Spend my money elinchrom or lenscarta

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Iceax

Iceax

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Andy
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Evening all,

So I'm buying a light set up to take pics of our kids and friends kids etc.

I had all but made my kind up on the elinchrom with 2 soft boxes. I've done a bit of research today and am now then between the original choice and now the lencarta with one box and a Brolly.

Would someone please make the decision for me as to who gets my hard earned.

Thanks

A
 
Haha thanks good call Doh £450 was the top end tbh.
 
Elinchrom came in at 425 and the lencarta 319 (which I preferred lol)
 
i have ad lencarta gear , loved the stuff nice and well built and easy to use

elinchroom i can't tell you anything about them sorry but I'm sure they are good too

if you have any questions why not drop @Gary at lencarta a call and I'm sure he could answer your questions

not sure if he does still but he use to run courses on lighting
 
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Can't go wrong at that price. It's be worth upgrading to the fold down softbox but to be honest they're easy enough to put down.
 
Thanks think they will be staying up all the time anyways :)
 
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Graham W said:
I don't use either system, but having seen Garry's honest, balanced and knowledgeable replies to requests for help, I'd feel very safe spending with Lencarta.
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This is what swayed me initially. And it's very affordable (I won't use the word cheap as that has implications about quality - quality is very good!).
 
Just get the Lencarta kit, unless you've got a burning need for storage options I'm not seeing any downsides to going with the Lencarta kit and you're more likely to get the right softboxes with Lencarta whereas the Elinchrom Portalites will need replacing eventually as they're too basic (although they are very portable).

You'd also be stuck with a 100w head with the Elinchrom kit, not the end of the world but I could see times when you'd need a bit more power which the Lencarta provides within your budget.
 
Again I have no experience with the Elinchrom but I do have Lencarta heads and modifiers and have found them to be excellent. I'm also fortunate enough to have been on one of Garry's course and learned a lot. Just do it, you won't regret it!
 
Fatheadedlizard said:
Thanks all, I've ordered the above with a 85cm Octo box, and a flash meter from E b ay.
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Ah - if I'd read that I wouldn't have bothered posting :D

Enjoy

EDIT - and now I notice you're not the OP - so my comment may still be useful !!! I'd best go for a nap now to see if I can wake up properly later

Dave
 
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DG Phototraining said:
I had an Elinchrom D-Lite 2 kits for years (well 2 of them actually) worked fine - modifiers cost a fortune though

If I was buying again - Lencarta - and yes as Phil says, ask for a swap to the more appropriate gear :)

I wouldn't ask that Garry Edwards chap anything though, he's biased lol

Dave
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That's a bit like saying that you can't trust atoms because they make everything up:)
 
Think there will be another order going in very soon for my kit :)
 
I am using Elinchroms which I bought from The Flash Centre in Birmingham. The range of modifiers available for Bowens S-Mount and Elinchrom fittings is about the same. For both systems very affordable modifiers can be found - I bought my last softbox for £30.

One notable feature of the d-Lites is that they have a central hole in the light for an umbrella or, perhaps even more importantly a deflector. The deflector can be added to any softbox setup to given an extremely even spread of light, so reducing the chances of hot spots and giving a generally better diffused light. Also, use the deflector with an umbrella softbox, remove the baffles and you have a beauty dish. That means you can have an easily transportable setup using a softbox or beauty dish without having to mess about with rod assemblies, etc. So definitely check out the use of the Elinchrom Deflector.

The other reason I went for Elinchrom is support and after sales service. The Flash Centre have been excellent in this regard and I need to feel confident that I have professional support when I need it. The Flash Centre has several branches across the UK and Elinchrom is sold by more than one vendor. Wex, for example, also sell Elinchrom, and I've found them pretty good for pre/post sales support, too. So I am not tied to one retailer.

Elinchrom d-Lites have inbuilt triggers and the strobes can be controlled from the Skyport transmitter which attaches to your camera's hotshoe. No need to mess around with sync cables or additional triggers.

Lastly, I see Elinchrom as just a generally more professional choice and is certainly the choice I see made by most professionals.

Very lastly. I'm not on commission or relying on selling Elinchrom product for my business / income, so my views are completely unbiased.

Oh, and look at Bowens, too. They are also great lights. Built to withstand a nuclear blast, they will certainly last a long time!

Best of luck with whichever system you use! (As long as you aren't setting up near me!)
 
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wegotitugetit said:
i have ad lencarta gear , loved the stuff nice and well built and easy to use

elinchroom i can't tell you anything about them sorry but I'm sure they are good too

if you have any questions why not drop @Gary at lencarta a call and I'm sure he could answer your questions

not sure if he does still but he use to run courses on lighting
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minnnt said:
Oh, and what kind of lighting?

Lencarta Smartflash 2's are available in a twin pack with stands, softboxes and a set of triggers for £400.
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I'm not really doing the lighting courses any more, I used to run monthly courses on artistic nude photography at my own studio, but that stopped when Lencarta opened their own warehouse, and I can't really do them here because the studio is part of the warehouse, no heating and skinny models without clothes complain about the cold :)
What we are doing though, on an occasional basis, is free lighting workshops, and when that happens I announce them on this forum. The last one was a couple of months ago. There are also occasional outdoor location shoots, but these are usually only in the summer, partly because of weather and partly because not everyone has a capable off-roader to get to them in the winter.
 
Thanks for taking the time for the replies, Jenny, love the details thanks, I'm edging towards the lencarta although you do make some interesting points on the advantages of the alternative.
 
Iceax said:
Thanks for taking the time for the replies, Jenny, love the details thanks, I'm edging towards the lencarta although you do make some interesting points on the advantages of the alternative.
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One other thing. You only want to be using umbrellas with strobes when you HAVE to. Softboxes, in my opinion, give a much better (softer) light.
 
Again thanks jenny I understand that Softboxes give more consistent and softer results, but for me personally I like the results form umbrellas, i understand that potential clients won't though.
 
Softboxes don't give a softer light, the softness or otherwise of a light is about it's relative size to the subject.
If softer = better (which is entirely subjective) then it's true to say that a softbox of a given size is capable of producing a 'better' light than a reflective umbrella of the same size, but only because the reflective umbrella isn't capable of being physically placed as close as the softbox.

But shoot through umbrellas can be placed just as close as a softbox.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Softboxes don't give a softer light, the softness or otherwise of a light is about it's relative size to the subject.
If softer = better (which is entirely subjective) then it's true to say that a softbox of a given size is capable of producing a 'better' light than a reflective umbrella of the same size, but only because the reflective umbrella isn't capable of being physically placed as close as the softbox.

But shoot through umbrellas can be placed just as close as a softbox.
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Thanks, I know how soft light works.
 
Having worked my way through various brands my studio is now entirely Lencarta.

They've been the most reliable (they get used non stop for 8 hours a day, most days) and the couple of problems I've had over the last few years have been sorted VERY quickly.

Combine that with the price and you can't go wrong!

I believe they now come with 3 year guarantees as well!
 
Thanks photo, my order goes in in the morning for a smart flash kit 2. Love the 3 years guarantee!
 
Iceax said:
Pressed the button:

Smart flash 2 kit
Octo softbox

- busy weekend making space in the office for it all, next up some new glass!
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Ditto - Mine turned up today had a quick set up tonight and first impressions are wonderful (compared the the set up I was conned into buying) Profold soft is really good, love the wavesync commander I've bought some new glass off the forums on here.

Great communication from Garry@ Lencarta.
 
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Fatheadedlizard said:
Ditto - Mine turned up today had a quick set up tonight and first impressions are wonderful (compared the the set up I was conned into buying) Profold soft is really good, love the wavesync commander I've bought some new glass off the forums on here.

Great communication from Garry@ Lencarta.
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Look forward to seeing some pics with the new set up!
 
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