Alienbees

[adamdewilde]

to save your $$, accordingly to my experience

buy these from PCB
1) esintein (dual voltage)
2) vb mini
3) 7inch reflector + honey comb > good price
4) bulbs + flash tubes
5) PCB power commander and related
6) pocket wizard MC2 , if ur using tt1/tt5

buy these from amazon
1) all softboxs: square / rectangle / strip / octagon - is half the price
2) snoot - is cheaper cos u buy 1 instead of 3 from pcb
3) beauty dish - the one from AB, the material like milo tin , is cheaper and even bigger!
4) color gel

buy from manda photo
1)all softboxes
can get the formex brand is decent imo. just ask for Balcar speedring - cheaper than PCB

2)barn door - $40
3)light stand - <$50

The PCB Octaboxes and Softboxes are pretty top notch... AND they're the easy to setup ones... Honestly speaking they're pretty fantastic. The other softboxes out there, make me look like an idiot whenever I try to set them up!!

I have some lights (for sale) but also have tons of experience with PCB products (8 Einstein's, well one sold, so down to 7 of them), so let me know if you have any questions.

 

[soeypixels]

The PCB Octaboxes and Softboxes are pretty top notch... AND they're the easy to setup ones... Honestly speaking they're pretty fantastic. The other softboxes out there, make me look like an idiot whenever I try to set them up!!

I have some lights (for sale) but also have tons of experience with PCB products (8 Einstein's, well one sold, so down to 7 of them), so let me know if you have any questions.

ur correct
i am talking about the exact same kind of softbox that AB offers which can be bought from amazon.com for 1/3 the price
cheers

 

[soeypixels]

One thing i find is the mount not very secure. The spring is not strong enuf like that. Got one time my softbox drop out, maybe i was moving around the light abit. I will prefer bowens type of mount.

Anybody got any quick easy solutions??

how big is your softbox?? rectangle, square or oct?

 

[colourfulfaces]

One thing i find is the mount not very secure. The spring is not strong enuf like that. Got one time my softbox drop out, maybe i was moving around the light abit. I will prefer bowens type of mount.

Anybody got any quick easy solutions??

Hmm.. This is the same type of mount as the Baclar brand.
The mount is quite strong and i am using the 39" Deep Octa from Elinchrom. So far no issues as i move the light around too and shooting in strong wind..
Show us a pic on the softbox which you have and the mount.

 

[milanplay]

The PCB Octaboxes and Softboxes are pretty top notch... AND they're the easy to setup ones... Honestly speaking they're pretty fantastic. The other softboxes out there, make me look like an idiot whenever I try to set them up!!

I have some lights (for sale) but also have tons of experience with PCB products (8 Einstein's, well one sold, so down to 7 of them), so let me know if you have any questions.

why are you selling the Einstein?

 

[LearninKin]

I use their 32" X 40". Yeah it really drop out of the mount last saturday. But lucky nobody near it

 

[colourfulfaces]

I use their 32" X 40". Yeah it really drop out of the mount last saturday. But lucky nobody near it

Maybe is the speedring of the softbox...

 

[pasay]

A behind the scene video of a photoshoot shot with Alienbees Einstein.

erm, youtube/EMI has blocked your video, bro. can't see anything.

 

[colourfulfaces]

erm, youtube/EMI has blocked your video, bro. can't see anything.

Must use PC to watch.. not sure why iphone or smartphone cannot..

 

[Sausage]

Do the Alien Bees still come in 240v types? So far I only see the einstein with dual voltage on their website.

 

[colourfulfaces]

Do the Alien Bees still come in 240v types? So far I only see the einstein with dual voltage on their website.

Yes, there is no dual voltage for the older lights like the B800 or B1600 but they have the 110v or the 220v unit.
Recommendation is to get the einstein due to the color consistency mode and the fast flash duration mode. LCD panel control and compatible with pocket wizard.

 

[LearninKin]

Another question. When einsteins are on the vb mini they seem to eat up the battery rather fast even idle. I can hear the einsteins ingernal fan rotating. One batt pack seems to only last 5 hrs even with little pops. Is that normal?

 

[soeypixels]

Must use PC to watch.. not sure why iphone or smartphone cannot..

mac also cannot see

 

[soeypixels]

Another question. When einsteins are on the vb mini they seem to eat up the battery rather fast even idle. I can hear the einsteins ingernal fan rotating. One batt pack seems to only last 5 hrs even with little pops. Is that normal?

5hours shoot? what ru shooting?
btw do not on the modeling lamp

 

[colourfulfaces]

Another question. When einsteins are on the vb mini they seem to eat up the battery rather fast even idle. I can hear the einsteins ingernal fan rotating. One batt pack seems to only last 5 hrs even with little pops. Is that normal?

The fan is to cool the einstein. This mean your einstein is heating up. You shooting outdoor in the sun or did you on your modelling light? Modelling light will eat alot of the battery power. Unless you got the low voltage bulb, do not on the modelling light.
My alienbees group has about 8 batteries and 3 battery packs so we do not really test out the duration. I noticed that during the shoot at 1/4 or 1/2 stop, we still can produced more than 200 shots and lasted for the whole shoot. 2 to 3 hours.

We will be trying out the VB mini to power a fan and smoke machine. Will keep you updated.

 

[LearninKin]

Yup around 5 hrs. 1/45 power about there. And not frequent so should be less than 120 pops in that durations. Model lights were off. So i think its the fan eating the battery??

 

[Sausage]

A little OT but I was wondering if anyone bought the PCB parabolic umbrellas before? How much did they cost to mail over?

 

[soeypixels]

The fan is to cool the einstein. This mean your einstein is heating up. You shooting outdoor in the sun or did you on your modelling light? Modelling light will eat alot of the battery power. Unless you got the low voltage bulb, do not on the modelling light.
My alienbees group has about 8 batteries and 3 battery packs so we do not really test out the duration. I noticed that during the shoot at 1/4 or 1/2 stop, we still can produced more than 200 shots and lasted for the whole shoot. 2 to 3 hours.

We will be trying out the VB mini to power a fan and smoke machine. Will keep you updated.

i got one mini and 3 batteries lol

 

[soeypixels]

A little OT but I was wondering if anyone bought the PCB parabolic umbrellas before? How much did they cost to mail over?

why don u buy one locally ? this is huge

 

[colourfulfaces]

why don u buy one locally ? this is huge

Agree... Get it in singapore.. it is so much cheaper...