elinchrom or bowen

[zekai]

you should not be firing your flash 5 per second. I do not think you can do that even.

For Monolight, firing them in quick sucession is an instant solution to blow your fuse. as for your bowen overheating, are the modelling light left on?

 

[ckiang]

One thing to note for those comparing Elinchrom EL 500 and Bowens Esprit 500 which are both similarly priced as a kit : The Elinchrom can only go down to 1/4 power, whereas the Bowens can do 1/32. So if you don't want to shoot ISO 200 1/16 at 2m all the time.....

Regards
CK

 

[petewong]

Here's an alternative view.

1. Step 1: Start by asking what you will be using the studio lights for? Portraits? Products? Still life? etc..

2. Then look at the light modifiers available for both Bowens and Elins.. or whatever brands you are looking at. For eg if you will be shooting mostly glamour stuff, portraits, fashion models etc you would want all shapes and sizes of softboxes (strip, hexagon, etc). See which brand gives you the most variety.

3. Then decide on the brand. The point about color temp etc no longer applies when u r shooting digital.

4. BTW I use all kinds of light and although I have a slight preference for Bowens for its ease of use, I sometimes I mix with Elins or any other cheap brands that I can lay my hands on.


PS: Don't buy based on someone hearing someone say it's good. Ask that someone if he has actually used it. Eg Broncolor expensive. Therefore, expensive must be good?

 

[singscott]

Broncolor are good I have use balcar, broncolor, bowen, elinchrom and vista tech. On the whole bowen are good and cheap workhorse they go on and on and on........, colour wise and constant power output elinchrom and broncolor are king. I don't like balcar as they blow up as many time as I use them. Broncolor are good due to the fact their flash duration is very short, good for many things like fill in and catching object in motion. These facts are my working experience.