The Paasche Talon airbrush kit could be the ideal hobby solution, with three nozzles and an aircap covering everything from fine detail to even primer and base coat coverage. We compare it to the Iwata Eclipse HP CS to find out.
Thank you for the comments and insights. While there are reviews of just about every airbrush ever made, there are few comparing them, yet you have to make a decision and pick one when buying. So I shared my experience selecting, and if it helps anyone make a decision one way or another I think it was worth the effort. Thanks!
None of the spray errors you see here are the fault of the Airbrushes. This paint wasn't thinned correctly for the size of the needle/nozzle used which is very common. It is also why people think more expensive brushes don't do this which as you can see even a 20 dollar Master brush series would have to be made to do this on purpose. HP-c and Talon can and will lay down smooth flat dimple free coats of paint with ease (I use the Talon on GW minis around 40mm) with butter smooth results. 90% of Airbrushing is the skill of the painter and the paint/surface prep. The Airbrush has little affect for pro's but can be huge for beginners. I watched a guy paint a 100% photo real portrait with a Paasche H single action brush and very skilled use of the needle adjuster. double action makes that job easier but not always better as that is skill related.
I don't have those problems with my Talon. I use it for painting plastic models and it does all I need very well. Another plus is that parts are inexpensive for me here in the US.
Neither one is a detail brush, and you can’t make those nozzle size do good detail. Your comparing a Talon at $70 to the Iwata at $160, every airbrush is a law unto itself, you need to learn it, and the Air pressure it requires to perform correctly! Amazon sells a PointZero Airbrush with a .2mm nozzle, with a 2cc bowl, with a MAC valve, that will put both those Airbrush’s to shame in that type of airbrushing, for under $25. I started with the Talon in my airbrushing, one in a .38 and a one with the .25 nozzle, both performed great at my level, I never had issues with the Talons, most of my issues was not understanding paint, and nozzle size. A very positive point about the Talon, parts are cheap and not hard to find, needles and nozzles are a consumable, that’s just part of Airbrushing, a needle and nozzle set is less then $15. Try that with any other airbrush! Cleaning a Airbrush correctly and when to clean, how to clean, what to clean with is more important then you think, in my world you can’t keep them clean enough. The other needed knowledge is paint type, and what nozzle handles the paint you want to use, Inks, translucent, Transparents, a .2mm or smaller nozzle works great, pearls, metallics and cheap craft paint needs bigger nozzles, .38 and up. The Paint dictates the size of nozzle you use. I spray some metallic that I use a 1mm nozzle and it still can plug! 99% of Airbrush issues comes from your paint or air pressure or both!
You just weren't ready to do those small figures. With over thinned paint, and very low pressure either one of those brushes is capable of some crazy detail. It's all about pressure, viscosity, and trigger control. Don't give up, you'll get there.
It's interesting to see this for me. My personal experience is the exact opposite. Iwata always struggled to move product and was always blowing paint around because of it. My Paasche is the exact opposite, I can get right into details without "spidering" the paint everywhere. I've never gotten the "spritz" that you kept showing in your video either. Only have had that with cheap Iwata clones with poorly polished needles. The large physical nozzle size of the Paasche is also a gigantic plus since the teeny little ones are weak and break constantly. I would still say your video is a fair comparison based on your style and expectations.
Thanks for the comment. I bet you have better trigger discipline than me - I decided this is something I need to work on, shutting of paint flow before shutting of airflow, as I think it helps keep the brush cleaner, and eliminates the spurts I was getting with the Paasche. I love the concept of the Paasche kit, especially the fan cap. I would like to look at several airbrushes with that option, maybe in the future.
Im a custom rifle builder. I also cerekote weapons and paint benchrifle stocks, some with graphics i air brush on. I have both the Iwata Eclipse and Paasch Talon. For me i love the Talon and go for it over the Iwata 80% of the time. I basically use the Iwata Eclipse for shadows. This is not saying ones better than the other its just what is better for what i do.
I appreciated the testing. I was considering buying the Talon but now I think I have to do a little more research. My focus is WW II aircraft with camouflage, and I was wondering if you thought the Talon would perform well. Unfortunately, price is a factor in my decision.
The Talon isn't bad, it just isn't as good as the Iwata. I was actually biased towards it in the beginning to be honest, because I liked the idea of the different nozzles and the spray cap. The primary concern I have is the trigger discipline it needs. If you can envision yourself pushing the trigger down for air, pulling back for paint, releasing it forward to stop the paint, then letting up to stop the air every time you put any paint on the model, it will work fine. If, like me, you don't have that level of discipline, you will be putting unintended blobs of paint on your models.
Bummer. I just invested a Paasche Talon as my first airbrush. I chose it because it was said to be a top line airbrush and it is American made. I'm sure I'll suck enough early on to not know if it's me or the brush. Thanks for your review.
I own an Art studio where we do hyperrealistic portraits and mobile repairs of damaged granite on jobsites - the Paasche Talon is the favorite of all of our artists for mobile work. It's one of the few brushes that is solvent resistant and versatile. You'll be more than fine.
American made means little here as the best brushes are made in Japan and Germany. That don't mean it's not a good brush. It will be as good as you make it.
