NOW: Alienbees vs Brocolor was Re: [Leica] success! but help!

[reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid)]

> So, obviously the light is going whoop when you need it but can you
> be somewhat more specifc?

A hair light is suspended behind and above a portrait subject, and needs to 
be aimed very carefully. On a full-size studio light you can use a grid or a 
snoot to restrict the light to the subject's head and upper back. I haven't 
found a way to collimate the output of the Metz into a 10 or 15-degree beam. 
It also isn't easy to attach to the boom; I use Duct tape, which isn't rigid 
and doesn't feel safe.

So I continue to use a Speedotron brownline M11 with a 15-degree grid and a 
neutral-density gel; it's designed for mounting on booms.

To use the Speedotron I have to have a power pack, and a big cable running 
up the boom. The Metz appealed to me because it would be 100% self 
contained, running on batteries. But it just doesn't mount properly in my 
environment.