Profoto Pro8A compared to Broncolor ScoroA4S

[UlfKrentz]

Uh, I think I may get it now.  On the Scoros packs, you do get the option to turn the CC off, in the menu.  It says, "Color Control- OFF".  

Maybe you haven't seen the newest ones?  ...or am I still not understanding.

On the consistency issue, we were primarily concerned with "one head, one pack".  The consistency I'm speaking of is flash-to-flash, simple repeated pops from the same setup, and measuring the variation.  We tested in rapid succession, and also with several seconds between flashes.  

I'm glad you're happy with the equipment.  That's a lot of money to spend to be unhappy...  

Thanks for your input!

Hi Ted,

Ok, I´ll take a deeper look at the submenue tomorrow (did I mention I hate the menues of the scoro), but it is like I posted in post 67.
I´m curious, what the packs will do "CC switched off", will tell you tomorrow.
I have to admit, concerning the color consistency I was mainly speaking from our experience with the grafit packs (using them for a long time and still in use), we didn´t make an indeep color-test with the scoros, just mix them with the grafits and trusting that "improved color management" but never noticed any color differences yet. (But I understand what you are saying, and I´ll give it some extra attention now) We enjoy the additional extras of the scoro and don´t want to miss them.

Cheers, Ulf

[Conner999]

"(Here in Germany you can have lampbases, that are custom made for different manufacturers packs)" - this I REALLY like... Vendor name(s)?

[teddillard]

"(Here in Germany you can have lampbases, that are custom made for different manufacturers packs)" - this I REALLY like... Vendor name(s)?

That's been going on for years- back in the '80s I had Balcar heads rewired for my Speedo packs, because Balcar had many light modifiers that Speedo did not, but the Speedo packs were bulletproof.  Not something I'd consider today, and as far as power and color consistency, a complete nightmare.  Especially on a system that you've spent 10K on the pack alone...  I doubt that you can come to any conclusions with this kind of modified system.

[teddillard]

(did I mention I hate the menues of the scoro),

Cheers, Ulf

No, but I certainly did in my review...    

...nothing but sympathy for the assistant who's working with these things without any experience.  

[AlDoori]

...nothing but sympathy for the assistant who's working with these things without any experience.

assistants must know the equipment they are working with.
that is an important part of their job.

[UlfKrentz]

That's been going on for years- back in the '80s I had Balcar heads rewired for my Speedo packs, because Balcar had many light modifiers that Speedo did not, but the Speedo packs were bulletproof.  Not something I'd consider today, and as far as power and color consistency, a complete nightmare.  Especially on a system that you've spent 10K on the pack alone...  I doubt that you can come to any conclusions with this kind of modified system.

I cannot find the setting CC off, my scoros run software 37.03, have you got a newer firmware? I can only imagine that this is additional info on the display when set to min, reminding that the color will not stay on a specific level but will change with different power-setting.

Power and color consistency should be no problem with rewired heads. There might be a constant color-shift depending on which brand / tubes /packs you are using. Color consistency is coming from the pack. It can be risky though, e.g. never use a "speed" lampbase with the grafit / scoro, as this will kill the IGBT- board.

There are still some small companies left that custom make a lot of things like big fresnel spots or light boxes like Bläsing or Bacht, both based in Essen. They can be ordered matching your packs. These companies are working on a very high level, a there will be no doubt in any power / color issues.

Cheers, Ulf

[Bernhard]

I cannot find the setting CC off, my scoros run software 37.03, have you got a newer firmware? I can only imagine that this is additional info on the display when set to min, reminding that the color will not stay on a specific level but will change with different power-setting.

Power and color consistency should be no problem with rewired heads. There might be a constant color-shift depending on which brand / tubes /packs you are using. Color consistency is coming from the pack. It can be risky though, e.g. never use a "speed" lampbase with the grafit / scoro, as this will kill the IGBT- board.

There are still some small companies left that custom make a lot of things like big fresnel spots or light boxes like Bläsing or Bacht, both based in Essen. They can be ordered matching your packs. These companies are working on a very high level, a there will be no doubt in any power / color issues.

Cheers, Ulf

I never heard of Bläsing, really intersting head and modifiers they have, do you know Ulf if they are made for Profoto. I Asked Hensel and Bron about Profoto head adapter to their generators but was told profoto didn't want to sell them the plugs?

thanks,

[UlfKrentz]

I never heard of Bläsing, really intersting head and modifiers they have, do you know Ulf if they are made for Profoto. I Asked Hensel and Bron about Profoto head adapter to their generators but was told profoto didn't want to sell them the plugs?

thanks,

Hi Bernard,

I am sure they could do it, they won´t promote it though. You don´t get spare parts from Profoto? Hard to believe but possibly true. They might not want to sell huge quantities but should be able to deliver a few. I don´t think these plugs are made especially for Profoto you should be able to get them somewhere. Briese is using very similar plugs.
Bläsing products are very well made, going to last forever - but are very heavy.

Cheers, Ulf

[Conner999]

I've heard of some folks in US who will adapt heads, but getting concrete info seems difficult.  Would be interesting to have an adapter (vs a re-wire) to be able to use a different manufacturer's pack in a pinch or for ___ and giggles.

[klane]

I've heard of some folks in US who will adapt heads, but getting concrete info seems difficult.  Would be interesting to have an adapter (vs a re-wire) to be able to use a different manufacturer's pack in a pinch or for ___ and giggles.

Flash Clinic here in the USA does head conversions. They are very well regarded as far as I know, I owned a profoto acute ringflash that was converted to dynalite M connection and it worked flawlessly.

[teddillard]

I cannot find the setting CC off, my scoros run software 37.03, have you got a newer firmware?

Power and color consistency should be no problem with rewired heads. These companies are working on a very high level, a there will be no doubt in any power / color issues.

Cheers, Ulf

Not sure, on the version, Ulf.  We no longer have the packs, but the control was certainly there.  Normally I have almost a photographic memory of menus, and could tell you right where it is, in the case of the Bron menu, not so much.  See above.  Seriously, at a point when a consumer camera menu can handle a ton of choices so even my Mom could run it, these menus are an embarrassment.

You've got a lot of solid theory going there...  I'd love to get my hands on them and do some actual testing.  Want to ship 'em to Boston for me?  

 

@AlDoori, re/assistants- see my post about the controls-
http://www.h2hreviews.com/article/Lighting...-Interface.html

I don't know where you're working, but up here in Boston there are probably, well, zero assistants who have hands-on with these packs.  My ideal assistant is someone who can learn to run anything quickly- MFDB to lighting, to how to drive the rental car- not someone who's been field trained on specific gear.  In a followup post I had the opportunity to use the Profoto packs with my favorite assistant, actually, and it was his first time with that model- he was running it in about 30 sec, with no instruction.

Here's a quote from my post:
Oh, did I mention we were using the Pro-8 lighting system courtesy of Profoto?  It was funny- in the lighting review I talk about how important the controls are, and how an assistant needs to be able to figure it out at a glance.  Here was my opportunity to see how an assistant, at first sight, was able to figure things out.  It took Sam about 30 seconds.

[UlfKrentz]

I've heard of some folks in US who will adapt heads, but getting concrete info seems difficult.  Would be interesting to have an adapter (vs a re-wire) to be able to use a different manufacturer's pack in a pinch or for ___ and giggles.

Not that easy with adapters, in some cases you have a minor modification (of the trigger circuit) in the lampbase and rewiring.

Cheers, Ulf

[teddillard]

I just had a simply brilliant thought.  In the shower, where I do all my best thinking.  Some people sing, I think, what can I say?

All I need to run tests of color consistency in Imatest is a series of nice, well exposed shots in RAW of the ColorChecker.  If you, Ulf, or anyone else wants to see how their head/pack combination tests out from flash to flash, you can do the shooting and I'll be happy to run the tests and post the results.  

To standardize, here's what I'd like to get- for each head/pack combination.

Shoot 5 shots of the ColorChecker at minimum power
Shoot 5 at half-power
Shoot 5 at highest power

It's best if they're shot at the camera's minimum ISO, the frame is filled, but all the ColorChecker is included and not cropped.  If you shoot RAW + JPEG that's even better.  The target has to be lit evenly or the software will error out.  

Zip the files, load them to somewhere I can get to them, and DM me with the info.  

Sound like fun?  

And yes, Ulf, I was thinking of you in the shower.    

 

[UlfKrentz]

And yes, Ulf, I was thinking of you in the shower.    

 

Hmmm, may be I should stop posting here?

Cheers, Ulf

[teddillard]

Hmmm, may be I should stop posting here?

Cheers, Ulf

don't change the subject...  

[geesbert]

Every Broncolor flashhead I've used in the past 20+ years has a modeling lamp on/off switch.
It's the triangular piece sticking up from the housing in this photo:

that is true, but it cannot be switched on and off from the pack, which can be done with the profoto packs. I sometimes  have four or more heads in use, so when i want to check which reflections belong to which head it is great to switch thme individuall off from the pack, which is usually close to me.

[Conner999]

Thanks much.

[AlDoori]

that is true, but it cannot be switched on and off from the pack, which can be done with the profoto packs. I sometimes  have four or more heads in use, so when i want to check which reflections belong to which head it is great to switch thme individuall off from the pack, which is usually close to me.

you can switch individual lamps on/off with all bron A generators since pulsoA from 1985.

on scoro, keys  7.1 7.2 7.3 switch mod light and flash tube on/off.
switching off the mod light only might be a better solution,
but the current system is certainly usefull to check reflections of each lamp as you descibe

[attachment=18643:scoro_top.jpg]

[PdF]

you can switch individual lamps on/off with all bron A generators since pulsoA from 1985.

on scoro, keys  7.1 7.2 7.3 switch mod light and flash tube on/off.
switching off the mod light only might be a better solution,
but the current system is certainly usefull to check reflections of each lamp as you descibe

[attachment=18643:scoro_top.jpg]

Of course. It works perfectly. I don't need something else...

PdF (usual Broncolor user since 25 years)

[teddillard]

I just had a simply brilliant thought.  In the shower, where I do all my best thinking.  Some people sing, I think, what can I say?

All I need to run tests of color consistency in Imatest is a series of nice, well exposed shots in RAW of the ColorChecker.  If you, Ulf, or anyone else wants to see how their head/pack combination tests out from flash to flash, you can do the shooting and I'll be happy to run the tests and post the results.  

To standardize, here's what I'd like to get- for each head/pack combination.

Shoot 5 shots of the ColorChecker at minimum power
Shoot 5 at half-power
Shoot 5 at highest power

It's best if they're shot at the camera's minimum ISO, the frame is filled, but all the ColorChecker is included and not cropped.  If you shoot RAW + JPEG that's even better.  The target has to be lit evenly or the software will error out.  

Zip the files, load them to somewhere I can get to them, and DM me with the info.  

Sound like fun?  

And yes, Ulf, I was thinking of you in the shower.    

 

Nobody interested in doing this?  Ulf?  I scared you off?