mains powered studio strobes outdoors

GR3Z

GR3Z

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Just thought i would raise this thread for discussion, how about powering mains powered studio stobes outdoors powered using a generator? reason i say this is i watched a vid of pro photography Karl Taylor doing an oudoor shoot on one of his training dvds, im sure they were using a generator for power?
 
There are a small number of very expensive generators that can be used with delicate electronic equipment such as studio flashes, but the ordinary run of the mill ones produce very 'spiky' current that is pretty well guaranteed to blow up the equipment.
 
Generators - as in petrol - are in general a very dirty power source and likely to damage mains powered flash lights. You can of course get expensive pure sine wave generator, but you still have to put up with the noise (not to mention the cost). 'Most' outdoor solutions use batteries and again the use of a pure sine wave transformer, some brands have their own dedicated solution (Profoto, Bowens, Bron, Multiblitz...) or you could get a third party solution like those produced by Innovatronix though there only seems to be the older model currently available in the UK at the moment.

Paul
 
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GR3Z said:
Just thought i would raise this thread for discussion, how about powering mains powered studio stobes outdoors powered using a generator? reason i say this is i watched a vid of pro photography Karl Taylor doing an oudoor shoot on one of his training dvds, im sure they were using a generator for power?
Click to expand...

This is a common discussion. There are numerous options for running strobes outdoors, a generator is one but it requires a pure sine inverter.

Save yourself the hassle and buy an Innovatronix Explorer (model depending on your strobes). Or vagabond/vagabond mini...

Job done.

Re Karl Taylor I've heard him refer to a "generator" in a video before, some glamour shot in a field. He was using Elinchrom RX studio strobes if I remember correctly, but I couldnt hear a generator, I remember thinking surely he doesn't mean a generator.
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
This is a common discussion. There are numerous options for running strobes outdoors, a generator is one but it requires a pure sine inverter.

Save yourself the hassle and buy an Innovatronix Explorer (model depending on your strobes). Or vagabond/vagabond mini...

Job done.

Re Karl Taylor I've heard him refer to a "generator" in a video before, some glamour shot in a field. He was using Elinchrom RX studio strobes if I remember correctly, but I couldnt hear a generator, I remember thinking surely he doesn't mean a generator.
Click to expand...

Generator seems to be used quite often now as a generic term for any method of generating the necessary power for the flash, in most cases battery based.

Paul
 
I've seen about 4 Karl Taylor DVDs and he uses Battery Packs. Was watching one yesterday actually. I use a Bowens Travel-Pak II and It gives me around 750 Medium power Flashes. More than enough. ;)
 
Just curious is there not a battery pack system which allows you to plug in a normal plug so it can be used by any flash/studio light?

Like a petrol generator but it's battery powered and more stable.
 
in europe they call a pack and head flash system a genorator and head, its seams that only in the UK and some parts of the US they call a flash pack, a pack, you may be thinking its a petrol genorator whem he justs means a flash pack, You can run big powerfull flash off genorators but you need a good genny and some idea of what you are doing. I used to run up to 25 Bowens 1K5 packs off a 40 Kw genny for location shots years ago for train shots at night for british rail, not a problem if you get things sorted, you can run 3 x Balcar 2400 packs of a honda 2400 watt genny, it all fits in the car. all things are possible if you ask the right people and have some budget for these shots. David
 
Ok thanks I'll look take a look at them.

What's best a battery generated powered studio flash or a flashgun with a mains adapter and a battery generator?

What flashes will take mains power?
 
mattchewone said:
Ok thanks I'll look take a look at them.

What's best a battery generated powered studio flash or a flashgun with a mains adapter and a battery generator?

What flashes will take mains power?
Click to expand...
Neither.
A setup designed specifically for location work such as the Eli quadra or the Lencarta Safari (Classic or Li-on)
 
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