anyone use AlienBees?

have em, love em, no complaints whatsoever. click here to see a photo i took tonight with them.

I have on AB800 with the remote trigger that attaches to the hotshoe. I'm pleased so far and would really like to add a couple more lights this year... I think for the price, you really can't go wrong with them.

ok, thanks cdi-ink and longwater - you guys are very helpful!!

i was looking at both the hensel and profoto (now who wouldn't love the D4 lol!), and i guess i'd be looking right now for something like:

2 packs, both asymetrical and f/stop controls

OR.....!

1 profoto d4 (where all 4 are asymetrical, plus f/stops)

the profoto however, for now, would be a "luxury" purchase, and thought i could maybe find a more affordable comparable.

studiotime wrote in post #2746779
ok, thanks cdi-ink and longwater - you guys are very helpful!!

i was looking at both the hensel and profoto (now who wouldn't love the D4 lol!), and i guess i'd be looking right now for something like:

2 packs, both asymetrical and f/stop controls

OR.....!

1 profoto d4 (where all 4 are asymetrical, plus f/stops)

the profoto however, for now, would be a "luxury" purchase, and thought i could maybe find a more affordable comparable.

have you even considered the cost of lighting modifiers for those other brands? Its so expencive for a set of grids, or some reflector...

If you have the money to blow on pro gear, I would give serious consideration to Speedotron lights, they are built like tanks....

Personally I would take Elinchrom over profoto, but thats just me. I think they have a much better product, expecially their digital monoblocks. Drool.

I dont think what brand light you buy is going to make you any better of a photographer... Learning how to use your light will. Ive seen people with DYI and flood lighting that put out better photos than some beginner with a high end lighting system.

I have Bees, Speedo Blackline packs/heads and ProFoto 2400 packs/heads. I also used to have Photogenic Powerlights. Of all these, the Bees are the most cheaply made and the weakest (compared to their claimed power). In fact, their power performance is dismal compared to the others I have experience with.

That said, I agree that they are a good, cheap, starter lighting setup. For individual portraits and even small groups, they will be hard to touch for the money.

But, if you are hammering your flashes and/or need more power (intend to go professional) then you might want to hold out for something more robust. I use the Bees as backups and portable lighting (with their battery).

Come now, Charles. Alien bees are the best in their class, I'd say. That said, the lights you're mentioning are in a completely different league. In many cases, thousands PER light. Rarely find a profoto head for under $1k. Hardly compared to $250.

Anyway, yeah.

Ronald S. Jr. wrote in post #2751137
Come now, Charles. Alien bees are the best in their class, I'd say. That said, the lights you're mentioning are in a completely different league. In many cases, thousands PER light. Rarely find a profoto head for under $1k. Hardly compared to $250.

Anyway, yeah.

Well, I know of no other flashes in their price range or even close.

That's all I'm saying, Charles. Apples and oranges. It's like comparing the 50 1.2L to the 50 1.8.

Ronald S. Jr. wrote in post #2757328
That's all I'm saying, Charles. Apples and oranges. It's like comparing the 50 1.2L to the 50 1.8.

haha, so true.

After looking at prices of profoto, elinchrom, and other like brands, I would be lucky to get one high end elinchrom power pack for the price of my entire AB studio, and then some.

AB1600s here. Love them.

Hey Smooth1,

Do you have a really big space or do groups a lot? I'm curious as to what method you use when you need to stop down and you either don't want to be be in the bottom end of the power slider or want considerably less power than even 1/32 power will give. Do you use ND filters? or barn doors with a small aperture?

Ronald S. Jr. wrote in post #2757328
That's all I'm saying, Charles. Apples and oranges. It's like comparing the 50 1.2L to the 50 1.8.

Yeah but you can get used pro gear in the same price range as new ABs. So now you're getting pro quality gear at bargain, entry level prices. Case in point, I got a mint condition Speedo Blackline set up with 3 heads, case, powerpack, etc. for $900. More power, more consistent color temp, etc. for similar or less money.

Anyway, I have the ABs and still use them. They are cheap, light, pack easy, etc.

Hi Charles,

When you talk about more consistent color temperature and other things associated with pro studio strobes, can you ultimately tell the difference or see problems when you shoot with the Alien Bees? I guess what I'm saying is that in a blind a/b test, could you pick the shots that had the AB's?
Or is this like other gear where it's not so much about the end result but ease of use, better build and overall performance that perhaps a keen and experienced eye might see?
I would also imagine that a trained eye could see 1/10 stop differences whereas I, admittedly a lighting amateur cannot really discern 1/10 stops.

TMR Design wrote in post #2757621
Hi Charles,

When you talk about more consistent color temperature and other things associated with pro studio strobes, can you ultimately tell the difference or see problems when you shoot with the Alien Bees? I guess what I'm saying is that in a blind a/b test, could you pick the shots that had the AB's?
Or is this like other gear where it's not so much about the end result but ease of use, better build and overall performance that perhaps a keen and experienced eye might see?
I would also imagine that a trained eye could see 1/10 stop differences whereas I, admittedly a lighting amateur cannot really discern 1/10 stops.

Good question. You might want to check the test results on Shootsmarter.com They put about 20 different brands thru a color temp consistency test.

I use and recommend them to photography students and beginners who want to start experimenting with strobes and to help cure that nasty syndrome " a case of strobe terror." I really enjoy working with them, the light weight and portable packaging, the many extra products you can add to the system and the simplicity of operation.

I know they aren't in the class of Profoto or other high end gear, but the Bees deliver pro quality images. All the models I have shot with my 2 AB 800 have had amayzing skin tone accuracy and of course I always shoot with a makeup artist.

Many happy users here on the forum. The only thing that bugs me a bit are some of the bee colors like pink, I don't know, but i ordered black ones and I don't care for the big AB yellow logo on the carrying bags, i want to airbrush that out. That is my own preference, as i only like Black pro Canon DSLR, black lenses, or the exception of Canon 70-200 and "L" series, black bags, cables, umbrellas, etc. I black out any noticable logos on anything I buy, just my own quirk, haha katt