I went down the same path - started with 3 AF360FGZ's and some Lumiquest Softboxes and bouncers. Used them wirelessly and they worked fine. Pentax does have the "modeling light" feature on those flashes. It is triggered by the DOF on the camera. The real problem with the fake modeling light is that it has to strobe the flash a bunch of times - this sucks the power and heats up the tube - nothing at all like a powerful modeling light that is constantly on.
My biggest problem was the lack of real power. I was really only able to stop down to about 5.6-8.0 with full power. I wanted to be able to stop down to at least f16 - sometimes that is needed with a particular group or type of shot. I finally gave up with it and got a pair of Alien Bees. They are in a whole different world. Price wasn't really that much more than the individual flashes, but the results are way better. -- Best regards, Bruce Saturday, January 14, 2006, 5:54:16 PM, you wrote: PS> I just finished a location shoot with my studio lights. It was in an PS> old factory. I brought two of my Studio Pro Excalibur 3200s with PS> umbrellas. I used a twenty foot PC cord on one light and set the other PS> to slave. I shot 200 frames with no problems whatsoever. These are PS> inexpensive monolights. I believe I paid about $700 for the two 3200s PS> (300 watt), a 150 watt hair or background light, three stands, two PS> umbrellas and a snout. Prior to buying this set I used a number of PS> electronic flash units that were meant for on-camera use. No PS> comparison. Even these inexpensive monolight studio strobes are easy to PS> use and very reliable. PS> Paul PS> On Jan 14, 2006, at 4:24 PM, Jens Bladt wrote: >> I see, this is different/special. >> I our camera club, the club owns the strobe-outfit consisting 8 >> Courtney and >> Visatec strobes - including sofboxes, honey comb filters, snoots etc. >> It's >> mounted in special rails in the cieling and there's several rolls of >> background paper. It's true that this would be too expensive (and >> unnecessary) for one person to get. >> >> In my experience, however, a strobe outfit consisting of several camera >> flashes is in fact more expensive and less reliable than an old an >> fashioned >> strobe outfit. A 2 or 3 oiece outfit is often cheaper (used) as a >> single >> camera flash, which has a lot of automatics, you don't really need for >> studio work. >> I myself own an outfit made out of 4 old Metz CT 45's and 1 Metz CT 60. >> It's a PITA to use because of all the cords, sensors, power supplies, >> pilot >> light arrangemenst etc. But I still use it from time to time for >> assignments >> outside the studio. >> Before Chrismas I had an assignment (26 portraits and one group shot). >> I >> rented a 3 piece (Two 600 Ws and one 1200 Ws) Elinchrome outfit for 1 >> day, >> for which I paid 100 USD. It was well worth it. The Rotalux softboxes >> are >> simply brilliant. Likewise the electronic controled flash units. They >> are >> however, rather expensive. One 600Ws is appr. 2000 USD! But I could >> buy a 3 >> piece Chinese outfit (Walimex) for less than the cost of one Pentax >> AF500 >> FTZ flash! >> >> In stead of infrared triggering, I often use a cheap 3 piece radio >> trigger >> device, I got off ebay. Works rather well. And it's wireless too. >> >> Regards >> Jens >> >> >> Jens Bladt >> http://www.jensbladt.dk >> >> -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- >> Fra: Adam Maas [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sendt: 14. januar 2006 18:47 >> Til: [email protected] >> Emne: Re: new AF system soon (when D2 arrives)? >> >> >> Jens, >> >> We're mostly amateurs, using wireless flash one stands with umbrellas, >> not full-on studio strobes (Which only a couple people in a group of >> several hundred own, many more happen to own EX series flashes and the >> necessary accessories). And a D will not trigger a ST-E2, I've tried. >> It's actually surprising how well multiple wireless flashes works as >> long as you don't run out of power. >> >> -Adam >> >> >> >> Jens Bladt wrote: >> >>> Adam wrote >>> <different one can cause problems for you at certain events, like >>> studio >>> <shoots, when you can't take advantage of gear sharing). >>> >>> My *ist D works perfectly normal with an Elinchrome strobe outfit. No >>> problems. >>> Some flash units requires, that some cameras (not just Pentax) are >> connected >>> after reversing the polarity of the flash cord. >>> That's not a real problem. Easily solved, and invovleves several >>> camera >>> brands. My camera club just invested in an extra cord, so the members >>> can >>> choose the right cord for the right camera. >>> >>> >>> Jens Bladt >>> http://www.jensbladt.dk >>> >>> -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- >>> Fra: Adam Maas [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> Sendt: 14. januar 2006 06:59 >>> Til: [email protected] >>> Emne: Re: new AF system soon (when D2 arrives)? >>> >>> >>> --SNIP-- >>> >>> >>> But There is a major performance gap, and it's one reason I've left >>> Pentax for AF/Digital bodies. Not the main reason though (That was >>> logistics. When everyone in the club shoots one brand, having a >>> different one can cause problems for you at certain events, like >>> studio >>> shoots, when you can't take advantage of gear sharing). >>> >>> -Adam >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >>
