Einstein questions answered

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Archive 2010 · Einstein questions answered

bacilonur
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p.6 #1 · Einstein questions answered

Adam, I've color coded my WLs with Rosco colored gaffer tape since buying the CC system. Each light has its own color with corresponding CSRB+ and velcro on the top for easy attaching. That way all your CC names and channels stay in the same place. Everyone is used to seeing tape or spray paint on gear to mark ownership, but random colors can be rather unprofessional in many markets. YMMV

Apr 03, 2010 at 06:42 AM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #2 · Einstein questions answered

For clarification: Einstein is not a version of AlienBees or of WL - it's an entirely new product line. Our company is often called AlienBees, but this is not correct. The company is Paul C. Buff, Inc. and it functions as one company. AlienBees was originally a separate company when introduced in 2001, and operated in a separate section of the building. Around 2002, AlienBees was merged into Paul C. Buff, Inc. Today, the company produces these separate product lines: AlienBees, White Lightning, Zeus and Einstein lights. Accessories are Paul C. Buff products, IE Paul C. Buff CyberSync, Paul C. Buff PLM, Stands, Vagabond and other accessory products

Part of the decision to make Einstein black was to disassociate it from AlienBees as it is a higher priced and highly professional product in every regard. We expect Einstein to cause a marked decline in WL sales for obvious reasons. But, as has been said, the cost of producing Einstein has exceeded our original expectations, so we are projecting a a price increase to $499.95 in the fairly near future.

But we will not spring a price increase on our customers without a 30 day advance notice and, of course, will not impose a price increase on any Einstein orders in effect at the time of the price increase. Because we have so many pre/back orders for Einstein, we don't want to announce a price increase now, as this would add to our already huge number of orders. So we will wait until all backorders are shipped before we announce a pending price increase.

Concurrent with, or before, an Einstein price increase we intend to reduce the WL price so that present WL users are able to add to their collection at a lower price.

Apr 03, 2010 at 07:37 AM

robert61
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p.6 #3 · Einstein questions answered

Yeah, just tell them what Ford told em. You can have it in any color you want, as long as its black.

Apr 03, 2010 at 01:30 PM

adamdewilde
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p.6 #4 · Einstein questions answered

Eric Schwab wrote:
I've used alien bees, elinchrom and profoto. I really disliked the alien bees mount, I could never get all four tabs easily engaged. Profoto is great but I've never had a problem with my elinchroms. I also never rotate my softboxes, but that might be because I don't have a strip light and there's no reason to rotate a square or octa. I wish every manufacture would get rid of stupid push buttons. I hate them. Give me a turn knob to adjust things any day. Hate pushing buttons behind a membrane that have no "feel" and need to be pushed 30 times to adjust the output.

Honestly Eric, the AB mount isn't perfect, but it's far easier to develop a way of mounting that works for me, then it is with Elinchrom. I know I've had them all... I've used them all for a number of years. (all being profoto, elinchrom, AB, the lights I was talking about in past posts).

Profoto is by far my favorite mount, but I've had so many problems in the past two years with profoto, that it's left a bad taste in my mouth.. You can chalk it up to bad dealers, or poor assistance to local dealers here, I don't know what it is.. But I don't want to be a part of it.
Also agreed about the knob, it's fast and simple!

Apr 03, 2010 at 02:29 PM

adamdewilde
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p.6 #5 · Einstein questions answered

Gregg Heckler wrote:
Thanks Adam. I can understand your frustration but like anything else, everything has it's issues. I don't run into some of the issues you have as I use mostly Octa's so I rarely unlock the ring and have enough strobes so I don't change boxes that often. The quality of the light and Elinchrom's color and exposure control far outweigh the mount for me. I like Profoto but I would really miss the Skyport and their monoblocs are way overpriced.

Octas aren't as bad, as it's true what you mentioned... I had the Deep Throat, and I just kept the speedring locked the whole time, as it's fixed onto the octa, so there really isn't a reason for it spinning. I like Elinchroms lights when they're modified with something like a octa or softbox, but I really dislike the bare bulb light, I MUCH prefer Profoto in that respect. In fact I've not tried a better bare bulb solution then Profoto. Mind you I do know that Elinchrom makes domes for there lights, I've just never purchased one.

I'm hopeful for Einstein lights, as they'll have the frosted dome, I'm thinking that's what gives profoto that bare bulb beautiful light.

Yes, and Profoto is really very expensive, especially where I am with one dealer country wide.

Apr 03, 2010 at 02:32 PM

adamdewilde
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p.6 #6 · Einstein questions answered

Carmen Miranda wrote:
adamdewilde wrote:

I know what your thinking, why would you not have your speedring locked in the first place.. Well nobody locks them, if a mount is good, you can keep your speedring unlocked and can rotate the modifier freely, Elinchrom doesn't allow this. It's also a highrisk bulb breaker, as the mount pops off like it's spring loaded when you're trying to unhook it. Now I've only broken one bulb, while I've unmounted and mounted hundreds of times, but still it happened.

Adam,

What makes you think the Balcar mount (Einstein/AB) is going to be any different or less "hopeless" than Elinchrom, Bowens, Speedo, DynaLite, Comet, Norman or others in this respect? Don't they all have independent locking and rotation mounts?

BTW, Profoto mount, as superior as it is in many ways, is not immune from broken bulbs either. Although domes do help, they are also a lot more expensive when they break too.

In studio lighting it's not a matter of if something's going to break, but rather when. Although we all have our preferences, I'm really more concerned about reliability and support behind the products. With Profoto, Elinchrom or Paul Buff, I think you're covered either way.

IMO, "one broken bulb" does not a "hopeless mount" make. And neither should the mount be the sole, even primary, reason for buying into a lighting system.
Personally, I have not found a perfect system yet and I don't expect I ever will. Without a doubt however, lighting equipment has come a long way baby. We have much to thank Paul and other lighting innovators.

Congrats and good luck with the Einstein launch, Paul.

Yes, they all do, but Elinchrom needs to be twisted to mount, Einstein lights don't, either do Profoto. So if you think about it, Elinchrom really can be a pain in the ass mounting system.

Yes, profoto bulbs are expensive, but you'd have to be REALLY careless to break a profoto bulb while mounting a light modifier.. Where as, with Elinchrom it happens no matter how careful you are. Though I like the prices AB has for there bulbs. So reasonable it makes you wanna stock pile extras incase of zombie attack

I think you're right, all 3 brands boast good customer support, though I've had the worst time with the Profoto bunch.. They're all really hopeless and I would never recommend there customer service.. Where as with Elinchrom I've been taken care of decently, and with Paul's crew it's like they toss out the red carpet for me.. Honestly I feel like I'm special when dealing with them, not in the short bus way, but in the royalty sense of the meaning.

Honestly though, with all things being "somewhat" equal, on a shoot if Elinchroms such a hassle and makes me feel like an idiot in front of my clients, it's a good reason to look at other brands, Paul's offerings are similar in pricing, and easier to manage. Profoto though a dream mount, great color reliability and amazing bare bulbed, are expensive and my experience has been bad with them as far as support goes. So really you take it all into consideration, and I agree with you no brand is perfect in all areas.

Anyway, yes I am looking forward to hearing the reviews from the first 100 lucky customers... Then I suppose I'm somewhere down the list probably at the 500th mark or less

Apr 03, 2010 at 02:47 PM

adamdewilde
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p.6 #7 · Einstein questions answered

bacilonur wrote:
Adam, I've color coded my WLs with Rosco colored gaffer tape since buying the CC system. Each light has its own color with corresponding CSRB+ and velcro on the top for easy attaching. That way all your CC names and channels stay in the same place. Everyone is used to seeing tape or spray paint on gear to mark ownership, but random colors can be rather unprofessional in many markets. YMMV

Yes, I think you mentioned this... I thought it was a good idea, and will be doing that when my Einstein lights get here. Actually think I may remove the sticker and replace it with colored ones. It'll give it a good visual appeal.

Honestly, I don't really think the client would feel colored lights were unprofessional. You could just tell them some BS about how they're different colors so your nifty little CC can tell them apart

They'll probably be impressed after that.

Apr 03, 2010 at 06:26 PM

Neuffy
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p.6 #8 · Einstein questions answered

I'm going to remove the sticker and print some of my own logos on adhesive vinyl. Seems to be the best option.

Apr 04, 2010 at 12:59 AM

Alphabug
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p.6 #9 · Einstein questions answered

Neuffy wrote:
I'm going to remove the sticker and print some of my own logos on adhesive vinyl. Seems to be the best option.
You print vinyl labels ?

I can see a nifty sideline about to appear for you here

!!

AB.

Apr 11, 2010 at 05:26 AM

c.d.embrey
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p.6 #10 · Einstein questions answered

Neuffy wrote:
I'm going to remove the sticker and print some of my own logos on adhesive vinyl. Seems to be the best option.

So what will the stickers say, (Edward) Teller, (Robert) Oppenheimer, (John) von Neumann or maybe (Alfred E.) Neuman.

Apr 11, 2010 at 05:53 AM

Neuffy
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p.6 #11 · Einstein questions answered

AB: I mainly print canvas, actually. I run a large-format print service predominantly dealing with photographers, and so there is a remarkable variety of media that I can (and, by and large, do) print on. I've got a 40x80" canvas that I'm hoping to stretch tomorrow, and if I have time I'll be seeing about doing some silk this summer.

Random side note: Canon sells many different media substrates. In America, Canon sells removable and non-removable vinyl. In Canada, Canon does not sell removable vinyl - only non-removable. Canon therefore believes that Canada is more prone to permanence than America

I am not, unfortunately, set up with a printer that can do contoured cuts. I'll have to cut them out by hand, making it commercially non-feasible. If I was running a printer that could do the cuts itself, it'd be much more viable for larger volumes though. If I were to do the prints for somebody, I'd have to send them uncut (as in, no curved cuts, simply trimmed to size) and let them cut it. Pricing would probably work out to something like $8/ft^2 for larger areas, $20-30/ft^2 for tiny quantities, so that's pretty nice for rebranding my lights - if I couldn't print it myself, I'd just have it done. Works out to, what, $10-15 to rebrand an Einstein? If you're interested, you can probably find a local printer to do it for you.

c.d.embrey: Neufeldt, actually. Gesh, but that's a lot of German. In any case, I'll be branding them with Maxwell Neufeldt as it will make keeping track of them a lot easier and it appeals to my vanity/desire to broadcast. It is eminently likely that other photographers in town will end up using these lights, and I like to take any chance I get to quietly and politely remind potential customers that I exist.

Apr 11, 2010 at 09:00 AM

adamdewilde
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p.6 #12 · Einstein questions answered

It's not about rebranding, it's about color coding your lights in a spot thats visually pleasing, it just so happens the sides of the units where the Einstein sticker is, would be a good place to color code with a colored sticker.

Apr 11, 2010 at 02:11 PM

c.d.embrey
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p.6 #13 · Einstein questions answered

Custom Vinyl Decals are easy to get made in the US. Many large malls have businesses like this http://www.carstickers.com/Create_A_Custom_Decal.php That's where people get those ubiquitous "family" stickers with Mother, Father, Kids and Dog" made.

More complex Custom Vinyl Decals can be made by the companies who do them for Auto Racing Teams. Someone like this http://www.edecals.com/misc/custom_print_inquiry.html?source=home

Have fun

Maybe I'll do something really classy like "This Einstein® stolen from Surf City Lighting & Grip®"

Apr 11, 2010 at 03:14 PM

E-Vener
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p.6 #14 · Einstein questions answered

c.d.embrey wrote:
Neuffy wrote:
I'm going to remove the sticker and print some of my own logos on adhesive vinyl. Seems to be the best option.

So what will the stickers say, (Edward) Teller, (Robert) Oppenheimer, (John) von Neumann or maybe (Alfred E.) Neuman.

I vote that If there is a successor to the Eistein than it be called the Feynmann and a light modifier be named the Bongo. :-)

Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feymann was born in the USA worked on the Manhatten Project, was assigned by Niels Bohr to try and explain (one last time)Quantum Theory to Albert Einstein, likely prevented an uncontrolled and unanticipated chain reaction in some of Oak Ridge, TN manhatten project facilities, hated political (of all stripes) & bureaucratic correctness along with superstitious anti-science people, loved to play the bongos, had awicked sense of humor,
and as his last public act defied all of the get along/ go along political appointees on the commision investigating the Challenger explosion and proved how and why it happened. He's a true American Hero.

Apr 11, 2010 at 05:11 PM

Daniel Heineck
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p.6 #15 · Einstein questions answered

E-Vener wrote:
I vote that If there is a successor to the Eistein than it be called the Feynmann and a light modifier be named the Bongo. :-)

Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feymann was born in the USA worked on the Manhatten Project, was assigned by Niels Bohr to try and explain (one last time)Quantum Theory to Albert Einstein, likely prevented an uncontrolled and unanticipated chain reaction in some of Oak Ridge, TN manhatten project facilities, hated political (of all stripes) & bureaucratic correctness along with superstitious anti-science people, loved to play the bongos, had awicked sense of humor,
and as his last public act defied all of the get along/ go along political appointees on the commision investigating the Challenger explosion and proved how and why it happened. He's a true American Hero.

...and has an immensely celebrated set of lectures on physics when he was a professor at Caltech.

Yeah... he's one I would have like to have met.

D

Apr 11, 2010 at 07:31 PM

Paul Buff
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p.6 #16 · Einstein questions answered

Can't win this one - can't please everyone. Colored ABs are called tacky and "pro lights are black" - except for transparent purple plastic RX600s, but now you want colored Einsteins? Am I to assume yawl paint your Profotos and Brons pink and green and cover up the logos? Nice thing about CC . . . it tells you which light is which right on the screen . . . "Main left", "Right Hairlight", etc.

Hey, when you buy Einstein, do whatever you want . . . it's yours.

Oh, Ellis, Feynmann is a great name . . . everyone will associate that one

Apr 11, 2010 at 07:58 PM

c.d.embrey
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p.6 #17 · Einstein questions answered

Paul Buff wrote:
Can't win this one - can't please everyone. Colored ABs are called tacky and "pro lights are black" - except for transparent purple plastic RX600s,

Yeah, a picture of RX600 is shown with the definition of tacky in my dictionary.

What were they thinking

Just doesn't seem to fit with a conservative Swiss company.

Apr 11, 2010 at 08:24 PM

amplexis
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p.6 #18 · Einstein questions answered

Bill Gates bought the rights to the Feynman lecture series and made them publicly available to everyone. http://research.microsoft.com/apps/tools/tuva/index.html
I would greatly enjoy PCB creating a series on lighting with Paul being the colorful character that makes the series a classic. It's a great way to ensure that you are still enjoyed 50 years from now, Paul.

Apr 11, 2010 at 09:06 PM

E-Vener
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p.6 #19 · Einstein questions answered

Paul Buff wrote:

Oh, Ellis, Feynmann is a great name . . . everyone will associate that one

Well you could always include a little blurb about why the progression in names from Einstein to Feynmann!

Edited on Apr 12, 2010 at 05:40 AM · View previous versions

Apr 12, 2010 at 01:25 AM

rscheffler
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p.6 #20 · Einstein questions answered

c.d.embrey wrote:
Paul Buff wrote:
Can't win this one - can't please everyone. Colored ABs are called tacky and "pro lights are black" - except for transparent purple plastic RX600s,

Yeah, a picture of RX600 is shown with the definition of tacky in my dictionary.

What were they thinking

Just doesn't seem to fit with a conservative Swiss company.

Blame it on Swiss/German fashion senses. Not sure if you've ever spent some time in smaller German cities, but some of the fashion choices would easily explain the RX600 design aesthetics (assuming the German part of Switzerland is similar, which I suspect it is). Maybe it was a previously discarded 80s design?

Apr 12, 2010 at 03:26 AM

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