Older Dynalites help please - DPChallenge Forums

06/09/2006 01:24:50 PM · #1

I am interested in maybe purchasing some used, older Dynalites.

The problem is, I can't find them on the internet.

I found the power supply on e-bay, but can not find the flash heads, or the slave.

Can anyone give me any info on the equipment?

Dyna-lite M1000X Power Supply
Dyna-lite flash head 0834-01
Dyna-lite opto-eye slave

Is the power supply good? Is it an actual battery? If so, does it have memory problems?

What about the heads. What is the wattage per second? How long of a life does the bulbs have? Lightweight?

What is an "opto-eye" slave?

Any other pertanent (sp) is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

06/09/2006 03:39:33 PM · #2

going to bump till I get some answers.

thanks.

06/09/2006 03:44:44 PM · #3

Ok....

Is this list worth $3500 for older stuff that is in excellent condition used by a pro photog that is retiring?

Dyna-lite M1000X Power Supply 119-0998
Dyna-lite M1000X Power Supply 119-0995
Dyna-lite M1000X Power Supply 119-0996
Dyna-lite M1000X Power Supply 119-0997
Dyna-lite flash head 0834-01 sn#: 101-1747
Dyna-lite flash head 0834-01 sn# 091-1708
Dyna-lite flash head 0834-01 sn# 111-1782
Dyna-lite flash head 0834-01 sn# 091-1704
Dyna-lite flash head 0834-01 sn# 038-1088
Dyna-lite flash head 0834-01 sn# 048-1095
Dyna-lite opto-eye slave 0521
Dyna-lite angle reducing ring 0433-04
Dyna-lite angle reducing ring 0433-04
Dyna-lite angle reducing ring 0433-04
Dyna-lite angle reducing ring 0433-04
Dyna-lite angle-reducing ring 0433-04
Dyna-lite angle reducing ring 0433-04
Dyna-lite angle reducing ring 0433-04
Dyna-lite light stand 0469
Dyna-lite light stand 0469
Dyna-lite 12 foot A.C. cord 0201
Dyna-lite 12 foot A.C. cord 0201
Dyna-lite 12 foot A.C. cord 0201
Dyna-lite 12 foot A.C. cord 0201
Dyna-lite SOFB-SU universal super soff box
Dyna-lite SOFB-SU universal super soff box
Dyna-lite S.A.C. sync cable
Dyna-lite S.A.C. sync cable
Dyna-lite S.A.C. sync cable
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz flash tube 0703
Dyna-lite quartz model lamp 0515
Dyna-lite quartz model lamp 0515
Dyna-lite quartz model lamp 0515
Dyna-lite quartz model lamp 0515
Dyna-lite quartz model lamp 0515
Dyna-lite quartz model lamp 0515
Dyna-lite quartz model lamp 0515
Dyna-lite 15 foot extension cable 0405
Dyna-lite 15 foot extension cable 0405
Dyna-lite 15 foot extension cable
Dyna-lite 15 foot extension cable
Dyna-lite adapter cable.
Dyna-lite adapter cable
Dyna-lite adapter cable
Dyna-lite adapter cable
Dyna-lite adapter cable
Dyna-lite adapter cable
Dyna-lite adapter cable
Dyna-lite adapter cable
Dyna-lite barn doors 0433-06B
Dyna-lite barn doors 0433-06B
Dyna-lite barn doors 0433-06B
Larson lite stand weight
Larson lite stand weight
Fiberbilt Adapt-A-Case P-508 40"-50" x 8&1/2"
For light stands and soff boxes.

Fiberbilt Adapt-A-Case 0672 P-21 J
Fiberbilt Adapt-A-Case 0672 P-21 J
Norman Enterprises Snoot
Norman Enterprises Snoot
25' AC Extension Cable
25' AC Extension Cable
25' AC Extension Cable
25' AC Extension Cable

06/10/2006 02:00:54 AM · #4

bumping for the night crew.

06/10/2006 11:01:18 AM · #5

Come on. Anybody. I feel like I am just talking to myself here.

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on............................

06/10/2006 11:32:03 AM · #6

Wow dude. That's a heck of a kit.

I wish I could help more than this, but it looks to me like the list includes a series of flashes, power supplies, light controls and connecting cables (adaptor cables? or perhaps the extension cords).

This tells me that you are setting up a LARGE and faily elaborate studio.

I'm guessing that you are shooting stuff that is as big as a horse or car... or bigger... If not, it seems like you may be faced with a bit of overkill.

The first thing that I would check is that it has some way to connect to the camera... I am guessing that a pc-sync cable will do it, but the real crux might lie in that Opta eye slave. I say this because if you are interested in this, you may not actually want to be locked in to your PC-Sync cable... You may want to be able to move around. That means wireless control.

The Opta eye seems like a really fancy name for aon optically triggered slave flash...

If this is older equipment, the first thing to check for with that is that it has the ability to deal with Pre-flashes.

As you undoubtedly know, E-TTL II which is present on your camera fires pre-flashes at lower intensity to help with accurate metering with a variety of reflectivities.

The problem is that slave flashes are notorious for getting mixed up with this.

With older systems that can't compensate for this, this generally means that you will need to use an IR controller of some sort. And you will need it to be compatible with your system or it will essentially lose out on all that functionality.

I would check into wireless controllers if I were you. See if he has a wireless controller. Also, check to see if the Opta Slave flash has the ability to ignore pre-flashes (I have a newer slave flash that does this, but while it works ok with my S2 IS, it's a lot more finnicky with my 30D)...

I wish I could give you something more substantial and helpful, but my knowledge base is limited.

At the very least, I got you a bump. :)

06/10/2006 11:36:04 AM · #7

thanks eschelar, good advice.

06/10/2006 12:09:57 PM · #8

What the hell is your studio going to look like?

That's a whackload of light! It must be flipping HUGE!

I have trouble picturing this setup with a pack of car batteries or something set up in a baseball field or something...

Whatcha makin'? Last time I checked, you were into some pretty serious applications...

Will you actually be needing wireless controlling?

I think some like the pocket wizards, but without knowing exactly what a dynalite looks like, I would say that it might be better for you to check into a system that has an IR control with an A and B channel from the on-camera flash. Pocket Wiz's are more for weddings when there may be interference from other IR systems, so working in studio, you will probably be good with just a two channel system.

I think the 580EX has this functionality built right in, naturally also with the ability to turn the main flash off... This may actually be a benefit over a system that runs off an optical slave.

Then you would need to use the 580EX to control other nodes wirelessly, but you could set up two arrays controlled by maybe a 430EX plus another flash unit attached by cable sync maybe?

Sorry if that sounds messy, I can't get any straight answers from the people at the shops and I don't think I could get away with pulling a handful of 500 dollar flashes out and playing with them in the shop... just so I could learn stuff to post on DPC :)

Besides, you know how many batteries I'd have to take to the store?! heheh :)

Those Dynalite power supplies look nice... and expensive...

Incidentally, it might also be possible to use a simple wireless system to set control over the entire Dynalite rig...

As in setting up say a Sigma DG super on camera, and a non Super off-camera attached via PC Sync. An extra cost of like 320-350 US if memory serves.... That's for a single IR channel (I can't remember if the Sigma can do two channels or not...)

I hope someone who actually knows what he's talking about jumps in here :)

06/10/2006 12:15:51 PM · #9

I have long term plans that include a small studio.

The lights mentioned, and the current lights I have all would then come into play. It is more of an investment for the future than anything.

The opto-eye was a curiosity to me, one of the reasons why I started this thread. Never heard of this animal.

I probly won't go for the opto-eye after your couple of posts. You have convinced me.

There are a couple other things I probly won't get as well in the list.

Truly, thanks for the input.

06/13/2006 02:05:48 AM · #10

Wow. Glad I could help!

Hey, feel free to PM me at any time to talk tech... I'm not an expert, but I'll pretty likely have the time and willingness to jump in and get my feet wet by reading up...

Are you going to go with a pentagonal lighting setup?

I'd love to see the design for your studio... Sounds very cool...

Message edited by author 2006-06-13 02:07:55.

06/13/2006 02:14:25 AM · #11

Incidentally, if this is all for studio work, is there a particular reason that you have opted for flashes over constant light sources? All the guys I've talked to prefer using constant light sources over flash because it is so much more easily balanced and managed...

There is some really neat new LED technology coming down the pipe that has some pretty good brightness with low power consumption and very low heat waste...

Check it out!