Paul C. Buff FORUM Archive • View topic

Luap · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:15 pm **Posts:** 3556

ScottFX wrote:

I may be just missing it, but when do the PLM and new reflectors come out. I dented my Beauty Dish and now have a terrible time getting the grid on and off (on isn't really a problem) so I was thinking of picking up a second one if it's only $80

Nevermind...I'm missed it

Quote:

4. We are also releasing our brand-new Parabolic Light Modifier
System™ and four new conventional reflectors on the same schedule.
Please see attached pictures and specifications for this exciting
product line.

Pre orders June 1, shipment July 1.

Luap · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:15 pm **Posts:** 3556

chad_oglesbay wrote:

ngray wrote:

...However, I'm not as interested in the metal body, and it looks like the new LCD display includes color temp. As far as 12v, I have my own mod-sine inverter and battery, so I'm fine there.

Could someone help me understand why the 12v feature is (or is not) so important? I don't really understand it. Thanks.

It's important if you do a lot of location shooting where there's no power. It's not important otherwise.

chad_oglesbay · **Joined:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:30 pm **Posts:** 37

Luap wrote:

chad_oglesbay wrote:

Could someone help me understand why the 12v feature is (or is not) so important? I don't really understand it. Thanks.

It's important if you do a lot of location shooting where there's no power. It's not important otherwise.

So then if I was to get a Vagabond to assist with remote shooting, what effect (if any) will the new ABMAX have on the power of the Vagabond?

Luap · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:15 pm **Posts:** 3556

AB MAX will give you more shots per charge and recycle faster.

someguy03 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:48 pm

Luap wrote:

AB MAX will give you more shots per charge and recycle faster.

I remember reading a few months back that many competitors strobes with digital readouts wouldn't work with the Vagabond 2. How did you guys find a way around this with the AB MAX?

daytrip00 · **Joined:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:11 pm **Posts:** 3

Kickass king luap!! was frustrated with the wait... but you pretty much nailed what I want... Will be ordering!

Luap · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:15 pm **Posts:** 3556

epatt250 wrote:

someguy03 wrote:

I know it's stupid but I'm confused about the new PLM System.

I realize it is more efficient because of the sixteen sided parabola, but other than that is it essentially a brolly box and a umbrella combined?

All the fabrics mixing together are throwing me off. I don't really understand the Japanese Lantern either :oops:

It looks like a version of the Softliter to me. Which is a good product. I am not 100% sure I understand all the fabric options but it looks like you could buy the whole shebang kit and then another frame and be able to use one as bounce with white baffle AND use the other fabrics as shoot thru with black baffle to prevent spill.

I will be interested to see the reviews on these as umbrellas make some great light I would just rather have more control. If you could use a grid with a softliter I would have got one of those a long time ago.

One thing I would like to see is a gold interior for bounce too. Not having to use a gel to warm the light would be nice.

60" Softlighter is not a parabolic reflector - only a white softbox or shoot through umbrella with ten segments. It's $69.95. 86" PLM is much more than a softlighter because it's primarily based on a high output giant parabolic silver reflector - the $1000+ variety.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7 ... l#features

Profoto attachment is 84" eight sided parabolic reflector - $1500

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... l#features

For $4700 you can get a nice Broncolor 66" "parabolic" reflector that looks more like an ellipsoid to me and requires a Hummer to transport and a crew to set up.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3 ... l#features

What are we here for - to spend money or take pictures?

Luap · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:15 pm **Posts:** 3556

someguy03 wrote:

Luap wrote:

AB MAX will give you more shots per charge and recycle faster.

I remember reading a few months back that many competitors strobes with digital readouts wouldn't work with the Vagabond 2. How did you guys find a way around this with the AB MAX?

First, we designed the uP power supply so it doesn't crash at 50VAC (most crash at about 85VAC) and second the main power supply doesn't draw the high 18A surge current that causes inverters to brown out. Third, our power supply will run from non sinewave UPS style inverters. So it's crash proof in any use.

zapufast · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:12 pm

Are you going to discontinue the old beauty dish?

epatt250 · **Joined:** Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:20 pm **Posts:** 10

Fortunately for your company I like doing both!

I wont pretend to understand what makes a $1500 umbrella so special. I honestly dont get what makes it different from an umbrella other than being a tad deeper and having more panels.

Regardless of all the mumbo jumbo I am certainly game for the 53" unit with all the trimmings. I was wanting a 47" octa to go with my 35"er but this is a little bigger and may work as well. Except I can use a grid on the octa..

Luap wrote:

epatt250 wrote:

someguy03 wrote:

What are we here for - to spend money or take pictures?

destrian · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:19 pm

Paul as the Prince of Cheap,
One, thanks you for your commitment to fair priced tools that we can actually use. Two, I WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE BEAUTY DISH AND THE PARA TYPE REFLECTOR!!! Three, I am impressed that you made the PLM universal (yet optimized for Alienbees stuff)... very impressed. I cant wait to buy it to review it for Studiolighting.net

As for the AB Max.... I think you just all but shot down most but the absolute most demanding pros from the Einstein.

But hey, your the man.

a2rob · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:25 pm

WOW, Its really amazing to see that an CEO, takes time out of his or her schedule to address lots of question about new products!
I am just reading all of the post and gaining knowledge from this.

Simply amazing....

Luap · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:15 pm **Posts:** 3556

zapufast wrote:

Are you going to discontinue the old beauty dish?

Not right away anyhow. But it costs us almost as much as we sell it for so we can't drop the price and still make a profit.

YinkaMD · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:45 pm

Happy Belated Birthday, Paul!!

As a birthday present, please choose any photo of mine, and I will give you a 20x30 print, matted and framed. Will have to wait until we move to Memphis to deliver though.

ZBob · **Joined:** Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:20 am **Posts:** 13

Hi i have a few questions as as well..

I will be shooting on location all the time so the battery operation is very important to me.

#1 if i use this battery
http://www.onlybatterypacks.com/showite ... D=11920.37
and this use this inverter
http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/xpower_200_micro.html

Hooked togather will this work.?
What is the smallest inverter i can use for this.?

Using the battery at the link it is much lighter to carry around then a lead battery - how many full pops could i get from it with the larger max flash??

we shoot family sessions on location and we only need at the most 200 pops at a time. What would be the smallest battery power output from a battery to give us the smallest easy to carry around battery system.
We have to walk blocks some times and need the lightest set up as possible.

Thanks