am I dumb for wanting a B800?

Looking to buy my first strobe and for some reason I'm attracted to the B800. My use for this will be indoor studio setup for my children shots and to do my own christmas and other family photos, family of 6 (two adults 4 children 12 and younger) but to also use for outdoor portraits. I'm looking to pick up a 13' heavy duty air cushioned stand to mount the strobe. I'm also wanting to pick up the mini vagabond for my outdoor shoots as well. For modifier I'm going to start off with a 51" umbrella white, one that I can shoot through or bounce and I will also pick up the white 22" beauty dish to be used outdoor.

I'll be using my 430ex for some fill or background lighting indoor so to trigger these I was orginally going to use the 622c's but now that the pixel king pro's are out I definately like the interface with those better.

Considering I'm not a flash/strobe hardware junkie and I'm limited in knowledge on the available options am I dumb for wanting to pick up this hardware for a start into strobes or should I spend more time researching my other options. I know the b800's are suppose to be pretty good value for the money which is also a concern. Overall I'll be looking at spending right at $850 for one strobe wireless trigger battery pack setup w/ a couple modifiers. I don't think thats too bad but it is alot of money as well (especially since I want to pick up a 24-70 too but can only do one or the other)

Sounds like a great start to me, and one you can sell and recoup money if you decide to go a different direction later. Go for it!

I started with a B800 too. Not necessarily bad choice, but from what I have learned so far I would now go straight for an Einstien and not look back. Yes, I know that's basically double the price from the the B800, but you get the ability to use all the fancy controls that someday you will want or will grow into. If you go outside you will want/need some good power, the B800 could fall short.....no, will fall short, especially in bright sunlight. I am with you.....I enjoy those full sun shots people have been doing outside with a beauty dish....amazing. Notice they aren't using a B800....

If you don't want to go for an Einstien, then consider going for the B1600. Power is power and it's nice to have when you need it and if your outside you will find that out quickly. One last bit of advice......before you go with a bee, look at the White Lightenings. I have pretty much left the bees I have sitting in the corner and have started using my White Lightnings exclusively.....contro​l and POWER!! Read up on them before you make your decision.

And yes, it is very easy to resell a Bee if you want to upgrade in the future.

Bob E.

I agree with Safetybob, if you can afford the slightly higher price, get the B1600. There have been many occasions where I had to shoot in bright sunlight and had the b1600 on max power. My b800s surely wouldn't have been enough. As bob also mentioned, you can EASILY sell alien bee strobes, since everyone wants one. Eventually, and trust me, you'll end up doing it... you'll want to buy more strobes. I originally bought a b1600 with vagabond, it was great... then decided I wanted a stronger light than my speedlight for fill, so I bought a b800, PERFECT. Then decided I wanted a 3rd light as backlight in outdoor locations, there ya go, another b800 + another vagabond. it's a drug. Think i'd be better off addicted to crystal meth. :P

WIth my experience, lighting is key to a nice photo, not the lens (although the lens do a lot also :P). Only time you'll need a good lens, is for the shallow DOF with a wide aperture like f1.2 - f2.8. All of my studio shots can be done with cheap kit lens, as I shoot at an aperture of f8-f11.

My only problem is i heard the B1600 with the min 20w is too much light for indoor lighting. I'm trying to convince the wife to let me turn my upstairs family room which is 14x22 w/ 12' cathedral ceiling into a studio which I would guess then it wouldn't be too big.

Talley wrote in post #16064832
My only problem is i heard the B1600 with the min 20w is too much light for indoor lighting. I'm trying to convince the wife to let me turn my upstairs family room which is 14x22 w/ 12' cathedral ceiling into a studio which I would guess then it wouldn't be too big.

Wise man to think about 'too much power'. According to Buff web site, the B1600 at 1/32 power into a Buff softbox at 5' would be f/2.8 + 0.7EV

While that seems to be OK, some folks consider the B1600 at the two lowest power levels to acquire pinkish tint to the lighting, which is not merely a adjustment of WB to correct.

I'm actually thinking of just picking up a used B400 to use for now as I'm going to be using them for indoor studio most starting off with a slow transition to outdoor. I can wait on the outdoor it's not going to kill me not to be able to strobe outdoors. When I do then thats when I'll spend more and get the E640 then I would have the B400 for a background light. I need my initial investment lower and will add as needed. I just don't want to splurge and drop down 1K on gear that I'm not ready to use just yet.

Also some would say why not just use speedlights. 1. Battery swap sucks I found that out on my first studio setup with borrowed speedlights, all I have is a 430EXII. 2. Modeling lamp, not sure if I need it but I want it to help me setup the lighting that I am looking for with my infant.

Talley wrote in post #16064895
Also some would say why not just use speedlights. 1. Battery swap sucks I found that out on my first studio setup with borrowed speedlights, all I have is a 430EXII. 2. Modeling lamp, not sure if I need it but I want it to help me setup the lighting that I am looking for with my infant.

Again, you are very wise to consider the main flaw of speedlight lighting...the inability to see what the lighting placement does or does not do to make your subject look good -- without taking shots and chimping

Talley wrote in post #16064832
My only problem is i heard the B1600 with the min 20w is too much light for indoor lighting. I'm trying to convince the wife to let me turn my upstairs family room which is 14x22 w/ 12' cathedral ceiling into a studio which I would guess then it wouldn't be too big.

Very true. I have actually encountered the problem a few times in a tiny room. Power set to lowest, and no space to backup... as long as you have room to back up, it should be fine (backing up the light causes light to lose softness, but shouldn't be tooooo noticeable if it's only a few feet back).

Talley wrote in post #16064895
Modeling lamp, not sure if I need it but I want it to help me setup the lighting that I am looking for with my infant.

I consider the modeling lamp crucial. In some indoor shoots, where the indoor lights are ridiculously bright, I want the lights off so they don't add unwanted light onto my shot. However, turning them off means the area becomes almost pitch black and it's difficult to focus on the subject's eyes. Having a modeling light helps with that A TON. Allows you to focus AND allows you to see where the shadows will be.

I'm thinking of this for the backdrop: http://www.amazon.com …psc=1&smid=A17W​6NLJ3OBMCK

and I'm thinking of just ordering the paul C bluff beginner package. It's a B400 stand modifier bag and black cover for bounce option all for 372. throw in a beauty dish as well.

Then order me a set of 4 622Cs to trigger everything and get some backdrop muslims and I'm good to start with all for about 700. My 430ex will be a rim light/BG light.

Then will add a couple E640s down the road mmmm

We have a saying at the lake. Whenever you build something you always wish you had made it bigger. It is amazing how more space you get in a 26' by 26' garage as compared to a 24' by 24'. Only 2 feet but it feels like an arena compared to a shack. So our saying is "Bigger is Better". As stated better to overpower and use less but it is there if you need it.

get one... I started with an 800...
won't be long before a 2nd arrives... more may follow...

Start with the AB800 if you are shooting in a home studio. The 1600 can overpower a small space and turning the bees down way low cause issues with color shifts.

I use Elinchrom, but am very familiar with Bees and would recommend the B800, as well. Indoors, I would be concerned the B1600 might not go low enough. Outdoors, you may well want more power than the B800 but, once you buy one strobe, you will want more of them. By the time you're ready for your second one, you'll know for sure what your needs are.

You can do a lot with one light (and sometimes adding a reflector). Good luck!