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Archive 2010 · Einstein 640 review, part 1

  
 
Deezie
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


bacilonur,

Are those the old AB 7" reflectors that you're using on the Einsteins lights?




Apr 15, 2010 at 08:56 AM
kenyee
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


...thanks for the dremel pics, bacilonur. I was expecting to see the snail flung off by the dremel after a few pictures because it seemed to be crawling towards the tip
And thanks for the Pelican vagabond test...glad to hear it's not affected by brownouts.



Apr 15, 2010 at 09:06 AM
MauriceBlair
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


Paul Buff wrote:
Don't let the color temperature changes in Action Mode scare you. The same happens with speedlights and $10,000 Euro packs with IGBTs. Remember, natural light varies from around 5000K to 10,000°K and there is no display of what it is. So when you need to really stop action, use Action Mode and either set your camera for the displayed color temp or shot RAW and adjust it.

Also, if you look at the color on the arms and water in baclionur's shots you can see the constant color and lack of shift between power levels.

Thanks for the tests baclionur. Rob
...Show more



The only "euro" pack I know in that price range is the Broncolor Scoro, but unlike what you mention, it does control the color temp and flash duration at once. And it does much more too (including delivering 3200ws - but there is a lower ws much cheaper too unless $2k is nothing to you).

They use what they call ECTC technology (Enhanced Colour Temperature Control).
"Flash duration and energy automatically regulated for optimum colour temperature" - from the manufacturer on the product's PDF available on their site.

You can also overwrite the color temp control manually and adjust for your old boxes that shifted or mix with other brands that are not color accurate, etc.

Under around 1200ws, the pack start letting you manually overwrite the flash duration. The lower you go, the more control and you don't have to go all the way down to lowest power to get full max flash duration under your fingers. On the Einstein, as you go down or up, the flash duration changes. You can't overwrite it and you can't control the color temp. Finally, the light can't attempt to do it for you automatically because it's not build that way. Color and flash duration are two different fonctions that share the same power suppy but work in parallel. Kind of like two lights in one instead of a one does it all.

Say you dump a bag of feeds in a bucket for motion stopping. All you do with the expensive equipment is push buttons to get the duration you want with the aperture you have decided on to get the effect you need. With the Einstein you need to move the lights to get the duration and stop you want and it's the light that controls the photo not the photographer 100%. Yet, for grains, gravel, etc., you may want to keep a little motion, but how much is what you control with the flash duration and more control at finger reach makes it even simpler. That much control and the fact that the higher price product would still deliver color accuracy and allow overwrite, makes them technically hard to compare no matter the price.

Since this is a forum, I would have liked more details on the brands and models you are referring to. "10K Euro" for such a statement is pretty vague and make it sound intentional, plus the statement is not accurate.

As for the price 10K is for a 3200ws, but a 1600ws can be purchased for $8k with a free high end head. Using logic, I would think between 3200ws and 1600w the last would be the closest you could compare a 600ws head to. I only mention this to correct yet an other inacurate statement. Again, you need to check things first or you make your statements sound intentionally off. If $10k is a lot to you I would imagine $2K is as well...

I bfigure if you came up with a comparable 1600ws mono that offers all the options build in the packs you are comparing to that would probably be a $2500 - $4500 Einstein mono head. Do it and we'll see for sure...



Apr 15, 2010 at 09:10 AM
Conner999
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


Nicely said Maurice


Apr 15, 2010 at 09:43 AM
Two23
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


Can you give me a link to how you made the "Pelican" power pack? I didn't realize they were so small. It's a battery plus pure sine wave inverter, right?


Kent in SD



Apr 15, 2010 at 10:07 AM
adamdewilde
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


I wouldn't be to worried about color shifts.. If it meant getting the shot.

Thanks for the going through all that trouble bacilonur...



Apr 15, 2010 at 10:50 AM
bacilonur
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


Deezie, yes, I used the old 7'' for the dremel test and the water balloon test (in the front, the back had the HOBD) until the power got too low, then I changed it to the new 11'' sports reflector. Switching to the 8.5''s will cost a fair bit once I factor in all the grids I'd need, which I wouldn't be able to share with other 7'' reflectors.

Maurice, do you have a Scoro? Then you know that you can turn that fancy ECTC to get faster flash durations at the lower range, and just like the Einstein, the temp goes blue. Sure, being able to adjust your temp and flash duration sounds nice on paper, but the large majority of photographers just want a light that matches daylight, has consistent output and color temp, and has a wicked fast flash duration. For the very small bracket of photographers who need exactly 1/3000 t.1 at any aperture and can't be bothered with a gel to match their old flashes, Bron is obviously the only choice. But I know Paul wasn't aiming at that clientele. If you want to buy a $10k (or $8k) pack and then tune it down so it performs like a slow, warm flash, that's your call. But as the saying goes, I have some property I can sell you to go with it :-)

That's all aside from the obvious fact that the Einstein is a mono. Bron's equivalent (Minicom 80) is huge, almost twice the size and weight, 4 times the price, and features glacial flash durations. And no, I didn't read that on The Interweb, I rented the Minicom 40 to try out.

If Top Gear did a review of the Scoro vs the E640, they'd likely rave about all the Scoro's features the entire show, but then conclude that you should buy the Einstein since it's lighter, more fun, easier to use, and is a whopping 1/18 of the price, practically making it a disposable unit. Good night everybody



Apr 15, 2010 at 10:53 AM
Greg Feldman
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


MauriceBlair wrote:
The only "euro" pack I know in that price range is the Broncolor Scoro, but unlike what you mention, it does control the color temp and flash duration at once ... "10K Euro" for such a statement is pretty vague and make it sound intentional, plus the statement is not accurate ... I only mention this to correct yet an other inacurate statement. Again, you need to check things first or you make your statements sound intentionally off.


Imagine that.



Apr 15, 2010 at 10:58 AM
bacilonur
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p.3 #9 · p.3 #9 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


And Kent, here's the Pelican thread: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/823184/0


Apr 15, 2010 at 11:22 AM
c2thew
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p.3 #10 · p.3 #10 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


"but the large majority of photographers just want a light that matches daylight, has consistent output and color temp, and has a wicked fast flash duration."

pretty much. Lights have been largely unavailable to photographers without forbearing the incredible price range of higher end strobes. I suppose people question the value of strobes in value in comparison to lenses which have higher perceived value due to the complexity of lens design, color, contrast etc. (this is coming from a consumer point of view) the fact that the einstein addresses this issue without breaking the bank shows that at least one manufacturer is trying to lower the barrier to entry for lights.

the only real threat I can see in the strobe market is the elinchrom quadra for it's extremely small size and portability which is very important as more and more photographers end up using the world for creative photography sessions.

but at $2k, the einstein absolutely blows it away in price to value.



Apr 15, 2010 at 11:26 AM
E-Vener
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p.3 #11 · p.3 #11 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


Just finished round 1&2 of preliminary testing. The Einstein is indeed delivering constant color in Color mode at all power levels.

Round 2 was how many frames could I get off in a single burst at lowest power. I set the the D3s to ISO 800 and DX crop, and Ch and shot 14-bit per channel lossless compressed NEFs. exposure was 1/125th second @ f/3.5; lens ( Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G II) set to manual focus. The answer was 56 at which point the camera buffer was full.



Apr 15, 2010 at 12:18 PM
E-Vener
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p.3 #12 · p.3 #12 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


brett maxwell wrote:
any thoughts (and/or pictures) on the CSXCV Transceiver?


It fits into one's palm. The wires are a little long but it works well , l but I haven't tried a distance test .


(fixed typo that had "Fires" instead of the word I wanted which is "wires".)

Edited on Apr 15, 2010 at 01:52 PM · View previous versions



Apr 15, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Paul Buff
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p.3 #13 · p.3 #13 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


c2thew wrote:
"but the large majority of photographers just want a light that matches daylight, has consistent output and color temp, and has a wicked fast flash duration."


What photographers want and reality are not compatible. "Matching daylight" is physically impossible because "daylight" con be anywhere between <5000°K and >10,000°K. The sky is blue and the sun is yellow (in relative terms). A standard voltage based studio flash, whether AB or Broncolor , Elinchrom or anything else varies color by a max of about 400°K. We make studio flash units, and here that 400° shift becomes much more important than when one is mixing daylight with flash. The point: No flash can actually "match daylight".



Apr 15, 2010 at 01:39 PM
Paul Buff
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p.3 #14 · p.3 #14 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


E-Vener wrote:
" Fires are a little long but it works well".


What does this mean? I assume you are referring to recycle time. My RX600 takes 2 seconds to 600WS, has 150W modeling lamp, cost $900 and can't do 9fps. Some packs can recycle faster, but you can only use one per household circuit.The vast majority of monolight users want to be able to setup three or four units, often on the same breaker, and take pictures. I could easily make it cycle in 1 second, but that would please 5% of my customers and be a pain for the other 95%.



Apr 15, 2010 at 01:48 PM
E-Vener
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p.3 #15 · p.3 #15 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


Paul Buff wrote:
What photographers want and reality are not compatible. ...The point: No flash can actually "match daylight".


Paul's right, it isn't just about color temperature but also green/magenta mix. And there will be a difference in "sunlight" depending on pollution levels, clouds, latitude, time of day, proximity to very large bodies of water, altitude, etc. Anything that has an effect on the atmosphere filters sunlight. You can set a standard you want if that is one you constantly shoot under of course. My personal preference is that I f I use a key or sometimes fill light for a subject and the daylight is the ambient lighting, I want the light I added to be slightly warmer than the ambient sun/sky light.



Apr 15, 2010 at 01:49 PM
bacilonur
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p.3 #16 · p.3 #16 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


I think he meant the wires, or rather, the little metal pins coming out of the CSXCV. About that, why couldn't it have been the way a CF card is, where the damageable part has the female connection and the protected part has the male pins?


Apr 15, 2010 at 01:50 PM
E-Vener
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p.3 #17 · p.3 #17 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


Paul Buff wrote:
What does this mean? I assume you are referring to recycle time. My RX600 takes 2 seconds to 600WS, has 150W modeling lamp, cost $900 and can't do 9fps. Some packs can recycle faster, but you can only use one per household circuit.The vast majority of monolight users want to be able to setup three or four units, often on the same breaker, and take pictures. I could easily make it cycle in 1 second, but that would please 5% of my customers and be a pain for the other 95%.


It was a typo. I'm going to go back and fix it after I post this. I meant the connecting wires (there are four stiff wires or fingers that actually make the connection ) are a little long for my preference.



Apr 15, 2010 at 01:51 PM
bacilonur
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p.3 #18 · p.3 #18 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


You mean the 8 pins?


Apr 15, 2010 at 01:54 PM
E-Vener
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p.3 #19 · p.3 #19 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


My RX600 takes 2 seconds to 600WS, has 150W modeling lamp, cost $900 and can't do 9fps. .
Crudely measured, the Einstein in color mode at full power is recycling in 2.0 seconds +/- 0.1 second.



Apr 15, 2010 at 01:58 PM
Paul Buff
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p.3 #20 · p.3 #20 · Einstein 640 review, part 1


MauriceBlair wrote:
The only "euro" pack I know in that price range is the Broncolor Scoro, but unlike what you mention, it does control the color temp and flash duration at once. And it does much more too (including delivering 3200ws - but there is a lower ws much cheaper too unless $2k is nothing to you).

They use what they call ECTC technology (Enhanced Colour Temperature Control).
"Flash duration and energy automatically regulated for optimum colour temperature" - from the manufacturer on the product's PDF available on their site.

You can also overwrite the color temp control manually and adjust for
...Show more

I believe the t.1 time for 3200WS Scoro at full power is 1/85 second and cannot be made faster without reducing power. (Can be made marginally faster using multiple heads). Hey, Zeus can do 1/300 from a single standard head at 2500WS

Yes, you can dial in a flash duration OR a WS value, but I guarantee you you can't dial in 3200WS AND 1/8000 t.1. If you dial in 1/8000 t.1 you are going to get a vastly reduced WS. Try dialing in 3200WS and 1/8,000 t.1 and you'll be in for a big surprise - it's physically impossible.

"ETC" is just a name for essentially the same thing Einstein does. There is no free lunch and one is free to interpret marketing info anyway they want, but I think you are interpreting it incorrectly . . . IE Voodoo magic.

See Scoro specs here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/599750-REG/Broncolor_10_2995_Scoro_A4S_3200_W_S.html#specifications ($11,000+) ($8000 - $10,000 . . . whats the difference?)

"ECTC technology (Enhanced Colour Temperature Control), aimed at preventing color shift over the entire output range" . . . . essential the same thing as Einstein Constant Color Mode . . . same XXXX, different name.



Apr 15, 2010 at 02:10 PM
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