Let there be light; let be the Hensel

Ryszard Sytnik · Apr 30, 2007

I finely took the plunge and ordered 3 Hensel Integra's Pro plus.
Just got conforamtion that my order was shipped.

I have to learn how to use them "the right way". I never have any expirience with monolights, but I have to start someware. I think/hope this light's will be good for my "poor man studio" in my apartment.

Ryszard

AperturePro · Apr 30, 2007

Way to go. I called B&H today and the back orders were pulling down
almost their whole warehouse. Hensel Kits were gone in a few hours.
They said that newer versions were what they have even if the web site
days something might be an older model. Call if you want to confirm that
with a rep.

The monolights are about as easy to use as anything you will ever own.
Set your fill and dial up the Key. Use the other for background etc. You
are going to love these and the results. Time saved will amaze you for
sure.

Ryszard Sytnik said:
I finely took the plunge and ordered 3 Hensel Integra's Pro plus.
Just got conforamtion that my order was shipped.
I have to learn how to use them "the right way". I never have any
expirience with monolights, but I have to start someware. I
think/hope this light's will be good for my "poor man studio" in my
apartment.

Ryszard

marike1 · Apr 30, 2007

Ryszard, Congrats. Nice choice. I have the same kit, but with 2 lights, that I bought from B&H two months ago. That's a great kit and comes with a s-load of accessories, like the grid reflector with honeycomb grid. I struggled for weeks between Hensel, Elinchrom Style 400BX's, Profoto Compact 600's, and Bowens Gemini 500's. I liked the Bowens, but no fan cooling, so they were out. I liked the Style 400BX's, but 150 vs 300 modeling lights on the Integra, and less power overall, so the Elinchrom monos were out. Finally the Profotos, the kit was very sparse, no softbox, and stands & umbrellas were actually a special offer from Profoto USA. So the Hensel monos won out, and I have been more than happy with their performance.

Enjoy.
--
M. Arike

Ryszard Sytnik · Apr 30, 2007

Thank you guy's, I hope that was a good choice, I read many good review

about Hensel. I make my decision mostly upon evaluation of technical specification/data/info and owners/users opinion. I think with Hensel you get value/quality for what you pay.

Ryszard

virtuamike · Apr 30, 2007

Ryszard Sytnik said:
I finely took the plunge and ordered 3 Hensel Integra's Pro plus.
Just got conforamtion that my order was shipped.
I have to learn how to use them "the right way". I never have any
expirience with monolights, but I have to start someware. I
think/hope this light's will be good for my "poor man studio" in my
apartment.

Ryszard

I would've gone for a more compact pack & head setup instead of the monolights (especially in a small space like an apt), but they'll work fine. Enjoy =)

--
Ramen is how I afford my glass
http://www.blindmike.com

marike1 · Apr 30, 2007

virtuamike said:
Ryszard Sytnik said:

I finely took the plunge and ordered 3 Hensel Integra's Pro plus.
Just got conforamtion that my order was shipped.
I have to learn how to use them "the right way". I never have any
expirience with monolights, but I have to start someware. I
think/hope this light's will be good for my "poor man studio" in my
apartment.

Ryszard

Click to expand...

I would've gone for a more compact pack & head setup instead of the
monolights (especially in a small space like an apt), but they'll
work fine. Enjoy =)

I can't think of any situation where I'd rather be using monos over a good quality pack & head system. The heads are lighter, easier to place, i.e. on a boom, all the controls are in one location (although with the Integra Pro Plus, the remote give you this functionality), etc. Unfortunately, most of the better pack & head systems, the ones that I would like to own, are pretty much double, sometimes triple the price of monolights.

--
M. Arike

virtuamike · Apr 30, 2007

marike1 said:
virtuamike said:

Ryszard Sytnik said:

I finely took the plunge and ordered 3 Hensel Integra's Pro plus.
Just got conforamtion that my order was shipped.
I have to learn how to use them "the right way". I never have any
expirience with monolights, but I have to start someware. I
think/hope this light's will be good for my "poor man studio" in my
apartment.

Ryszard

Click to expand...

I would've gone for a more compact pack & head setup instead of the
monolights (especially in a small space like an apt), but they'll
work fine. Enjoy =)

Click to expand...

I can't think of any situation where I'd rather be using monos over
a good quality pack & head system. The heads are lighter, easier
to place, i.e. on a boom, all the controls are in one location
(although with the Integra Pro Plus, the remote give you this
functionality), etc. Unfortunately, most of the better pack & head
systems, the ones that I would like to own, are pretty much double,
sometimes triple the price of monolights.

--
M. Arike

That's why there's so much hype (including from the Profoto crowd) over the Hensel Mini.

Or for those on a budget and only need 120V, there's Dynalite. I've seen used setups go for pretty cheap (though I'd much rather work with 4040 or 4080 heads rather than a 2040).

--
Ramen is how I afford my glass
http://www.blindmike.com

Peter Berressem · May 1, 2007

The WL Zeus will challenge the prices of packs, too IMO. ($600/1200Ws, $800/2400Ws)
http://www.white-lightning.com/zeusinfo.html
No image of the head is jet to see, but the pack looks interesting, doesn't it?

--
cheers, Peter

Germany

marike1 · May 1, 2007

Peter Berressem said:
The WL Zeus will challenge the prices of packs, too IMO.
($600/1200Ws, $800/2400Ws)
http://www.white-lightning.com/zeusinfo.html
No image of the head is jet to see, but the pack looks interesting,
doesn't it?

In that price range, I think the Dynalite and Speedtron packs look much nicer. The Zeus looks to be plastic and it appears to have all the controls on the small box that is connected to the pack, which doesn't seem like the best design, IMHO.

I'd rather spend a couple of hundred more on a pack like the Dynalite that has a built in Pocket Wizard Radio receiver. Of course, for $799 you can buy the same pack, a 1000 w/s, without the radio receiver. $200 more than the WL Zeus, you say. When you see the pack you'll understand - all metal casing, 4 head outlets and very reasonably priced heads.

--
M. Arike

Ryszard Sytnik · May 1, 2007

I remember what Phillip told me: is not about gear, is about technique. If you have light and reflector, that all what you need. Knowing how to use what is available. He often uses one or two lights, some reflector or panel.

I know, I have long way to go, learning technique. No one was born with knowlege. But we need some lights/monolights to learn.

Ryszard

I'm so poor; I can't afford my own opinion.
That's why I rely on media news experts; redactors, reporters, commentators.

Peter Berressem · May 1, 2007

marike1 said:
all the controls on the small box that is connected to the pack,
which doesn't seem like the best design, IMHO.

Do you refer to the image, where a lightmeter is lying beside the pack?

marike1 said:
I'd rather spend a couple of hundred more on a pack like the
Dynalite

Without knowing all the facts? Btw, according to WL the Zeus is compatible with Dynalite's M2000 (2000Ws/$1400) and heads. To my knowledge it's the first time that a mfg offers full compatibility to a competitor (except, to some degree, Balcar's Nexus).
http://www.paulcbuff.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=72

--
cheers, Peter

Germany

Ellis Vener · May 1, 2007

marike1 wrote:
it appears to have

marike1 said:
all the controls on the small box that is connected to the pack,
which doesn't seem like the best design, IMHO.

The small box that you appear to be referring to (in the photo on this URL: http://www.white-lightning.com/zeusinfo.html ) is a Gossen Ultra- Pro flash meter.

marike1 · May 1, 2007

Ellis Vener said:
Ellis Vener said:

all the controls on the small box that is connected to the pack,
which doesn't seem like the best design, IMHO.

Click to expand...

The small box that you appear to be referring to (in the photo on
this URL: http://www.white-lightning.com/zeusinfo.html ) is a
Gossen Ultra- Pro flash meter.

My fault. I didn't realize that was a flash meter. Still, I am wondering, do you guys honestly like the looks of the Zeus pack in comparison to similar offerings by Dynalite, Speedtron, and a little higher up in price range, the Hensel Porty, Elinchrom Ranger, Profoto Acute 2, etc?

--
M. Arike

AperturePro · May 1, 2007

I don't really get why all the fuss? Constant on these threads are
concerns about a couple hours on the job profit in order to upgrade
to a totally proven technology. Take the Pro Mini 1200 AS for $1100
or so and has four lights in one small pack. Are people trying to save
a few hundred and sacrifice features and build?

Is a few hundred really going to break the bank, or what?

Geeeeeze, surprising how people think and shutter over the prices?

marike1 said:
Peter Berressem said:

The WL Zeus will challenge the prices of packs, too IMO.
($600/1200Ws, $800/2400Ws)
http://www.white-lightning.com/zeusinfo.html
No image of the head is jet to see, but the pack looks interesting,
doesn't it?

Click to expand...

In that price range, I think the Dynalite and Speedtron packs look
much nicer. The Zeus looks to be plastic and it appears to have
all the controls on the small box that is connected to the pack,
which doesn't seem like the best design, IMHO.

I'd rather spend a couple of hundred more on a pack like the
Dynalite that has a built in Pocket Wizard Radio receiver. Of
course, for $799 you can buy the same pack, a 1000 w/s, without the
radio receiver. $200 more than the WL Zeus, you say. When you see
the pack you'll understand - all metal casing, 4 head outlets and
very reasonably priced heads.

--
M. Arike

virtuamike · May 1, 2007

Ryszard Sytnik said:
I remember what Phillip told me: is not about gear, is about
technique. If you have light and reflector, that all what you need.
Knowing how to use what is available. He often uses one or two
lights, some reflector or panel.
I know, I have long way to go, learning technique. No one was born
with knowlege. But we need some lights/monolights to learn.

Ryszard

I'm so poor; I can't afford my own opinion.
That's why I rely on media news experts; redactors, reporters,
commentators.

Agreed, can't get too caught up in gear. Good photography is ultimately content based. It's style and the execution of vision.

In the end, they're just tools. What I appreciate about nice tools though is that I fight with them a lot less, and having less to think about means I get to concentrate on more important things =)

--
Ramen is how I afford my glass
http://www.blindmike.com

Ryszard Sytnik · May 3, 2007

Waiting is over, my Hensel light's just arrived. To bad I don't have time now; today and tomorrow, to familiarize with this lights.

But I have all day in Saturday and Sunday for this. For now, everything looks nice and impressive. I hope will work nice and impressive.

Ryszard

I'm so poor; I can't afford my own opinion.
That's why I rely on media news experts; redactors,reporters,commentators

paulbuff · May 3, 2007

Most photographers can identify the "little box" as a Gossen Ultr Pro flashmeter. It's in there for size relationship. Zeus control are on top of the pack like any other pack.

Paul

Kraig · May 3, 2007

Hensel is so late in offering good monos gosh the Bowens ProLites I bought in the late 80s could do most of this. Hope they work out for you they look as useful as most of the other units that are popular on DPR

marike1 · May 3, 2007

Kraig said:
Hensel is so late in offering good monos gosh the Bowens ProLites
I bought in the late 80s could do most of this. Hope they work out
for you they look as useful as most of the other units that are
popular on DPR

Ryszard, Don't bother with opinionated posts by people who have never used a Hensel Integra Pro Plus monolight. I have the kit that you ordered (minus one mono) and as I'm sure you've already seen, the Integras are beautifully designed with aluminum casings, really nice control panel with a digital readout (Bowens only recently put a digital readout on the updated "Gemini Digital". Still not fan cooled however), and built-in radio slaves.

Enjoy them.

--
M. Arike

Kraig · May 3, 2007

marike1 said:
Kraig said:

Hensel is so late in offering good monos gosh the Bowens ProLites
I bought in the late 80s could do most of this. Hope they work out
for you they look as useful as most of the other units that are
popular on DPR

Click to expand...

Ryszard, Don't bother with opinionated posts by people who have
never used a Hensel Integra Pro Plus monolight. I have the kit
that you ordered (minus one mono) and as I'm sure you've already
seen, the Integras are beautifully designed with aluminum casings,
really nice control panel with a digital readout (Bowens only
recently put a digital readout on the updated "Gemini Digital".
Still not fan cooled however), and built-in radio slaves.

Years behind the Esprit DX had digital readouts along time ago. My point was what makes these Hensels so new and improved over all the other fine units that you don’t need to be on a list to buy?

http://www.bowens.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_27&products_id=35&osCsid=41a0eead56afac326e22ea50e5519056

http://www.bowens.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_28&products_id=37&osCsid=41a0eead56afac326e22ea50e5519056

I’m not a Bowens fan boy there where few monos out when I started buying my system and Bowens was the best I could find then. Today I could shoot just as happily with the Bowens, ABs, WLs or these Hensels or many more I was just wondering why these are so special that you would want to be on a waiting list?

Important features for me and all the other pros I have shot with in a quarter of a century..
in order
be dependable and rugged
be accurate

have good system of modifiers (after Chimera, Plume, Mola and all the clones this is less important so lets say a good reflector mount system.
have 5 or more stops range(the more the better)
be small and light
battery operation (Bowens could run off a car battery in the 80s too)
short recycle
short duration
wire less remote would be nice
fans(never had one over heat yet)
don’t care..
digital read out
what the housing is made out of

Ok tell me what these high dollar Hensels have over say the well pieced Bees? Some thing I could see in my images some thing I could bill for.

Just curious they look nice. I have never seen a Hensel or Bee in person. Sell me on them.

Let there be light; let be the Hensel

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