Anyone use these "Flat Panel" Mono Lights, or seen them used?

[fotografz]

Currently revamping the studio mono lighting, and ran across these while researching. It

seems like an interesting possibility to light formals. Self contained, small and very portable

when stacked upright. No TTL, but I could care less about that as I use a flash meter.

 

Seems like you could place these two 1000 watt units on either side of you up maybe 7-8

foot and get some decent lighting since they're suppose to act like a soft box if placed at the

right distance from the subject.

 

Any experiences? Seen them in action? Any further thoughts on something I may be

overlooking?<div></div>

[brooks short]

Marc,

 

At 18.5" x 19.5" they're to small for anything other than a tight head and shoulders portrait. For these lights to act as a softbox they'd have to be less than 3ft from the subject.

[fotografz]

Thanks Brooks.

 

So, moving them back doesn't spread the light? Seems like at 1000 watts each you could

move them back pretty far ... ( hmmm, there probably isn't a Fresnel screen to defract the

light like in a on-camera strobe, so that may be why ... right?).

 

I wonder what it would be like shot through a translucent umbrella ... the surface being large

and all ? They seem so portable compared to conventional Monos.

[merlin]

"So, moving them back doesn't spread the light?"

 

Moving them back would spread the light, but you would also loose the softness as the light gets harder the farther you move the light away. Which would probably be fine for a few formals, but I don't know about using it for full length soft modeling kind of stuff.

[dennisprice]

"...Moving them back would spread the light, but you would also loose the softness as the light gets harder the farther you move the light away." [stephen]

 

Well put, Stephen.

 

Marc, think of the sun as a light source: plenty big, but real far away. Even tho the light spread is huge, direct sunlight is equivalent to a point light source with a very hard (not soft) quality.

 

So in order to maximize the "surround" light qualities of a softbox, as a general rule, the subject distance should be about the same as the measurement of the diagonal face of the SB. The further away from this distance, the more the SB (or umbrella) tends to act as a point light source.

[fotografz]

Excellent info everyone. Without a light shaper it doesn't fit the bill ... except being kinda

compact.

 

I'm on my way this very minute to pick-up the Profoto mono head kits I was after in the first

place ... (matches all the studio stuff already on place).

 

Thanks.

[richard_cochran]

These look like a pretty handy solution <em>if and only if</em> you would be using a softbox of about that size anyway.

<p>

But compare them to, say, a Photogenic 1000 W-s monolight like the 2500DR. That's not the cheapest available, not the most expensive, a middle of the road light. They're about the same power with the same adjustability. They weigh <b>twice</b> as much. They have a recycle time more than twice as long. 6.7 sec can be an eternity when you have a bunch of impatient wedding guests posing. But their worst drawback is that they have no obvious way of attaching an external modifier like an umbrella or softbox, so they really only seem appropriate if you were going to use them as-is, and as others have suggested, they're not really the right size for soft lighting of group shots.

<p>

A couple of more generic monolights with big shoot-through umbrellas would be <em>much</em> lighter to carry, wouldn't put so much weight up high on a light stand, wouldn't take much longer to set up, and would offer a lot more versatility in attaching different modifiers for different situations.

<p>

Those lights are thin, but when you need to pack and carry them, they're a lot more bulky in height and width than a conventional monolight. A monolight's folded umbrella doesn't take much extra space when carried along with the light stands.

[blueworldstudios]

You'll love the Profoto monolights, you can fit two heads, two brackets and power cords in

one Lightware head case.

 

Use the built in umbrella holder and you'll have much larger light sources that are just as

easy to set-up as these flat panels.

[michael_riccomini]

Humm... 6.7 sec. recycle time at full power? That would drive me crazy!

[matthewkane]

Yeah I have only seen portrait photographers use these on occasion... not any wedding

photographers.

[steve_levine]

To me they seem like technological "one trick ponies". A regular mono light with a standard Balcar type opening, will take a myriad of modifiers('brellas/boxes), snoots, barndoors etc.

 

For the most part the only way to soften light is by softening the shadow edges. And this requires the light source to be bigger than the subject ideally. This is why you see people shoot with huge light banks, that are just out of frame.

 

For wedding use I would go with a pair of monstrous (40-60") umbrellas, if I were going to use monos.

[fotografz]

WaHoo !!! The Profotos are a done deal. Three 600 watt Plus Units and a 300 watt Plus in

cases (as well as other goodies). Big inventory reduction sale at our local pro store. $25%

less than B&H.

 

Steve's right, the other ones are a one trick pony. Can't use light modifiers ... although

using an umbrella would've been easy with the flat panels using an elbow. But why?

 

This mono block stuff is primarily for location commercial work, but I'll try a couple for

select wedding formals with big umbrellas ... the assistants are NOT going to be happy : -)

 

Thanks again everyone.

[fotografz]

Oops, lets try that again.<div></div>

[brooks short]

Marc,

 

Good deal. You knew better than to mess with those silly flat panels. What were you thinking ? #8^)

[fotografz]

I wasn't thinking at all Brooks. Hadn't had a cup of coffee yet and my brain skipped a beat.

EVERYONE knows the smaller the source the .... never mind ; -)

[al_kaplan1]

Marc, based on the timing of some of your posts here on photonet I sometimes wonder if you EVER sleep.

[michaelmowery]

Marc, I have used pack and heads for 12years and have used a mono once. Why do you

choose mono instead of Pack and head?

[brooks short]

Good question, Michael! I been shooting commercially with packs and heads systems for twenty-something years but I don't shoot weddings.

 

My guess, as to why Marc chose 3 monolights over a pack and head system, is that trying to find 3 seperate electrical outlets near the altar is the most fun you can have at a wedding ?

 

Mind you, that's just a guess. I could be wrong. #8^)

[fotografz]

Guys, just because I didn't get any sleep or have my coffee doesn't mean I just fell off the

Turnip truck.

 

For years have had a full blown Profoto studio set-up with four radio controlled generator

boxes, (including computer controlled D4Rs), all sorts of light modifiers, etc. All for

commercial work ranging from food shots for Unilever/Best Foods, to Kayaks/Canoes for

Johnston Paddle Sports, to high-end Jewelry catalogs and editorial work for Financial

accounts.

 

The Mono-head Kits are mostly for location work where I may have heads set up in

different rooms, or some outside a bank of windows, and can't have cables running all

over the floors to generator boxes, nor would want to lug every generator box I own to

those type shoots. I have a Med-Spa shoot next Sunday just like that. Monos are a nice

set-up for in-home portrait work also, especially when working alone.

 

For certain select weddings I'll probably bring one of those cases with two 600 watt Monos

and a stand case with 2 large umbrellas. The Monos still need a powersource to at least

one of the heads with the other slaved. I could then set them up at a reception triggered

by Pocket wizards ... Lets see Uncle Bob match that : -)

 

I most certainly wouldn't want to be using generator boxes where the 6 year old ring-

bearer would be hard pressed to not play around with it.<div></div>