alienbee 1600 Overkill?

Here is what I got from AB web site:

AB1600 - f11 +4/10 at 10 feet with Silver Beauty Dish + sock + light blocking sheild (is this a deflector?).

Assume f16 at 10 feet. That is just ambient exposure.

My AB800 with my 37" octa (double diffused) gives me barely f11 at full power where I can do the full body without modifier getting into the frame. With AB1600 I can only expect 1 more stop so don't know how to turn day into night unless I shoot with strobe real close and use no modifier.

bobbyz wrote in post #12998206
Here is what I got from AB web site:

AB1600 - f11 +4/10 at 10 feet with Silver Beauty Dish + sock + light blocking sheild (is this a deflector?).

Assume f16 at 10 feet. That is just ambient exposure.

My AB800 with my 37" octa (double diffused) gives me barely f11 at full power where I can do the full body without modifier getting into the frame. With AB1600 I can only expect 1 more stop so don't know how to turn day into night unless I shoot with strobe real close and use no modifier.

My shot was with the silver dish, but no sock. I did use the blocking shield (deflector). The silver dish is supposed to be very efficient, I dont use it much because I'm not a big fan of Beauty dishes in general.

I went with the ab800 and the white beauty dish

bobbyz wrote in post #12998206
Here is what I got from AB web site:

AB1600 - f11 +4/10 at 10 feet with Silver Beauty Dish + sock + light blocking sheild (is this a deflector?).

Assume f16 at 10 feet. That is just ambient exposure.

My AB800 with my 37" octa (double diffused) gives me barely f11 at full power where I can do the full body without modifier getting into the frame. With AB1600 I can only expect 1 more stop so don't know how to turn day into night unless I shoot with strobe real close and use no modifier.

Try moving the strobe closer to the subject. This is my unscientific test on my White Lightning X1600 at full power 1/1 & a bare white BD with a flash meter & tape measure on the floor. The strobe exhibited inconsistent power output when I performed the tests such as the aperture reading not changing when I changed the distance by a foot. YMMV.

7' f11
6' f13
5' f14
4' f16
3' f20

EdW wrote in post #13001141
Try moving the strobe closer to the subject. This is my unscientific test on my White Lightning X1600 at full power 1/1 & a bare white BD with a flash meter & tape measure on the floor. The strobe exhibited inconsistent power output when I performed the tests such as the aperture reading not changing when I changed the distance by a foot. YMMV.

7' f11
6' f13
5' f14
4' f16
3' f20

Thanks for doing the work. The meter is set up to read in 1/3 stops?

at 3 feet the model would complain the heat from the flash was melting her face lolol

EdW wrote in post #13001141
Try moving the strobe closer to the subject. This is my unscientific test on my White Lightning X1600 at full power 1/1 & a bare white BD with a flash meter & tape measure on the floor. The strobe exhibited inconsistent power output when I performed the tests such as the aperture reading not changing when I changed the distance by a foot. YMMV.

7' f11
6' f13
5' f14
4' f16
3' f20

7' you got f11 so at typical distance needed for full body you barely getting f16. So that is why I was wondering how gonzogolf was able to turn daylight into night at 1:00pm with AB1600.

f11 means you actually 1 stop below ambient if ss=1/100 ISO100. so if ss is 1/200 you at ambient.

f16 you only 1 stop over ambient,

sigma pi wrote in post #13001172
Thanks for doing the work. The meter is set up to read in 1/3 stops?

at 3 feet the model would complain the heat from the flash was melting her face lolol

I have the Sekonic L-358 that can be set at full-, half- & third-stop intervals. I have it currently set at third-stop interval. The model would surely be blinded at 3'.

bobbyz wrote in post #13001325
7' you got f11 so at typical distance needed for full body you barely getting f16. So that is why I was wondering how gonzogolf was able to turn daylight into night at 1:00pm with AB1600.

f11 means you actually 1 stop below ambient if ss=1/100 ISO100. so if ss is 1/200 you at ambient.

f16 you only 1 stop over ambient,

I can't explain it because I never tried it myself. I generally try to match the ambient light or have the background a little under exposed. I'm going to try that out the next chance I have. I had spoke to two people that have done it so I know that it can be done. I never had any interest in doing it myself before though.

I got the B1600 recently. Indoor, it is too much power. Even set on 1/32, I can't use F1.8 (dare I try 1.4) unless I put it far away. Like too far away :/

But it works wonders outside, man that thing is powerful!

Guess I'll have to change it for an B800 :/

EdW wrote in post #13001357
I have the Sekonic L-358 that can be set at full-, half- & third-stop intervals. I have it currently set at third-stop interval. The model would surely be blinded at 3'.

I knew it can bet set by 1/3 1/2 and full, thats why I was checking


"do I still have my eyebrows?"

Rivest wrote in post #13001463
I got the B1600 recently. Indoor, it is too much power. Even set on 1/32, I can't use F1.8 (dare I try 1.4) unless I put it far away. Like too far away :/

But it works wonders outside, man that thing is powerful!

Guess I'll have to change it for an B800 :/

or shoot at f16

Or use a ND filter on your lens, and/or strobe. That way you can achieve f/1.8 to 16 outdoors with one strobe. Been using White Lightning x3200 for a while now. Can easily achieve f/1.2 or f/32 out of the same strobe.

Overkill?? I don't think so.. Here's my sample shot, these were taken last Monday.


Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/4.5
Focal Length 38 mm
ISO Speed 100

Sweet!

Buff specs state a GN102 for 1600 units in their foldable softbox, at full power. http://www.paulcbuff.c​om/output.php
That means that at 1/4 power GN51, at 1/16 power GN25. Power settings below that are likely to result in the pinkish cast light output. GN25 means that you can position light source (front of the box) about 5' from subject and require f/5.