Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Endeavour on February 08, 2016, 01:26:05 pm

Title: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: Endeavour on February 08, 2016, 01:26:05 pm

Hi
I'm going to need to be doing some exterior shoots soon with a couple of strobes (300w) and am thinking about power for them

What do people generally go for? A generator such as a honda EU1000i/2000i ? or battery packs?

thanks

Title: Re: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: Phil Indeblanc on February 08, 2016, 01:29:29 pm

Godox battery packs will do great for a 300w.  The 9xx series even has 2 ports.  I have heard great things.

But for gen, yes the Honda 2K is the quiet king. Hyundai is also good and Yamaha as well.

Title: Re: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: Endeavour on February 08, 2016, 01:36:03 pm

I was impressed with the hondas - but damn that 2000i isnt very light. Dragging that around (and up & down stairs) gets boring very quickly

Title: Re: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: Conner999 on February 09, 2016, 09:39:33 am

Went through the same process last year and we decided on some dead-simple HD battery packs that would take anything we could throw at them, so we ended up buying some WELL-used discontinued Dynalite XP1100s.  Swapped-in some new after-market batteries and the things are utter beasts. 

They last forever and the suckers are powerful. The recycle time of an Acute 1200 pack, at full power, on slow recycle off 120AC is app. 3 sec. On a Dynalite it's 4 sec - and it's not even trying hard.  A full-power D1 500 recycles as fast as if on AC.     

Title: Re: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: Phil Indeblanc on February 09, 2016, 07:35:52 pm

There is the Photogenic ION as well.

The MFG's do a poor job of mentioning battery specs. Would be nice to see a shoot out between a bunch of these. But for under $120 the Godox 9series is pretty sweet.

Title: Re: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: Ellis Vener on February 11, 2016, 12:06:16 pm

Quote from: lotusEsp on February 08, 2016, 01:26:05 pm

Hi
I'm going to need to be doing some exterior shoots soon with a couple of strobes (300w) and am thinking about power for them

What do people generally go for? A generator such as a honda EU1000i/2000i ? or battery packs?

thanks

I have had very good sold experience with the Paul C. Buff, Inc. Vagabond Lithium Extreme battery running a pair of 640 w-s Einstein  monolights at full power. The inverter and the battery are seperate units so you can switch to a fresh battery as needed.

Title: Re: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: Endeavour on February 16, 2016, 01:21:25 pm

Thanks, would rather not have to get something shipped from the US

I know I said exterior shots, but the main reason (apart from weight) which troubles me about the honda, is if I want to shoot indoors - such as an old warehouse or powerless studio - I wont be able to run the generator due to fumes.

So I'm thinking battery pack(s) would be more flexible.

Title: Re: location strobe power - batteries or generator?
Post by: dwswager on February 16, 2016, 02:57:05 pm

Quote from: Ellis Vener on February 11, 2016, 12:06:16 pm

I have had very good sold experience with the Paul C. Buff, Inc. Vagabond Lithium Extreme battery running a pair of 640 w-s Einstein  monolights at full power. The inverter and the battery are seperate units so you can switch to a fresh battery as needed.

+1 on Paul Buff stuff.  I have used two ZAP monolights for years and have an Ebay search worm going to pick up a couple more lights now that I'm doing more group work.  Amazing how much smaller and lighter monolights have gotten over the years.