Flashpoint eVOLV 200 R2 TTL Pocket Flash | (AD200) Thoughts?

mmmfotografie wrote in post #18498544

owenegan wrote in post #18498503
I assume that once one of these silicon skin things for the AD200 is put on, it can no longer fit into a regular S-mount adapter. Can anyone confirm this?

Remembering what read that you can use the silicon skin protection in the s-fit/type if you remove the rubber from the moving part of the s-fit/type.

Hmmm.

I had to trim the rubber on my S brackets just to get the naked AD200 in there.

Can anyone confirm they can fit a silcon-skinned AD200 into a standard Godoxy S bracket?

Owen.

Two more burning AD200 questions:

1. Has anyone found a source for a diffuser cap that would fit the AD200's fresnel head??
2. Is anyone using the Cheetahstand CTS bulb for the AD200? If so, could you post a photo showing the top of the bulb?

Thanks,

Owen.

owenegan wrote in post #18498974
Hmmm.

I had to trim the rubber on my S brackets just to get the naked AD200 in there.

Can anyone confirm they can fit a silcon-skinned AD200 into a standard Godoxy S bracket?

Owen.

Search in this thread on the word "rubber" to confirmation by anyone.

owenegan wrote in post #18498974
Hmmm.

I had to trim the rubber on my S brackets just to get the naked AD200 in there.

Can anyone confirm they can fit a silcon-skinned AD200 into a standard Godoxy S bracket?

Owen.

Remove rubber from bracket and silicone cover fits fine.

jlstan wrote in post #18492297
Just ordered two. What's your favorite modifier with the ad200......go

I use the SMDV Speedbox 70 and Speedbox A100. Both works great for me, why, because of it's easy set up and tear down. so my models will not have to wait & watch me assemble the modifiers. I have others but these two are my main go to. Works well with the AD200 and AD600.

Big_Tyke wrote in post #18499004
I use the SMDV Speedbox 70 and Speedbox A100. Both works great for me, why, because of it's easy set up and tear down. so my models will not have to wait & watch me assemble the modifiers. I have others but these two are my main go to. Works well with the AD200 and AD600.

They are also very efficient in terms of light output. With other modifiers its easy to lose a stop of light, which basically equals using an AD600 instead of the much smaller AD200.

elv wrote in post #18499043
They are also very efficient in terms of light output. With other modifiers its easy to lose a stop of light, which basically equals using an AD600 instead of the much smaller AD200.

Is it the shape or flash tube location for quite a bit more efficiency than other modifiers? Or the diffusion material has very little loss (can't imagine less than 1/4 stop)? Would like to see some test results. I would think difference for similar styles modifiers would be very minimal IMHO.

Thanks Talley. Just needed one clear testimonial. Off to order some some silicone skins.

bobbyz wrote in post #18499068
Is it the shape or flash tube location for quite a bit more efficiency than other modifiers? Or the diffusion material has very little loss (can't imagine less than 1/4 stop)? Would like to see some test results. I would think difference for similar styles modifiers would be very minimal IMHO.

Sorry, when talking about a stop difference I was mainly thinking of the umbrella frame style softboxes which have the locking mechanism in the center blocking direct light from the flash tube. They can lose a lot of light with the small flash tube of the AD200 / 360 etc. It may not be a fair comparison, though they are very popular.

Also the Apollo style umbrella softboxes (where you mount the strobe backwards bouncing off the back of the softbox) lose a stop of light over a regular softbox as well.

Compared with other unobstructed silver lined softboxes the difference is not going to be as much. I think its a combination of the shape, material, and the way the speedring forms something of a reflector collar around the flash tube all helps their efficiency.

And being so lightweight, and easy to pop open etc, makes them ideal with a compact strobe like the AD200.

I've had no problems with the silicon skins mounting in the S-type brackets, though I've had to leave the skin off one strobe when using the the twin head bracket.

I've seen other people are using skins on both flashes, though I had to force the second flash a little onto the twin bracket, and that seems to have caused a permanent error where the strobe does not recognize the right hand side of the twin bracket head anymore.

I did that with 2 eVOVLS and wasn't going to risk any more. When I get another twin bracket though I'll see of they will still work with that.

I might try cutting some rubber away on one side of one of the skins because it may not take much to provide enough clearance to get them mounted.

If you have to force the strobes at all to fit on I wouldn't do it.

elv wrote in post #18499496
Sorry, when talking about a stop difference I was mainly thinking of the umbrella frame style softboxes which have the locking mechanism in the center blocking direct light from the flash tube. They can lose a lot of light with the small flash tube of the AD200 / 360 etc. It may not be a fair comparison, though they are very popular.

Also the Apollo style umbrella softboxes (where you mount the strobe backwards bouncing off the back of the softbox) lose a stop of light over a regular softbox as well.

Compared with other unobstructed silver lined softboxes the difference is not going to be as much. I think its a combination of the shape, material, and the way the speedring forms something of a reflector collar around the flash tube all helps their efficiency.

And being so lightweight, and easy to pop open etc, makes them ideal with a compact strobe like the AD200.

That's a matter of the evenness of diffusion at the surface of the softbox. The silver interiors lose very little light. It doesn't matter whether the flash is bounced in the interior or passed through two layers of diffusion material. If the light is truly, effectively diffused at the front surface, then at a give softbox size you lose the same amount of light, regardless of the internal configuration.

Anyone used the CTS bulb Cheetahstand offers for the 200? I'm gelling my flash so often I'm tempted by this, but would love to hear from someone who's used it. I'm also curious what the top of the bulb looks like - their photo online doesn't show it.

RDKirk wrote in post #18499688
That's a matter of the evenness of diffusion at the surface of the softbox. The silver interiors lose very little light. It doesn't matter whether the flash is bounced in the interior or passed through two layers of diffusion material. If the light is truly, effectively diffused at the front surface, then at a give softbox size you lose the same amount of light, regardless of the internal configuration.

I wouldn't argue the effect is different, and that's why a lot of people like the Apollos. Though I can mount two AD200 in an Apollo style softox and get around the same light output as one in the Parapop / SMDV.

Again I'm not knocking the Apollos (I designed the Phottix Multi Booms, allowing a number of strobes to be mounted in them), just saying the Parapop / SMDV make very efficient use out of the limited output of the AD200.

I wasn't even thinking so much of the Apollos, but people complaining of limited output with the umbrella frame speedring softboxes.

RDKirk wrote in post #18499688
That's a matter of the evenness of diffusion at the surface of the softbox. The silver interiors lose very little light. It doesn't matter whether the flash is bounced in the interior or passed through two layers of diffusion material. If the light is truly, effectively diffused at the front surface, then at a give softbox size you lose the same amount of light, regardless of the internal configuration.

elv wrote in post #18500234
I wouldn't argue the effect is different, and that's why a lot of people like the Apollos. Though I can mount two AD200 in an Apollo style softox and get around the same light output as one in the Parapop / SMDV.

Again I'm not knocking the Apollos (I designed the Phottix Multi Booms, allowing a number of strobes to be mounted in them), just saying the Parapop / SMDV make very efficient use out of the limited output of the AD200.

I wasn't even thinking so much of the Apollos, but people complaining of limited output with the umbrella frame speedring softboxes.

elv wrote in post #18500234
I wouldn't argue the effect is different, and that's why a lot of people like the Apollos. Though I can mount two AD200 in an Apollo style softox and get around the same light output as one in the Parapop / SMDV.

Again I'm not knocking the Apollos (I designed the Phottix Multi Booms, allowing a number of strobes to be mounted in them), just saying the Parapop / SMDV make very efficient use out of the limited output of the AD200.

I wasn't even thinking so much of the Apollos, but people complaining of limited output with the umbrella frame speedring softboxes.

The design of indirect and direct soft boxes means that the light output is significantly different. Putting a deflection plate, al la a beauty dish, is one way to ensure hot light is emitted directly from the flash tube through the diffusion fabric toward the subject.

My experience is that its possible to get a more even distribution of light through the diffusion panel from edge to edge with an indirect modifier like an Apollo. Getting the same evenness with a modifier, like the SMDV where the tube is pointing toward the diffusion panel requires a deflection plate an usually an additional diffusion panel, sometimes with extra layer in the center.

One can do some measuring of the light cone falloff by aiming the modifier at a flat wall at working distance and then moving an incident light meter around the light pattern on the wall to determine the shape of the fall off cone.

This reality is why photographers often feather soft boxes to get the light character they want on the subject. i.e. having the center (hottest part) of the cone aimed past the subject in front or back depending on the lighting scheme desired.

BTW, Elv's mini-boom with a couple of AD360s is a great way to fill a large indirect softbox with light. The bare bulbs and ability to tilt them offer a useful way to get the light smooth on the surface of the diffusion material. Another options for measuring is to put the meter dome right on the diffusion fabric.

dmward wrote in post #18502266
The design of indirect and direct soft boxes means that the light output is significantly different. Putting a deflection plate, al la a beauty dish, is one way to ensure hot light is emitted directly from the flash tube through the diffusion fabric toward the subject.

My experience is that its possible to get a more even distribution of light through the diffusion panel from edge to edge with an indirect modifier like an Apollo. Getting the same evenness with a modifier, like the SMDV where the tube is pointing toward the diffusion panel requires a deflection plate an usually an additional diffusion panel, sometimes with extra layer in the center.

And by the time you've done all that, you've "lost" as much light as the indirect bounce inside the Apollo, because every layer of diffusion material costs a stop.