Digital Lights

Can anyone explain to me what a the difference is between "Digital Lights" and traditional

studio strobes? I have been using Speedotron Black line equipment for about 15 years

now...and more than once people have inquired if I am going to switch to "digital" lights. I

shoot both film and digital with the same Speedotron lights.

Is it simply a marketing ploy or is there some inherent difference that would make a

"Digital" light better suited to shooting with a digital camera. In my mind light is light and

all lights do what they are supposed to do...light the subject. (of course there are other

considerations that need to be taken into account like color temperature, power and flash

duration.) What is it that would make a digital light more suited to shooting with a digital

camera?....and would

the results be inferior in some way if you shot film when using "digital" lights. If anyone is

able to offer some explainations rather than just speculations I'd be grateful for your

insight. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Scott

Scott,

I've been using Speedotron Blackline strobes in the studio for the last 25 years, with both film and digital capture. They're great lights, consistent color temperature, accurate ready light and great power, etc.

When a company speaks of their lights as "digital" strobes, usually they're talking about consistent color output, adjustability in 1/10 of an f-stop. On some of the more expensive brands, power levels can be set from a computer, just as you might adjust the settings on your digital camera.

If you need those features then you might take a look at "digital" strobes.

But, you're correct in that light is light and with Speedotron Black Line that light is consistent, repeatable and very reliable.

Whose been doing the asking?

Certain new lights like the Profoto D4 do a better job at keeping the color temperature

unchanged at different power settings. If you are only using one light and changingthe

power obviously this isn't a problem -- you can do a white balance for different power

settings. If you use two or more lights and one is set to 1800 watt-seconds and another is

set to 400 watt-seconds and your lighting system doesn't keep the color temperature of

the two equal and you need dead neutal light then you might have an issue.

Of course if you are using different light modifiers and using more than one flash head

that can be an even bigger problem even if the different heads are color temperature

balanced.

Thanks for your responses...You are the two I was hoping to hear from. I am happy with my

Speedotrons...they have never left me wishing for something "better". Once again...Thanks!

Scott

oops! Ellis, to answer your question who asks...several photogs (mostly PJ's) that use my

studio occassionally for some freelance work. They seem convinced that it is the way to go

although none can tell me why...it seems they think "because it is digital ...and digital is

always better". I told them I suspect there would be no noticable difference between digital

lights and my current set up.

Sometimes 'Digital' lights refer to the control i.e. the controls are Digital not analogue. It's

easy to get confused, 'Digital' is the new 'Turbo' just the latest Marketing buzz word.