AB400 vs Nikon SB600...?

Sorry, i'm guessing this question has been asked multiple times but it's late, i'm tired, and I should be sleeping.. I'm also guessing you guys will be able to answer my question without too much trouble...

Checking out Alien Bee lights, i'm just wondering whether the AB400 would be much brighter, at full power, than say a Nikon SB600 at full power (or Canon 430ex seeing as this is a Canon forum)?

I'm wanting to pick up a couple (or a few - 2 or 3 really) of studio heads, softboxes, and portable power and don't need the brightest flashes available. I want something more powerful than a speedlight though, hence the AB400 question...

Or am I being stupid and should just pick up the equivalent number of AB800's? Weight, cost, and power output being primary concerns...and trying to find a balance between the three.

Thankyou in advance for any advice you can offer...

Tristan

Edit: I have previously owned a single AB800, but only used it indoors, and never, EVER used it at anywhere near full-power.

The AB400 will put out much more light than a Speedlight.

Why are you even looking at Alien Bees, if I may ask? Can you even save any money over other brands, living here? I know that AB make a lot of sense if you live in the US or Canada, but locally there are better choices, IMHO.

Cheers, Rudi.

Looking at Alien Bee's based on reviews, sheer number of users, and the fact i've owned one. I'm sure there are better solutions in Aus, but i'm still keen to hear opinions on the AB's.

Oh yeah, the reason I say it's late is because i'm posting from Munich, Germany, where it's 2.03am..rather than at home where it's 10am..haha.

Fair enough. If you already have some accessories for the AB strobes, or if you've used them and like them, then it makes perfect sense to get more. I just looked at your "location" (ahemm ), and assumed that you were starting from scratch.

Well, I guess I should say I DID own an AB800 - but traded it in (along with every other material possession I owned (apart from some camera gear)) to go travelling around Europe for the past 6 months...

So yes, I have, in the past, owned and used AB's, and liked their system..but i'm keen to any other suggestions you have.

I'll be back in Sydney in 2 weeks..

I would price your purchase carefully, including shipping and any GST if the order comes to more than $1000 AUD (and that total includes shipping, GST is charged on the total), and see if there are other choices that would make more sense. If you have no AB accessories, I can wholeheartedly recommend the D-Lite strobes from Elinchrom (the D-Lite2 is slightly more powerful than an AB400, and more consistent in both colour temp and power output than the AB).

You might find that the AB lights still make more sense once you price everything, but I would make sure first.

I've done some tests bouncing the B400 and a 580EX at full power off the same umbrella. The B400 give one stop more light than the 580, so it's about 2 stops more than the 430.

I've done some tests too, I find the AB800 is about a stop more powerful than the 580, so my guess is an AB400 is one stop more powerful than a 430EX. Details of how I tested in that thread I linked too, Lotto could be right, it could be two stops difference.

The difference is the studio strobe is fan cool and will fire every five seconds all day, the 430EX will burn out after 2 minutes treated like that.