White Lightning...second thoughts

Well, my first (almost) decision was White Lightning 1xX3200 (1320 Ws) + 3xX1600 (660 Ws each). Total price

(including some accessories like grids, barndoors, wired remote etc., + spare bulbs +10% "international surcharge

+ shipping) came to about $3K.

 

Battery pack (Vagabond II) available at a very decent price.Wired remote is good (as it allows power control),

and WL s have lots of power and a good rep...but: I'm in Australia with 240V mains voltage - so another $400 for

bigass transformer is required. Shipping to US for repairs is possible - but expensive.

 

On the other hand, Hensel Integra Pro Plus 500 (3 monolights at 500Ws each) work with voltages 90 to 230V, have

built-in radio receiver (Hensel proprietary transmitter required), 300W modeling light and digital power

adjustment. Spares and accessories more expensive, but not outrageously so. Battery power available (at a price,

and only 115V output - which would require replacement of modeling lights - but again, power draw by modeling

lights is too big to use them with a battery pack, so it is no biggie).

 

In other words, I am having my knickers in a knot over this.

 

I am kind of leaning toward Hensels - although the total power is only about half of what White Lightning set

would provide. The next step in Hensel line is 1000Ws Integra - at almost $1.5K, so this is rather unlikely that

I will get it soon - OTOH 3x500 Ws is probably plenty of light for studio portraits and some product

photography.

 

Now - if anyone has any good advice/comment, I would be grateful (and, BTW, I am not considering power pack +

flash head combo any more, it is monolights).

I have and love the White Lightning X1600s (eight of them, in fact). I even managed to have one fall from about 6' and

survive - note to self - always use sandbags on lightstands. When I moved to Europe, I found the use of voltage

transformers quite cumbersome (very heavy, and adding heat and a bit of a hum) and ended up buying strobes directly

compatible with both 115V and 220V instead (Profoto in my case). I have on occasion used the Hensel Porty in the past,

and found it quite good but don't have experience with the units you're looking at. I don't have a recommendation for you,

but wanted to make sure you have considered whether you would need one "bigass" transformer or several smaller

transformers to allow maximum flexibility in light placement (which is the route that I followed).

i would suggest you look at the profoto 600's for light quality and portability. you'll be blown away by how excellent the light is.