AlienBees B800 powerful enough for outdoor?

Wilt wrote in post #5304617
Overpowering the sun has some variables that must be considered...light distance to subject is the key one!

If we assume ISO 100 and a sunny day, Sunny 16 says 1/100 f/16. Assuming we can up the shutter speed to 1/200 (this is not always true of studio strobe use!) we set f/11 on the aperture. Buff's web site says AB800 can output to f/16 +0.2 at a shooting distance of 10' with ISO 100...about GN180 with the standard reflector. To equal the power of the sun, you can shoot out to 16' (GN180 / 11 = 16.4 ) It can be brighter than that sun only to about 14' (180 / 13), it can provide fill at -1EV to about 22'.

my umbrella was 2ft away from the subject, it was close enough to not get into the frame. As for the spec of the B800, when you take softbox or umbrella into the equation I think the GN probably would drop significantly no?

I did some tests the other day with the B800, with the standard 7" reflector and at about 8 ft, it can provide f18, 1/200, iso 100. So it's workable at that distance for me. With a 24x36" softbox, the power drops to f13 at the same distance, which is not enough to over power the sun at noon.

Here's what it looks like at f18 under the 1PM sun in Southern California. (She's about 10 ft from the strobe)

I used a couple B800's with umbrellas as fill lighting for the shot below. I was not trying to over-power the natural lighting, but just to augment it. I would say that the lights were quite capable for the task.

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One can buy XL1600 which have a switch to make them equivalent to AB400 for indoor use and still have it as AB1600 for outdoor use.

bobbyz wrote in post #5307470
One can buy XL1600 which have a switch to make them equivalent to AB400 for indoor use and still have it as AB1600 for outdoor use.

Thats what I just ordered for that exact reason. I love the flexibility it should offer!

you should be fine with a ab800 to overpower ambient. I shoot a elinchrom dlite4 which is comparable to the ab800 in power.

I took this at noon, on a cloudless day in alabama

I work for Dorian studio which has been around for a loooonnnggg time and they do a ton of outdoor shoots for school sports, seniors and family pictures. Gear is usually:
1 XL1600 White lightening monolight (Paul Buff)
Camera
Sync cord or trigger (depending on how much your going to move around and how far you want to be from your light).

We usually have it at full power between 10-15 ft back from the group or subject with nothing but the 7" reflector on it and usually a vagabond hanging on the lightstand to weigh it down so it doesnt blow away or over : )

We do the bare bulb but since your wanting to do more high fashion stuff you'll probally need light modifiers like soft boxes and what not like you've been using. On a sunny day we get ISO 100 at 250 and F9-11 and when the coulds pop out ill go to about 160 shutter speed, 8-9 Fstop and 100-250 ISO.......I dont know a ton and I dont pretend too just thinking out loud I guess but maybe with the lights & a modifier on it to gain back the light just up your ISO and find the suitable lowest Fstop and shutter speed? You have the Mark which has great ISO control.

Im not the best photog, but I do ok I think....I have a lot of outdoor stuff Ive posted here so you can see if you trust my advice or not : )
http://ashleydellinger​photography.blogspot.c​om/

Best luck!

asheebee30 wrote in post #12179987
I work for Dorian studio which has been around for a loooonnnggg time and they do a ton of outdoor shoots for school sports, seniors and family pictures. Gear is usually:
1 XL1600 White lightening monolight (Paul Buff)
Camera
Sync cord or trigger (depending on how much your going to move around and how far you want to be from your light).

We usually have it at full power between 10-15 ft back from the group or subject with nothing but the 7" reflector on it and usually a vagabond hanging on the lightstand to weigh it down so it doesnt blow away or over : )

We do the bare bulb but since your wanting to do more high fashion stuff you'll probally need light modifiers like soft boxes and what not like you've been using. On a sunny day we get ISO 100 at 250 and F9-11 and when the coulds pop out ill go to about 160 shutter speed, 8-9 Fstop and 100-250 ISO.......I dont know a ton and I dont pretend too just thinking out loud I guess but maybe with the lights & a modifier on it to gain back the light just up your ISO and find the suitable lowest Fstop and shutter speed? You have the Mark which has great ISO control.

Im not the best photog, but I do ok I think....I have a lot of outdoor stuff Ive posted here so you can see if you trust my advice or not : )
http://ashleydellinger​photography.blogspot.c​om/

Best luck!

Welcome to POTN Ashley. Unfortunately you brought up a 3 year old thread, so I don't think you'll get too many responses from the original participants. It was a nice stroll down memory lane, though.

can the AB400 or (2) x AB400's give the same or similar results?

Membrain wrote in post #12183571
can the AB400 or (2) x AB400's give the same or similar results?

An AB400 cant by itself. 2 of them would equal 1 AB800 so yes, but they would behave a bit differently being 2 lights instead of one.

Wilt wrote in post #5304617
Overpowering the sun has some variables that must be considered...light distance to subject is the key one!

If we assume ISO 100 and a sunny day, Sunny 16 says 1/100 f/16. Assuming we can up the shutter speed to 1/200 (this is not always true of studio strobe use!) we set f/11 on the aperture. Buff's web site says AB800 can output to f/16 +0.2 at a shooting distance of 10' with ISO 100...about GN180 with the standard reflector. To equal the power of the sun, you can shoot out to 16' (GN180 / 11 = 16.4 ) It can be brighter than that sun only to about 14' (180 / 13), it can provide fill at -1EV to about 22'.

The problem comes when you start adding modifiers.