First time using the A-Bees

This was my first subject, my Mickey D's cup. I cant remember what level output I had the AB800 at but the settings were:

Nifty fifty
1/25
f/4.5
ISO100
The AB unit was about 4ft away and about 7ft high

Now I dont have a meter so it took about 4 shots until I got to this pic, which I feel was the best out of all. I realize I seriously need a meter now. But considering this is my first, how does it look?C&C is welcomed.

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pretty good with the chimp meter! try bouncing it off the ceiling to get a more natural look. time to get a sekonic!

roeddel wrote in post #2769596
pretty good with the chimp meter! try bouncing it off the ceiling to get a more natural look. time to get a sekonic!

LMAO yeah chimp meter:p I plan on gettin the L-308s

If you are inside with a studio flash bump your shutter speed up to negate the effects of the ambient (and reduce the chance of ambient induced shake).

With your 350XT and the Alien Bees use 1/200 second for the flash at all times (for studio like sessions).

With those given settings you had the Alien Bee turned way down.

Enjoy! Lon

Yeah I turned it down purposely. Cuz I was in my room and its not as big as the garage (which will be my studio) so when I had it on the highest setting it was blownout. I was also using a transmitter/receiver setup as well to fire the unit. I wasnt slaving it

thekid24 wrote in post #2769629
Yeah I turned it down purposely. Cuz I was in my room and its not as big as the garage (which will be my studio) so when I had it on the highest setting it was blownout. I was also using a transmitter/receiver setup as well to fire the unit.

If your flash is the primary illumination (and it will be in both your room and your garage) the shutter speed will not really affect the exposure in a meaningful way.

Try the same shot at both 1/25 and 1/200 second and report what happens (with everything else remaining the same).

Enjoy! Lon

londuck wrote in post #2769665
If your flash is the primary illumination (and it will be in both your room and your garage) the shutter speed will not really affect the exposure in a meaningful way.

Try the same shot at both 1/25 and 1/200 second and report what happens (with everything else remaining the same).

Enjoy! Lon

Ok Ill do that tomorrow. Thanks

i second that lon ... the sync speed of the flash is so much faster than the shutter that changing it will not make a lick of difference .... HOWEVER, ambient light has a chance to seep through when you drag the shutter.

heres a shot set at 5.6. but same shutter

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Ok here we go, my second attempt and I took advice on the shutter speed. Both pics were shot a 1/4 the power of my AB800. The unit was about 3ft away 7ft high and pointing up to get some bounce. I then took same photo with different settings. No fill light, these are straight from the camera to here with resizing to fit. Thats it.
1st----
1/25
f/5.6
ISO 100

2nd----
1/125
f/5.6
ISO 100

C&C welcomed.

yeah I know a lil different than a Mickey D's cup but the next best thing I have to a maniquene (sp?)

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nothing?

I'm not seeing the difference. I'm curious to here other's inputs on that last shoot.
I rarely 'bounce' my ABs unless it's from the white shoot through umbrella. Plus I have the Sekonic 308s. It helps alot when you add more light, and you look like the big $hit in town when you use a light meter.

That was the point being made,that shutter speed doesnt have a huge impact on the shot. And the white shoot through umbrella I have.

that is correct. you change exposure by controlling aperture. open it up to expose more, or close it down to expose less.

thekid24 wrote in post #2781987
That was the point being made,that shutter speed doesnt have a huge impact on the shot. And the white shoot through umbrella I have.

Just for grins - and for your knowledge - run the shutter speed up to and then beyond the "max sync speed" for the camera.

When you go beyond the maximum shutter speed that you can use properly, you will see a dark band at one edge of the image. That means that the flash went off after the trailing shutter "curtain" started its movement across the sensor.

The knowledge you will gain is the fastest shutter speed that you can use with the flash units and the triggering method you have chosen.

Often you can use one faster shutter speed with a cable connection than you can with the cheapie radio slaves.