Which one?

Can't choose between the two... GODOX RS400P or GODOX AD360K. Their prices are almost the same, size does not matter to me. I'll be using it for studio works and outdoor shoot. I am leaned towards the RS400P because of the modeling lamp but AD360 is yelling at the back telling me to pick it up due its versatility and sturdiness.

So, I guess the answer to these questions would help me decide...

1. Which one is best to over power the sun?
2. Which one would be ideal for a 55 inch octabox?
3. Which one is more durable?

Hope you can help me guys.

I have the 360 and it's a great light. However if I was going to try and overpower the sun than the CL-600 from Cheetah or the equivalent 600from Godox directly would make more sense. Any of them would work great in a 55inch octa.
Jim

Or perhaps someone tell me which one is more powerful... Thanks

Thanks Jim, How I wish the 600's could be available here in my country. Our stores (both online and land) do not have yet any 600's of any brand. But, can you identify which one is more powerful?

The RS400 is slightly more powerful.
The RS400 has a metal body
The RS400 has standard Bowens mount and can directly mount your octabox and other modifers
The RS400 has a modeling light

If size is not a problem, the RS400 would appear to be more suitable. However, I can find no US-based sellers of the RS400. That means if you receive a defective unit or experience a failure you will have to deal with the manufacturer in China, and pay for shipping to China for repair/replacement. This could leave you without a light for two months or more.

The AD360 is nearly as powerful
There are limited modifiers that attach directly to the AD360. However, you can use a Godox S-type bracket to attach Bowens-mount modifiers
The AD360 is more portable
The AD360 is available from Cheetahstand as the CL-360, a US-based company that provides warranty service in the USA

It is possible that neither of the above will be powerful enough to override direct sunlight in a large modifier such as a 55-inch octa. You may need to the included reflector or a medium beauty dish in direct sunlight.

Third option not discussed is the RS600, which is available from Cheetahstand as the CL-600. While more expensive it has all the benefits of the RS400, higher power output, and US-based service from Cheetahstand. My only concern would be, depending on the size of your studio, it might actually be too powerful.

Edit: I see Jim mentioned the RS600. Also, it's hard to make product limitations based on your geography if you don't list your location in your profile.

Thanks for the info. This one is bothering me, the ad360 has a guide number of 80m while the RS400 only has 52m @iso 100. Is this a concern I should consider in using one of this outdoors?

EDIT: I am from the Philippines by the way so warranty is not an issue.

I can not locate a guide number for the RS400 but it is listed as 400WS. That would be higher than the 360 Watt Seconds listed for the AD360. However the difference between 360 and 400 is very small. The 360 is roughly one stop more powerful than the 180 so the difference between 360 and 400 might be 1/10 of a stop or a little more. Fairly meaningless.

You might see if Cheetah will ship to the Philippines as the CL-600 would provide a meaningful difference.

Jim

jmaher wrote in post #17636477
You might see if Cheetah will ship to the Philippines as the CL-600 would provide a meaningful difference.

Jim

RS400 had just been here lately, so it would take a while for the RS600 or CL600 (if Cheetah woukd export it) to be here.

RIME LITE i6 is available in one of our stores but can't find any good review about it.

Lifted directly from the Godox RS400P / RS600P manual - the GN for the RS400P is 52 (m - ISO 100) and for the RS600P it is 68 (m - ISO 100).
HOWEVER, Godox do NOT state any other criteria so we can only assume that this is with the supplied 6¼" / 158mm reflector. Note also that these are Godox's own GN's and, as we know, manufacturer's guide numbers do tend towards the optimistic in many cases.

I got my RS600P very recently from DZone2 who I have found very reliable over the last few years - but they are in Kowloon, not either UK or Philippines so previous poster's comments about warranty issues apply equally to both of us. Although DZone2 list themselves as (UK), I think this is simply to differentiate where their sales are coming from. They certainly export to Philippines cos I did a quick check (it may come from DZone2-UK, DZone2-AU or just DZone2 as I've had parcels from all three - and they're all the same return address)

The Godox AD360 comes with a smaller 4¾" / 122mm standard reflector and has a claimed GN of 80 (m - ISO100) which would appear to make it ⅔ f/stop more powerful than the RS400P and ⅓ f/stop more powerful than the RS600P (????? - this doesn't equate at all). This ASSUMES that angle of coverage of each respective reflector is the same, which is may not be at all. As the angle of coverage of the standard reflector for the RSx00P series is not specified, we can't really draw any firm conclusions from claimed GNs anyway.

I can't directly check or compare the outputs with their standard reflectors this minute as everything is packed away during home decorating, but I can do it on Tuesday if this will help you. One thing I would point out is that the power pack for the RS400P / RS600P is very considerably heavier than that for the AD-360 so if you plan on using it shoulder-slung for any length of time, this may be a consideration. It certainly is for me!

Thanks Whortleberry, definitely the RS?00 battery pack would be on a light stand if for a long period of use. Ill be waiting for your samples preferably showing the lighted area they can cover (wide angle shot, perhaps?).

If its assumed that the exposure at mid day is at f16 on 1/125 & ISO 125 or I use 1/160 for test, and we need the strobe light exposure above f16 to overpower that exposure, then these are my testing results using AD360 and 3 modifiers where the flashmeter reading is above f16 :

All at 2 meters :

Deep Octabox 100cm, bare : f18.2 (strobe at full power) -- I havent tested it with inner or front diffuser yet.

Paul Buff PLM 180cm, bare : f18,2 (strobe at full power)
(using front diffuser only gets f13.2 at 2 meters)

Rimelite Grand Softbox 120cm, bare : f25.3 (strobe at full power), f20.1 (strobe at 1/2 power)
Rimelite Grand Softbox 120cm, inner diffuser : f20.1 (strobe at full power)

Other setting than that are below f16.

I haven't tested the light spread and fall off yet They all measured at the center/axis of the modifiers.