Strobes or Flash

To start, I currently own the following equipment:

1x AB800
1x ABR800
1x AB400
1x Vagabond Battery Pack
1x 42"Brolly
1x 60" Photek Softlighter II
1x 30" Moon Unit
1x Ebay wireless trigger (works amazing well)

1x 430EX
1x STE2
1x Flash/Lightstand umbrella adapter

1x 36"x48" 5-in-1 Foldable Reflector

1x Background kit (stands and 9ft black, and 9ft white seamless)

I bought the bees about 4 years ago when I started doing bodybuilding portrait photos. About 3 years ago I took time off from that scene, and haven't used my bees in all that time. I have been thinking about starting doing some shoots again. Here are some of my dilemmas.

I don't have a permanent studio, or a car, so just thinking about the hassle of hauling all that equipment around, and then setting it all up gave me so much anxiety, I canceled my last shoot.

So, I've been thinking of a couple options...
- keeping maybe 1 or 2 lights, and just buying a large or giant foldable softbox... I really love the look of softboxes vs my modifiers, although, lots really like the Softlighter. I could just take 1 bee, the vagabond and the foldable softbox on locastion

- selling all my bees and modifiers, and going "Strobist". In that case, I would ideally like another Canon flash, and maybe get some umbrellas, or perhaps small foldable softboxes or beauty dishes, and keep things simple, using maybe a crosslighting technique, or perhaps a high key (butterfly) and a single hot rim.... this is something that is popular nowadays with physique photography.


One thing I never like about using bees/strobes in daylight is that you have to stop down to F8 or more to get within the sync speed. With the flash system, I can use HSS, but then there is the problem of the sun affecting the infrared of the STE2 (I don't want to overpower the sun, just add some off camera strobist fill).

I have looked at the new PW mini and flex transceivers, but for just 2 flashes, that would cost me $600 for the PW's alone. But they seem so nice allowing radio distance, HSS, and TTL. So the flash system would surprisingly cost me a lot more than the strobe system.

So, I guess I'm thinking/typing out loud here and wondering what sort of thoughts I could get from those who may have both systems, or gone one way or the other. Finances have been quite tight this past year, so I'm also trying to be as frugal as possible.

I know that a 6 strobe setup with nice modifiers in a permanent studio would be THE way to go (I know most Oxygen covers use this type of lighting), but it's not something doable for me right now.

Thanks guys.

I utilize five 580EXE II flashes along with CyberSync triggers, 1D Mark III, and a 35L for on location portrait work. I don't shoot outside in the sun at midday. Naturally I recommend my setup for you. Low cost, low weight, easy setup, tear down, and transporting. When something crazy comes along that this can't handle I make do, sometimes by shooting two exposures. This is rare so it works for me.

Check out user pnmd on here. He has put out some beautiful work with a Kacey Beauty Dish and there speedlight bracket. He usually has one flash in the beauty dish (the bracket allows two) and a second speedlight for rim/cross lighting. You wont have trouble selling the AB stuff if you choose to go that route. But if you want HSS your choices are limited and expensive. Best of luck to you.

Chris

I personally find the ABR800 to be a PITA to set up and use. It does give an interesting look so I haven't been able to bring myself to sell it but it does gather a lot of dust these days.

The AB's on the other hand don't take much more effort to set up than flashes (assuming you use stands+modifiers for the flashes) other than the need for power and the extra bulk in the car. I don't have a studio and so I all shooting on location. I can't remember the last time I used the ST-E2 and multiple flashes.

If you want shallow DOF with strobes, you could use an ND filter on the lens. It does make it a bit of a pain to focus but will allow you to shoot in daylight without having to use HSS.

I'd keep the ab gear. Since the stands and some of the modifiers can be used with both a speedlite or studio kit I would just add a couple of the YN speedlites and preserve the capability to do both.

Wow, thanks for all the helpful responses!!!

pcunite wrote in post #10606650
I utilize five 580EXE II flashes along with CyberSync triggers, 1D Mark III, and a 35L for on location portrait work. I don't shoot outside in the sun at midday. Naturally I recommend my setup for you. Low cost, low weight, easy setup, tear down, and transporting. When something crazy comes along that this can't handle I make do, sometimes by shooting two exposures. This is rare so it works for me.

Thanks for the info. I tend to agree, except for the "low cost" part as the flashes cost a lot more than AB strobes (which surprises me a lot). Do you use any modifiers?

ckale1 wrote in post #10606736
Check out user pnmd on here. He has put out some beautiful work with a Kacey Beauty Dish and there speedlight bracket. He usually has one flash in the beauty dish (the bracket allows two) and a second speedlight for rim/cross lighting. You wont have trouble selling the AB stuff if you choose to go that route. But if you want HSS your choices are limited and expensive. Best of luck to you.

Chris

Thanks! I'm going to go have a look now!

sleibrand wrote in post #10606763
I personally find the ABR800 to be a PITA to set up and use. It does give an interesting look so I haven't been able to bring myself to sell it but it does gather a lot of dust these days.

The AB's on the other hand don't take much more effort to set up than flashes (assuming you use stands+modifiers for the flashes) other than the need for power and the extra bulk in the car. I don't have a studio and so I all shooting on location. I can't remember the last time I used the ST-E2 and multiple flashes.

If you want shallow DOF with strobes, you could use an ND filter on the lens. It does make it a bit of a pain to focus but will allow you to shoot in daylight without having to use HSS.

I do tend to agree that the AB's aren't too much of a hassle, especially once you are used to it... it's mainly the ABR ring and moonlight that are a pain I guess. My biggest problem is not having a car.

gonzogolf wrote in post #10606902
I'd keep the ab gear. Since the stands and some of the modifiers can be used with both a speedlite or studio kit I would just add a couple of the YN speedlites and preserve the capability to do both.

YN Speedlites? I had never heard of them before... time to go googling!

I used to own a couple Vivitar 285's I bought cheap online ($20 each). I eventually sold them because they didn't offer TTL or HSS and weren't great on batteries or cycle time (vs Canon flashes that I'm used to).

The YN's are more modern than your vivitars, but serve the same purpose. Depending on the model you select you can get ettl but I dont think they do hss. They certainly have better battery performance than the vivitars. I'm not a big fan of ettl for off camera work as its less consistent than shooting manual.

gonzogolf wrote in post #10608556
The YN's are more modern than your vivitars, but serve the same purpose. Depending on the model you select you can get ettl but I dont think they do hss. They certainly have better battery performance than the vivitars. I'm not a big fan of ettl for off camera work as its less consistent than shooting manual.

I just read some reviews, and those look like some amazing flashes for amazing prices!!!
If I don't have ETTL, it's not a big deal, but HSS is very important (being locked in at less than 1/300s on the 1D3 is very limiting). I also like to be able to adjust the output of each flash from my camera, but I don't think that's possible with the STE2 or most cheap triggers, is it?

Look at pixel knight TTL triggers too. There's a post by Cliveyboy regarding his test. This may solve your HSS issue.

drisley wrote in post #10607905
Thanks for the info. I tend to agree, except for the "low cost" part as the flashes cost a lot more than AB strobes (which surprises me a lot). Do you use any modifiers?

Only umbrellas, 32" mostly but have 60" just incase. My work typically looks like this, I try to bounce where I can of course. I try to be creative, to think outside the softbox. If you force yourself to use the small lights you will be surprised with what you can do with ISO and aperture changes to get what you need. It is very liberating to not be a perfectionist with camera gear. I feel sorry for people that think they need MFD for their work, as well as others that just lug and lug stuff all over creation. If your print size is small you don't need it.

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drisley wrote in post #10609249
I just read some reviews, and those look like some amazing flashes for amazing prices!!!
If I don't have ETTL, it's not a big deal, but HSS is very important (being locked in at less than 1/300s on the 1D3 is very limiting). I also like to be able to adjust the output of each flash from my camera, but I don't think that's possible with the STE2 or most cheap triggers, is it?

HSS is a function of the canon flashes so pretty much have to stick with them to get that.

Thanks guys, great info!

pcunite wrote in post #10610593

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Very nice!

ckale1 wrote in post #10606736
Check out user pnmd on here. He has put out some beautiful work with a Kacey Beauty Dish and there speedlight bracket. He usually has one flash in the beauty dish (the bracket allows two) and a second speedlight for rim/cross lighting. You wont have trouble selling the AB stuff if you choose to go that route. But if you want HSS your choices are limited and expensive. Best of luck to you.

Chris

I just saw some of his work... INCREDIBLE! I think he's using a Nikon system which makes the remote flash setup and the ability to have reliable HSS easy peasy.

That's one thing my STE2 puts me at a disadvantage... not reliable at distance in daylight, and unable to control multi flash output directly from my 1D3 using say, 2x 430ex's (or can I?)

drisley wrote in post #10613576
I just saw some of his work... INCREDIBLE! I think he's using a Nikon system which makes the remote flash setup and the ability to have reliable HSS easy peasy.

That's one thing my STE2 puts me at a disadvantage... not reliable at distance in daylight, and unable to control multi flash output directly from my 1D3 using say, 2x 430ex's (or can I?)

You can put the two 430's in different groups and control the ratios.