Lencarta or Godox Please help!

Clive Robinson

Clive Robinson

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Hello TP members. I'm a newbie to the forum and my inspiration to join was to seek opinion from the wealth of experience which exists among you all. Although I've been talking photos for many years, purely a hobbyist, I have a desire to explore studio photography but I have not yet decided what subjects I want to make my main studio focus. I suspect I will enjoy all it has to offer but I do know for sure I want to delve into the studio action kind of shot. I have therefore been looking at my set up. My current equipment is a Nikon D4s and D810 with all the prime and vary focal lenses up to 300mm offered by Nikon.

Having originally been interested in the USA available Alien B's (as I'm so frequently in the USA and worth noting that I am a UK based member), I decided against alien B's due to the inconvenience of maintenance and support here i the UK. I then became very intrigued by the Lencarta High Speed 300's and 600's. I am very close to taking the plunge and buying a 3 head set of either the 300's or 600's. However, I notice that Godox do very similar units but advertised at different specs. Yes I've read the reviews by Phil Hardbody and others and I've noted that both models are made in China and branded here in the UK, however I wonder if anyone here has experience in using the Lencarta or Godox high speed units and whether there is actually any difference between them apart from the Lencarta having 250 watts of modelling illumination verses the Godox 150 watts? Although commonly made in China I believe that different bands can be made to different specifications for their relative marketing company.

OK, in fact I'd welcome any comments you might wish to offer even should they diverge from the main focus of my inquiry. Looking forward to hearing from anyone who would like to chip in and please forgive my naivety as forums are a new thing to me.

Thanks in advance.
 
@Garry Edwards from Lencarta will be along to confirm, but if you've seen independent testing suggesting a difference, that'd be the answer. ;)

The products are made by Godox IIRC and branded by Lencarta (the branding is done in the factory in China btw), who's units often have different specs to the Godox units. However on the Superfasts it's almost a no- brainer, the Lencarta units aren't hugely more expensive, and they come with an excellent warranty.

But I have to ask... The Superfasts are a specialist item, and wouldn't be a first recommendation for a bit of home studio work. It's your money, but a home studio running a set of Smartflashes suits most people, with a jump to Elite Pro if you want something slightly more robust. I can't think of a home studio use for 600ws, and whilst I can think of some interesting shots with the Superfasts, nothing that justifies the extra expense.
 
Hi Phil and thanks for your replay. My logic (or should i say lack of it) is based on redundancy; I was looking at the superfast believing that they would have the same capability of all the other flash heads in the range and MORE should I wish to tray some action freezing shots. Is this thought process wrong in your opinion?
 
Clive Robinson said:
Hi Phil and thanks for your replay. My logic (or should i say lack of it) is based on redundancy; I was looking at the superfast believing that they would have the same capability of all the other flash heads in the range and MORE should I wish to tray some action freezing shots. Is this thought process wrong in your opinion?
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There's certainly nothing wrong with your logic, and it's your money. If you can afford them and think you might be able to make use of their unique features sometimes, I'll not stand in your way.

But as in all things, make sure you're not spending money on the heads that you later might think would have been better spent elsewhere.
 
Thanks Phil...I was drawn to the 600W units for extra stop and a bit in power (EV). However, my studio working area will never really exceed 14ft X 22Ft. I think the 300W units will fit my needs. As this is my first plunge into studio shooting I really am in the dark (pardon the pun) and thought that 600w would make sure I have the capability to do all I hope to. I was thinking that 3 heads verses 2 will certainly give me the potential to cater for all my hopes, but is there any reason I cant mix the heads EG 2 X Elite Pros 300W and 1 X Superfast 300W? Or, when I do delve into high speed action shots will the difference in flash duration between the 2 different models dilute the freezing ability of the superfast?
 
First question is easy 300ws is plenty in a modern studio.

2nd is much more complicated, because there's masses of variables, for instance; water droplets with the Superfasts freezing the movement and another flash lighting the BG, I'd be less confident with people sized subjects where there would be 2 lights on your subject, but the biggest disadvantage of mixing Elite pro's with Superfasts would be the recycling.

I have had a 'play' with the Superfasts, and comparing them to other lights is chalk and cheese (I could shoot a burst of shots at 8fps no problem)

This really is a question for Garry though,
 
Thanks Phil, I'd pretty much decided on the superfast heads for exactly the reasons you have mentioned and the simplicity of removing the variables. My decision to delay and investigate more really was the issue of quality and specifications between the 2 branded models those being Lencarta and Godox. There seems to be little after sales support for Godox in the UK and the slight extra cost of the Lencarta makes it a confident purchase dont you think?
 
Clive Robinson said:
Thanks Phil, I'd pretty much decided on the superfast heads for exactly the reasons you have mentioned and the simplicity of removing the variables. My decision to delay and investigate more really was the issue of quality and specifications between the 2 branded models those being Lencarta and Godox. There seems to be little after sales support for Godox in the UK and the slight extra cost of the Lencarta makes it a confident purchase dont you think?
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The simple answer is a resounding Yes.

The after sales of your average Godox reseller is non existent, OTOH the warranty from Lencarta is excellent. As is their customer service, I don't know how desperate you are to purchase, but there'll almost certainly be a discount around the time of The Photography Show in March, you'd also be able to talk to an expert face to face on the Lencarta stand. The downside of course is all the thousands of other shiny things there competing for your attention.

Though if I'm being candid, you might find some modifiers and other bits and bobs to add to your Lencarta kit there too, I tend to buy brackets, reflectors and other odds and ends there as there's often bargains to be had, and you're not getting landed with postage costs. (There's a thread running in the talk photography section)
 
By all accounts the after sales support from Lencarta is second to none. The technical guru there (Garry Edwards) is also a member of TP and is very active on here. Haven't met him I can safely say he is a thoroughly nice chap and has a passion for photography and helping others. There are many threads on here linking to tutorials he has done and he also regularly offers his studio and time to help others completely FOC. I would have no hesitation in using Lencarta (unfortunately I don't have the spare cash at the moment :( )
 
Ignore Chris, @Garry Edwards is a curmudgeonly old sod... :D

Seriously though, he'll probably chip in here when he gets into the office. He's a top bloke and is always good for a free cup of coffee when I'm passing Lencarta HQ in Bradford.

I've learned more from Garry than any other single person in my 30 years of trying to figure out how all this photography stuff is supposed to work.

I'll add when I had an issue with a Lencarta product, it was swapped without a hitch, what's more I got a follow up email to ensure I had no further issues.
 
Id love to wait for the show but I've gt some time on my hands at the moment to get this all set up, established and functioning. Time is my worst enemy as my profession absorbs so much of it! So I think I'll take the plunge and go for the F-fast and shop around for the light modifiers which is my next hurdle. Thanks Phil joining this forum has already proved very useful thanks to you. BTW....has anyone told you that you could be mistaken for Bruce Dickenson!
 
Clive Robinson said:
Id love to wait for the show but I've gt some time on my hands at the moment to get this all set up, established and functioning. Time is my worst enemy as my profession absorbs so much of it! So I think I'll take the plunge and go for the F-fast and shop around for the light modifiers which is my next hurdle. Thanks Phil joining this forum has already proved very useful thanks to you. BTW....has anyone told you that you could be mistaken for Bruce Dickenson!
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Among a list of others which range from the sublime to the ridiculous (Alan Rickman to Bill Oddie)

The forum is brilliant, if you're planning on buying, give them a ring when they're open and Garry will be happy to ensure you get answers to your questions.

The Lencarta modifiers are good, but you pay for 'good', what modifiers are you thinking about? What are you planning to shoot?
 
I thought id start by shooting basic modelling shots to experiment with light verses shadow and highlights portrait and full form. So; I thought a rectangular and square soft box and a beauty dish. TSL seem to have a good range and competitive prices but the Pro-fold of Lencarta is appealing to me in a big way. As for stands I was planning on 2 up-rights and a boom stand: Both TSL& HWA Studio (on ebay) seem to have some good offers that resemble several high priced branded models out there. Any suggestions?
 
The 3 head kit is a good start, I believe Lencarta will swap parts out freely.

So I'd swap the Chiaro softbox for a profold rectangular, swap one of the stands for the boom stand (they're a good price)

Then add a 120 Octabox, a beauty dish, a couple of reflectors, maybe a reflector stand, some odds and ends of black cloth for flagging and white muslin or similar for a silk, gels... The list is endless, and you'll never have everything you might possibly need. Maybe a stripbox too... Like I said... :(

Lencarta prices on the above are competitive, but I'd look at Bessel too as well as where you're already looking.
 
Clive Robinson said:
Thanks Phil...I was drawn to the 600W units for extra stop and a bit in power (EV). However, my studio working area will never really exceed 14ft X 22Ft. I think the 300W units will fit my needs. As this is my first plunge into studio shooting I really am in the dark (pardon the pun) and thought that 600w would make sure I have the capability to do all I hope to. I was thinking that 3 heads verses 2 will certainly give me the potential to cater for all my hopes, but is there any reason I cant mix the heads EG 2 X Elite Pros 300W and 1 X Superfast 300W? Or, when I do delve into high speed action shots will the difference in flash duration between the 2 different models dilute the freezing ability of the superfast?
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Get the 300Ws model, 600Ws is simply too much for the average home studio.
In the unlikely event that you ever need more power, just block out the windows and increase the camera ISO.
This applies to all studio heads, but even more so to the SuperFast because although the heads have different specs to each other (the 600 has 1 more stop of power and 1 more stop of power adjustment) once the 600 has been turned down to half power, in effect it becomes a 300 - to get the shorter flash durations and the faster recycling, each head has to be turned down, it's just that the 600 has to be turned down 1 stop more to achieve the same performance as the 300.
So, why do we make the 600's? Because we have to offer choices, and because there are a surprisingly large number of people who shoot on film, where more power is often needed.

As for modifiiers, yes we're on the expensive side, the reason for this is that the modifiers are AT LEAST as important as the flash heads, and the cheap and cheerful ones are a false economy.
The same applies to light stands and boom arms - they hold up your expensive lights and also stop them falling over onto people. Personally, I think that our light stands are too cheap, but nobody here listens to me:)
 
Thanks Garry. I get your point about the stands and price verses quality. In this respect I fully agree with you when that applies to the flash heads however if a stand does not fall over and it does the job at half the price then Id be tempted to apply the saved money and put in into the aspects that do require quality EG the flash heads. Regardless, I think I've come to my decision about what heads to get and Ill be giving you a call today to discuss the various options on accessories; if that's OK with you? We have spoken before and your patience and very helpful knowledge and guidance is one thing that so many other sources just lack... and that's worth a mint! So a big thank you for the time you've already devoted to my calls Garry.
 
I have to say, I've got several different stands, ranging from less than a tenner, up to £30, and the Lencarta one is easily the nicest to use (which does count for something ATEOTD) and it would hold its own against stands costing lots more, they're actually a bargain compared to all the other stands I've seen at similar prices.

I'll be interested to see what you end up buying, and after some practice some of the results too.
 
I'll keep you advised Phil now Ive got to start thinking about a background....oh the list of tasks is long!
 
Clive Robinson said:
I'll keep you advised Phil now Ive got to start thinking about a background....oh the list of tasks is long!
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A background system, if you feel that you need one, is secondary or even tertiary.

Your choices are
1. Paper (best)
2. Vinyl (along with muslin, most economic because it lasts much longer than paper)
3. Muslin (best for black backgrounds only)

And then you have a choice of hanging methods
1. "Goalpost" OK for all 3 types, but avoid the ebay cheapies because apart from longevity, you should be concerned about safety. A VERY heavy duty one is needed for vinyl.
2. Permanent sytem that allows several different colours of paper background, with plastic "chains" - perfect for paper, unsuitable for muslin and vinyl
3. Permanent bodge up, involving ladder hooks fixed to wall and a tube to go through the core, works for both vinyl and paper

As for colours, sellers of backgrounds will suggest that you buy them all but IMO you need 3 at most - black for black backgrounds, white for when you want to light the background to be pure white, grey for everything else (light it or not, colour it with lighting gels or not). That is all that we have in our own studio. To be more specific, we have black muslin, grey paper and white vinyl.
 
Clive Robinson said:
One question...maybe a couple lol. Have you seen/experienced the TSL or HWA brands of stand. I was considering this pack of 2 boom stands that convert to uprights, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281751006118?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

or, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181737836677?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Theres a big difference in the price almost double. In the first link its a set of 2 stands with wheels etc.
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Dont skimp on the stands, buy the best you can afford and I'd avoid eBay unless buying well known brands secondhand.
I personally went for manfrotto stands, yes they're more expensive but they're a joy to use, solid, reliable and pack flat for storage (as well as clip together)
 
Phil V said:
The 3 head kit is a good start, I believe Lencarta will swap parts out freely.

So I'd swap the Chiaro softbox for a profold rectangular, swap one of the stands for the boom stand (they're a good price)

Then add a 120 Octabox, a beauty dish, a couple of reflectors, maybe a reflector stand, some odds and ends of black cloth for flagging and white muslin or similar for a silk, gels... The list is endless, and you'll never have everything you might possibly need. Maybe a stripbox too... Like I said... :(

Lencarta prices on the above are competitive, but I'd look at Bessel too as well as where you're already looking.
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Definitely a stripbox*. And grid. In fact, get grids for everything, especially if you're working in a small space.

*though you could flag a large softbox if need be.
 
Another plus for Lencarta stands and modifiers, like a lot of people I tested the water with cheap stands and modifiers but once I'd decided what I needed (rather than wanted) I spent the money on Lencarta kit. Yes the modifiers are dearer but they give much better results and are way more robust, the stands are a significant leap in quality for only a small increase in cost. The cheap stands were OK with speedlights and cheap modifiers but I found with a studio head and a robust modifier I struggled to lock them in the exact position I wanted as they couldn't cope with the weight. Hope that helps a bit.
 
I know there are a lot of cheep variants out there and Im really not looking for cheap, but there are also equivalents that cost more than the cheepo versions but less than lencarta. Its a process of finding the right compromise. There are also expensive options out there that are no better than the cheep ones and its a matter of finding good quality at a good price.
 
Clive Robinson said:
I know there are a lot of cheep variants out there and Im really not looking for cheap, but there are also equivalents that cost more than the cheepo versions but less than lencarta. Its a process of finding the right compromise. There are also expensive options out there that are no better than the cheep ones and its a matter of finding good quality at a good price.
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With the greatest possible respect, you're wrong.
There are always cheaper alternatives that appear to be the same or similar, but although they look similar they are not the same and do not produce the same results.
The reason why there are so many modifiers that look similar to each other is that they are extremely easy to copy - the entry barrier to manufacturing low technology items such as beauty dishes and softboxes is extremely low, with softboxes it's just sewing machines and cheap materials needed - they just copy what other people have copied and neither know nor care what is needed in terms of either design or materials - so what if they don't actually work? They are sold to people who can't tell the difference between a softbox that produces even lighting right accross the surface of the front diffuser and which sends all of the light in the right direction, and ones that produce a terrible hotspot and spill much of the light out of the seams and out of the back, and which cause lens flare.

Beauty dishes - all of the cheapies are made by Chinese companies whose main business is making industrial light fittings, or metal lampshades - same technology, same presses, different shape, different results, due to ignorance of what is needed.
Folding beauty dishes - In reality, those that are currently available are just cheap softboxes without diffusers and with a crude deflector. They aren't beauty dishes - wrong shape entirely.
Light stands and boom arms - another no brainer, if we wanted to we could source boom arms that are sold for £70 and which could be sold for £50, but we don't want them to tip over if a flash head fitted with a beauty dish is fitted to them, we don't want them to break and we don't want our customers or the people they're photographing to be injured by them, and ours sell at £100, with less profit than the cheapies. There may be some companies that operated on the fringes of the law, if they get a product liability claim then they can just liquidate their Company and start again the next day under a different name, and walk away from their legal and moral responsibilities.Same thing if they have too many warranty claims that they can't honour. Legitmate businesses that have spent years building their reputation don't do that, and they also have to satisfy their insurers that their products are safe.

Your day job involves safety - I bet your employers avoid compromise!

In short, there's a reason why people are prepared to pay more to get products made from the likes of Bron, Profoto, Elinchrom and Lencarta:)
 
Garry Edwards said:
They are sold to people who can't tell the difference between a softbox that produces even lighting right accross the surface of the front diffuser and which sends all of the light in the right direction, and ones that produce a terrible hotspot and spill much of the light out of the seams and out of the back, and which cause lens flare.
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I learnt this one the hard way. Some of the cheap stuff is good but you won't know until you've used it for a bit.

Garry Edwards said:
Light stands and boom arms - another no brainer, if we wanted to we could source boom arms that are sold for £70 and which could be sold for £50, but we don't want them to tip over if a flash head fitted with a beauty dish is fitted to them
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Even quality boom arms are scary when there's a model underneath a beauty dish. One numpty at a local studio managed to take the flash head & beauty dish off one and let the counterweight come crashing down, very nearly hitting the model.
 
Hi Garry, please don't think I was making a direct comparison to your products and other cheep options; i wasn't or at least certainly not how I intended my comment. On the contrary, I haven't yet tried your brand so I cant have an opinion, nor have I tried the cheaper options. It was a general assumption (perhaps wrongly) that has inspired me to discover as much as I possibly can before making final decisions. In fact, I believe due to popular opinion and other means that the Lencarta brand is way up there among the best and hence why I'd like to be able to afford to buy everything with a Lencarta logo on it. Perhaps I'd have been better saying that when the wallet is slim and you have a desire to get started then surely its wise to spend the money in an order of priority, spending the majority of ones dosh on the things that are most important; surely the flash heads? While accepting that there isn't enough money remaining to buy the best of the best in stands etc, the aim must be to get the best for what one can afford. If the finances afforded it I would also be buying the best of the best but I must assess what is the best I can afford.

I wish you were right regarding my day job and employers avoiding compromise...oh how I wish you were right about that one....a topic best left for the phone otherwise ill be facing law suites!
 
Clive Robinson said:
... Perhaps I'd have been better saying that when the wallet is slim and you have a desire to get started then surely its wise to spend the money in an order of priority, spending the majority of ones dosh on the things that are most important; surely the flash heads? ...
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Without wishing to weigh in, and at the risk of upsetting just about everyone. :D
This is a newbie assumption, just like we do with cameras, when we start we think that the camera is most important, we later learn that lenses actually have more effect on the image. The same thing with lighting, the modifiers are much more important than the actual flash head, which (simplified) only needs to be a flash tube hung on a bracket to fit the modifier*. If I could only afford the Superfasts by scrimping on everything else, I'd buy elite pro's and better softboxes, stands etc. An upgrade to the SF's can be done when the genuine need arises, and all the other quality stuff you've bought will still work with the improved flash heads.

It's like insisting you need a D5 (1dx) but putting a kit lens on it and putting it atop an Argos tripod, where a s/h D3 (1d3) would allow for a Benbo tripod and fast lenses.

* I know that Garry and the lighting nerds will talk about how different electronic systems can greatly affect the output of the flash tube - but for most of us, most of the time it makes little difference we just need it to flash when we hit the shutter.
 
Phil V said:
This is a newbie assumption, just like we do with cameras, when we start we think that the camera is most important, we later learn that lenses actually have more effect on the image. The same thing with lighting, the modifiers are much more important than the actual flash head, which (simplified) only needs to be a flash tube hung on a bracket to fit the modifier*. If I could only afford the Superfasts by scrimping on everything else, I'd buy elite pro's and better softboxes, stands etc. An upgrade to the SF's can be done when the genuine need arises, and all the other quality stuff you've bought will still work with the improved flash heads..
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Your spot on! I'm definitely a newbie and not only to flash use. Originally I'm an ex 35mm and 2 1/4 format man with my main pleasure being in the dark room, but I never did venture into studio work. I threw it all away with the onset of the digital age and only recovered my passion for the view finder a few years ago, so its a whole new ball field although I already hear you tapping at the keys to reply "a view finder is a view finder regardless of whats behind the image receiving process". And thus to my point...I appreciate all you guys have to offer me in terms of advice and maybe I do need a kick in the right direction so keep it coming. At Garry...would you be receptive to a call regarding a few odds and sods? At Phil...thanks for your input and it is taken on board.
 
Clive Robinson said:
Your spot on! I'm definitely a newbie and not only to flash use. Originally I'm an ex 35mm and 2 1/4 format man with my main pleasure being in the dark room, but I never did venture into studio work. I threw it all away with the onset of the digital age and only recovered my passion for the view finder a few years ago, so its a whole new ball field although I already hear you tapping at the keys to reply "a view finder is a view finder regardless of whats behind the image receiving process". And thus to my point...I appreciate all you guys have to offer me in terms of advice and maybe I do need a kick in the right direction so keep it coming. At Garry...would you be receptive to a call regarding a few odds and sods? At Phil...thanks for your input and it is taken on board.
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I too am old (nowhere near as old as Garry though) - and I also shot MF in the old days - my pleasure was never in the darkroom.
I had a mobile studio that I ran for a while in the early 90's that killed my love of shooting (anything at all) and it was years before I came back to off camera lights (partly fuelled by one of Garry's open days - I digress).

I appreciate it is all new, that's why I 'try' to give people the benefit of my own mistakes - believe me you're skipping straight past a lot of the newbie mistakes - we haven't had to convince you not to buy a £30 continuous light setup. Garry is always happy to give people advice - particularly when the end of the conversation includes the taking of credit card details.
 
Clive Robinson said:
Your spot on! I'm definitely a newbie and not only to flash use. Originally I'm an ex 35mm and 2 1/4 format man with my main pleasure being in the dark room, but I never did venture into studio work. I threw it all away with the onset of the digital age and only recovered my passion for the view finder a few years ago, so its a whole new ball field although I already hear you tapping at the keys to reply "a view finder is a view finder regardless of whats behind the image receiving process". And thus to my point...I appreciate all you guys have to offer me in terms of advice and maybe I do need a kick in the right direction so keep it coming. At Garry...would you be receptive to a call regarding a few odds and sods? At Phil...thanks for your input and it is taken on board.
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Yes, please feel free to ring
Phil V said:
I too am old (nowhere near as old as Garry though) - and I also shot MF in the old days - my pleasure was never in the darkroom.
I had a mobile studio that I ran for a while in the early 90's that killed my love of shooting (anything at all) and it was years before I came back to off camera lights (partly fuelled by one of Garry's open days - I digress).

I appreciate it is all new, that's why I 'try' to give people the benefit of my own mistakes - believe me you're skipping straight past a lot of the newbie mistakes - we haven't had to convince you not to buy a £30 continuous light setup. Garry is always happy to give people advice - particularly when the end of the conversation includes the taking of credit card details.
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Debit cards are better for us, we don't get overcharged as much...
My own interests lie in the techie side, (I might be interested in the sales side if I got commission but I don't) as many customers who have been persuaded to spend less than they planned can confirm:)
Maybe I should try to get commission, I've just decided to waste a lot of money on 2 new guns, and the police have insisted that I buy yet another gun cabinet, so that's a bit more wasted :)
 
Garry Edwards said:
I've just decided to waste a lot of money on 2 new guns, and the police have insisted that I buy yet another gun cabinet, so that's a bit more wasted :)
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Your armed to the teeth and you want me to call you! Picking up the phone as I hit send.
 
Phil V said:
* I know that Garry and the lighting nerds will talk about how different electronic systems can greatly affect the output of the flash tube - but for most of us, most of the time it makes little difference we just need it to flash when we hit the shutter.
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Light is light... the source matters much less than what you do with it (i.e. stands/modifiers).
 
General question on the same subject (sort of)...can I integrate a speedlight for background highlights (for example) into my planed set up of 2/3 flash heads?
 
Garry Edwards said:
The same applies to light stands and boom arms - they hold up your expensive lights and also stop them falling over onto people. Personally, I think that our light stands are too cheap, but nobody here listens to me:)
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Can I jump onto Garry's post and re-iterate what he's said about lightstands? I have an inexpensive Godox 300ws strobe and a fairly hefty softbox (which probably still falls into the cheap & nasty category versus Lencarta's!) ... shooting yesterday my lightstand toppled over and my Godox no longer powers up. So saving £50 or so by getting a cheap lightstand ended up costing me a new strobe - something of a false economy.

Which also means I'm now in the market for a new strobe, hence the reason I dropped into this thread to see what the consensus was :)
 
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juggler said:
Yes. I do it regularly.
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If I were using 2 studio heads synced via their own remotes from camera on-hotshoe transmitter to integrated flash head trigger, presumably Id use the speedlight triggered optically or by using the nikon CLS system? Your going to tell me im talking sh...te i can feel it...be gentle with me guys/
 
Clive Robinson said:
If I were using 2 studio heads synced via their own remotes from camera on-hotshoe transmitter to integrated flash head trigger, presumably Id use the speedlight triggered optically or by using the nikon CLS system? Your going to tell me im talking sh...te i can feel it...be gentle with me guys/
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Optically as a simple slave. I wouldn't try to combine the studio heads remote system with CLS (which is an optical system too, I think).
 
Clive Robinson said:
If I were using 2 studio heads synced via their own remotes from camera on-hotshoe transmitter to integrated flash head trigger, presumably Id use the speedlight triggered optically or by using the nikon CLS system? Your going to tell me im talking sh...te i can feel it...be gentle with me guys/
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As I explained to you on the 'phone, the most reliable/simplest method would be to use something like the Yongnuo RF-603 (or any other radion trigger that has a pass through hotshoe) - Plug the radio trigger into your camera, plug the Wavesync transmitter into that, plug the Wavesync receivers into each Lencarta head, and plug the Yongnuo (or alternative) receivers into each hotshoe flashgun.

You will then have triggering of all flashes and remote control of the Lencarta ones.
pjm1 said:
Can I jump onto Garry's post and re-iterate what he's said about lightstands? I have an inexpensive Godox 300ws strobe and a fairly hefty softbox (which probably still falls into the cheap & nasty category versus Lencarta's!) ... shooting yesterday my lightstand toppled over and my Godox no longer powers up. So saving £50 or so by getting a cheap lightstand ended up costing me a new strobe - something of a false economy.

Which also means I'm now in the market for a new strobe, hence the reason I dropped into this thread to see what the consensus was :)
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The sad thing about this is that you didn't even save 50 quid - the Lencarta lightstands are only £29.99

As for a replacement flash head, why not give me a ring? Once I know what type of photography you'll be using it for I will be able to advise.
 
I dont think CLS can be optical as you can remotely alter flash power output from the camera menu remotely.
 
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