Moblie studio lights

ShoeQueen · 2 Jul 2012

I've borrowed a set of Interfit 105 lights for a couple of events - at the last one I used a hilite as well. I'd like to get my own set of lights though and am looking for suggestions.

I want a set light enough to carry about as I'll be using them for events and home type set ups.

Any suggestions welcome as this is an area I'm not overly familiar with.

HoppyUK · 2 Jul 2012

Big question Lynn

What exactly do you want to do? What do you mean by mobile - transportable, or over-shoulder carryable? Access to mains power? Budget. For starters...

ShoeQueen · 2 Jul 2012

Yes Richard good points - I need to put more detail. Not sure of budget yet as I want to have a range of options and then I'll decide how much I need to budget for it and then which to go for.

Transportable as in something similiar to the set I'm borrowing at the mo - lights, stands, cables and umbrellas all in an easy to carry bag. (These are very light so I wouldn't mind a bit heavier.) Mains powered is ok as for setting up at venue/house.

HoppyUK · 2 Jul 2012

ShoeQueen said:
Yes Richard good points - I need to put more detail. Not sure of budget yet as I want to have a range of options and then I'll decide how much I need to budget for it and then which to go for.

Transportable as in something similiar to the set I'm borrowing at the mo - lights, stands, cables and umbrellas all in an easy to carry bag. (These are very light so I wouldn't mind a bit heavier.) Mains powered is ok as for setting up at venue/house.

Oh right, so you just want some studio heads in a carry case, and not too heavy.

Get one of the kits from Lencarta or Elinchrom. No point in looking at any other brands IMHO, unless you're feeling flush and fancy Profoto (v nice, though they're heavy).

Elinchrom D-Lites are very light, and the entry-level Lencarta Smartflash is not much heavier, though a lot of the weight of an outfit is in the stands. If you've only got to get them from the car to the venue, I wouldn't worry about relative weights too much. If you can handle a HiLite...

200-400Ws should be plenty powerful enough. You can even get away with a couple of hot-shoe guns in the HiLite (which I tend to use, for basic home portraiture) but I wouldn't want to rely on them to shoot a few hundred pics at an event.

Edit: if you need to work away from mains power, plug them into an Innovatronix XT-SE - basically a fancy battery, modified so that won't blow them up.

jonesy_ni · 2 Jul 2012

I recently bought 2 Ultrapros from Lencarta Lynn

You are welcome to borrow to try out if you are thinking of buying some

ShoeQueen · 2 Jul 2012

HoppyUK said:
Oh right, so you just want some studio heads in a carry case, and not too heavy.

And the stands too etc. the ones I borrowed are light enough for me to carry in one hand with no bother up and down stairs and I'm small and light myself - so I could carry a bit more (I know heavier lights will need heavier stands.)

HoppyUK said:
Get one of the kits from Lencarta or Elinchrom. No point in looking at any other brands IMHO, unless you're feeling flush and fancy Profoto (v nice, though they're heavy).

Elinchrom D-Lites are very light, and the entry-level Lencarta Smartflash is not much heavier, though a lot of the weight of an outfit is in the stands. If you've only got to get them from the car to the venue, I wouldn't worry about relative weights too much. If you can handle a HiLite...

It was only the 6x7 hilite.

But yes I'm able to carry everything myself with just two trips to the car, and set up/take down in about 10 mins and I'd like to be able to do that with whatever I get, (even though I'll often have someone with me).

HoppyUK said:
200-400Ws should be plenty powerful enough. You can even get away with a couple of hot-shoe guns in the HiLite (which I tend to use, for basic home portraiture) but I wouldn't want to rely on them to shoot a few hundred pics at an event.

I have a couple of flashes, just wasn't sure as you say about running them for that length of time.

HoppyUK said:
Edit: if you need to work away from mains power, plug them into an Innovatronix XT-SE - basically a fancy battery, modified so that won't blow them up.

That's good to know for future ref if needed.

Thanks.

domino1999 · 2 Jul 2012

HoppyUK said:
if you need to work away from mains power, plug them into an Innovatronix XT-SE - basically a fancy battery, modified so that won't blow them up.

Do you know if that pack would work okay with the Lencarta Ultrapro range? Lencarta's not listed in the compatibility list.... :thinking:

jonesy_ni · 2 Jul 2012

domino1999 said:
Do you know if that pack would work okay with the Lencarta Ultrapro range? Lencarta's not listed in the compatibility list....

Works on mine

HoppyUK · 2 Jul 2012

jonesy_ni said:
Works on mine

Well there's the answer.

Innovatronix works with virtually everything. The compatability list is just to give customers comfort, but being based in the Philippines, they probably don't have a Lencarta in their local Jessops.

domino1999 · 2 Jul 2012

jonesy_ni said:
Works on mine

HoppyUK said:
Well there's the answer.

Innovatronix works with virtually everything. The compatability list is just to give customers comfort, but being based in the Philippines, they probably don't have a Lencarta in their local Jessops.

Thanks guys