Buff Einsteins can use any Balcar accessory?

[jonathan7007]

I have a few Einstein heads and reflectors on the way to me. To my surprise a Buff employee told me during transit that these heads take Balcar accessories. I had not seen that on the Buff website.

Has anyone here tried out (successfully?) Balcar modifiers, reflectors, etc., on the Einsteins? Willing to share your experiences?

I have some modifiers here that require a 6-inch flange of thin metal as a connector/attachment. Now I am searching for source(s) of a Balcar-to-6 inch pieces. Buff doesn't have such a thing. Living way out in the boonies I hope to avoid too much shipping cost to try out possibilities. Looks like Kacey Enterprises has one excellent alternative sold specifically for Buff, and I ordered that. Page about this flange shows it on Alien Bees, not Einsteins.

 

[Wildfire]

I'm pretty sure the AlienBees and Einsteins have always used the Balcar mount. PCB doesn't call it that on their website but it should be the same thing.

 

[jonathan7007]

Balcar-branded strobes have been around for a long time. Are there interesting Balcar accessories that Einstein users reading this forum have used? Are there any fit/usage issues due to Einstein peculiarities? For instance, are the Einstein head clips able to hold accessories that have some weight? Holding a softbox horizontal without sag is one issue.

An east coast friend once showed me a small (8x5-inch?) hard case softbox from Balcar (will call him...) and I remember lots of interesting modifiers at his studio.

I plan to use the Buff products to continue small product and advertising tabletop, real estate, architecture, portraiture - both usual and environmental, wedding/event use, location in general, etc.

The Einsteins arrive late today. I admit it feels like Christmas.

 

[pwp]

You're going to love the Einsteins. I bought one out of sheer curiosity when they first shipped. Now, a few years later my six Profoto 600 compact monos, two Profoto 2400 floorpacks plus heads and a raft of Profoto modifiers have all been sent off to eBay.

Now I'm as happy as Larry with six Einsteins and a bunch of modifiers, triggers etc. Contemporary lighting techniques and the totally viable option of cranking up the iso on the 5D3 means you don't necessarily need two 2400 floorpacks belting out full power to get your shot.

AFAIA there is modifier interchangability between Balcar, Alien Bees, Einstein and/or White Lightning strobes. But with the amazingly low cost of PCB modifiers, this is pretty much a non-issue.

If you wanted another verification, join up and post a question on the PCB Forums.
http://www.paulcbuff-techforum.com/

-PW

 

[jonathan7007]

Paul, thanks, I will start reading that forum and join if I need further help. The Buff modifiers seem OK. The honeycombs are good... I unpacked the heads and agree. What an advance from the Normans I used for so long. I am looking forward to lighting event rooms with one or two of these and Odin triggers, although the Buff commander might be worth buying to control ratios on the fly during the event.

I have a Kacey beauty dish and some of that company's attachment goodies on order. Also bought one Buff battery pack so I'd have a higher output available for appropriate outdoor situations.

Wish only that Buff's shipping costs to Hawaii weren't higher than the products when ordering some smaler goods.
I do like the customer support a lot.

Yes, I am willing -- and now equipped -- to give up my 2000WS packs!

 

[jonathan7007]

I have to add that being able to run a head way down to that lowest setting with just a rocker switch is a powerful capability for location or even product photography. Food photos come to mind, real estate. With the big Normans (admittedly the old series 2000d packs) we were adding heads just to split power, or madly swapping connectors to move ratios around. Sometimes if an assistant moved too fast through that process there would be a loud bang and we'd have to pick the guy off the floor <grin>.

Ah, the good old days...