If money was not an issue..what are the avantages of using Profoto heads vs cheaper studio strobes like Alien Bees?
absolute consistency in the light - shot after shot.
No argument whatsoever. The AB's are phenomenal performers for the price. But the guy asked, "If money was no object......"Whenever I buy anything of substance, if my application warrants buying the best and I can afford it, i do. If it doesn't make sense for what I'll do with the item, I go for the well respected bargain. I bought Alien Bees and have been happy with them. If I had a full time studio and was billing constantly I'd go Profoto.
I have also heard great things about the Hensel products. May not be as versatile in accessory compatibility as the Profoto product line, but not as expensive either. I know several professionals who use Hensel exclusively. Excellent German engineering - consistent, durable, reliable.
Is portability an issue? Most other brands seem pretty big compared to the profoto heads.
Elinchrom monolights are lightweight by comparison and their heads are no heavier than any others and lighter then the profoto heads.