So are AB tubes UV coated or not

http://www.alienbees.c​om/features.html
Does not say it is. I would be surprised if marketing people at AB missed an opportunity to boast with yet another feature.
However the replacement tubes are UV protected:
http://www.alienbees.c​om/tubes.html

Well, I suspect nobody is using ABs

I am ! I am !
Why would you assume that the flashtube that comes standard is not UV coated ? It states in the description of the AB light that it uses the "standard flashtube".....and in the description of the standard flashtube, it states it is "UV coated".

If you really want to know....email Carla at PCB.....I'll lay you odds she will answer you back within a couple of hours with the definitive answer.

Are you looking for an answer or trying to put down a company?

I think PCB mentioned that all ABs are shipped w/ UV tubes now. You should email to confirm though...they respond fairly quickly...

kenyee wrote in post #8325528
I think PCB mentioned that all ABs are shipped w/ UV tubes now. You should email to confirm though...they respond fairly quickly...

Thanks Kenyee,
So I guess I can buy a 3rd party modifier now without fears of pink or blue cast ?

vadim_c wrote in post #8325606
Thanks Kenyee,
So I guess I can buy a 3rd party modifier now without fears of pink or blue cast ?

I still get a pink cast with my AB's, but I use a WhiBal for WB correction now with no issues.

AxxisPhoto wrote in post #8325642
I still get a pink cast with my AB's, but I use a WhiBal for WB correction now with no issues.

So does the color cast come from the flash tube or the modifier ?
If from the tube than all one needs to do is to shoot a grey card at five power settings then save the images and apply them afterwards to all the work he does provided he remembers the power setting that were used.

If it is from the modifier than it would be more complicated and essentially one needs to use a card every time he changes settings. But that also woul mean that the color cast with this modifier would be present either one uses a $5 Britek strobes or Profoto.

vadim_c wrote in post #8325782
So does the color cast come from the flash tube or the modifier ?
If from the tube than all one needs to do is to shoot a grey card at five power settings then save the images and apply them afterwards to all the work he does provided he remembers the power setting that were used.

If it is from the modifier than it would be more complicated and essentially one needs to use a card every time he changes settings. But that also woul mean that the color cast with this modifier would be present either one uses a $5 Britek strobes or Profoto.

It comes from the tube and the way the camera reads the WB output. I use a WhiBal card and have no problems anymore. You just shoot the subject holding the card and as long as the lighting does not change, you can apply the WB from the card to all your images.

I thought the AB pink cast issue only happened if you set the power too low? (below 1/4 power)

kenyee wrote in post #8326730
I thought the AB pink cast issue only happened if you set the power too low? (below 1/4 power)

I thought that too, but I'm seeing it a lot more now. Maybe my flash bulbs are wearing out.

As I was told, the "old" models didn't have the uv coated tubes I have 2 of those supposedly. You could buy the UV coated tubes separately. Now they come standard with UV coated tubes.
If you're buying new from PCB its UV coated standard, if you're buying used you can email PCB and ask how to notice the differences between the tubes. I read that the UV coated where a bit bigger in diameter of the tube compared to the non UV coated ones....


As a Side note, sometimes white balance is more affected by leaving your camera in automatic white balance mode. I sometimes notice it but as AxxisPhoto stated I use a Whibal card as well and have had no problems with it. An it varies at least in my photos (since my camera is set to AWB) its not always the magenta tint

Cuervo79 wrote in post #8327056
As I was told, the "old" models didn't have the uv coated tubes I have 2 of those supposedly. You could buy the UV coated tubes separately. Now they come standard with UV coated tubes.
If you're buying new from PCB its UV coated standard, if you're buying used you can email PCB and ask how to notice the differences between the tubes. I read that the UV coated where a bit bigger in diameter of the tube compared to the non UV coated ones....


As a Side note, sometimes white balance is more affected by leaving your camera in automatic white balance mode. I sometimes notice it but as AxxisPhoto stated I use a Whibal card as well and have had no problems with it. An it varies at least in my photos (since my camera is set to AWB) its not always the magenta tint

Cuervo79, I think you are right! I've had my AB's for close to 4 years now, and I probably have the "old" flash tubes. But the WhiBal card does wonders in correcting the WB.

AxxisPhoto wrote in post #8326991
I thought that too, but I'm seeing it a lot more now. Maybe my flash bulbs are wearing out.

Did you change modifiers ?

can you tell which tubes are coated by looking? Perhaps a special "glare" to them when looking at light reflecting off of them? My AB about a year to year and a half old , are those the "old" ones?