Upgrading to Godox/Flashpoint AD400 Strobes

[adamhiram]

I ordered a gel from Adorama in a specific color, so I had to get a large 24"x21" sheet and planned to cut it into smaller pieces. For the record, it's a chocolate brown color that is similar to Full CTO but with less yellow. It came well-packaged, although I thought it was odd that it came with "tamper-proof" tape covering only one end even though it can be opened from either end. However when I took the gel out, it was in rough shape as if it had been previously used on a few shoots, then returned. However I also assume this is what it will look like after some use anyway, and none of the blemishes show through when I taped it to a soft box to shine light through from behind.

• Is it normal for a brand new gel to arrive in this condition?
• Will it make any difference in my shooting if I just keep it?
• Is it worth the hassle of returning?

20191207-DSC_5974a by adamhiram, on Flickr


20191207-DSC_5994a by adamhiram, on Flickr


20191207-DSC_5975a by adamhiram, on Flickr

 

[JBPhotog2]

I’d say you got a used gel, new ones come completely blemish free. However I haven’t bought them from Adorama but would say this shouldn’t be the way they get them from Lee or Rosco.

You’ll have to decide what action you want to take up with Adorama but it is worth investigating if you plan on buying more gels from them.

 

[adamhiram]

Thanks @JBPhotog, thats what I figured. It could be worse, at least my strobes came intact - I’ve seen some horror stories posted in the Godox Facebook group following Adorama’s Black Friday sale. On the other hand, this is the 8th item that has arrived damaged in the past 2 weeks, most of which were holiday gifts from Amazon.

Looks like I’ll be calling Adorama for a replacement when they open tomorrow.

 

[Derrel]

8 damaged items in 2 weeks time? That sounds simply unacceptable to me.

 

[adamhiram]

8 damaged items in 2 weeks time? That sounds simply unacceptable to me.

Oops, I miscounted. 9 items in 2 weeks, 7 of them from Amazon.

 

[Derrel]

That's good for the correction. Your comment about eight items in two weeks from Adorama was really bad publicity for them and I am glad you have corrected it.

 

[JBPhotog2]

8 damaged items in 2 weeks time? That sounds simply unacceptable to me.

Oops, I miscounted. 9 items in 2 weeks, 7 of them from Amazon.

You aren't the recipient of theses guys are you?

 

[adamhiram]

You aren't the recipient of theses guys are you?

Not quite that bad! Mostly just insufficient packaging - small box in a big box with no packing material, or something fragile thrown into a mylar bag. Amazon seems to be cutting costs by eliminating packing material this holiday season.

 

[smoke665]

@adamhiram you must be the sacrificial customer, the one that gets all the problems. We've mostly eliminated shopping in stores, as DW has become highly proficient with online shopping, and with her compromised immune system we avoid crowds anyhow. Of all the package delivered this past year we haven't had a single damaged one. That 2nd picture of the gel doesn't look used, it looks like someone threw it down on a gravel drive and stomped on it. If I'd received that, I would have gone ballistic on someone. Simple mistakes can happen, but that was totally unacceptable.

 

[adamhiram]

Your comment about eight items in two weeks from Adorama was really bad publicity for them and I am glad you have corrected it.

Add 5 more to the list... I had intended on doing a reshoot of some portraits I took with speedlights using monolights to do a comparison, but alas more delays.

The return of the damaged gel was pretty simply, but after almost a week with no updates, I checked online and the replacement was backordered. I called Adorama for additional information, only to find out they had no ETA on when it would be back in stock. I had them issue a refund an ordered it from elsewhere. So much hassle for a $7 consumable I had planned on using a week ago.

I also picked up 4 more sandbags to use with light stands, as they are now a bit top-heavy with bigger lights. 2 days later, the wrong items arrived. Instead of basic 10lb sandbags, I got water bottle holders that hang from a hook. To complicate things further, the packaging actually had the right part number on them, so apparently everything is mislabeled in their warehouse. They quickly made it right and will be sending out new items shortly, but again, a lot of unnecessary hassle.

It seems like Adorama is having some issues this holiday season, but at least their customer support seems to be putting in the effort to make things right. Hopefully I will be able to share some comparison photos between speedlight and monolight studio portraits soon.

 

[smoke665]

Wow!!! In our pine trees, we leave one tree untreated as a sacrificial tree to attract all the pine beetles. Thank you @adamhiram it appears you are our "sacrificial tree" this year. All kidding aside, I know that must be frustrating, and the kind of customer service you've received is unacceptable. I had my turn in the barrel this week. I ordered some prints that are to be framed and given as Christmas gifts that were supposed to be here yesterday. They arrived in Birmingham on Wednesday morning according to tracking (I'm 50 miles north). Wednesday night they showed up on tracking in Mobile, AL, 300 miles to the south. Yesterday they went to Montgomery, AL, arriving back in Birmingham, at 2 pm yesterday afternoon. They sat there until noon today, when they were shipped somewhere else (says to destination), but until someone scans them again don't have a clue what the "destination" will be.

 

[JBPhotog2]

I suggest adamhiran you buy a lottery ticket, all that bad luck has to turn good some day.

 

[adamhiram]

Add 5 more to the list...

...And add another one from Adorama, making it 6 issues with them now. I received a light stand today, identical to the 4 others I have, and the first/lowest section will not stay up. No matter how much I tighten the tension screw, it cannot hold any weight whatsoever and immediately collapses. I know they're doing a lot of volume during the holiday season, but this is just unacceptable. At least my issues with Amazon have just been insufficient packaging; Adorama is just sending me broken stuff now. For anyone counting, my 2019 holiday shopping total is now up to 14 damaged, defective, or incorrect items.

 

[Nwcid]

I also picked up 4 more sandbags to use with light stands, as they are now a bit top-heavy with bigger lights.

I had the same problem when putting my AD600's up on stand especially with modifiers on it. I had to use a lot of weight and still sometimes felt semi uncomfortable.

During the recent sales I picked up extensions so you can remote mount the bulb from the body. Here is the version for your light, https://www.adorama.com/fplfxp400p.html I had an opportunity to use them last week and it made a huge difference. The AD600 is almost 2lbs heavier then the 400, but being able to mount that weight low on the stand made it much more stable. Mine are only 6' and I wish they were just a little longer so at 8' your version should be perfect. I will be shooting with this set up again on Monday and I will try and grab an image.

 

[adamhiram]

During the recent sales I picked up extensions so you can remote mount the bulb from the body. Here is the version for your light, https://www.adorama.com/fplfxp400p.html I had an opportunity to use them last week and it made a huge difference.

Thanks, I think at least one of those will eventually make it into my kit - still only available for pre-order, and so far I haven't been too concerned about lights tipping, especially with sandbags on them (I just needed more). Glad to see they're making an extension head for the 400 though!