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so my question is what will spending more money allow one to do.
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Well, at the very least, spending money on quality lighting equipment should let you sleep better at night [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] if you've got an important shoot scheduled the next day. I don't think you'll find anyone that's going to willingly put up the overall quality and reliability of professional-grade lights versus some of the low end things that are out there.
Flexibility is what you're geting with the variable output units. If you're using a power pack type system, and the packs are all close to you, then you might be able to control everything from your shooting position. There's at least one monolight system that'll do the same, via a remote control wire (Paul Buff), and that lets you adjust things from the point where it'll do you the most good. And with a system approach, your modeling light ratios will be predictable so you will, indeed, see where your lighting is going, and where it's not.
Additionally, a system approach will let you share accessories, which may or may not be a factor for you. Though you don't seem to be on a strict budget, there's no use throwing money away if you don't need to.
Soe people swear by the pro powerpack lights... some prefer the monolight approach. Whichever you wind up going with, consider the situation that you can always dial down the power.. but there's very little way to boost the output past the max, so getting a system with more power output may not be so important most days, but those couple of days when it is, you'll be glad you did.
I know a couple of folks who have gone the Profoto route, and they seem to be very happy with their choice. I'm in the monolight group, myself.
G'luck!
Wayne
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