Alien Bee Flash Slave/Triger

How reliable are the Alien Bee built-in flash slave/trigger? I'll be using the Bees in my home or small studio and never outside.

Hank E wrote in post #11442043
How reliable are the Alien Bee built-in flash slave/trigger? I'll be using the Bees in my home or small studio and never outside.

Indoors, the optical slaves used in the AlienBees flash units are very dependable as long as the light from the first AB unit can be "seen" at the rear of the others. Indoors, light bouncing off things in the area is more than enough to do the job as long as all of the AB units are in the same room.

You would still need one cable connection to the camera to one of the AB flash units (or a radio slave transmitter on the camera and receiver on one AB flash unit), though, as there is no practical way to use a flash on the camera as the primary flash to trigger the AB units' optical slaves.

SkipD wrote in post #11443241
Indoors, the optical slaves used in the AlienBees flash units are very dependable as long as the light from the first AB unit can be "seen" at the rear of the others. Indoors, light bouncing off things in the area is more than enough to do the job as long as all of the AB units are in the same room.

You would still need one cable connection to the camera to one of the AB flash units (or a radio slave transmitter on the camera and receiver on one AB flash unit), though, as there is no practical way to use a flash on the camera as the primary flash to trigger the AB units' optical slaves.

SkipD is dead on. I use my bees indoors with no problems.

Sweet!! Now I can sell my four Pocket Wizards Plus to use the $$$ to buy at least one Alien Bee with accessories.

Thanks for your reply guys!!

So you are never going to be shooting outdoors?

Hank E wrote in post #11444164
Sweet!! Now I can sell my four Pocket Wizards Plus to use the $$$ to buy at least one Alien Bee with accessories.

Thanks for your reply guys!!

you have the best triggers you could possibly want. Dont do it. Guarantee one day your going to go outside plus you can use them to trigger speedlights. The bees will p/u the flash. Gives you a tremendous amount of creativity.

rockfordhx wrote in post #11449697
So you are never going to be shooting outdoors?

That's right, I'm allergic to the sun.

Actually, I don't shoot anything outside that would require ABs. I shoot sports outdoors.

I second that I'd never sell my PW's

Mike, maybe you're right and I should hold on to them. I think my Christmas bonus comes just in time for me to justify keeping them.

umphotography wrote in post #11449770
you have the best triggers you could possibly want. Dont do it. Guarantee one day your going to go outside plus you can use them to trigger speedlights. The bees will p/u the flash. Gives you a tremendous amount of creativity.

I see no reason to sell the PWs if you can get a good price for them. Then you could replace them with other less-expensive but just as reliable units such as the Elinchrom Universal Skyport system that I use. Other than one bad DIP switch in one new transmitter (resolved by an immediate warranty replacement), my set (two transmitters and six receivers) has really worked well and I have successfully tested setups at almost 100 yards between transmitters and receivers.

SkipD wrote in post #11451082
I see no reason to sell the PWs if you can get a good price for them. Then you could replace them with other less-expensive but just as reliable units such as the Elinchrom Universal Skyport system that I use. Other than one bad DIP switch in one new transmitter (resolved by an immediate warranty replacement), my set (two transmitters and six receivers) has really worked well and I have successfully tested setups at almost 100 yards between transmitters and receivers.

The issue with the DIP switch on the Skyport Tx units seem to be more than just an isolated case. I have three Tx units and I have issues switching groups with each and every one of those units. And I've heard of other people complaining about the same thing. Of course, if the Tx unit is always set to one group or to 'All', then it's not an issue.

Hank E wrote in post #11444164
Sweet!! Now I can sell my four Pocket Wizards Plus to use the $$$ to buy at least one Alien Bee with accessories.

No way What if you buy a second or third AB

Why would you sell PWII's when you can use them for the AB's too.

I shoot indoors and outdoors and use my PWII's all the time. Don't sell em or you'll be sorry later.

The only reason, in my view, to sell the PW IIs would be to get the PCB Cyber Sync triggers. If you do, get the plus version so you can upgrade to the Cyber Commander for remote power control.

While the Cyber Commander/Cyber Sync Plus devices are universal as triggers they are proprietary to PCB products for remote power control.

Its a nice system and depending on what you an sell the PW IIs for you may find them an attractive alternative.

Sky ports are probably nice triggers, but they are just a PW replacement unless you have ELinchrom lights. Then they offer remote power adjustment similar to Buff's Cyber Commander.

I ended up selling one of my four PW's when I moved from triggering my speedlites to alien bees. I keep 3 PW II's on hand and at times wish I had my 4th again in case I need a backup.

If you need the $ sell them, if not I would hold onto them.

Being too lazy to drag out my AB's right now, can a Canon Flash, (580II) mounted on camera, trip the AB's Flash slave?