PhotoByWayne wrote:
Which version is it? I have the first/original 64"&86" versions and they have been going strong for 2-3 years

The latest. Less then 6 mths old.

Herman Surkis wrote:

The latest. Less then 6 mths old.

I have three - but they don't get commercial use (they have been just fine - no issues).

In Balance Photography wrote:
I have three - but they don't get commercial use (they have been just fine - no issues).

Neither do these. Very much occasional hobbyist use.
Likely simply a defective unit.

I cannot see PCB not replacing. Not a big deal for them and reinforces their service rep.

The advantage they have over the better made and slightly more expensive is their service. Take away service, and the advantage goes away.

Think I had better check mine out more thoroughly, since mine were bought at the same time and likely same manufacture. I have used mine even less.

Herman Surkis wrote:
The latest. Less then 6 mths old.

They'll replace it.  It's happened occasionally on the forums...really a defect or bad QA in the factory that builds them.

FWIW, the softlighter is pretty flimsy as well.  I think it's just an umbrella thing unless you get into the giant expensive para-umbrellas like the Briese/Bron which cost hundreds of dollars.

SKITA Studios wrote:

They'll replace it.  It's happened occasionally on the forums...really a defect or bad QA in the factory that builds them.

FWIW, the softlighter is pretty flimsy as well.  I think it's just an umbrella thing unless you get into the giant expensive para-umbrellas like the Briese/Bron which cost hundreds of dollars.

For a hobbyist, hard to beat.
Unless there is a factory defect, most of their stuff will outlive me.

Gryph wrote:
I'd be pissed.  But since I fix electronics for a living, I would just do the repair myself.

That training will come in handy for fixing an umbrella.

Herman Surkis wrote:
Interesting thing happened on a weekend shoot.
Friend brought a 64" PLM.
When closing it up at the end of the shoot, 3 ribs popped out of the base and the PLM started to fall apart.
Friend got it home and it is pretty much of a right-off as all the ribs dropped out.
It seems that the wire that keeps them in place at the base had broken and the ends just started coming out. Kind of like a necklace falling apart when the thread breaks.
Between 3 of us we have 6-86" PLM's, 6-64" PLM's, 2-strip boxes, 4-softboxes, various other mods, and 12-Einsteins.

This is the first issue we have had with any PCB equipment due to our misuse or factory defect.

This is a fairly new PLM. Best friend can figure is that either the wire was bad, or it was over-crimped in manufacture, and therefore broke.

My bet is that PCB will replace with no arguments.
Friend is going to email today, and is taking a 'wait and see' attitude.

I had the same thing happen. They replaced it. Told me to throw the old one away. I wish PCB had a higher build quality though. I wouldn't mind paying more. But at least they are quite responsive.

Herman Surkis wrote:
PCB marketing is not necessarily the brightest. The have a great deal with UPS for shipping in the states, but they are losing lots of sales outside the US, as shipping costs are so high that it really narrows the price benefit over other equally as good products. And there is simply the hassle of dealing with UPS.

If they don't like footing the shipping costs, what makes them think that their customers will like it.

Over here PCB's UK distributors wanted £20 to ship one PLM

Herman Surkis wrote:
What is interesting is that I was told by somebody at PCB to have things shipped to Canada and not my friend in Seattle, as PCB free ships warranty stuff only to the original shipping destination.

Not sure why you'd think otherwise.  It makes sense because to them, the original purchaser was in Seattle.
But if you did that in the first place, why not just send the replacement there and pick it up when you visit again since you did that in the first place?  Seems like the logical thing to do since you did that in the first place :-P
So now you're mad because you wanted to save on shipping and are surprised they won't ship the replacement to a different country????

The problem w/ not using UPS is no tracking or insurance.  And UPS takes care of the border duties collection.  To them, it's easier logistically.  USPS has zippo tracking through Canada last time looked at it.  If you've tried ebaying to people in Canada or the US, you'd probably have similar issues.

SKITA Studios wrote:

Not sure why you'd think otherwise.  It makes sense because to them, the original purchaser was in Seattle.
But if you did that in the first place, why not just send the replacement there and pick it up when you visit again since you did that in the first place?  Seems like the logical thing to do since you did that in the first place :-P
So now you're mad because you wanted to save on shipping and are surprised they won't ship the replacement to a different country????

The problem w/ not using UPS is no tracking or insurance.  And UPS takes care of the border duties collection.  To them, it's easier logistically.  USPS has zippo tracking through Canada last time looked at it.  If you've tried ebaying to people in Canada or the US, you'd probably have similar issues.

Problem is that these latest PLM's were shipped to Canada.
And getting a replacement means paying UPS ripoff charges AGAIN, and paying customs and duties, and tax charges AGAIN.

Had an issue with an item bought through B&H. Returned it at their cost, was replaced at no cost to me. In Canada. They simply took the trouble to state that it was a replacement item on which taxes and duties had already been paid. B&H ate the shipping costs. Could this be why B&H is killing many of the Canadian stores who think a 100% markup is a good idea?

Friend has not decided what he is going to do. His problem.
Mine is that the fabric is tearing on my 64", and it is barely used. Same shipment. Likely bad manufacture lot.

Our 86" PLM's which get used a lot (year older) are doing fine.

Suspect that in the future I may be buying Westcott modifiers.

Tim Foster wrote:
Paul Buff products seem to be great for the hobbyist or smaller-volume professional. They're not built anywhere near as well as Profoto, but their prices are magnitudes less and their customer service is better.

I'm a hobbyist, and I personally use Bowens/Calumet because of all the cheap eBay modifiers I can get.

It's always interesting to hear people try to categorize Buff's products.  One of the challenges is that he makes a wide range of products.  Another challenge is that there is disagreement on what criteria should be used when selecting gear for a professional as different professionals have different needs.

Let's look at a painter.  Someone painting a house needs durability, someone painting a portrait needs fine control.  Which is the better choice for a professional painter?

Is someone better off with with delicate jeweler's screwdrivers, or massive indestructible screwdrivers that can also be used as chisels and pry bars?


Buff's Einstein lights offer functionality that's difficult to match in monolights from another manufacturer.

By many measures, the $500 Einstein is better than the $1,200 D1 Air 500W/s Monolight.  By some measures, the Profoto is better.   

For instance, the Einstein is better at stopping action, has a more functional handheld remote, and a wider power range.  The Profoto has a better mount, and it's easier to rent Profoto gear and modifiers.

Which is the better choice for a professional depends on the individual needs of that particular professional.

David M Russell wrote:
Try these:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7 … White.html

Lots of positive reviews on B&H. They come in different varieties, and there's a diffuser available

I've had one for a few months now. I was in the lighting department at B&H and the sales guy randomly suggested it as a new item that was great and selling well. Held up pretty well, and you can't beat the price.

Westcott has three 7' parabolic umbrellas - silver, white and b&w (shoot-through  - with a black cover that makes it more efficient when used as a reflective umbrella).

The Westcott parabolics sell for just under $100 each. When they were first introduced, there was a special package deal - all three for just under $200. I saw 2-3 weeks ago that B&H has brought back the three-for-the-price-of-two deal.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/8 … liday.html

It's listed as a "holiday bundle." Not sure which holiday though. July 4? Labor Day? Rosh Hashanah?

Good Egg Productions wrote:

That training will come in handy for fixing an umbrella.

My comment was in reference to a broken wire.

Gryph wrote:

My comment was in reference to a broken wire.

It's a wire in the umbrella that holds all the ribs in place, not an electrical wire, lol

Bill Tracy Photography wrote:

It's a wire in the umbrella that holds all the ribs in place, not an electrical wire, lol

Plus it's darn near impossible to find a schematic for it....

FJG Photography wrote:
{Bill Tracy Photography}
It's a wire in the umbrella that holds all the ribs in place, not an electrical wire, lol}

Plus it's darn near impossible to find a schematic for it....

Yep.
20ga. wire seems to work.
Don't need a schematic, just 12 yr old girls fingers.
Seems it is relatively easy to figure out, just very fiddly and time consuming to fix.

In my case, so far, it has not broken, but I have barely used my 60" PLM's. But the fabric on one is already tearing.

And Paul C. Buff on some forum commented about Wescott's PLM's, 'well if you really want to use cheap knockoffs of our PLM's'. The irony is too delicious.

FJG Photography wrote:
Plus it's darn near impossible to find a schematic for it....

lol. I see.  I do have asian hands

But couldn't one get materials to crimp a set of wires together similar to that of electrical wires?  I prefer to improvise.

HO Photo wrote:
I have two, and so far they appear to be bulletproof. Even if one fell apart, I wouldn't be too miffed -- they're so cheap!

Not that it's the same, but spent around $100 this weekend so far on food and drinks I didn't really need. This umbrella would be something I'd almost consider as disposable as paper backgrounds. Use it 3-4 times and it's paid for, then if it fails just replace the thing.

Sure it sucks that it breaks, and it's not great to have to personally fix, but they aren't expensive.



Andrew Thomas Evans
www.andrewthomasevans.com

Andrew Thomas Evans wrote:

Not that it's the same, but spent around $100 this weekend so far on food and drinks I didn't really need. This umbrella would be something I'd almost consider as disposable as paper backgrounds. Use it 3-4 times and it's paid for, then if it fails just replace the thing.

Sure it sucks that it breaks, and it's not great to have to personally fix, but they aren't expensive.



Andrew Thomas Evans
www.andrewthomasevans.com

I can relate to your philosophy, but does not work for hobbyists.

And I do not consider $100 to be disposable for something to breakdown due to manufacturers defect. If I take it out doors and the wind catches it, then yes disposable. But open and close it a half dozen times in the studio and it falls apart, then hell no.

I take it you bill several hundred thousands of dollars per year, to so casually consider $100 for 5 uses of an umbrella as disposable.

I have gotten years of use out of my $15 'no name' umbrellas. In fact a couple are still with me from the days I worked professionally, and beat on my equipment because I did not have the luxury of the time to baby it. The old umbrellas are worn, dirty and pretty tatty looking, but they still function.

Mike Collins wrote:
I have the same size PLM.  Never had a problem with it.  I've had it and have used it regularly for the past 4 years now.  Taking down and setting up a lot.

In fact, first post I've ever seen about it.

Due to the number of failures among people I know, it is an issue with the current production. One friend took delivery 8 months ago, the other 4 months. So best guess is anything in the past year. Yours were likely better made.