Advice on portable off camera flash

<p>I'm used to using big Tungsten and HMI units for motion picture work. So whilst I understand lighting I know nothing about flash units.</p>

<p>I'm looking for a single off camera flash unit that I can control with snoots/honeycombs/softboxes/umbrellas....to be used on locations. I dont need a fast recharge, i dont need massive power.</p>

<p>Advice please. Whats the VW Golf of the rechargeable world. Reliable, affordable and basic.</p>

<p><a href="http://alienbees.com/">Alien Bees</a>.</p>

<p>Battery powered or not?</p>

<p>As far as battery powered lights go, I love my Elinchrom. I am using Ranger Quadras and they are probably one of the best sets of lights I have used. Sure, they aren't as nice in the studio as a digitally controlled set of Profotos, but in the field, which is where I work, they are amazing. Quick to set up and tear down, light weight. I have had to carry them over a quarter mile and not had any issue with fatigue from their weight. The stands are harder to carry then the lights/packs.</p>

<p>For plug-ins, I would go with some kind of monolight, such as the mentioned Alien Bees.</p>

<p>And no matter which you get, get both a radio trigger and a PC cord. The radio trigger is very handy, but in case it goes down, you will want a cord to be there.</p>

<p>Prefer Battery but have a Honda 1kw genny...... Battery easier though</p>

<p>Well, definitely look at all the Elinchrom Ranger gear (both the Rangers and Quadras). Just a note on the Quadras, if you use modifiers designed for the rest of the elinchrom range, you will need to get the adapters for each head, so add about $150 a head for the price of that. They don't need it, IIRC, for most standard umbrellas.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.paulcbuff.com/pcb2009/einstein.html">PCB Einstein</a> and their new mini-lithium battery pack might be worth a look.</p>

<p>For affordability and reliability, Alien Bees are a great basic light. Lots of accessories available, and they make a battery pack if you need it.</p>

<p>Can I fire Elinchrom 500 Classics from a battery power pack?</p>

<p>No one has mentioned that Buff makes the Vagabond battery for using Alien Bees off mains.</p>

<p>I use Lumedyne, which have their limitations, most annoying is a long flash duration at higher power settings that costs me at least a third stop off my fastest sync speed. I use SB800 and SB900 shoe mount speed lights on a stand with radio slave triggers, when possible.</p>

<p>These days a lot of battery powered strobe work, if possible to accomplish at low power settings and/or with long-ish recycle times, is done with shoe mount style speed lights. In the case of Nikon (my system) this means sync speed upper limits are raised considerably (although constrained by Pocket Wizards), enabling some fun under exposure of ambient (continuous) light sources. The built in infrared communication systems of these light/camera systems enables sync at any speed, although power falls off at speeds over 1/500th sec. It's a good thing iso 800 looks so good.. t</p>

<p>Thanks all, I'm in the UK so discounted Alien Bee's and got a 'used once' pair of Elinchrom D Lite it 2's with softboxes etc for £200. Cant really go wrong at that price....... cut to....</p>