Forums > Photography Talk > white lightning products

Photographer

outthebox

Posts: 169

Sudbury, Massachusetts, US

i have brought a white lightining 3200 ws studio light plus a vagabond power pack about 2 months ago at first it worked okay. now i have two products which dont work at all anyone know of how good support is in cases like this or would share any similar negative experiences. just heard through the grapvine these were really good products

Jan 13 08 05:39 pm Link

Photographer

StephenEastwood

Posts: 19585

Great Neck, New York, US

I hear he support is the best in the business, I get the feeling that practice makes perfect and the support department gets a lot of practice.  wink

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

OK now for all the PB supporters to attack!!!

Jan 13 08 05:44 pm Link

Photographer

Bob Helm Photography

Posts: 18896

Cherry Hill, New Jersey, US

I have always considered their products to be OK but not that great but their service is supposed to be first class so assuming there is no abuse, impact or water damage, they should take care of it quickly. Good luck it always sucs when new gear fails

Jan 13 08 05:46 pm Link

Photographer

ChanStudio - OtherSide

Posts: 5403

Alpharetta, Georgia, US

I have the vagabond II and it seems to work well.  Don't know about their other products though.


  But yes, their Customer Service is awesome. smile

Jan 13 08 05:46 pm Link

Photographer

Eduardo Frances

Posts: 3227

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

StephenEastwood wrote:
I hear he support is the best in the business, I get the feeling that practice makes perfect and the support department gets a lot of practice.  wink

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

OK now for all the PB supporters to attack!!!

LOL now the "Profoto is the only thing worthy in the planet" dudes will appear wink

Jan 13 08 05:46 pm Link

Photographer

Studio B Photo

Posts: 606

Lake in the Hills, Illinois, US

For more than ten years have be using the older version Ultras. The few times I needed service, I was always very pleased with not only the quick service and very fair repair pricing (never more that $50)but their customer service personel.
Will be buying the Vagabond II this season, would like to hear your results too?
Regards,
WEB

Jan 13 08 05:47 pm Link

Photographer

Bob Helm Photography

Posts: 18896

Cherry Hill, New Jersey, US

StephenEastwood wrote:
I hear he support is the best in the business, I get the feeling that practice makes perfect and the support department gets a lot of practice.  wink

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

OK now for all the PB supporters to attack!!!

You worded it much more diplomatically than I did

Jan 13 08 05:47 pm Link

Photographer

outthebox

Posts: 169

Sudbury, Massachusetts, US

well will find out will keep you posted will ring tomorrow dont know how much the postage will be or how customs will look at this scenario or if all shipping costs are on me

Jan 13 08 05:49 pm Link

Photographer

StephenEastwood

Posts: 19585

Great Neck, New York, US

eduardofrances wrote:

LOL now the "Profoto is the only thing worthy in the planet" dudes will appear wink

I am not a profoto fan myself sad

Uh Oh!  now they are going to attack as well!!!


Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Jan 13 08 05:51 pm Link

Photographer

StephenEastwood

Posts: 19585

Great Neck, New York, US

What broke?    Have the vagabond 2 or older version?

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Jan 13 08 05:52 pm Link

Photographer

outthebox

Posts: 169

Sudbury, Massachusetts, US

well still not certain on status of vagabond two as studio light was malfuntioning but dont want to plug generic studio light into the vagabond two

Jan 13 08 05:59 pm Link

Photographer

Imagenes

Posts: 1040

Baltimore, Maryland, US

outthebox wrote:
well still not certain on status of vagabond two as studio light was malfuntioning but dont want to plug generic studio light into the vagabond two

Can you describe the nature of the malfunction? It seems odd that (any) two components would stop functioning at the same time.
How is the strobe malfunctioning? Is there a chance that you forgot how to work it during the time you bought it and now?
I felt like an idiot once , well OK more than once, but I was not getting my PocketWizards to trip the strobes. The test button fired them fine. My Sekonic meter fired them fine, just not the camera. Finally I realized I couldn't see any writing on the PW. It was on the camera backwards. I've never made that mistake again.
When I troubleshoot, I like to eliminate variables till we're working again.
Try the strobe plugged into AC wall power. Fire it with the PC synch cord (or some independent method).
If it works, the problem is the Vagabond. Is it charged?

Please don't be insulted if these seem to be simple questions. I try to approach these problems with the thought that I probably am missing something. I just look till I find it.

Knowing AB's (WL's) reliability, I suspect there is a small issue lurking here somewhere.

Good luck

Jan 13 08 07:04 pm Link

Photographer

BlindMike

Posts: 9594

San Francisco, California, US

Imagenes wrote:
Knowing AB's (WL's) reliability, I suspect there is a small issue lurking here somewhere.

Or it could just be broken.

Call tech support and send it in if needed.

Jan 13 08 07:23 pm Link

Photographer

Howard Petrella

Posts: 87

Seattle, Washington, US

I used the original (more or less) WL Ultra units for years with no problems at all.  A few years ago one of them finally gave up the ghost.  I sent it back for repair and, since they no longer, manufacture these units they sold me a new X1600 at half price.

Since then I've purchased another X1600 and two X800's.

One of my X1600's has been back for repair three times.  The other has been back once.  My faulty memory seems to recall that at least one of the X800's has had to go back also.  Usually it's been an electrical malfunction (capacitor or something).  Once the fan broke.

Since then I've purchased two Profoto Compact units (a 600 and a 300) and so far no problems with those.

I've kind of lost confidence in WL products and now only use those units for auxiliary lights, background, what have you.  My main lights are the Profotos.

I agree with everyone who has posted to say the WL has the best customer service in the business.  They do.  No question about that.  But the frequency with which I've had to send back their newer units disturbs me.  The Ultra's seemed completely bullet-proof.  I still have two Ultra 800's (purchased in the 80's) and they're still running fine.

Could be a coincidence that the newer units have been problematic for me.  Others have had great luck.

One other note.  You do get what you pay for.  Although, when they're working, they are terrific they're not as consistent at lower power settings than my Profotos.  I've used Elinchroms also and it's the same story.  Better consistency at lower power settings.

Hope this helps.

Jan 13 08 07:23 pm Link

Photographer

StephenEastwood

Posts: 19585

Great Neck, New York, US

Imagenes wrote:
Knowing AB's (WL's) reliability, I suspect there is a small issue lurking here somewhere.

Good luck

I am going to have to agree, not that I think it cannot happen, its just odd that two WL units would go within two months, I wonder if maybe he tripped the fuse and has to reset it,  I am just guessing that there is one in WL units I am sure someone here would know and be able to answer that.

As much as I sometimes joke about them, I do think Paul Buff products are quite reliable overall and for the purpose within the limitations of the units they are a very good deal.  Now that said anyone have and use the zeus setups?  The 2500ws pack? the bitube heads?   I have lots of questions about them????

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Jan 13 08 07:26 pm Link

Photographer

John Fisher

Posts: 2165

Miami Beach, Florida, US

Yeah, it's hard to find good products these days. I had a Canon F1n which literally disintegrated in my hand, the repair shop said there was not a part left in it worth replacing. And this after only seventeen years of daily professional use. Last year, Steven Eastwood borrowed a Speedo pack from me, and sure enough it failed to fire. I mean who would trust Speedotron when a Blackline pack failed after only twenty three years of constant use?

I too have a Vagabond, and after only four years of shooting as many as 800 shots a day on location, charging and recharging the pack almost daily, the battery failed to hold a charge. It took Buff and Company almost three whole days to repair and return my Vagabond. Sure it looked brand new, and everything once again worked perfectly, but they did charge me $40! I mean, what's up with that?

I know what you are thinking, what am I using now? Well, stupid is as stupid does, so I'm still shooting Canon, lighting my studio with Speedotron, and using Alien Bees for my location work.

Go figure.

Fish

PS: For Steven, I am using the Zeus 2500ws pack and head system. But it hasn't failed yet. I will write as soon as it does. You should hear something in.....what? Fifteen years or so?
--
John Fisher
910 West Avenue, Suite 306
Miami Beach, Florida  33139
(305) 534-9322
http://www.johnfisher.com

Jan 13 08 07:31 pm Link

Photographer

StephenEastwood

Posts: 19585

Great Neck, New York, US

you need to use a fisher price camera I have never had one fail to work for me yet! 

And those maglights!  They always turn on.  Love reliability like  that!  big_smile




Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Jan 13 08 07:36 pm Link

Photographer

Michael R Kihn Studios

Posts: 2559

Erie, Pennsylvania, US

I have used PB/s white lightning strobes for over 13 yrs and have nothing but good things to say about them. Their customer service is one of the best and fast
Talk to them first instead of complaining about them here on MM

Jan 13 08 07:43 pm Link

Photographer

Manuel Rego

Posts: 1954

Worcester, Massachusetts, US

If you bought a Vagabond-II (the first version without the built-in ground fault circuit interrupter), there may be a reason why both your light and the battery pack doesn't work now.

There was talk about how the first version of the V-II would fail under load, taking itself out and whatever equipment attached to it at the time.  Read here:  http://www.paulcbuff.net/old_index.html

As for support, you actually wouldn't be sending the units back to the US.  You'd be sending it to KHB Photographix.  http://www.alienbees.com/contact.html#repair

If you have the newer V-II with the built -in GFCI circuit, check to make sure that it didn't trip.  If your light isn't even turning on right now, there is no fuse per-se, but it does have a circuit breaker.  It's located on the lower left side of the back control panel (to the left of the sync jack).

BTW, I own several bees and a Vagabond V300.  I have had really good luck with my equipment, but I've been keeping my ear to the ground on the newer products (been looking at the Zeus 2500 myself).  If you Vagabond and light fried, it'd be the first case I heard of that confirms what "Chad" said.

outthebox wrote:
i have brought a white lightining 3200 ws studio light plus a vagabond power pack about 2 months ago at first it worked okay. now i have two products which dont work at all anyone know of how good support is in cases like this or would share any similar negative experiences. just heard through the grapvine these were really good products

Jan 13 08 07:52 pm Link

Photographer

Michael R Kihn Studios

Posts: 2559

Erie, Pennsylvania, US

StephenEastwood wrote:
you need to use a fisher price camera I have never had one fail to work for me yet! 

And those maglights!  They always turn on.  Love reliability like  that!  big_smile




Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

When I was real little I dropped my fisher price camera  it broke
When I grew up I dropped my Nikon F-5 on a NYC subway platform it didn't break
It must of been my mommy didn't pay enough for the fisher price camera

Jan 13 08 07:52 pm Link

Photographer

Corey Ward

Posts: 2479

Austin, Texas, US

Profoto is the only thing worthy in the planet.


Okay I just had to.


Call up White Lighting. They have a 90-day return policy, and they're really good about support.

Jan 13 08 07:54 pm Link

Photographer

outthebox

Posts: 169

Sudbury, Massachusetts, US

well the studio light cant even fire a test shot manually, when i press the red button it emits a low decibel noise. the modeling light works. the fan did come on once but hasnt come on since wont fire when sync cord is plugged into camera

Jan 13 08 07:56 pm Link

Photographer

San Francisco Nudes

Posts: 2910

Novato, California, US

outthebox wrote:
well the studio light cant even fire a test shot manually, when i press the red button it emits a low decibel noise. the modeling light works. the fan did come on once but hasnt come on since wont fire when sync cord is plugged into camera

The fan's on a thermostat so it doesn't come on unless the unit's hot.  If you left it on with the modeling light turned up all the way it would probably turn on eventually.

Could just be a bad flash tube or something.   Call them - the one time I had to call them they answered on the second ring, real human and everything.  And their email support kind of sucks, so I'd definitely call.

Jan 13 08 08:03 pm Link

Photographer

Imagenes

Posts: 1040

Baltimore, Maryland, US

You've done as much as I know to do. It does appear to be the strobe. Call AB in the AM and let us know your customer service story.
If there is some immediacy let them know you need it for a shoot. They've been known to advance exchange units.

Hope all goes well..

Jan 13 08 08:05 pm Link

Photographer

Bill McClaren Photo

Posts: 434

Santa Fe, New Mexico, US

The Customer Service at Paul Buff is outstanding, the people are ALWAYS helpful and nice, and they have never charged me a penny. For various reasons, I have had to return 3 V2 powerpacks, all arranged and paid for by the company. In all 3 cases, I received a new unit within 2 days of calling them. I've not had a single problem with my Ultras.

Jan 13 08 08:28 pm Link

Photographer

Eduardo Frances

Posts: 3227

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

StephenEastwood wrote:

I am not a profoto fan myself sad

Uh Oh!  now they are going to attack as well!!!


Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Hey but at least you are an advocate of "the best your budget allows" wink

If I were you I would be seeking a place to hide though...yikes

Jan 13 08 08:59 pm Link

Photographer

Eduardo Frances

Posts: 3227

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Corey Ward wrote:
Profoto is the only thing worthy in the planet.


Okay I just had to.


Call up White Lighting. They have a 90-day return policy, and they're really good about support.

Maglites FTW!!!

Jan 13 08 09:00 pm Link

Photographer

Photos by Lorrin

Posts: 7026

Eugene, Oregon, US

could be as simple as a bad flash tube.

Jan 13 08 11:31 pm Link

Photographer

Bladman

Posts: 143

Cleveland, Ohio, US

Yeah, ain't nothing like a call to their tech support.  Oughta solve the problem.

Jan 14 08 08:41 am Link