Broncolor, Profoto, Elinchrom? 6 points to consider before switching lighting brands
Choosing or even switching studio lighting equipment brands can be a big decision, so I’m going to share the things I considered before switching my own system from Elinchrom to broncolor.
I made the switch some years ago, but it was a decision that was long overdue. Before I made the change, there was a lot of thought and considerations, including the different brands, choices between continuous LED or studio flash, and why the choice of modifiers was my primary concern. Hopefully by sharing this, you’ll understand my decisions and thought process so that you can make the right choice for your own photography.
Before I switched to broncolor lighting I was an Elinchrom user for about 16 years of my professional career and for the most part I’d been very happy with the capabilities of their system. It had served me well for the type of work that I was doing at the time and I felt I’d taken some great shots with them. Back in the days of film, they were perfectly good lights for the job.
Occasionally I’d had to rent other equipment for specific shots because Elinchrom didn’t have the right kit, but at the time I always felt that it was better to rent rather than going through the rigmarole of switching my entire system along with all the accessories and modifiers needed for a new brand.
This same dilemma will face many photographers considering a switch, so I thought I’d give you my views on choosing the right lighting system to hopefully make it easier for you if you ever have to make that decision!
Packs or Mononblocs?
So let’s go back to when I first started with Elinchrom lighting. At that time I would say they had a pretty comprehensive range of lights and accessories for the day, plus a great range of softboxes that still hold their own today.
Back then I was using a couple of Elinchrom 101 power packs where you controlled the light power from the pack, plus I also had a couple of monobloc lights where you control the power directly on the light itself.
I always liked working with power packs because you had all the controls at your fingertips, (which meant less walking around your studio) and usually power packs had more ‘oomph’ in terms of output compared to monobloc lights. On the downside, my packs at the time were what’s known as ‘symmetric’, which means if you adjusted the power on the pack it adjusted the power of all the lights plugged into the pack by that same amount.
Other brands were soon bringing out packs with more features and, more importantly, the ability to vary the power independently of every light plugged into the pack (this is known as asymmetric).
Elinchrom didn’t update their pack to true asymmetric until the release of the 3000 digital AS power pack and by this time I had already made the decision to move to monobloc heads so that I would have 1200 joules of power from each light and the flexibility to balance the lights however I liked.
Monobloc heads are different from packs because the capacitors and power are all contained in the lamp head rather than the pack. This means that the light unit itself is bigger and more cumbersome. You can learn more about the different types of studio lights in our ‘Types of studio lighting’ class, and also in our ‘Misconceptions about studio flash lighting’ video.
That being said, working with mono heads isn’t without its drawbacks. From my previous experiences, often you had to get high up on a ladder to change the power or to switch off a modelling lamp or even check the power setting, and if you were working in a cluttered studio this could be more of a problem than it sounds.
Improvements in monobloc lights
As the years went on I moved to the RX mono heads as these had wireless options that allowed me to control the power from a remote control, but even this had limitations because you couldn’t always see the power setting or turn a light off. And, to be honest the sync connection was intermittent at best.
Fortunately things have moved on considerably since then and many of the brands have wireless control over the flash from your desktop or from an app, and provide all sorts of features such as turning lights off and on, turning the modeling lights off or on, or changing the power remotely.
Consistency of output and flash duration
As my photography work advanced and I switched to a completely digital workflow I found that I needed more consistent colour temperature and exposure levels of light because often with digital capture on a product shoot you need to combine several different images together. If each image is not exposed exactly the same in terms of light and colour balance then it makes merging those shots in Photoshop far more difficult (and in some cases almost impossible).
However, my biggest problems with my previous lighting brand were actually two key things. Firstly I was unable to ‘freeze’ fast-moving objects as perfectly as I would have liked, and secondly the choice of modifiers didn’t provide me with some of the light shaping capabilities I required.
At the time I found a workaround by configuring lots of Canon speedlites together to achieve short enough flash durations, made my own modifiers, or rented specialist gear that would do the job when I needed.
But why did I never really consider just buying an alternative system? It was as if the whole time I had subconsciously decided that it was better to find a work-around rather than switch brands. Maybe it always just felt like it was going to be too much trouble to switch when all my cupboards were already full of accessories and familiarity?
Testing before deciding
So then came the crunch… Some years ago I planned an epic fashion shoot in Iceland. For this shoot I was going to need four things: great lighting modifiers that were suited to fashion work, exceptionally fast flash durations to freeze the models movements, portability, and durability because we going to be working in some tough, remote locations.
Fashionscape
Learn what it takes to achieve great on-location fashion shots.
In these documentary-style fashion photography tutorials you'll see the thought process behind planning fashion shoots on location as the team heads to Iceland for one of their biggest projects yet.
I started to consider my options: was it worth trying to find a workaround again or to rent a lot of gear for 10 days? Or, finally, make the decision to switch brands and start working with the equipment I needed for my work going forward?
Creating a workaround wasn't really an option this time as there were just too many things that could go wrong and too much at stake. Renting was a good option but it always ends with having to give the gear back!
I started to think more seriously about investing in a new system. Two of the brands I had rented in the past were Profoto and broncolor; both were premium brands worth considering for my Iceland shoot.
I was already impressed with the capabilities of the broncolor modifiers, particularly their parabolic reflectors for fashion, but I also knew the Para’s could be fitted with adaptors to hold Profoto or other brands if I wanted.
I decided the best option would be to thoroughly test both companies' battery pack flash systems for location work and also take a good look at their overall systems before making a final decision, so ended up renting some of their key gear for a day to be absolutely sure.
Finally making my studio lighting brand move and why
After testing I knew that the broncolor Move packs were the right ones for the Iceland shoot, but these alone were not going to be the answer to my ongoing commercial studio work.
As well as Profoto gear, I had also previously used a broncolor Scoro pack for their fast flash durations, so I was once again faced with the decision of whether I should rent or buy? I still had my reservations; I knew broncolor and Profoto were both good brands but surely too expensive to switch my entire system to a new lighting range…
Subconsciously I just kept considering being already tied to a system with all my modifiers and accessories! But then I began to think more pragmatically about it and I wondered why I was stalling so much on price, especially when this was how I made my living, and especially when I didn’t consider price that much, when buying cameras or lenses? Surely the quality of light and what you can do with it is more important than even cameras!
So, finally, around eight years ago I accepted that while Elinchrom had served me well for over a decade it just didn’t do what I needed anymore and if I wanted to move forwards I had to switch.
With my work varying between product photography, people and fashion, broncolor was fast becoming the most obvious choice, but, of course, it was not the only choice. There are many more brands on the market now than when I was having to make these decisions, and LED lighting has also increased in popularity.
Questions you should ask yourself
So what are the key factors a pro photographer needs to consider when choosing the right lighting system for their business and what tipped the balance for me? Well, let’s first look at what you could ask yourself.
- What sort of photography do you want to be shooting in five years from now?
- How many lights do you really need?
- How much location work do you think you will shoot?
- What budget can you actually stretch to?
- Are cameras and lens budgets more important than your lighting budget?
- What can you do with the light, what is the choice of modifiers?
Question number one is probably the most important because as a pro it’s not always about what you are shooting now, but what you want to be shooting in the future. If you are ever going to be shooting what you aspire to be photographing then you may not be able to do it without practice using the right tools for the job.
Question number two might be oversimplified, but what you should consider is that you may be able to work with just three lights and a small selection of modifiers for 80% of your work and then rent the extra equipment when you need it. That way you may be able to more easily afford entering into the system you really want rather than making a compromise.
Question number three should be simple to answer. Do you need to work outside? For example, if you shoot fashion will any of it be on location? If you shoot family portraits, could you win more business by finding some idyllic outdoor locations to shoot at? Consider your kit requirements carefully because money spent on portable location equipment could have been saved and spent on studio equipment if you are only shooting products in a studio.
Question four asks how much can you afford. As with any business your tools are your assets — you and your tools are what make you money. The more your tools are capable of then the more potential you have to develop your business. So when considering the price of one brand against the other you need to carefully consider all six questions before opting for something that isn’t going to meet your demands in the future or stand the test of time.
Question five is closely linked to question four. Often as photographers we get too hung up on having a collection of lenses and camera bodies that might be beyond what we actually need (I know because I’ve got lenses that are rarely used). In reality, if you can’t light an object the way a client wants then it really doesn’t matter what camera or lenses you have. You also need consider, especially if you’re starting or fitting out a new studio, that every $100 or even $1000 spent on décor, sofas, computers, or accessories might not be as important initially as taking pictures with the most creative lighting.
Question six is really about how you can manipulate and modify light. Let’s face it, light is light, right? Wrong! Light has to be consistent and colour accurate, but most importantly you need to have a range of modifiers that can tame, shape and control the light to suit the type of photography you aspire to shoot. It’s also worth considering if some of the modifiers in the system you’re considering can take the lights you are already using because this could mean you could make the switch in a two stage process to help spread the costs.
What did those six questions mean to me
So what tipped the balance for me? Well, I asked myself the same six questions and also realised a couple of other points along the way… Here were my answers to those same six questions.
At that time back then I’d started shooting more technical and experimental images with flying liquids or paint, and to achieve these I either had to rent or find a workaround. Going forwards I wanted to shoot more of these images and also more moving fashion. I also wanted to concentrate on the photography and not worry about a wireless trigger not working properly, for example. So I needed to opt for a system that could provide me fast flash durations with good remote connectivity on location and in the studio.
For question two, I decided I needed six lights as a minimum, but I also found the broncolor picolites so useful for product photography that I opted for a couple of these too, which I could plug into the Scorro or the Move packs.
For question three I initially decided I was going to need at least one mobile option for location shoots. Since then, however, I have purchased more.
Question four and five — how much could I afford? I always consider this question from a business perspective. How much could these tools potentially help further my business in the future? Once I’d thought about this I then worked out a budget or finance plan to achieve this. Are cameras and lenses more important? Or can light achieve more than your camera? You can have the best camera in the world but without good lighting it’s worthless. I’m not saying you should sell your camera to buy the very best lights, because clearly you still need a good camera, but as a pro photographer you should carefully weigh up which one is going to work the hardest for the type of work you want to shoot.
And question six, what can you do with the light? Light is only as good as you can modify it. I already knew how to create lots of looks with light but I just hadn’t realised how some systems had a solution for almost every type of scenario, from tiny patches of light, to perfect radial gradients, small spots of light with beautiful fall off or the best sparkly fashion lighting and how these modifiers could help you achieve results much more quickly than trying to create workarounds.
What if your budgets are much tighter?
Well if the budgets are much tighter there are other options now on the market, with good reports on brands such as Godox being able to deliver fast flash durations. But keep in mind durability when making your decision. My equipment gets pretty bashed around, so I’m happier knowing it’s built to last.
Also check whether the brand you opt for can be combined with your preferred modifiers. Remember you can of course gradually build your way into a new system, and selling your existing lighting kit would go someway towards offsetting some of the purchase of a new one. Only you can decide what you can afford and how it will work for you.
Other types of studio lighting
There has been a recent popularity in continuous lighting such as LED, and whilst this can be great for product photography because items don’t move remember that to use it effectively you have to work in a darkened studio to avoid other light pollution.
However, it may not be the best choice for fashion as the bright continuous light can fatigue a model. A burst of flash can achieve much brighter light, meaning it’s easier to use lower ISO settings for better image quality or greater depth of field and it can freeze the subject too.
The choice of brand, or flash or continuous totally depends on what you are shooting, so think carefully. The choice of modifiers would be my primary concern. But remember if you prefer one brand of modifiers and another brand of lights they usually offer adaptors so you can put an alternative brand into another brand of modifiers.
Whilst making the switch from Elinchrom to broncolor was a significant investment. I’m glad I finally made the decision. It’s made me more efficient at what I do and it’s easier to solve any lighting problem I’m presented with. Of course it’s not impossible to make even natural light look like studio lighting (as I demonstrated in a recent live show), but efficiency is often key to business success and continually using workarounds can become tedious and frustrating.
Other key decisions on your choice for your type of lighting will be if monobloc or pack systems are better for you, or if lithium battery or mains power works best for you. You can learn more about the differences between these systems and understand studio lighting, flash tubes, modelling lamps and power options in my ‘A guide to understanding studio lighting’ blog.
I hope you found this useful. If you have any other questions or points you’d like to share, please leave a comment below.
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Comments
This post came at the perfect time! I can’t thank you enough for your posts and online school. I’m evolving into a completely different photographer, which is changing the way I approach cinematography as well. I just sat down to compare the specs last week. I’m currently using Paul Buff Einstein’s. And while I feel they’re on par with where I’m at in the learning curve, part of me wonders if better light and modifiers will help me hit that next water mark. The only reason I’m asking this is because I was recently on a sunset shoot and found my strobe to give me inconsistent bursts of light, which isn’t that big of a deal in studio, but when you’re trying to time the sunset and have a limited window, it starts to feel a little frustrating. I traded the strobe out, and even then, it wasn’t identical. Part of me wonders if it’s always been this way, but my eye just wasn’t refined enough to notice. I know I want more lights and modifiers. Do I make the switch now or stay put. It’s a tough question. I know our craft is #1, but having better tools certainly helps. I’m going to write up the list to determine my answer. I always go back to this though, I’m a ‘lifer’. I’ve made the commitment. I doubt a decade from now I’ll look back and think, “I shouldn’t of upgraded.” I feel like I’ll think, “Thank goodness I kept raising the bar.” Thanks again Karl! You’re school is the best!!
And sorry for the typos! 🙂 – Dustin
Enormously useful, thank you. I am a dog photographer and a long time Elinchrom user, heavily invested in the Elinchrom system. It has served me very well. Three buts. 1 They aren’t always fast enough. 2. I shoot sitting on the floor and I am up and down all the time when I need to adjust lights. 3. Reproducibility for composites. You’ve given me the stimulus I need to give serious thought to changing.
Glad it was helpful.