New AlienBees set-up, pictures overexposed

okay, so I got home today for lunch, set up my B800 and my 430EXII on camera. I'm using the optical trigger since I don't have a wireless trigger (yet). I try to take a portrait of myself and the image comes out underexposed, like I didn't even use a strobe/flash. Thoughts on that? Shooting at ISO 100, shutter speed 200 f2.8. Shutter release too quickly/strobe firing delayed? I just purchased the cybersync transmitter and receiver for my setup, so it should be here next week.

cabinajm wrote in post #12038800
okay, so I got home today for lunch, set up my B800 and my 430EXII on camera. I'm using the optical trigger since I don't have a wireless trigger (yet). I try to take a portrait of myself and the image comes out underexposed, like I didn't even use a strobe/flash. Thoughts on that? Shooting at ISO 100, shutter speed 200 f2.8. Shutter release too quickly/strobe firing delayed? I just purchased the cybersync transmitter and receiver for my setup, so it should be here next week.

If you have that 430 EX in ETTL mode the pre-flash is going to trip the B800 off too early. You need the 430EX to be in manual mode.

okay, i'll try that when I get home. thanks! I didn't think the preflash was firing, maybe I was blinking in anticipation of the bright lights lol

cabinajm wrote in post #12038853
okay, i'll try that when I get home. thanks! I didn't think the preflash was firing, maybe I was blinking in anticipation of the bright lights lol

You wouldn't see it if you weren't looking for it.. it's a quick one!

TMR Design wrote in post #12030418
Guesswork will always be guesswork unless you use the exact same setup every time with the same size subjects in the same position. That's not going to get you very far.

As others have suggested, get yourself a light meter and get it right every time with zero guesswork.

+1

cabinajm wrote in post #12038800
okay, so I got home today for lunch, set up my B800 and my 430EXII on camera. I'm using the optical trigger since I don't have a wireless trigger (yet). I try to take a portrait of myself and the image comes out underexposed, like I didn't even use a strobe/flash. Thoughts on that? Shooting at ISO 100, shutter speed 200 f2.8. Shutter release too quickly/strobe firing delayed? I just purchased the cybersync transmitter and receiver for my setup, so it should be here next week.

This is a recipe for disaster. Your camera will not know about your AB, try to expose for the 430, and the result could be wildly inaccurate.
Turn the flash to manual, at the lowest power possible, face it back, or up, or towards the AB...trying to not allow any of the light to get on the subject, and that should work. If it doesn't trigger the AB, turn the 430 up one notch and try again. Get the hang of the results and practice, then you may be able to utilize the flash from the 430 to also light the scene, in manual flash only.
Mixing ettl with dumb-triggered flashes is tricky.

I was able to get it to work by dropping the power output on the 430EXII all the way down and having the optical trigger off of that. Pictures turned out pretty decent. I'm still going to play a bit with it. Also ordered the CyberSync transmitter and reciever yesterday so that should help out a bit.