b800 or b1600?

About to pull the trigger on one. Is the b1600 worth the extra money for the power?

As with everything in photography: it depends.

Do you already have lights? Remember that extra power also comes with a higher minimum power setting.

I only own 2 other speedlites 430's. I will be doing a lot of outdoor shooting and also indoors. Portraits etc.

I'd say get the 1600, especially with a 5D Mark II

Lichtwerk wrote in post #12211998
I'd say get the 1600, especially with a 5D Mark II

Why would camera model dictate strobe power ratings?

I will say X1600 if budget allows it. Or better get Einstein.

It appears that the Einstein backlog is gone.
Based on that I would suggest getting the Einstein. It has a power range from 640Ws to 2.5Ws.

And there are loads of other benefits.

bobbyz wrote in post #12212872
Why would camera model dictate strobe power ratings?

The larger format camera will have less depth of focus. For example, a 7D using a 50mm lens at, say, six feet from the subject will have more depth of focus than a 5D shooting the exact same picture with a 80mm lens from six feet from the subject. Thus, if you used f/8 for the 7D shot, you might want to use f/11 for the 5D shot. You would want more powerful lights for the 5D. If you moved up to medium format, you would want even more light so that you could use smaller apertures (of course, medium format is great for those really shallow DOF shots that just have the eyes in focus and tons of blur on the ears).

Einstein for sure.

Player9 wrote in post #12213293
The larger format camera will have less depth of focus. For example, a 7D using a 50mm lens at, say, six feet from the subject will have more depth of focus than a 5D shooting the exact same picture with a 80mm lens from six feet from the subject. Thus, if you used f/8 for the 7D shot, you might want to use f/11 for the 5D shot. You would want more powerful lights for the 5D. If you moved up to medium format, you would want even more light so that you could use smaller apertures (of course, medium format is great for those really shallow DOF shots that just have the eyes in focus and tons of blur on the ears).

Overthinking the problem.

To the OP, AB1600 if you are shooting outside. Unfortunately for shooting inside its way to easy to overpower a room with the 1600. You might want to consider the Einstein because of its wider power range.

Player9 wrote in post #12213293
The larger format camera will have less depth of focus. For example, a 7D using a 50mm lens at, say, six feet from the subject will have more depth of focus than a 5D shooting the exact same picture with a 80mm lens from six feet from the subject. Thus, if you used f/8 for the 7D shot, you might want to use f/11 for the 5D shot. You would want more powerful lights for the 5D. If you moved up to medium format, you would want even more light so that you could use smaller apertures (of course, medium format is great for those really shallow DOF shots that just have the eyes in focus and tons of blur on the ears).

That guy said with 5dmk2, like 5dmk2 required more light power than say 5d, or 1ds models. And OP never mentioned anything about his camera.

Neither.. WL X1600.

gonzogolf wrote in post #12213318
Overthinking the problem.

Not really. I had to shoot a car in a studio. I borrowed a 5DII and I have a 7D at f9 the back end was falling off pretty bad with the 5DII, I tested on my 7D and it was barely there. I had to go to f11 and turn the ISO up.

bobbyz wrote in post #12213500
That guy said with 5dmk2, like 5dmk2 required more light power than say 5d, or 1ds models. And OP never mentioned anything about his camera.

It is in his sig.

Bottom line, the extra power does make a difference outdoors, if you can pony up the difference, do it. If you find the 1600 too powerful indoors, which you likely may, use the 430's... The Einsteins are great, truly, and offer you a lot more flexibility (like using both indoor and out much easier) and worth it to many for the jump in price, but you know what you can afford/want. If you're solely looking B800/B1600, go 1600.

anlenke wrote in post #12213697
Bottom line, the extra power does make a difference outdoors, if you can pony up the difference, do it. If you find the 1600 too powerful indoors, which you likely may, use the 430's... The Einsteins are great, truly, and offer you a lot more flexibility (like using both indoor and out much easier) and worth it to many for the jump in price, but you know what you can afford/want. If you're solely looking B800/B1600, go 1600.

I agree.

sigma pi wrote in post #12213636
Not really. I had to shoot a car in a studio. I borrowed a 5DII and I have a 7D at f9 the back end was falling off pretty bad with the 5DII, I tested on my 7D and it was barely there. I had to go to f11 and turn the ISO up.

It is in his sig.

Can't you use higher ISO in the studio?