Karl Blessing wrote:
For that price I'd get a single alienbee unit, you'd get constant lighting plus a strobe.

would u happen to have a link for the alienbee unit???

Jeff Fiore wrote:
I use them. Only drawback is the modeling light is only 40 w. Alien Bees are probably the best bang for the buck.

Actually, the modeling light is 100 watts, not 40 watts.  What you can't put into them is the more powerful 150 watt bulb used by their bigger cousin of the same power output.

I am going to go against the grain here.  I happen to disagree with everyone telling you to go Alien Bee.  The StudioMax III has a lot of advantages over the Alien Bee.  First, it uses the standard Photogenic accessory system.  That means any reflector, soft box, difuser, etc you get for your Powerlights, can be used with the StudioMax III.

Second, the connector to attach the accessories is far better designed.  That, BTW is the big advantage of the White Lightning over the Alien Bee.  With the StudioMax you can't clip the the tube with the accessory as you can with the Alien Bee.

Third, when you go with the "B" models, the battery is an integrated system.   It plugs directly into the circuit and disables the modeling lamp.  That increases the efficiency and extends the battery life and improves recycle time.

Finally, the StudioMax uses a better flashtube that is color corrected and color stable.  One of the major comments about the Alien Bee and the White Lightnings stated by most of the testing labs is that the color temperature fluxuates as the flashtube heats.  The variance isn't that great, but it is there.

Don't get me wrong, the Alien Bees are great lights for the money.  Also, they have done a teriffic job of marketing.  So the biggest advantage of using them is the large user base, and quite frankly, Paul Bluff provides better support.

However, the StudioMax is a good light for the money (it is by no means the quality of the PowerLight line) but if you want a traveling light as a companion to your PowerLights, you can't go wrong.