Elinchrom Ranger: Buying and Lighting ratios

[ocarlo]

Dear all,
I currently have the Ranger Speed AS with an A head and a S head.
Shooting with a P45 says I need more power.
I figure buying another Speed AS pack and a A head would give me flexibility
for using two A heads separately for freezing action, and one S head for background,
or a A and S head for a clean backdrop.
Wouldn't a Quadra system however be more flexible?
Could a system like that give me a clean green screen, with a 1100WS foreground light?
I know I can always dial down the pack, but I shoot with mamiya RZ at f4, or 5.6...and at 50 ASA...so its not practical...
Also wondering if someone could educate me on the possible variations
plugging in A and S heads into an asymmetrical pack?
thanks in advance.

 

[Bob]

One of the things that I like about the ranger is its 1100ws of output, ober a stop more that what a quadra delivers. If "not enough light" is your problem, and assuming that you would want to stay in the Elinchrom line, then something like the 2400RX pack or a pair of them with a twin tube head is a way to go. Depending on your back, moving the sensitivity up a stop might help too as well as moving your lights closer to the subject.

If you really need more Lights, and want to retain battery operation, then adding more rangers or quadras is an option too.
I like the quadra, but the ranger gives you over twice the punch.

There is a very slight difference in color temperature between the A and S heads, but they are close enough for most purposes.
The A head sucks power twice as fast as the S, so to get the ratio implied in the asymmetric pack, you need both heads to match. OTOH, you can put an S head on the A socket, and
an A head in the B socket and you end up with nearly identical output from each.

It really does not matter what you are using for background, an A or an S head, just be aware that some shutters may need to be set longer with the S head due to its relatively longer flash duration. I have found that with the Phase One 645 AFD III, Shutter speed could not be faster than about 1/90 sec with the S heads before a touch of shutter blade began to become visible.

 

[ocarlo]

Hi Bob - thanks! just realized you had completed your post
I agree with the Ranger - I am all location w/o access to mains power.

So let me see if I understood you correctly:
1. To get true assymetry, I would need to have all S heads, or all A heads on the same pack?

2. "you can put an S head on the A socket, and
an A head in the B socket and you end up with nearly identical output from each."

Shouldn't this be the other way around? If the A head sucks up more power, and you're plugging it into the 33% channel, then wouldn't you be farther away from equal power to both heads?
hmmmmmm...
thanks for your help.
carlo

 

[Bob]

Yup, that is right, the same head type on both sockets gets you the asymmetrical power distribution, and yes the A head sucks power faster.
So it pulls just as much power from the 33% socket as the S head from the 66% socket before the capacitor is discharged.

You can do the same with the quadra pack too.

And, you can also mode the light further away and get it to fall off a stop without too much difficulty or conversely make then even my having the lower power head a bit closer too.
Don't forget the inverse square rule, moving the light twice as far away drops the illumination by two stops

-bob

 

[ocarlo]

oh ok...got it...thanks a bunch.
am glad I sprung for extra batteries then

 

[aprillove20]

I think "you can put an S head on the A socket, and an A head in the B socket.

 

[Bob]

I think "you can put an S head on the A socket, and an A head in the B socket.

Correct, and that will get you approximately equal power from each
-bob