Believe me our R&D isn't cheap. But I never factor R&D into selling price. It gets amortized over many years. Companies that raise their price because of high R&D end up charging too much for the product and never realize their goal of high sales. It's a self destructive business model. Back to the Laffer Curve.

For those who don't know what the Laffer curve is, Arthur Laffer defined Reaganomics by plotting maximum tax return to the government on the basis of 0% tax yields zero income and 100% tax also returns zero (because nobody will work.) Same deal in biz - if you charge too much nobody buys and you have a great profit margin but no profits.

By the way, Laffer moved from California to Nashville, as did I, so he could keep more of his earnings. His own curve cost CA a brain drain and crappy economy because they didn't follow the curve and TN did.

Yes, these same mounts will be standard on Classic AB in the near future. We just got the first shipment.

Do the new Max units have ready audibles?
Thx.
Ed

I will post more details and sample screens as soon as I gather them together. I'm playing with CC now and it's fun.

I am about to get a scholar ship from my college, and I am planning in buying some lights. I live in Europe, and I wonder will the prices differ in Switzerland and US? Would it be cheaper to wait, or should I order from Nashville?

Yes. Selectable Ready = Model Dim, Beeper, Both, Neither from the back panel or CC. ABMAX flash durations and color temperatures are displayed on CC but not on the back panel. But the back panel LCD does show you the capacitor switching points so you can see when flash duration shortens below 1/2 power and 1/4 power.

Prices from Switzerland will be 10% higher than US prices. But shipping will be way cheaper and more than makeup the difference. I would suggest Switzerland because they will have full warrantee repair facilities. Shipping repairs back and forth to the US by UPS Air is a big problem.

Once we get Switzerland in place we will no longer ship direct from US to Europe.

ABMAX doesn't need CSR+/CSRB+. The $29.95 transceiver does this all, with no wires or power. Channels and Frequency are selected on the ABMAX itself. It's all digital thus more accurate.

The reason we did it this way was because if future technology gives us a better transmission method you're not stuck with a built in Transceiver ala PW and obsolete light.

Notice Visatec Solo 1600 (Broncolor product I believe) on the chart is 600WS. Also Flashpoint 1220 is 600WS and Photogenic Power Light 1500 is 600WS. We get accused of being the only company that uses (used) effective WS but it ain't true.

Broncolor people told me a few years back the Visatec was designed to compete with WL.

I am continually sourcing new vendors to get the best quality at the lowest costs. Our China molder makers (really good company) is now doing metal spinning of reflectors so we have access to better quality/cost ratio. (But high tooling costs).

The new beauty dish is designed for narrower beam and much higher output. If painted white it would perform exactly like the current BD. The new version will ship with diffusion sock. If you sock it, it widens the beam and lower the output and looks about the same as the old one - though still more output.

The PLM System should revolutionize the whole umbrella/softbox thing. It's 16 sides make it appear round, and as a parabolic reflector is should produce the same characteristics as those $1000+ 5-7' monstrosities that are impossible to transport and use. As a softbox, it produces extremely even light across its face and pattern plus more output than standard softboxes.

This is the only 16 sided true parabolic umbrella style system on the market - to the best of my knowledge. I've tested 8 rib samples and they are beautiful. Should have pre=production 16 rib samples in about 10 days and I'm pumped about them.

Dear Paul

Bless you heart, hard worker! You did have good and bad news. The AlienBees MAX really surprised me. Do you know what I photograph mostly? My now-eight-month-old son, whose name is Max. No kidding (pardon the pun).

But, gee, I'd like to have a couple of those new units right now.

July 1? Wow, that's a good while from now. I hope you can meet that goal, but I certainly don't want you under any stress.

Now I don't understand the advantage of Einstein. Shorter flash duration? How does that help me? I shoot with a B800 and B400 and sometimes a reflector (or Excalibur 160ws el-cheapo light). The B800 shoots through a seven-foot Photoflex OctoDome and is the slider is almost at full power. I shoot at 1/200th of a second at f/13 and get gorgeous wrap-around lighting. I'm looking forward to dumping the Excalibur and adding a big Bee.

Thanks for your work, Paul. If there's a pre-pre-order list, I want to be on it. I'll take a 640 and a 320, Cyber Commander, and two plug-in transceivers. I'd like the lights in the same shade of green as my Classic Bees, and if that isn't going to be available, I'll let my son pick from the new colors.

If Mac-related technical support, graphic design, Web development, or technical writing will help you meet or beat your goal of a July 1 ship date, please allow me to help.

Thanks again, Paul, for your contribution to my photography and to photography in general.

--Jaddie

I'm interested to hear what the minimum size of the new parabolic umbrellas will be when folded.

Deb and I love Santa Fe and art deco colors. I tried to combine these in the ABMAX colors for a little more "classy" rather than hippy look. Also, they are a more matte finish so a little softer looking.

"Classy"? I'm sure the stodgy crowd will disagree - they're still pretty out there.

For portrait, product or most commercial work, short flash durations are not much of an advantage .... but ... for sports shooters (or shooting anything in motion) it can be a great asset in stopping action. In essence, your flash duration becomes your shutter speed. This can be a boon for some work because so many cameras are stuck with a 1/250 flash sync speed.