Portable Lighting Solutions

jacob12_1993

jacob12_1993

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Jacob
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Hi Guys,

I have a couple of fairly big shoots coming up over the next few months and so wanted to look into some lightweight location lighting gear. I won't be trying to overpower the sun or anything and most of them are activity/lifestyle type work so I wanted to look at lightweight options. I also have access to some more powerful heads if needs be, but I would like something lighter that I could possibly travel internationally in the future with as well. The options that I have looked at so far are:

1) Elinchrom Ranger Quadra
most used/reviewed, bad modifier adapter
2) Strobeam EID G-5
Lightest option, tiny battery, good trigger system, excellent battery life, slow flash duration at full power, no modelling light on battery power
3) Lencarta Safari Li-on
Cheapest option, most powerful, new triggers are extra cost, seems to be highly rated

Does anybody have any experience with any of them, preferably all 3? I am leaning towards the Strobeam lights because of the digital trigger system, great battery and lightweight. However the Lencarta is tempting as it has more power if I need it (but at the sacrifice of weight). :lol:

Also as an aside does anyone know of any pro lighting hire places near Leeds or will I need to head into Manchester?

Thanks in advance
 
I have experience of all of those.

Unfortunately, to preserve forum harmony I don't feel able to compare them for you.
 
I've used all 3, but as don't comment on other people's products it's probably best if I keep quiet.

Richard (Hoppy UK) is both independent and probably the best qualified to answer your question
 
Garry Edwards said:
I've used all 3, but as don't comment on other people's products it's probably best if I keep quiet.

Richard (Hoppy UK) is both independent and probably the best qualified to answer your question
Click to expand...

Okay fair enough :) I'll reword it differently to avoid you needing to comment on others products...can you see any pros/cons I am missing for the Lencarta lights that would need to be taken into consideration for adventure/lifestyle portraiture/commercial work?
 
jacob12_1993 said:
Can you PM/Email me then please :D?
Click to expand...
Well, this is really the problem.
Jonathan is associated with the Company that imports one of these products, I am associated with the Company that makes another of them:)
 
jacob12_1993 said:
Okay fair enough :) I'll reword it differently to avoid you needing to comment on others products...can you see any pros/cons I am missing for the Lencarta lights that would need to be taken into consideration for adventure/lifestyle portraiture/commercial work?
Click to expand...
If I do that the forum moderators may see it as pimping, which isn't allowed.

Probably your best bet is to read the independent review published by Advanced Photographer in March 2012
 
Garry Edwards said:
Well, this is really the problem.
Jonathan is associated with the Company that imports one of these products, I am associated with the Company that makes another of them:)
Click to expand...

Yeah I realise this hence I changed it, not wanting to cause any issues I would just like comments on the products, probably best to wait for independent people then :)
 
LOL The guys are being very coy today ;)

Unless you're into Profoto money, it boils down to Lencarta Li-on, or Elinchrom Quadra. Li-on has more power and a great battery for an excellent price. Quadra is smaller and light especially with the lithium pack, but has a bit less power and the faster A-head is about half a stop down on the S-head. Still enough for most things, but not beating bright sun.

Quadra also has neat Skyport remote sync system but if you go for top spec all round it bumps the price up. There's nothing wrong with the Quadra's EL adapter mount, but I don't know why they didn't just give it a standard EL mount to start with.

They're all in the March 2012 (not Feb) edition of Advanced Photographer
magazine. Back issues from the website.

Also consider battery packs that you can plug any regular studio head into. Innovatronix are good, or Godox that I've not tried. The Flash Centre are in Leeds, you'll find most things there but might get shown the door if you mention the 'L' word. They'll tell you the Li-on is made from recycled clay pigeons and while it can't match Elinchrom's excellent build quality, neither does the price.
 
They're all in the March 2012 (not Feb) edition of Advanced Photographer
magazine. Back issues from the website.
Click to expand...
I keep making that mistake, probably because it was published in February
The Flash Centre are in Leeds, you'll find most things there but might get shown the door if you mention the 'L' word. They'll tell you the Li-on is made from recycled clay pigeons
Click to expand...
:) Allegedly they were saying similar things at Focus on Imaging, with the result that several people who didn't know about the Li-on came straight onto our stand and bought it - one fashion photographer bought 5 as a direct result of negative comments about it:lol::lol::lol:
 
HoppyUK said:
Also consider battery packs that you can plug any regular studio head into. Innovatronix are good, or Godox that I've not tried.
Click to expand...

They are great, but also bloody heavy (up to 11.5 kg from what I remember). A final option is the Bowens travelpak, although that only works with Gemini heads. It does have the advantage of the battery pack being relatively light weight, but the trade off is the full size head and a lengthened recycle time, plus reduced number of flashes.

I think the battery solution for regular heads is a great solution, but its more suited to occasional use, where you need the flexability of regular heads most of the time.

Given the choice, in your situation I'd go for the Li-on, both on cost and weight basis.Although I've never used the strobeam
 
Last edited:
TonyHall said:
There's The Flash Centre in Leeds who rent out Elinchrom lighting gear as well as Canon camera stuff as well.

Cheers,
Tony
Click to expand...

Thanks Tony, still new to the area so good to see there is somewhere decent and not just Jessops :D

HoppyUK said:
LOL The guys are being very coy today ;)

Unless you're into Profoto money, it boils down to Lencarta Li-on, or Elinchrom Quadra. Li-on has more power and a great battery for an excellent price. Quadra is smaller and light especially with the lithium pack, but has a bit less power and the faster A-head is about half a stop down on the S-head. Still enough for most things, but not beating bright sun.

Quadra also has neat Skyport remote sync system but if you go for top spec all round it bumps the price up. There's nothing wrong with the Quadra's EL adapter mount, but I don't know why they didn't just give it a standard EL mount to start with.

They're all in the March 2012 (not Feb) edition of Advanced Photographer
magazine. Back issues from the website.

Also consider battery packs that you can plug any regular studio head into. Innovatronix are good, or Godox that I've not tried. The Flash Centre are in Leeds, you'll find most things there but might get shown the door if you mention the 'L' word. They'll tell you the Li-on is made from recycled clay pigeons and while it can't match Elinchrom's excellent build quality, neither does the price.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll remember not to mention the 'L' word if I pop in at any point in the future. The only downside I can see to the standalone packs is the physical weight and size as they seem to be much bigger than the strobeam, lencarta packs etc

treeman said:
If you're looking for light weight, do remember the Quadra now has a lithium battery option, making it only 2 KG!
Click to expand...

Thanks, Yeah I hadn't realised but someone mentioned it earlier to me, it has to be an improvement on the lead acid batteries :)

boyfalldown said:
They are great, but also bloody heavy (up to 11.5 kg from what I remember). A final option is the Bowens travelpak, although that only works with Gemini heads. It does have the advantage of the battery pack being relatively light weight, but the trade off is the full size head and a lengthened recycle time, plus reduced number of flashes.

I think the battery solution for regular heads is a great solution, but its more suited to occasional use, where you need the flexability of regular heads most of the time.

Given the choice, in your situation I'd go for the Li-on, both on cost and weight basis.Although I've never used the strobeam
Click to expand...

Thanks mate, I actually know someone with the travelpak so will probably have a quick look at it but from what I can see the heads are full size so it's not great for travel work. I think I need a play with a few of them before making any firm decision...
 
boyfalldown said:
They are great, but also bloody heavy (up to 11.5 kg from what I remember)...
Click to expand...

Unless you get the Innavatronix Mini, which isn't far off in size and weight of the VML.
 
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