# Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head vs Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head (Elinchrom) and Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit (Paul C. Buff) among studio strobes. Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit is the cheaper of the two at $529.95.

## Side by side

| Spec | Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head | Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $1249.95 | $529.95 |
| Brand | Elinchrom | Paul C. Buff |
| Power output ws | 500 | 640 |
| Flash duration t01 | as fast as 1/20000 sec in Action mode; 1/3400 sec best case in Normal mode | 1/568 sec at full power (Constant Color mode, t0.5 1/1600 sec); as fast as ~1/2000 sec (t0.1) at half power in Action Mode |
| Recycle time s | 0.05-2 | 0-1.7 |
| Ttl hss support | TTL (Canon, Nikon, Sony via Elinchrom EL-Skyport); HSS to 1/8000s | Manual only — no TTL, no camera-side HSS. Fires via CyberSync radio triggers or optical slave; Action Mode shortens flash duration for motion-freezing rather than providing sync-pulse HSS. |
| Modeling lamp (W) | — | — |
| Color temperature k | — | 5600 |
| Power source | Removable 14.4V/5Ah (72Wh) lithium-ion battery (up to 400 full-power flashes, supports charging while in use); AC input 100-240V, 50/60Hz | AC only (100-240V, 3-wire grounded, auto-sensing with IEC connector); no battery option |

## Key differences

- Power output ws: Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head 500 vs Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit 640
- Flash duration t01: Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head as fast as 1/20000 sec in Action mode; 1/3400 sec best case in Normal mode vs Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit 1/568 sec at full power (Constant Color mode, t0.5 1/1600 sec); as fast as ~1/2000 sec (t0.1) at half power in Action Mode
- Recycle time s: Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head 0.05-2 vs Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit 0-1.7
- Ttl hss support: Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head TTL (Canon, Nikon, Sony via Elinchrom EL-Skyport); HSS to 1/8000s vs Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit Manual only — no TTL, no camera-side HSS. Fires via CyberSync radio triggers or optical slave; Action Mode shortens flash duration for motion-freezing rather than providing sync-pulse HSS.
- Power source: Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head Removable 14.4V/5Ah (72Wh) lithium-ion battery (up to 400 full-power flashes, supports charging while in use); AC input 100-240V, 50/60Hz vs Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit AC only (100-240V, 3-wire grounded, auto-sensing with IEC connector); no battery option

## Sources

- Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head: https://us.elinchrom.com/elinchrom-elb-500-ttl-off-camera-flash-dual-to-go-kit/ (us.elinchrom.com, verified 2026-08-09)
- Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit: http://s196259524.onlinehome.us/e640.php (s196259524.onlinehome.us, verified 2026-08-09)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/studio-strobes/elinchrom-elb-500-ttl-vs-paul-c-buff-einstein-e640/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Power Pack & Head ($1249.95) vs Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 Flash Unit ($529.95) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/studio-strobes/elinchrom-elb-500-ttl-vs-paul-c-buff-einstein-e640/
License: CC BY 4.0.