elinchrom D-lite 2 or 4

[Alain]

Hi

I'm thinking of adding a studioflash set to my setup (A700). I'm pretty sure to narrow it down to Elinchrom and either a D-lite 2 (200ws) or D-lite 4 (400ws) set with 2 heads and two softboxes, probably add a 90cm octa quite fast. I would use some nikon SB-24 as extra accent lights if needed. I would mostly do table top and people, no large groups.

I'm afraid that the 400ws would be to much light in it's minimum setting. Is this likely?
Considering the fact that the A700 has a base-iso of 200 and is a aps-c sensor (the same DOF with 1.5 f-stops less light than a full frame), I think that I need 2.5 f-stops less light than a classic film SLR. Would the 200ws be enough in most cases?

Is it possible to add a lee ND-filter (sheets) inside a softbox to get the light down?


Alain

[David Kilpatrick]

I use Elinchrom 300 and 600 heads and I am always, permanently, at minimum power for all my still life work - and at ISO 100, and at f14 as a standard aperture!

We do also have a D-Lite 2 kit and it's ideal in power for nearly all digital uses.

David

[Alain]

I use Elinchrom 300 and 600 heads and I am always, permanently, at minimum power for all my still life work - and at ISO 100, and at f14 as a standard aperture!

We do also have a D-Lite 2 kit and it's ideal in power for nearly all digital uses.

David

Hi David

Thanks a lot for the answer.

Have you ever added neutral density gel's to the heads when softboxes where used? Is it possible/practical?


Alain

[David Kilpatrick]

Have you ever added neutral density gel's to the heads when softboxes where used? Is it possible/practical?

Never - only to the camera. I have a 4X ND filter in the studio permanently for this. I have some coloured gels and estar films made for Elinchrom, but if you want modelling light brightness, putting any gel on the reflector overheats the flash unit fast. So permanent ND filters are not a choice. Cooling matters!

The 1m Elinchrom softbox has an inner secondary layer you can remove or use as you wish. Using it cuts the light down by about 1/2 stop and makes it super-even. It sits midway in the softbox.

David

[Alain]

Have you ever added neutral density gel's to the heads when softboxes where used? Is it possible/practical?

Never - only to the camera. I have a 4X ND filter in the studio permanently for this. I have some coloured gels and estar films made for Elinchrom, but if you want modelling light brightness, putting any gel on the reflector overheats the flash unit fast. So permanent ND filters are not a choice. Cooling matters!

The 1m Elinchrom softbox has an inner secondary layer you can remove or use as you wish. Using it cuts the light down by about 1/2 stop and makes it super-even. It sits midway in the softbox.

David

Thanks David

I wanted to avoid to use a filter on lens. I suppose I could also start with a pol filter that should give 1-1.5 f-stops (wanted) loss.

Alain