Answers and info from Buff and others

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Archive 2009 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Sean Baker
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p.6 #1 · Answers and info from Buff and others

FWIW Paul, the 7mm switch for the PLMs will have you selling a few more of those when the new ones begin to ship. I look forward to being one of the first.

Oct 26, 2009 at 08:46 PM

Kanobi44
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p.6 #2 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Josh Evilsizor wrote:
paul isn't the only vendor who has members on this board. I think there's a guy from B&H on here too, and I know I've seen a couple of others.

I for one do not own any PBC equipment, but I do enjoy(sometimes) the info paul gives on his products. It's more in depth info that you will find on his site and generally can be just good technical info as a whole.

I don't see any problem unless he starts making threads announcing sales, or launches of new products.

+1

Paul has developed great products that are affordable to everyone. His customer service is the best I've experienced and he generally seems like he cares about what we as consumers/photographers want. His products are great and imho he is a valuable poster here. Its obvious Paul cares about what this community thinks and is not here for sleazy self promotion.

Besides, I feed my family with Paul's stuff and plan on buying a lot more of it as soon as possible. The Beauty Dish is calling my name for Christmas!

Shaun

Oct 27, 2009 at 08:18 AM

CreV
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p.6 #3 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Now when Einstein uses IGBT unit, will it be possible to get quick 2 flashes out of 1/2 power in action mode?
4 flashes with 1/4 power etc..

Oct 28, 2009 at 09:01 PM

Two23
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p.6 #4 · Answers and info from Buff and others

I think the ability to ask Paul Buff technical and other questions directly is a tremendous plus. I also wish he'd restart his own forum too. Maybe he'll have the time after Einstein's ship.

Kent in SD

Oct 29, 2009 at 01:46 AM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #5 · Answers and info from Buff and others

CreV wrote:
Now when Einstein uses IGBT unit, will it be possible to get quick 2 flashes out of 1/2 power in action mode?
4 flashes with 1/4 power etc..

2 very rapid flashes at 1/2 power can be done, but the second flash will have considerable exposure/color error because the capacitors won't have time to replenish. Now say eight real fast pops at say 50WS should work well - but still with some progressive deterioration depending on the frequency of pops. The same would apply to a Grafit or speed light or any other IGBT flash.

Oct 29, 2009 at 04:18 AM

Beni
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p.6 #6 · Answers and info from Buff and others

After some thought I have to say that I agree with the new rule not selling AB's abroad.

I bought 4 AB800's over the past few years. Shipped them to the UK, paid all the import, VAT, etc.

There is a problem that the optical slave cuttoff switch when you plug a cable in dies after a year or so. I have 3 lights with this problem. Had to open them and cover over the optical cell with electrical tape. One of the buttons just fell out of one of my units. My latest AB800 shipped with a non functioning modelling light socket (bit annoyed about that actually). I have a AB800 with a cracked casing and a broken power slider (that one was due to a 8ft fall). If I was in the US I could take advantage of the apparently incredible customer service and have all my units fully repaired and up to spec. As I live in the UK the cost of shipping, repair and return shipping is a few dollars less than a brand new unit. I asked for parts to do the repair myself (new casing, new button assembly, new power slider) but they don't sell the parts.

Buying AB's out of the states was not an intelligent decision in retrospect. Now if my units weren't all in bad condition I could sell them and invest in the Bowens 400 units I have my eye on. No one however is going to buy my units with non functioning features, be they a modelling light or optical slave. I can't fix them myself without the parts. Just going to have to live with my bad decision. Pro's should not invest in anything where there is not considerable and accessible local support. However cheap.

Oct 29, 2009 at 11:09 AM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #7 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Our company was built around the concept of direct sales to the USA. The elimination of middlemen has kept our prices down and our customer support up. Had we designed our marketing plan to include middlemen the price would be 30 to 40% higher for all. We have never solicited international sales . . . the international sales we have made have come from international customers saying "Please sell to me". So we have complied with these requests with the best methods available to us. The world is pushing at us to become a global giant, but our US customers would suffer if we succumbed to this, as would our company. As they say "There ain't no free lunch".

Most of our US competitors have suffered from this situation and ended up with their sales all being made through the NYC super stores. Local camera stores have simply dried up to a large extent, so customers end up buying online from giant retailers and the manufacturers can't afford to provide great service because a large portion of their profits are going to middlemen. They try to keep their prices as low as possible to compete and the customer ends up with higher costs and less service and the manufacturers, like the camera stores, are drying up and failing. Meanwhile our company continues to grow and innovate. So don't expect Paul C. Buff to become another global giant with the same problems that most global giants are now facing.

Oct 29, 2009 at 06:36 PM

Beni
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p.6 #8 · Answers and info from Buff and others

But will you sell me a new yellow casing for my AB800 please pretty please?

Oct 29, 2009 at 07:45 PM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #9 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Beni wrote:
But will you sell me a new yellow casing for my AB800 please pretty please?

Probably- because you are an existing customer. We don't usually sell just cases because changing cases can require some wire disconnection, etc. Take it up with Lori at customer service. Maybe she'll have mercy on you.

Oct 29, 2009 at 08:06 PM

Beni
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p.6 #10 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Question while I'm here, the new einsteins, as they will work multi voltage, and the charger for the vagabond is multi voltage, does that mean that I can buy an einstein, bring it over to the UK and finally be able to use the vagabonds (been green with jelousy) with the einstein? Until now as I've had my lights converted to 220V the vagabonds have been out.

Oct 29, 2009 at 08:36 PM

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p.6 #11 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Beni wrote:
Question while I'm here, the new einsteins, as they will work multi voltage, and the charger for the vagabond is multi voltage, does that mean that I can buy an einstein, bring it over to the UK and finally be able to use the vagabonds (been green with jelousy) with the einstein? Until now as I've had my lights converted to 220V the vagabonds have been out.
Short answer: Yes. You can run Einsteins from your 240V mains or from the 110V Vagabond. Hopefully by the time Einsteins are available we will have a German service center and representative set up.

AU partner will be announced tomorrow and is all set up.

Oct 29, 2009 at 08:57 PM

Two23
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p.6 #12 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Paul--

I am one of those people who research products for many months before I make a purchase. I'm definitely not an impulse buyer, and a few glowing posts on an internet forum don't sway me. I'm a careful buyer. That said, I've been very pleased with the performace of the seven Buff monolights I now own, along with the five Vagabond batteries and nine or ten (not sure how many,

!) CyberSync triggers I now have. I haven't needed your customer service often, but when I did it was excellent. I am a customer who's not looking for the cheapest thing, but the best value. You deliver. Whatever it is you are doing, keep doing it!

Kent in SD

Oct 29, 2009 at 11:23 PM

StinkyDaddy
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p.6 #13 · Answers and info from Buff and others

I'm a long time White Lightning user. I bought my WL 10K back in the early 90's. I carry it to every location shoot, in a soft duffle bag, wrapped in a towel. I just toss it back in the duffle bag when I'm done. It's not high powered, it only has 3 power settings but it works every time. It's with me at almost every wedding I shoot and tomorrow I'll have it with me when I shoot a newborn portrait.

I also have CyberSync remotes, which work very well.

As for Paul's customer service, I've never had to use it.

I appreciate his posts on FM and hope that he continues.

Have Fun,
Wm.

Oct 30, 2009 at 02:22 AM

hoangcong
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p.6 #14 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Paul, do you know how long the testing of new products will undergo in USA before we can get them in Australia?
I am interested in the cyber commander and the upcoming einstein light and I was wondering how long does it usually take before you allow it to reach our shores? Or maybe now that you have representatives you won't need to hold back anymore?

Cheers
Tony

Oct 30, 2009 at 11:02 PM

CreV
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p.6 #15 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Can you show me the difference in light coverage between 8.5" Reflector and the existing 11R (45º). Maybe the 28º too?

Nov 01, 2009 at 06:14 PM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #16 · Answers and info from Buff and others

hoangcong wrote:
Paul, do you know how long the testing of new products will undergo in USA before we can get them in Australia?
I am interested in the cyber commander and the upcoming einstein light and I was wondering how long does it usually take before you allow it to reach our shores? Or maybe now that you have representatives you won't need to hold back anymore?

Cheers
Tony

Remember, 1st line is more of a business partner than simple dealer. As such, we are investing in him and he is investing in us (I don't mean monetary investment - his company is his and ours is ours). We are both more concerned more with long term success than short term profits.

Regarding Cyber Commander, we will be shipping him some of these within the next couple of weeks as we get feedback from early adopters here. Same with Einstein . . . they will become available through 1st line very shortly after they are released here. We are still shooting for a December release of Einstein, though no absolute date can yet be guaranteed, It's well in progress.

Both products are firmware-updatable via Micro SD Card and download.

Until 1st line is able to develop a lot of stock they will gather orders and we will ship to them by air freight, so the typical lead time from them will be on the order of two weeks.

Edited on Nov 01, 2009 at 07:33 PM · View previous versions

Nov 01, 2009 at 07:21 PM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #17 · Answers and info from Buff and others

CreV wrote:
Can you show me the difference in light coverage between 8.5" Reflector and the existing 11R (45º). Maybe the 28º too?

I have pattern-shots of all of these and will try to assemble them and get them posted ASAP. In general terms, the 8 1/2" reflector, being physically smaller and shorter, has more feathering and broad pattern outside the primary pattern and is more of a general purpose reflector.

The 11" Long through has a tight and bright narrow beam with less out-of-pattern spill than either the 8 1/2 or 11R. The reflector that has the highest efficiency and near-zero out-of-pattern spill remains the silver PLM.

Nov 01, 2009 at 07:28 PM

jas262
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p.6 #18 · Answers and info from Buff and others

I picked up an 86" silver plm and the diffusion fabric ... really like the light coming out of the plm but what I found extremely difficult is putting on the fabric. From the instructions, you are suppose to attach the grommets while the umbrella is not extended. I would work my way around or in somewhat of a star pattern, and the grommets kept coming loose from the umbrella pegs. With some friends help, I was able to get all of them on but it was extremely difficult. Maybe I am going about this the wrong way ...

Nov 01, 2009 at 07:35 PM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #19 · Answers and info from Buff and others

We are working on big improvements with another vendor ASAP.

As for attaching the diffuser fabric - perhaps the instructions got mis-translated. Heres the best way I know:

Open the PLM fully latched. Then place it on the light unit with the shaft through the diffuser hole. Then go around the perimeter, starting at the top, and place the grommets on the pegs, twisting each grommet 180° if necessary for a tighter fit.

Finally, rotate the whole PLM with diffuser attached to place the light unit in the center of the diffuser hole.

Hope this helps - Help is on the way.

Nov 01, 2009 at 08:29 PM

karlpetersson
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p.6 #20 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Sorry for being stupid and probably this has been posted and stated before but I was wondering about the cyber commander and the wireless triggers.
Are they possible to use outside of US or are the frequencies used in US a no go in Europe like the radiopoppers or pocket wizards.
I remember reading somewhere that the radio poppers in US are the same (similar) frequency as the mobile phone network and there fore suffers from interference issues in europe.
This was the case with some (not radiopoppers) I tried out a long time ago that was constantly triggering the strobes whenever anyone was talking on the phone around them.
Sheer hell in corporate portraits I can tell you.
Karl

Nov 03, 2009 at 12:27 PM

HappyCamp
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p.6 #21 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Nov 03, 2009 at 01:50 PM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #22 · Answers and info from Buff and others

2.4 GHz is universal in all counties we are aware of. We have no reports of interference from WI FI. Ironically, my Airport connection suffers badly in the presence of 2.4GHz phones but they don't seem to affect Cyber Sync.

Nov 03, 2009 at 11:18 PM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #23 · Answers and info from Buff and others

karlpetersson wrote:
Sorry for being stupid and probably this has been posted and stated before but I was wondering about the cyber commander and the wireless triggers.
Are they possible to use outside of US or are the frequencies used in US a no go in Europe like the radiopoppers or pocket wizards.
I remember reading somewhere that the radio poppers in US are the same (similar) frequency as the mobile phone network and there fore suffers from interference issues in europe.
This was the case with some (not radiopoppers) I tried out a long time ago that was constantly triggering the strobes whenever anyone was talking on the phone around them.
Sheer hell in corporate portraits I can tell you.
Karl
The problem is that the US PW frequency is not legal in EU and the EU PW frequency is not legal in the US. 2.4GHz is legal everywhere.

Nov 03, 2009 at 11:20 PM

Ryan Pream
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p.6 #24 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Paul,

I live in the Cayman Islands, and I'd like to buy quite a few of your products. It's disappointing that you are no longer doing international sales... I'm sure we are not large enough to ever get a distributor as well...

Photography related equipment is actually the easiest item to import here as it is all duty free! Any issues with me having you ship to Cayman Islands Air Cargo in Miami and letting me do the importing? Any other options you have in the works?

Ryan

Nov 04, 2009 at 01:06 AM

kenyee
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p.6 #25 · Answers and info from Buff and others

Get me a plane ticket and a place to stay and I'll haul over Paul's stuff for you Ryan...I'll even assist in any bikini shoots you do

Nov 04, 2009 at 02:26 AM


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