used. If you do not already then I would suggest that you alternate your batteries. If you are not using the 2nd battery then let me know

 

[Jerm]

If you are not using the 2nd battery then let me know

Haha !

Never had the need, but it is of course my insurance policy.

Much as I love my Safari... don't get too excited by the prospects of the modeling lights...

 

[purenvdesign]

Ok, so what would you recommend for on locations shoots (elite pro or safari)? Obviously the safari has the major bonus due to the portability but as I'm new to lighting, the prospect of having a modelling light which isnt much to get excited about scares me. Is this a big problem or is this something that I will condition too after some practising?

(sorry if this is a stupid question)

 

[cowasaki]

Ok, so what would you recommend for on locations shoots (elite pro or safari)? Obviously the safari has the major bonus due to the portability but as I'm new to lighting, the prospect of having a modelling light which isnt much to get excited about scares me. Is this a big problem or is this something that I will condition too after some practising?

(sorry if this is a stupid question)

Take a test shot, move the light, take another test shot :shrug:

You can get by without modelling lights but now I've found it has them then bonus.

 

[purenvdesign]

Hahah yh, I just need to think a little bit sometimes.

Thanks for all the help so far everyone . This was my first proper post on this forums and it has made me feel really welcome

 

[Garry Edwards]

Ok, so what would you recommend for on locations shoots (elite pro or safari)? Obviously the safari has the major bonus due to the portability but as I'm new to lighting, the prospect of having a modelling light which isnt much to get excited about scares me. Is this a big problem or is this something that I will condition too after some practising?

(sorry if this is a stupid question)

My personal view is that mains powered (ElitePro) wins every time if you have mains power available
...Near instant recycling
...Much greater range of adjustment
...No battery to run out
...Very powerful modelling lamps

But the modelling lamp is really just a convenience, you can live without it easily if you're shooting on digital, or come that if you're using polaroids with film. If you haven't got mains power then the Safari comes into its own.

 

[Rough Edges]

Jonathon, He is right the Lencarta Safari light do not have modelling lights. I have one sat in front of me now :shrug:

Mine certainly do. flip the switch and press the red button...

 

[fuzed]

i love the encarta lights I got recently - elitepro's are great bang for buck!

 

[david1701]

I know a lot of shared factory manufacturers share components more than consumers think, I know that our audi has almost identical running gear to a vw but is tuned to give another 40-50 bhp

with audio kit they usually just put better profiles on the better amps at mid/low range, only with the higher end gear are physical component differences noticeable

 

[cowasaki]

Well I've just fired the ring flash 240 times over the space of 80 minutes (whilst the ring flash and battery unit are being cooled with a fan ) and the battery is registering full still. It might have been that the previous owner had let it go flat :shrug: Not sure I want to sit here to fire off another 900 shots to test it.

Correction I was looking at the meter at the wrong angle. It is showing nearly full (6 lights out of 8 still lit)

 

[JonathanRyan]

Well I've just fired the ring flash 240 times over the space of 80 minutes (whilst the ring flash and battery unit are being cooled with a fan ) and the battery is registering full still. It might have been that the previous owner had let it go flat :shrug: Not sure I want to sit here to fire off another 900 shots to test it.

Correction I was looking at the meter at the wrong angle. It is showing nearly full (6 lights out of 8 still lit)

Lots of electronics seem to have "optimistic" battery meters. The top bar on lots of stuff seems to stay lit until 90% has gone then you see the remaining bars counting down at 2% per bar. I'm never sure if that's the nature of the batteries or to trip up lazy journalists (BTW stupidest battery meter ever is on the hideously expensive Bron Mobil: 1 light means "100% - you have JUST unplugged the charge", another means "less than 10% - you'll be lucky to get another flash" and the other means "anywhere between those 2")

If you want to test drain the battery then use a camera with an intervalometer (most recent prosumer and pro Nikons). Full power every "x" seconds. And leave it in another room - because the flash will give you a headache eventually....

 

[cowasaki]

Lots of electronics seem to have "optimistic" battery meters. The top bar on lots of stuff seems to stay lit until 90% has gone then you see the remaining bars counting down at 2% per bar. I'm never sure if that's the nature of the batteries or to trip up lazy journalists (BTW stupidest battery meter ever is on the hideously expensive Bron Mobil: 1 light means "100% - you have JUST unplugged the charge", another means "less than 10% - you'll be lucky to get another flash" and the other means "anywhere between those 2")

If you want to test drain the battery then use a camera with an intervalometer (most recent prosumer and pro Nikons). Full power every "x" seconds. And leave it in another room - because the flash will give you a headache eventually....

I will give it a try on Sunday. It is all recharged and packed up now. then maybe next week if I still feel that there is an issue.

 

[POAH]

gary you'd know about it if I was to bash lencarta or you. I voiced my opinion about wither I would have lencarta or bownes. I don't expect to have a band wagon drop on me just because of my views.

The reason I listed the safari not having a modelling lamp is because the specs on the website never listed one, maybe somthing you should get changed.

I hope I'm wrong, but it seems to me that you were not so much expressing your opinion as having a go at me (or is it Lencarta?) again, as in this thread (post 6).

No doubt you have your reasons, perhaps you know that I'm useless?

 

[Garry Edwards]

gary you'd know about it if I was to bash lencarta or you. I voiced my opinion about wither I would have lencarta or bownes. I don't expect to have a band wagon drop on me just because of my views.

The reason I listed the safari not having a modelling lamp is because the specs on the website never listed one, maybe somthing you should get changed.

I have absolutely no problem with you prefering Bowens to Lencarta, apart from the fact that people are free to buy whatever they want, Bowens (pro model) lights are excellent products.

As for whether or not you are bashing Lencarta or me, perhaps I'm mis-reading your various posts then. But in this thread you are falsely stating that Lencarta are nothing more than re-badged Jinbei products (a lie that was admittedly started by someone else).

And in the thread that I linked to, you said:

Thanks for contributing nothing to this thread - please don't post again unless you can post a lighting diagram with one of your Jibei I mean lencarta set ups

Quote:
Originally Posted by Garry Edwards
Personally I feel that all diagrams are useless.

Firstly because they don't (can't) show camera height or lighting height and secondly because all lighting positions are totally dependant on
1. The effect we want to achieve
2. The features of the person

It seems to me that all that a lighting diagram can show is how to light in a very general way, and that's the opposite of what we should be trying to achieve

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Last edited by POAH; 02-09-2010 at 15:55.

Now, you may or may not be happy that I don't share your views about lighting diagrams, but surely that isn't a reason to be so unpleasant to me or to make negative comments about Lencarta (or any other manufacturer).

As for not mentioning the modelling lamp on the Safari page, you may be right but the fact of the matter is that the Safari only has a 20 W modelling lamp, it isn't useless but it isn't Blackpool illuminations either, and as Lencarta understates rather than overstates, it isn't mentioned.

 

[david1701]

Gary there is a belief on the internet that lencarta and jinbei products are the same, you oppose that, you may well be right but you are an employee and I've never seen the two sets in pieces next to each other

you're gonna have to either get over it or accept the fact that these arguments will keep happening

 

[Garry Edwards]

Gary there is a belief on the internet that lencarta and jinbei products are the same, you oppose that, you may well be right but you are an employee and I've never seen the two sets in pieces next to each other

you're gonna have to either get over it or accept the fact that these arguments will keep happening

David,

Firstly I'm not an employee, and secondly there is probably even more misinformation on the interweb than in government statements - people can think what they like and say what they like, but what they think and what they say doesn't change the facts.

Perhaps I'm being over sensitive, but I do think it's a bit off that some people seem to go out of their way to be unpleasant.

 

[david1701]

you used to be an employee, somat tech and you do sales for them.

you do seem to see people as being unpleasant to you when they're trying to instill a certain amount of balance to the discussion

I mean it would be unpleasant if I said these were amazingly ugly (which tbh they are, I mean glowy orange bits?)

 

[Garry Edwards]

No, I've never been an employee of Lencarta, in fact I haven't been anyone's employee since long before you were born. I'm not the employee type, I'm unemployable

If you don't like the look of the products, that's fine. As it happens I don't like the look of Smart cars, but that's a very different thing from making unpleasant comments about them. I wouldn't make any unpleasant comments about a Smart car because I've never driven one. So why do some other people who have no experience of a product feel that they need to make unpleasant comments?

 

[cowasaki]

I mean it would be unpleasant if I said these were amazingly ugly (which tbh they are, I mean glowy orange bits?)

Most people take pictures using the lights rather than OF the lights so the lights being ugly does not really matter so much

I think the ElitePro lights look better though.

 

[JasonRS]

Gary there is a belief on the internet that lencarta and jinbei products are the same,

There's also belief on the Internet that

We didn't land on the moon :nuts:
dihydrogen monoxide is a deadly killer :nuts:
Global leaders are actually from an alien race
The world's controlled by a small group of the super elite
Ken Rockwell talks sense :nono:

Before even mentioning all the other conspiracies theories that abound...

Just because it's on the internet, doesn't mean it's real.

 

[Matt]

can we all remain civil chaps? No need to start having a pop at each other. If you dont like Lencarta, stay out of a lencarta thread, If you have genuine user comments based on use or experience of the product then please contribute, if you dont know what your talking about, butt out.

 

[Rough Edges]

Having read some of the posts in this thread, I..

Hate the attitude of some people, based on no experience whatsoever...

The complete lack of common sense that seems to be all too present in today's society...

I am more than pleased with my lights.. I am sure I will continue to be so too.

 

[david1701]

No, I've never been an employee of Lencarta, in fact I haven't been anyone's employee since long before you were born. I'm not the employee type, I'm unemployable

so you're a freelancer ? but its much of a muchness if you can check shipments for folks

Most people take pictures using the lights rather than OF the lights so the lights being ugly does not really matter so much

I think the ElitePro lights look better though.

well sometimes I get lonesome
The ugly lights thing was an example of being unpleasant, the only piece of kit I think is that purty takes film

 

[POAH]

can we all remain civil chaps? No need to start having a pop at each other. If you dont like Lencarta, stay out of a lencarta thread, If you have genuine user comments based on use or experience of the product then please contribute, if you dont know what your talking about, butt out.

yes but even when you do and you point out why you think another brand is the better choice you get berated

 

[POAH]

yes I gave you abuse because you contributed nothing of worth to that thread and your response was probably only like that because I made the thread.

I never said they were just rebadged jinbei products - they are rebadged with a couple of extra bits inside. I happen to think jinbie poducts offer great value for money. My own personal portable jinbie lights have lasted me a very long time with no faults.

However when someone asks on public forum what do you recomend I should be free to give my user based opinion without getting abuse for it. If I ask for your opinion on lighting diagrams I know that you don't think they are worth while but I never asked for it in a thread that was to show diagrams

I have absolutely no problem with you prefering Bowens to Lencarta, apart from the fact that people are free to buy whatever they want, Bowens (pro model) lights are excellent products.

As for whether or not you are bashing Lencarta or me, perhaps I'm mis-reading your various posts then. But in this thread you are falsely stating that Lencarta are nothing more than re-badged Jinbei products (a lie that was admittedly started by someone else).

And in the thread that I linked to, you said:





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Last edited by POAH; 02-09-2010 at 15:55.

Now, you may or may not be happy that I don't share your views about lighting diagrams, but surely that isn't a reason to be so unpleasant to me or to make negative comments about Lencarta (or any other manufacturer).

As for not mentioning the modelling lamp on the Safari page, you may be right but the fact of the matter is that the Safari only has a 20 W modelling lamp, it isn't useless but it isn't Blackpool illuminations either, and as Lencarta understates rather than overstates, it isn't mentioned.

 

[POAH]

Gary there is a belief on the internet that lencarta and jinbei products are the same, you oppose that, you may well be right but you are an employee and I've never seen the two sets in pieces next to each other

you're gonna have to either get over it or accept the fact that these arguments will keep happening

 

[Garry Edwards]

Yes, we know that Lencarta uses the rear panel and cases made by Jinbei, Lencarta have been saying that for the last two years, so what does using my photo (without permission) prove?

Harold Wilson once said "A lie travels around the world before truth has got her boots on". Repeating the lie just adds to the number of liars, it doesn't change the lie into truth.

 

[cowasaki]

Lencarta have NEVER denied that they use the same casings/mouldings that Jinbei use in their own lights nor that Jinbei build them for them. They have explained that the lights are built using alternative components from other manufacturers which are then supplied to Jinei for inclusion. If Lencarta paid for new casing moulds it would put up the price of the kit and make it less competitive. This argument has come up numerous times so showing a couple of lights that look the same is not really proving anything. I was accused of having a go at you simply for making comment about things that you had commented about but instead of responding to these comments you start this.

Look at the car industry.... Rolls Royce using BMW parts, Peugeot and Renault sharing cars where 95% are identical, VW sharing parts with Seat and Skoda, Porshe and VW, etc etc

I am a consumer with a choice of ANY lights!

 

[POAH]

hot linking is not illegal. guy had nit seen the two together before so I should him. no need to get all huffy about it.

Yes, we know that Lencarta uses the rear panel and cases made by Jinbei, Lencarta have been saying that for the last two years, so what does using my photo (without permission) prove?

Harold Wilson once said "A lie travels around the world before truth has got her boots on". Repeating the lie just adds to the number of liars, it doesn't change the lie into truth.

 

[My Kal]

For all the negativity in this thread is anyone actually saying that the Lencarta lights don't work very, very well?....or that they don't offer superb value for money?

Surely that's the important bit.

Absolutely delighted with mine!

 

[cowasaki]

For all the negativity in this thread is anyone actually saying that the Lencarta lights don't work very, very well?....or that they don't offer superb value for money?

Surely that's the important bit.

Absolutely delighted with mine!

Precisely, professional quality lighting as good as the top brands at significantly less money. Thats why I bought them anyway. Like I said earlier I am a consumer and can buy anything I like but most of my kit is Lencarta. If money were no object at all I do fancy the Elinchrom lights that have remote controls for power etc etc but they would have cost 3-4 times as much

 

[Auwyn]

Me too! Using them this evening, in fact. Hurrah for Lencarta!

 

[craigm]

Good to hear good things about the lights all i got to sort out now is what package i want lol:shrug:

 

[cowasaki]

Good to hear good things about the lights all i got to sort out now is what package i want lol:shrug:

What is your budget?

You can swap and change bits of kits but are you going for SmartFlash, ElitePro or Safari?

Do you want an element of portability? They sell softboxes which collapse and re-build in a few seconds. They are maybe 10-20 more than the normal ones but well worth it.

What is your target? Mainly people? If so MY advice would be to get an Octo softbox as your main modifier for that lovely round catch light look.

I'm certainly not an expert in the slightest and am learning myself but one thing I would CATEGORICALLY recommend is adding one of Lencarta's training days to the shopping list either the fashion shoot one (there is one on Sunday) or the nude one. Both will explain how to get the most from the kit you DO buy.

 

[craigm]

I was looking at This kit which is pushing the budget ( Well more pushing the wife )

Will be doing mostly people and would of loved to sign up for this Sundays course but am unable to attend which is a shame :shrug: