tim_bennett1

<p>Dynalite M2000ER Flash Duration at max power 1/700 sec.<br>

If flash duration at max is the cornerstone for making a purchase, you would have to move past the Profoto D4 (Even Profoto advertises the D4 as a still life/portrait pack) and into the 7 and 8 series units. These units were specifically designed for fast recycle times and short flash duration. Of course you are now talking 9-10K per pack..</p>

<p>As for only two head outlets on the Zeus, most Pro Shooters rarely use more than two heads on a pack anyway regardless of the number of outlets unless shooting at extremely low power settings. This is just common practice to reduce recycle times and to keep flash duration at a reasonable level. Nothing worse than to miss a great shot because you are pushing your packs too hard. (Been there, done that)</p>

<p>I personally run 4 Acute 2400's and have not had an issue with flash duration or recycle time. I simply don't max them out, and only run one to two heads each pack. PCB gear is great stuff and a great bang for buck, customer service is excellent. They back up everything they sell. I cut my teeth on PCB gear, both Alien Bees and White Lighnings.</p>

<p>If you buy the Zeus and don't like it, which I doubt, you will always get your money back on Ebay. PCB gear has some of the highest resale value on the market.<br>

Hope this helps..</p>

<p>Tim<br>

http://www.tbennettphotography.com</p>

One more thing, there are sometimes when nothing more than a rinflash is used with maybe a an accent light or two. This is very common in the shower sets.

http://www.probodyshots.com

Lots of lights.

One Photog wil use a 7' Ocotobox as key light, have an assistant work a 24"x36" Black silk 1/4 stop scrim between the key and the model. He uses a 3' Octobox mounted high and behind the camera as fill. Normally 2 gel covered 7" grid lights for the hair placed high and behind the model. 2 gel covered 7" grid lights placed behind and to either side for rim and accent. Sometimes an asiatant works a fresnel face light in and out between shots as the light is to irritating to be held in place and so the model can move a bit. Many gel covered 7" grids are placed for accenting and highlighting certain elements of the set.

Sometimes more gel covered grid lights are used to accent the breast area, the abdominal area and the calf area.

On smaller sets this photog will opt for chimera strip boxes instead of the large octobox. They will still use the 1/4 stop silk scrim.

At other times they will use nothing more than a ring flash. These are used a lot in the shower sets.

The bottom line is that they love accenting, hotspots, warm gels etc. The average set will use at least 10 - 15 lights.

Each of Playboy's main photographers have their own special lighting setups. The things they have in common are the use of a lot of lights. The use of gels, great set lighting.

There are many that say very little if any photoshop is used. Balogne! They do skin smoothing, color saturation, sharpening, whitening the eyes and teech in every shot. At a minimum..

I hope this helps a bit..