Studio brands - approx pecking order?

LittleSkink · 07-18-2018, 07:18 AM - **1 Like**

at the risk of opening a can of worms or getting flamed for asking stupid questions . . .

I have been getting drawn in to studio flash of late and am finding I don't really have a sense of the "quality" and "value for money" brands - prices and quality seems to vary wildly

So far with my own tinkering / purchases (at all these levels) and shop visits it seems to me quality runs roughly in this order

Bottom, bottom end: No name Chinese kit

Bottom end: Neewer, PhotoSel, etc

Lower mid range: Calumet, Westcott, Lencarta, Interfit

Mid range: Lastolite, Bowens

Upper mid range: Manfrotto, Elinchrome

Upper - lots of £££ kit I have not heard of

Winder · 07-18-2018, 12:59 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by LittleSkink

at the risk of opening a can of worms or getting flamed for asking stupid questions . . .

I have been getting drawn in to studio flash of late and am finding I don't really have a sense of the "quality" and "value for money" brands - prices and quality seems to vary wildly

So far with my own tinkering / purchases (at all these levels) and shop visits it seems to me quality runs roughly in this order

Bottom, bottom end: No name Chinese kit

Bottom end: Neewer, PhotoSel, etc

Lower mid range: Calumet, Westcott, Lencarta, Interfit

Mid range: Lastolite, Bowens

Upper mid range: Manfrotto, Elinchrome

Upper - lots of £££ kit I have not heard of

Profoto & Broncolor are your top in terms of quality & features..... & price.
Elinchrome & Hensel are both up there in terms of quality, but too expensive for what they offer.
We have Paul C.Buff here in the USA which offers excellent quality for the money.
Phottix has some good stuff, but again, pricey for what they offer.

Godox is surprisingly good for the money.

Is Bowens back in busniess?

For the money Godox and Paul C. Buff are next to impossible to beat. They don't have the build quality of Broncolor or Profoto but they have the light quality (constant color temp across power range). If you are just getting into studio flash I would recommend Godox. The AD200 is a great light to start out with and the wireless triggers are decent and cheap.

**Digitalis** · 07-18-2018, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by Winder

Is Bowens back in busniess?

No, they have departed the market. Completely liquidated in 2017.

LittleSkink · 07-19-2018, 01:53 PM

helpful, thanks

I have Bowens stuff (and rate it) that's why its in my list, still very plentiful second hand - off to find out a bit more about Godox

shamer · 07-26-2018, 05:57 PM

For studio level strobes, I have been fortunate enough to have only experienced working with ProFoto gear but I have to say I believe they are everything people say they are. After using only on-camera lashes (namely, 3 Pentax 540s) for a few years, I was ready to step up my game and invested heavily into ProFoto - three "monolights" (two 600w/s and a single 1200w/s) and one Acute B 600w/s battery strobe as well as Profoto modifiers (beauty dishes, soft strips/boxes, etc). I have been using that same gear going on 9 years now and they've continued to work flawlessly. Another nice benefit to its "rental grade" moniker is that when I've been in other states and didn't want to fly with a bunch of gear, I could easily rent the same gear I used and there'd be no learning curve. I'm not independently wealthy, so it's not like I had a bunch of money laying around but there's saying I heard awhile back that I thought was very wise: "I'm too poor to buy cheap stuff"... IOW, you buy cheap and you're going to be buying again & again. If you take a hit the first time and get proven professional equipment - whether that's power tools, tripods, or lighting gear - than you are far more likely to spend less in the long run. That's my 2¢...

morenjavi · 07-30-2018, 07:06 AM

I agree with other poster about Godox. Very good for the money. My AD360 is near 4 years old and still working fine, I only had to bought a new Li-ION battery.

Regards.

dfp771 · 08-12-2018, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by Winder

Profoto & Broncolor are your top in terms of quality & features..... & price.
Elinchrome & Hensel are both up there in terms of quality, but too expensive for what they offer.
We have Paul C.Buff here in the USA which offers excellent quality for the money.
Phottix has some good stuff, but again, pricey for what they offer.

Godox is surprisingly good for the money.

Is Bowens back in busniess?

For the money Godox and Paul C. Buff are next to impossible to beat. They don't have the build quality of Broncolor or Profoto but they have the light quality (constant color temp across power range). If you are just getting into studio flash I would recommend Godox. The AD200 is a great light to start out with and the wireless triggers are decent and cheap.

I agree in general with Winder. I bought two Norman ML400 monolights on eBay some years ago and they still work fine- no issues. I also have a Baja B4 battery powered moonlight. It works fine but is heavy when used on a boom. A couple years ago I bought a used Elinchrom B400 Action light kit with a 27" deep octa modifier. This is a pack and head system. I've added a HS head and this Elinchrom is used as my key light in studio was well as on location. It works very well. The head is light and easy to put up high or on a boom. It will overpower the sun on location with the 7" reflector and using the HS head. But it is pricey! I'm glad I got it- the modifier does wonders in terms of the light on one's face- very flattering. I have 3 cheap 3 ft x 1 ft strip boxes as well as a westcott 6 ft white umbrella. The cheap modifiers do the job but take time to set up and tear down. If I were you I'd try to find some quality used gear and just use it every day...

stub · 08-25-2018, 04:05 AM

I dont think its just as easy these days as I want to buy some studio lights...!! The tables are changing. They now can come with TTL options. High speed sync. Battery power. So no plug leads. You have to sit down and asses your requirements before making a choice. The most important factor for me is not the brand of light but the "mount." You want it to have. For me I would always choose the Bowens S mount. As its also backed up by all the third party softbox manufacturers. I use the Bowens Gemini Lights and have never had any problems at all. Yes now out of business but still plentiful on the second hand market.. Though if buying today I would certainly be hard pressed to look past the Godox AD600..

But if buying studio lights.... Get yourself a lightmeter it saves so much time in set up...!!

Brands dont mean much its just a light source...Its what you do with that light that counts....

07-18-2018, 07:18 AM - 1 Like	#1
LittleSkink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: t'North Photos: Albums Posts: 166	Studio brands - approx pecking order? at the risk of opening a can of worms or getting flamed for asking stupid questions . . . I have been getting drawn in to studio flash of late and am finding I don't really have a sense of the "quality" and "value for money" brands - prices and quality seems to vary wildly So far with my own tinkering / purchases (at all these levels) and shop visits it seems to me quality runs roughly in this order Bottom, bottom end: No name Chinese kit Bottom end: Neewer, PhotoSel, etc Lower mid range: Calumet, Westcott, Lencarta, Interfit Mid range: Lastolite, Bowens Upper mid range: Manfrotto, Elinchrome Upper - lots of £££ kit I have not heard of

07-18-2018, 06:13 PM	#3
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by Winder Is Bowens back in busniess? No, they have departed the market. Completely liquidated in 2017. Last edited by Digitalis; 07-19-2018 at 05:10 AM.

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07-18-2018, 12:59 PM - 1 Like	#2
Winder Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,617	Originally posted by LittleSkink at the risk of opening a can of worms or getting flamed for asking stupid questions . . . I have been getting drawn in to studio flash of late and am finding I don't really have a sense of the "quality" and "value for money" brands - prices and quality seems to vary wildly So far with my own tinkering / purchases (at all these levels) and shop visits it seems to me quality runs roughly in this order Bottom, bottom end: No name Chinese kit Bottom end: Neewer, PhotoSel, etc Lower mid range: Calumet, Westcott, Lencarta, Interfit Mid range: Lastolite, Bowens Upper mid range: Manfrotto, Elinchrome Upper - lots of £££ kit I have not heard of Profoto & Broncolor are your top in terms of quality & features..... & price. Elinchrome & Hensel are both up there in terms of quality, but too expensive for what they offer. We have Paul C.Buff here in the USA which offers excellent quality for the money. Phottix has some good stuff, but again, pricey for what they offer. Godox is surprisingly good for the money. Is Bowens back in busniess? For the money Godox and Paul C. Buff are next to impossible to beat. They don't have the build quality of Broncolor or Profoto but they have the light quality (constant color temp across power range). If you are just getting into studio flash I would recommend Godox. The AD200 is a great light to start out with and the wireless triggers are decent and cheap.

07-19-2018, 01:53 PM	#4
LittleSkink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: t'North Photos: Albums Posts: 166 Original Poster	helpful, thanks I have Bowens stuff (and rate it) that's why its in my list, still very plentiful second hand - off to find out a bit more about Godox

07-26-2018, 05:57 PM	#5
shamer New Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Detroit, MI Photos: Albums Posts: 24	For studio level strobes, I have been fortunate enough to have only experienced working with ProFoto gear but I have to say I believe they are everything people say they are. After using only on-camera lashes (namely, 3 Pentax 540s) for a few years, I was ready to step up my game and invested heavily into ProFoto - three "monolights" (two 600w/s and a single 1200w/s) and one Acute B 600w/s battery strobe as well as Profoto modifiers (beauty dishes, soft strips/boxes, etc). I have been using that same gear going on 9 years now and they've continued to work flawlessly. Another nice benefit to its "rental grade" moniker is that when I've been in other states and didn't want to fly with a bunch of gear, I could easily rent the same gear I used and there'd be no learning curve. I'm not independently wealthy, so it's not like I had a bunch of money laying around but there's saying I heard awhile back that I thought was very wise: "I'm too poor to buy cheap stuff"... IOW, you buy cheap and you're going to be buying again & again. If you take a hit the first time and get proven professional equipment - whether that's power tools, tripods, or lighting gear - than you are far more likely to spend less in the long run. That's my 2¢...

07-30-2018, 07:06 AM	#6
morenjavi Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 589	I agree with other poster about Godox. Very good for the money. My AD360 is near 4 years old and still working fine, I only had to bought a new Li-ION battery. Regards.

08-12-2018, 03:40 PM	#7
dfp771 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Monterey County, California Photos: Albums Posts: 97	Originally posted by Winder Profoto & Broncolor are your top in terms of quality & features..... & price. Elinchrome & Hensel are both up there in terms of quality, but too expensive for what they offer. We have Paul C.Buff here in the USA which offers excellent quality for the money. Phottix has some good stuff, but again, pricey for what they offer. Godox is surprisingly good for the money. Is Bowens back in busniess? For the money Godox and Paul C. Buff are next to impossible to beat. They don't have the build quality of Broncolor or Profoto but they have the light quality (constant color temp across power range). If you are just getting into studio flash I would recommend Godox. The AD200 is a great light to start out with and the wireless triggers are decent and cheap. I agree in general with Winder. I bought two Norman ML400 monolights on eBay some years ago and they still work fine- no issues. I also have a Baja B4 battery powered moonlight. It works fine but is heavy when used on a boom. A couple years ago I bought a used Elinchrom B400 Action light kit with a 27" deep octa modifier. This is a pack and head system. I've added a HS head and this Elinchrom is used as my key light in studio was well as on location. It works very well. The head is light and easy to put up high or on a boom. It will overpower the sun on location with the 7" reflector and using the HS head. But it is pricey! I'm glad I got it- the modifier does wonders in terms of the light on one's face- very flattering. I have 3 cheap 3 ft x 1 ft strip boxes as well as a westcott 6 ft white umbrella. The cheap modifiers do the job but take time to set up and tear down. If I were you I'd try to find some quality used gear and just use it every day...

08-25-2018, 04:05 AM	#8
stub Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Manchester Photos: Gallery Posts: 227	I dont think its just as easy these days as I want to buy some studio lights...!! The tables are changing. They now can come with TTL options. High speed sync. Battery power. So no plug leads. You have to sit down and asses your requirements before making a choice. The most important factor for me is not the brand of light but the "mount." You want it to have. For me I would always choose the Bowens S mount. As its also backed up by all the third party softbox manufacturers. I use the Bowens Gemini Lights and have never had any problems at all. Yes now out of business but still plentiful on the second hand market.. Though if buying today I would certainly be hard pressed to look past the Godox AD600.. But if buying studio lights.... Get yourself a lightmeter it saves so much time in set up...!! Brands dont mean much its just a light source...Its what you do with that light that counts....