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Archive 2017 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

Mike_5D
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

If you were buying a used one, how many shots would need before you'd want a significant discount?

Mar 28, 2017 at 07:23 PM

Paul_K
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

I'd ask for a significant discount anyway, it's a system that's already been around for a while and which has already been succeeded by e.g. the technically more 'advanced' Buff Digibees

MSRP for new 'older type' Einstein strobes varies around the $450, and for that kind of money you IMO can find just a capable alternatives

That said, I think buying an 'older' type flash unit, with e.g. less 'digital' gizmo's cheap really isn't that foolish.

I eg still have a couple of 30+ year old Hensel 500 monoblocs lying around, just simple switches and no digital displays for the different power settings for flash and modelling lights, and apart from the 'slow' recycle times (1,5 second for 1/4 power, 2,5 for full power) I have no complaints

Considering the age of the Hensels I got a few Bowens Gemini 500 strobes two years ago, and sure, they're faster, and designwise slicker with nice dials and LED power indicators, but the old 'beasts' still work fine and basically cost me nothing any longer ( written of economically long time ago) vs the dual Gemini 500 set at (two years ago) Eur 980.

As I intend to start using a larger softbox and (6 feet) umbrella some time in future (and still have a reasonably fast recycle time) I recently got a 1000Ws Bowens Esprit strobe.
At half power just as fast as the Gemini 500's at a 1.3 (out of 5.0) setting but only cost me Eur 150 2nd hand vs a single new Gemini 500R at Eur 499

Mar 29, 2017 at 04:33 PM

sidd
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

Paul_K wrote:
I'd ask for a significant discount anyway, it's a system that's already been around for a while and which has already been succeeded by e.g. the technically more 'advanced' Buff Digibees

I doubt Digibees are more 'advanced' than Einsteins.

Mar 29, 2017 at 05:23 PM

tdlavigne
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

Million dollar question is how would you know how many shots were fired on one. Do they have a counter built in? Friend had one but never really messed with it so I'm not sure.

Either way, I'd ask for as much of a discount as possible...since it is used tech and from what I hear Buff's cust svc has taken a hit since his passing. That being said, Buff stuff has always retained it's value fairly well, with most of the now outdated AB stuff still selling for close to 2/3 retail. I'd imagine Einsteins are the same if not worse in that regard (ie. almost full price) on the used market.

Mar 29, 2017 at 11:16 PM

Next39
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

tdlavigne wrote:
Million dollar question is how would you know how many shots were fired on one. Do they have a counter built in?

Yep, they have a counter, you can see the number by entering the menu.

And for the OP, this is what Buff said about the life expectancy of the Einstein flash tube:

The flash tubes hover in the 200K full power shot life expectancy (MTBF, meaning half fail be fore, half fail after, but it does not say how far either way, and does not mean average, and certainly not guaranteed). Reduced power will mean a longer life on the flash tubes, and replacements are $35.

Mar 30, 2017 at 06:20 AM

sidd
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

More than the number of shot, do check the mounting hooks - they tend to come lose.

Mar 30, 2017 at 06:40 PM

tdlavigne
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

That's actually pretty cool. Thanks for the heads up

Mar 30, 2017 at 10:37 PM

Peter Figen
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

I've had flash tubes last decades. I've replaced more from accidentally breaking them than from wearing out from too many flashes. New flash tubes are perfectly clear. The closer they get to being dead, the more cloudy the tube looks and the tube gets and the blacker they get toward the ends of the actual flash tube. Flash tubes for Einstein are so inexpensive it's no big deal to pick up at least a couple to have around as spares - modeling lamps too. Many other brands run into the many hundreds of dollars for replacement flash tubes. Flash tubes that are well worn also put out substantially less light than new ones at lower Kelvin than new ones as well.

I bought my first studio strobe pack in 1982 and it's still going strong today. In over thirty years of using them aside from a couple diodes succumbing to airline vibration, I've only had one capacitor go bad in any of my packs. Buying a slightly or even moderately used Einstein wouldn't bother me in the least.

Apr 01, 2017 at 04:20 PM

jzucker
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

Yeah, even godox wants $100 for their flashtubes. Einstein flash tube is $34.95

Apr 21, 2017 at 07:39 AM

Peter Figen
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

The Einstein tubes are one of the great bargains out there. Just looking at B&H there is a Broncolor 3200 w/s tube going for over $800 and Profoto tubes going for $150-500 depending. No matter what brand and model of flash you get you always need to have a couple of spare flashtubes and modeling lamps around, just in case.

Apr 23, 2017 at 05:53 PM

bgateb760
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · How many shot on an Einstein strobe is considered "high mileage"?

it's $35 for a tube, and if you break the entire thing, I've gotten my E640's replaced for $50, even as a result of them taking a spill and the housing cracking.

The number of shots doesn't matter all that much; ih ad about 80k on one of mine when it took a spill, 35k on a another, 70k on the other one...and then the newest one had about 13k.

the tubes are extremely cheap compared to the brands I work with now

the unit itself doesn't go bad, though I did have one start smoking on me; which was again, replaced for $50 because it was out of warranty.

I sold each of them last year for about $400-425 each, even being 5+ years old (got them when they first came out). so they really don't depreciate much, even in the face of the newer, more advanced Chinese alternatives.

Apr 24, 2017 at 12:21 PM


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