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i_b_fittin wrote in post #7497728
Ok - so if I want to go wireless with my AB's, what do you guys recommend for triggers? I would still love to use my 580ex still and figure out a way around that lol

Cybersyncs, hands down

GenuineRolla wrote in post #7498149
Did a 6 hour shoot today. Halfway done editing the photos and video from it.

I'm not sure if I want to get the large softbox or large octabox first...main reasoning would be pricing. Thoughts?

You have the beauty dish already. Go with a big round with the octa. I generally try to use squared indoors and rounds outdoors but on my last shoot I was really wanting my 35" octa with grid. I really really like my 35" octa and will probably just go ahead and start using it inside anyway. I would love to have the beauty dish to use really close up for rapid falloff but not be so big that it kills my shadows. I just dont want to lug that thing around on location.

Lugging the BD around really isn't that bad, its pretty light too.

Yeah, the BD isn't all that hard to bring onto location.

Shots from today:

You know whats killing me is that people keep wanting to go wireless; isn't this just a big wast of money? There is an optical slave. ( on the AB 800 at least) I use my 6 dollar dedicated vivitar flash, to trigger em. It worked very very well.

No, it isn't a waste of money if you shoot outside and where the slave cant see your flash. I also dont like using a shoe mount flash for 2 reasons. It uses up one of my lights, and with the ones I have it limits my sync speed to 1/250.

But if you are outdoors, and you have a softbox behind the camera, the slave cell is pointed out the back of the AB strobe, its very hard to trigger.

Cybersyncs are nice b/c you dont have to worry about line of sight or getting too far.

Thuringer wrote in post #7501350
You know whats killing me is that people keep wanting to go wireless; isn't this just a big wast of money? There is an optical slave. ( on the AB 800 at least) I use my 6 dollar dedicated vivitar flash, to trigger em. It worked very very well.

Wow ..waste of money...really


you really think that??

Eli, what kinda camera are you using, where you get 1/250th for your sync speed? On my 5D, I can get by with 1/160th, but, that's about it....and 1/200th starts producing the shutter band in the pic. This is with the cybersyncs, and 2 580's, and 1 430.

I'm going to be purchasing a set of lights, and I've been reading this thread, and now, you guys are making me switch my mind. I was going to get some B1600's, but, might just go with WL's instead. Thoughts?

I doubt combining bees with white lightnings would be a good idea...but, not sure. now I'm real confused.

Wireless is the way to go if you're shooting outdoors. GOOD LUCK trying to get the optical triggers to go off around 1-2pm in the afternoon when it's partly sunny.

This is the setup I just picked up in GA two weeks ago, don't mind the prices, that's just what I copied from the ad.
I sold one b800 for now...

Will pick up the following in a few months...
b800
b1600
abr800
vagabond II

(4) AlienBees B800 Flash Unit, Black w/ 150 watt modeling lamp, bag, 7” parabolic, electrical cord, and bulb protection cover $289.95 each
(1) 22” Beauty Dish / Matte Pan Reflector. $119.95
(1) Boom Arm Attachment 11lbs. $89.95
(1) 10” x 36” Foldable Stripbox / Softbox w/ Speedring. $119.95
(1) 35” Octagon Softbox 15” deep w/speedring. $99.95
(1) 30” x 60” Giant Softbox 27.5” deep w/speedring. $139.95
(2) Backlight Stand 40” – 3 sections with a 19” max footprint. $24.95 each
(1) Lightstand 10ft. – 4 sections with 39” max footprint. $39.95
(2) Lightstand 13ft. – Heavy Duty 4 section with 43” max footprint. $69.95 each
(1) Set of 3 Casters (wheels) for light stand. $39.95
(4) Honeycomb Grid – Set of (4) 10, 20, 30, 40. $99.95
(1) White Shovel Background Reflector. $29.95
(1) 5-in-1 Circular Reflector w/ mounting kit. $69.95
(2) LiteMod Mainframes. $54.95 each
(2) Barndoors. $48.95 each
(26) Gels w/ 4 Gel Holders $56.95
(1) Umbrella – Translucent White Shoot-thru 48”. $29.95 (1) Umbrella – Silver/White reversible 32”. $19.95 (1) Remote Trigger / Transmitter – 2.4GHz Battery Powered. $69.95
(1) Remote Receiver – 2.4GHz Battery Powered, up to 400 feet. $59.95
(1) Lightstand Carry Bag. $49.95
(1) Sekonic L358 FlashMeter. $259.00
(1) Westcott Muslin - Storm Cloud Grey Background 10ft x 24ft. $184.95
(3) Seamless Paper Rolls 9ft x 12yds (Olive Green, Slate Grey, Blue – full rolls) Free Black Roll (1 yd. cut off) and White Roll (damaged wrinkle in shipping 2ft in). $ 43.95 each

^^Quite the kit. Good luck with all that.

So I'm posting in this thread because I'm commited to buying a portable/mobile portrait/lighting kit .. With the help of another POTN these is what I'll be buying ...

All from AlienBees
1 The Beginner Bee
1 CSRB+ (battery powered receiver)
2 CST (transmitter)
1 The Vagabond II Portable Power System

Extra

1 430ex II
1 Stand with Umbrella from B&H

Any comments? What you all think?

RiKaN HaVoK wrote in post #7501873
So I'm posting in this thread because I'm commited to buying a portable/mobile portrait/lighting kit .. With the help of another POTN these is what I'll be buying ...

All from AlienBees
1 The Beginner Bee
1 CSRB+ (battery powered receiver)
2 CST (transmitter)
1 The Vagabond II Portable Power System

Extra

1 430ex II
1 Stand with Umbrella from B&H

Any comments? What you all think?

Why only one receiver and 2 transmitters (typo maybe)?
Also, IMO, I would forgo the 430EXII and get another B400.

^^ I think for the price of the 430 EXII, I'd swap for one more B800. More power, and you're not using ETTL anyway...since it's off cam.

inthedeck wrote in post #7501526
Eli, what kinda camera are you using, where you get 1/250th for your sync speed? On my 5D, I can get by with 1/160th, but, that's about it....and 1/200th starts producing the shutter band in the pic. This is with the cybersyncs, and 2 580's, and 1 430.

I'm going to be purchasing a set of lights, and I've been reading this thread, and now, you guys are making me switch my mind. I was going to get some B1600's, but, might just go with WL's instead. Thoughts?

I doubt combining bees with white lightnings would be a good idea...but, not sure. now I'm real confused.

First off, combining bees and WL should be ok in all but super critical work. Then I would want to spend more on a light anyway. I have an UltraZap 800 and an AB800 and ran a series of tests with them. I found that the exposure was an exact match between the two. The color balance was close. The Ultrazap at full power was like 6000 and -19 and the AB800 was 5900 and -22. This was in a room with alot of crap but the lights went on the same lightstand that was not moved and even used the same reflector. The purpose was to see how far the color was off. This may be because the zap is a slightly older unit, I dunno. The replacement flash tube is the exact same model # but the tube thats in the UZ is clearly a bigger, thicker beefier tube than what is in my AB800.

I am using a 40D and syncing at 1/320 perfectly with PCB and cybersyncs. I would love to move to full frame but that is certainly a disadvantage to it. More shutter to get moving and lower sync speeds. People say a third of a stop doesn't matter but it does to me. I wish someone would post a reliable sync with a 1Ds MkII with a cord. I cannot sync any faster with a cord than I can with cybersyncs. I use 1/400 alot actually. It does have a little bit of shutter in the frame but I either keep it out of the part lit by strobe or just stand back a little then crop it out.

This is a 1/400 sync shot.