Well the month of May has seen us change over the lighting system that we use here at BHP studios. We have recently changed over to the Elinchrom Ranger system, namely the Quadra & Ranger lights. We still use Canon 580ExII flash guns for some things shooting through the Ezy box system. In chosing the Quadras we were looking for a system which was a little more reliable, faster recycling or equivalent and also a little more power was on the shopping list.
So onto the Quadras! There is a lot of punch in such a little package that's for sure. With over 400ws of power it is more than enough for most situations.
I also wanted a kit that would easily over power the mid-day sun with fast recycling and waterproof and that is why I also purchased the Elinchrom Ranger RX speed AS kit, more on that later!
So far I have used the Quadra kit at a wedding, a pre-wed, a food shoot on location, a family shoot on location, a fashion shoot at the studio & on location. So versatile. The kit comes with a pack/battery/pack/2 RQ A speed heads/sykport/cable/case & caps. Incidentaly the pack/battery & head weighs only around 3kg, with the head alone weighing less than a cup of coffee! When I purchased the kit I also purchased an extension cable which has been invaluable and numerous lighting modifiers (which we will cover later.) I have used it in light rain and it's been fine, it is not reported to be waterproof but as long as you dont keep it out too long it should be ok. Nothing a few plastic bags wont fix! The heads also have daylight balanced modelling light which can be great for using as a focus light or even a video light at weddings.
Also with the RQ-EL adapter you can use all of the Elinchrom light modifiers which opens a world of new creative possibilities.
Without getting too techi! The packs are Asymmetric, which means that the pack splits the power between the two output channels. If you are using just one head in the A socket then you have the full 400ws of the kit at your disposal, if you are using both lights in A&B sockets then the power is split, 266 ws & 134 ws respectively. Although I have yet to shoot through a full battery it is reported to last approx: 2000 shots on minimum power ( slow recycle) & 150 shots on full power ( slow recycle). It is worth getting an extra battery with your kit as you don't want to get caught short on the shoot. One question that I have been asked a lot is, " Can the pack overpower mid day sun?" Well it would have to be pretty close to the subject to overpower mid-day sun but it will certainly overpower afternoon or evening sun. If you look at the blog post from a couple of weeks ago the last shot at the wedding was taken with the Quadra, CLICK HERE TO SEE or scroll down the blog postings.The sun was directly behind the couples heads so you can get an idea of how strng it was, still very strong even at 8pm.We still had one stop of power to use so weren't using it on full power.
To see more and read about the technical aspects of the Quadra system please download the brochure from HERE.
In conclusion I think it is a fantastic kit. Very versitile. Great for using at weddings, the portability is very good. You can also use flash guns at the same time with the kit if you are using the same radios triggers for them all. If you are doing any commercial work then they can be easily taken on location, powerful enough for most jobs including lifestyle, food, fashion, products etc...Any pack like this will have a few limitations but apart from the power I can't see any more. If you want a kit that can do most things, very portable, reliable, well made then this is the kit to go for. You should be looking at around £1500 inc vat for a two head kit, when you consider that two 580exII flash guns are around £350 each then it's a pretty good deal.
As I mentioned before I also wanted a kit that I could use with or instead of the Quadra kit with more power that I could take on location and use for training. This came in the form of the Elinchrom Ranger RX speed AS kit. With almost 1200ws of power it will blow away the afternoon sun!!
The bigger, heavier pack weighs in at almost 8kg. It is quite heavy but considering it's amazing performance you quickly forget about this! We have been using this kit recently for fashion shoots, inside the studio and on location. The kit comes with one head so if you want another you will have to ad it to your list. At the shoot we had last night we shot over 720 images in and out of the studio at powers of 2.8-6.2 the unit goes from 1.5-7.5 stops.The battery display was still on around 75%!! So pretty amazing battery life. The recycling time is what amazes me the most, I only once shot faster than the pack could keep up with me, when using it on 6.2 power directly into the sun. The amount of shots will also differ if you are using the fast or slow recycle channel.With a little over 2s recycle on full power is amazing.With an fstop of 64 at 1m at 100iso.
If you want to donwload more info about this pack and more of the technical info then download the PDF HERE
There are many extra bits than you can get to help you with you lighting and to help with the experience of using the Elinchrom system. I bought 2- 150x30cm strips, 2-70cm softboxes, 1- beauty dish, 1 maxi spot, various grids. I do recommend getting the extension leads for both the Ranger & Quadra kits, otherwise you cant get the second head far enough away. Also the Ranger Snappy is a great case that wraps around the power pack with a very comfy shoulder strap, a must for carrying across the hills!
So the choice has to be up to you really, you have to see what you will be shooting in your business. If you are shooting kids/weddings, some comercial jobs then the Quadra will be the kit for you. If you are wanting the extra power, faster recycling at higher power, if you are shooting a lot of fashion, big commercial jobs, cars then the Ranger is the kit for you. A combo of each would be the perfect shopping list really but will set you back. My best advice is that if you are thinking of getting a lighting pack and are just starting out then the Quadra is the kit to go for, for the price and the power it cannot be beaten. If then down the road you find that you are needing more power then you may want to go for another Quadra pack or upgrade to the Rangers.
I will also be posting some images from our shoot on the train tracks last night with the Ranger kit after this post goes out. Here are a few shots of the equipment in use last night, behind the scenes:
Image showing Ranger RX Speed AS kit with two A heads, 1- maxi spot & 1 High Performance reflector 48˙. Pack with Snappy case, extension cable to back light.
Thanks also to Mike for assisitng me and for Liz for being a great sport and for allowing us to shoot her in the open like this!
TO SEE MORE IMAGES FROM THIS SHOOT CLICK HERE
May I also take this opportunity to comment on the servcie that I received from The Flash Centre, it was second to none. They helped and guided me through the kit I needed, answering all my questions that I had. Click HERE to email The Flash Centre or CLICK HERE to go to The Flash Centre site.
Also if you wish to speak to someone then call Lousie O'Shea on 020 7812 0069 and she will help you to choose which kit is right for you. A very good fashion & beauty photographer also!
Please note that this article represents the views of myself, Brett Harkness. You are open to find alternative units if you require.If you wish to read more technical info about the products please downlaod the PDF's from the links above or visit the Elnchrom website.Feel free to leave a comment or ask any questions that I may not have covered.