Took the Plunge!

[fotografz]

I am laying off buying camera gear in lieu of revamping my lighting and studio systems. At this point, minor incremental improvement in the digital capture IQ is horrifyingly expensive, where major upgrades in lighting tools will yeild far greater visual improvements and capability at less cost.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it

I've torn into the studio and off-loaded a dump truck worth of junk, prints and darkroom gear to free up space to better organize the studio and storage room. OMG, I cannot believe how many bags I've accumulated ... some, like a big lens back-pack and a Pelican roller, are unused! It's a wonder that the wifey did get me featured on the TV program "Horders" :loco: :ROTFL:

As room became available, I added a Hensel 1200 Porty L Kit, second Porty head, Profoto D1 Air 500 set, second Profoto AIR transceiver and one dumb AIR receiver for my D4 2400 box. The Hensel has three different radio systems inside, so Profoto AIR sender at camera can control and trigger both the Hensel Porty and D1 500 AIRs on separate channels = Full on-camera control of Hensel and Profto D1 AIR at the same time.

Added the frosted glass bulb type covers and 10º grid to the D1 heads, and plan to get the Porty Mains adapter to use it in studio when desired. Also looking to get two Paul C. Buff Vagabond Mini Liths for remote work with the D1 AIRs in concert with the Hensel Porty L.

I will be selling off some choice lighting items in the days/weeks to come. Profoto Compact and Compact Rs (Pocket-Wizard trigger inside), a set of UNUSED Profoto Compact Tungsten continuous lights (video), 2 Hensel 500w/s Integra Plus radio controlled mono heads (trigger and levels control!) ... and a load of bits and pieces. PM me if you want a jump on any of this.

Really hard work tearing apart a studio, storage, darkroom and throwing away all this stuff ... wish I had that money back ... but that would have required a crystal ball to see the future.

-Marc

 

[kdphotography]

Congratulations, Marc! Looking forward to your comments on the new Hensel Porty L1200 in action.

ken

 

[rem]

Cool Marc, I'm also wondering about your experience with the 1200L. I have the same, but with the Mini Heads (not Mini P) and use it also in the studio with the AC Main Adapter. So I have the 650W Light. What type of heads you have?
rem

 

[kit laughlin]

At this point, minor incremental improvement in the digital capture IQ is horrifyingly expensive, where major upgrades in lighting tools will yeild far greater visual improvements and capability at less cost.

!00% reality, there.

Good luck with it all, Marc; interestingly (for me, anyway) is that I have been involved in a radical property simplification at my own studio, too. Most of the not used stuff is being sold; some recycled, but boy, it gives a sense of breathing space to see—just space.

Show us a pic some time; I will do the same.

 

[fotografz]

Cool Marc, I'm also wondering about your experience with the 1200L. I have the same, but with the Mini Heads (not Mini P) and use it also in the studio with the AC Main Adapter. So I have the 650W Light. What type of heads you have?
rem

The plan is two mini P heads for location work with the modeling light ... however, I also have a Hensel 1200 Mini AS 4 outlet generator with 4 Mini heads, so I can go either way with the Porty. The Mini AS is about the same size as the Porty (see attachment). I used it for location work because it was all so much smaller than the Profoto AC stuff.

My main location battery unit used to be the lead battery Porty Plus, so I have a lot of stuff. The good news is that my spare mini flash tubes and Porty modeling lights did not change ... same part numbers :thumbup:

Hensel is pretty smart ... the new Nova D apparently replaces the Mini AS AC generator and is now available in 1200 and 2400 w/s ... BUT like the new Porty L also has all three radio systems built in including the Profoto AIR. These boxes are now two head units instead of 4 ... which to my mind makes them perfect studio companions to the Porty L with mains adapter if one is building a Hensel studio around the Porty.

The new Hensel Expert D monolights now also have all three radio systems built in ... but I chose to go with the Profoto D1 AIR because most of my studio and modifiers are Profoto and I can add the AIR dumb receiver to my D4 2400R packs since I don't care about controlling them remotely in studio.

Hensel is an odd duck in the USA ... they have a mind boggling array of reasonably priced accessories and modifiers which aren't stocked here ... I'd love one of their Fresnels for the Porty, but no one has one ... same for their integrated strip light with dual tubes ... 1/2+ the price of Profoto, but not available.

-Marc

 

[fotografz]

!00% reality, there.

Good luck with it all, Marc; interestingly (for me, anyway) is that I have been involved in a radical property simplification at my own studio, too. Most of the not used stuff is being sold; some recycled, but boy, it gives a sense of breathing space to see—just space.

Show us a pic some time; I will do the same.

Holy-Moly, I've never worked so hard in my life :ROTFL: The trash collectors are going to put a hit out on me when I put all this stuff out at the curb.

My task isn't so much an act of simplification, I've got Profoto, Hensel, and even some Elinchrom stuff in the Quadra. Each has it's unique strengths in certain areas.

My act of gaining back some room was to gut an old darkroom and use that space to keep stuff off the floor in the studio. Plus, just getting rid of all the crap we accumulate thinking maybe it'll come in handy later ... which it never seems to do. :loco:

Trouble with selling some things is the size of it for shipping. For example, I have to find someone local to take my beautiful Kaiser Medium Format enlarger and APO lenses.

-Marc

 

[rem]

Marc, thats great when you have the Mini, so you have both. For me, the Porty is the first Hensel and thats the reason why my choiced the Mini heads. The 650w in the studio brings me more than the (50w?) outside. But... the set is really heavy when we put all in the bag (Porty, 2 tripods, 2 heads and especially the cables...). Not more so "porty"...;-) I added also 2 of the new Expert D. What I need are some reflectors and grids for hard light (people etc.). I have the beautydish, 2 umbrellar eflectors and some softboxes. Any idea (Size)?
rem

 

[fotografz]

Hey REM,

Hensel has quite an array of reflectors and barn-door attachments, grids etc. ... I have all of these and some barndoors and 9" grid set ... and use my Profoto 7" grids in the smaller reflectors. Go to Reflectors in top menu here:

Hensel USA - Studio Lighting PRODUCTS

If you don't care about going on location with a larger softbox, and just want it for studio applications, take a look at the Plume Wafers. I have two of these in studio with Profoto speed-rings, but also have a spare Hensel Plume speed-ring, so I'm now going to dedicate one of them to the Hensel. Plume just doesn't break down very fast so I never break them down. Their advantage is not being very deep but designed to produce a beautiful quality of light.

Plume Lighting for Imaging

The Hensel round plug carbon fiber ring light is pretty damned cool :thumbup: ... it can do double duty used a soft box light with the Hensel Octa Sun Haze:

Hensel USA - Studio Lighting for the Professional Photographer- Octa Sun Haze the softbox for the Ringflash

This is what I really want for the Porty:

Hensel USA - Studio Lighting for the Professional Photographer

Doesn't matter what battery unit you use ... as soon as you add all the stuff that goes with it, it starts getting heavy. I also have a tiny Elinchrom Quadra kit, but even that adds up unless you go simple for mobile work. It's the tiny heads and thinner cords for the Quadra that makes it more manageable ... however, even with two Quadras you only get 800 w/s using one head per pack ... by then the Porty L is actually more compact and lighter weight with up to 600 w/s from each head, or up to 1200 from one, to overpower the sun or cover a really wide area.

-Marc

 

[rem]

Thanks Marc, the Octa Sun Haze with the Ringflash is om my list;-) I was watching a video, wher a photographer took Portraits I think on a Festival. Cool Pictures. The 1200L was in a Backpack. When I find the link, I will post it.
With the Plume I will nothing do in the moment, because I have 2 Softboxes from Hensel and two from Elinchrom what I intend to use with the Hensel, the Depp Octa 100 and the Deep Octa 150 Indirect. I Love this and hope really, that Elinchrom will produce the speddrings in the next time... They promised more than a year now. Anyway, I also have a Fresnellspot from Elinchrom wit about 30cm (1"?) Diameter, but I don't use it much. Maybe I have to play with more!
lg, rem

 

[fotografz]

Rem,

I just ran across this ... an adapter that allows use of Profoto Pack Heads on the Porty! I have a ton of D4 heads I could use including a stick light.

There is also an adapter for Broncolor pack heads. To bad not for Elinchrom also ... that would make using the Elinchrom Rotolux Octa with the Porty much easier, but of course if one doesn't already have Elinchrom pack heads, a good adapter for EL to Hensel would be less costly and more versatile.

Hensel Porty Head Adapter for Profoto 6115 B&H Photo Video

I'm going to call Hensel USA to clarify that a D4 pack head will work with this, as opposed to just the Pro heads. I'm sure I'll lose the modeling light with battery,
but may not lose them if using the Porty mains adapter ... or if I get lucky use Proforo heads on the Mini 1200AS AC pack since the outlets are round.

Stay tuned!

-Marc

 

[rem]

Hallo Marc, sorry but now I'm back again. It would now be to expensive for me to buy Profotoheads and adapters to use the Elinchrom stuff on the Hensel! I think I wait for the moment and use both systems (I still have some old Elincrome Style's (but no pack heads;-). Thanks, rem

 

[Kirk Candlish]

It is the D4/Acute heads that you can use with the Porty, not the pro heads. They have different trigger voltages.

Your sticklight should have a switch on it to allow you to use it with either a Pro series pack or D4/Acute, unless it's a really old one.

Shops in NY and LA have been installing Profoto jacks on the top of Porty packs for a few years. It's just cleaner looking to use the adapter and of course it doesn't limit you to just the heads the packs been modified for.

 

[fotografz]

It is the D4/Acute heads that you can use with the Porty, not the pro heads. They have different trigger voltages.

Your sticklight should have a switch on it to allow you to use it with either a Pro series pack or D4/Acute, unless it's a really old one.

Shops in NY and LA have been installing Profoto jacks on the top of Porty packs for a few years. It's just cleaner looking to use the adapter and of course it doesn't limit you to just the heads the packs been modified for.

Thanks Kirk! I was pretty sure it was the D4/Acute heads, but it's always good to make sure. Yes, my stick light has indications for Acute or Pro.

Where the adapter to use Profoto Acute/D4 heads would come is handy is when using the Porty L set to AIR radio reception mixed in with my D1 AIRs driven by a BatPac ... one set of modifiers and one AIR radio system on location.

Am I right in presuming the modeling light would be disabled when the D4 head is adapted to the Porty L?

Guess I just have to call Hensel next week.

-Marc

 

[Twoshoes]

Interesting thread, I'm in the process of moving from Elinchrom to Profoto (swapping out a Quadra and a few 600RXs for D1's and a AcuteB Lithium). Few main reasons are the mount, skyports (mine have never worked properly) and the exposed Elinchrom Flashtube. The air system looks quite attractive and reviews are that it's very reliable.

 

[Kirk Candlish]

Am I right in presuming the modeling light would be disabled when the D4 head is adapted to the Porty L?

All that's being done in 'adapting' the two brands is matching the correct pins between the two proprietary connectors. All functionality stays intact.

In fact you can use the Profoto Air remote and control the latest Porty L packs.

 

[fotografz]

All that's being done in 'adapting' the two brands is matching the correct pins between the two proprietary connectors. All functionality stays intact.

In fact you can use the Profoto Air remote and control the latest Porty L packs.

Thanks Kirk. The reason I asked that question is because there is a difference between the 2 types of Hensel Mini heads. The EH Pro Mini 1200-P (Porty) has a 50 W modeling light, and the EH Pro Mini 3000 for AC packs has a 300 W. You can plug the EH Pro Mini 3000 into the Porty, but the modeling light is disabled. The D4 has a 250W modeling light (which can be turned off on the head), so I wondered if the Hensel Porty would support the D4 modeling light @ 250 W.

Yes, I know the Porty L has Profto AIR built-in, as well as Hensel's Strobe Wizard and Freemask. AIR control of levels and triggering was one of the reasons I went for the Hensel L in concert with the Profoto AIR packs and D1 AIR Mono-heads.

There isn't a photo of this Hensel part #6115 D4 to Hensel Porty adapter anywhere I can find, and Hensel doesn't list it on their world-wide site or catalog ... it's listed for $275 on B&H, so I presume it'd be $550. to adapt two D4 heads to the Porty L box.

-Marc

 

[rem]

my Hensel Mini Pro Heads have a 650W modeling light. Its important to switch off the modelling light when we use it with the accu. Otherwise the lamp is "glimming" and will reduce the power from the accu much faster.
rem

 

[fotografz]

my Hensel Mini Pro Heads have a 650W modeling light. Its important to switch off the modelling light when we use it with the accu. Otherwise the lamp is "glimming" and will reduce the power from the accu much faster.
rem

The difference between US household voltage and European? The USA EH Pro Mini and EH Pro Mini Speed head, Product code #3650 & 3606 come with 300W modeling bulbs. That is what all four of mine have installed. The Hensel USA site confirms this.

However, the international website from Germany states "Up to a 650W modeling light can be used", and values attained were at 230V/50 HZ Voltage.

The modeling light in a USA Acute D4 head is 250W.

-Marc

 

[Kirk Candlish]

As ridiculous as it may sound, manufacturers often ship lower wattage modeling lights in the U.S. to minimize their liability. It may also be an issue of what bulbs are available to fit the head in 120v VS. 230V.

 

[rem]

I check it with Hensel. When I know more I tell you.
remo