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AlienBees The Busy Bee
Hello thanks to all the information I have read on the forums I am going to take the plunge and purchase some AlienBees. I would rather just do it all at once and be done with it. With that in mind I was wondering what everyone here thinks about this kit. http://www.alienbees.com/busy.html I won't pretend to know alot about the lighting but think this kit would do me for some time. This kit would be used in a in home set up and probably for a shoot I travel to once a month or so. Unless you feel like you REALLY have to tell me I am making a terrible mistake please only reply if you have an opinion on a different setup or something important the kit is missing. One question I do have is I have a D300 and if I understand correctly the commander mode will fire the Bees. Correct? Meaning I don't need a wireless setup? Thanks, Feb 11 08 01:32 am Link AV8R Photography wrote: No the commander mode won't work with the Bees..BUT any flash firing WILL set them off. Just set your on board flash to lowest out put, NOT commander mode and it will sink. but if you are close you may see some effect still. Unless the bees are pumpin . Feb 11 08 01:37 am Link My only suggestion is this... You do not have to buy the kit verbatim. You can upgrade &/or mix/match. I got that kit but opted for the 1600s, no umbrellas/softboxes & bought my softboxes from Photoflex (a 7' octobox & a 24x32 cinedome w/ grid) I bought barndoors & grids for the background lights & since I already had a bunch of stands, I only got a couple of the heavy duty ones... Paul Feb 11 08 01:39 am Link R Michael Walker wrote: Yes, you just have to have the flash in manual mode (no pre-flash). If you try it in auto, the pre-flash will fire the slaves off before exposure... Feb 11 08 01:41 am Link Paul Brecht wrote: So if I use the on camera flash (with built in or SB-800) it will fire the bees with no problem. As long as I don't use it in commander mode (preflash) is that correct? Otherwise if I don't want the camera to flash I would have to either have a wireless setup or cable attached to my hotshoe..correct? Feb 11 08 01:45 am Link I bought the wireless setup. I would recommend that you do the same. I bought the Beginner Bee (800) first, then the DigiBee (1600/800), went one size up with the umbrellas, 13' air stands instead of the 10s, and bought girds, barn door, and gels and got the discount, too. Also bought the wireless controllers, too, because I didn't want to use the on-board flash for anything if I had the strobes. Feb 11 08 01:48 am Link AV8R Photography wrote: Yep! I use Pocket Wizards though. There are some x's when I use large softboxes that the slave cells don't trip. I decided to get a PW for all of my lights because I've shot @ weddings/events, where other people were shooting off flash & I didn't want them to be using up my light... Feb 11 08 01:49 am Link alien bee has a wireless system for about 30 -45 bucks check it out on there Feb 11 08 01:55 am Link AV8R Photography wrote: As long as the pre-flash, also sometimes referred to as red-eye reduction, is shut off, the bees will fire when the on camera flash fires. There will be a slight delay because of this, which probably won't affect you that much, but it will be slower than a wireless/wired setup. I would like to state, however, that, while wireless is great, the wired setup for the bees are better in my opinion. There is a control module that you use to connect all of the lights which allows you to setup flash power from one location which will cut down on the amount of pacing around the studio you do while you setup all the lights. You can setup for a ratio, test fire and adjust all from the camera. Also, no batteries. Feb 11 08 01:55 am Link AV8R Photography wrote: I'd get a wireless. $200 for the tiny MicroSync unit. Why run batteries down and waste wear and tear to replace a slave. And the micro is so tiny you won't feel any weight. Most like Pocket wizzard. But since the main unit can be either receiver or sender ti's larger/heavier. Adn more costly too. there are benefits but none that mattered to me. Feb 11 08 01:59 am Link sink lol Feb 11 08 02:03 am Link Paul Brecht wrote: Ditto here, I also got two sets of radio syncs off ebay which work perfectly with the WL1600 so should work for you as well. I have yet to have an interference problem. (Knock on head) Feb 11 08 02:04 am Link I've the the AB's and I just use the sync cord that came with the lights. It plugs right in to the side of my D200 and I assume the D300 works the same. It saved me the $ of going the wireless route and I have not (yet) tripped over the cord. ;-) Feb 11 08 02:19 am Link Bradley Laurent wrote: I shoot mostly location, as you can see from my port, so the Vagabond II, wireless controllers are a must for getting the most out of my D300. Feb 11 08 02:20 am Link Southern Glamour wrote: That makes sense. Feb 11 08 02:23 am Link Bradley Laurent wrote: I haven't tripped over the cord yet but I have pulled a light over... d'oh! Feb 11 08 02:24 am Link I am kinda confused, your buying strobes, but want to use the camera's built in flash also? Why? If your using strobes, dont use the built in flash, use the synch cord that comes with the alien bees. four AB800's may be over kill using them in a home studio unless you have allot of square feet and you have your model well away from the background so you can light is seperatly and without the main light spilling onto the background. also if using strobes you will need a light meter. Feb 11 08 02:33 am Link Congrats on buying Bees. You won't be disappointed. I use them for everything from shooting indoor sports to location shots. Never had a problem except for when one fell near some water and stopped working. Worst part is when I plugged it in later and the capacitor blew and I went deaf for like ten minutes! I've been meaning to get it fixed. Which shouldn't be a problem because the customer service there is awesome. Anyhow, I use pocket wizards with mine, but my friend has the wireless set up offered by them. They seem to work great and are completely affordable. Not sure on how well they work when you are not close to the units. That's one reason why I went with pocket wizards. When you have to set the lights 30-50ft high in a gym/arena, I need the reliability. Feb 11 08 02:50 am Link As the other posters have already mentioned, I too would recommend you invest in a wireless system, as you will almost certainly hit certain setup scenarios where your "trigger" flash won't be seen by one of strobes and will fail to fire. The minimal additional investment ($40.00 per strobe reciever and $40.00 for the transmitter) you would pay for the AB wireless system is more than made up for by the flexibility/reliability it will give you in using your strobes. Hardwiring the AB's, is of course an option, but it can be a major pain in the ass, especially if using them on location. It would also be worth you looking at the Vagabond II if you plan on doing a lot of location work. It's an extremely small and lightweight unit considering what it does (especially compared to the option of a generator), and again can bring a great degree of flexibility to your location setup. I recently bought a VB II that I use with my Travelites and have been so impressed with it's performance that I intend to get two more as soon as possible. Feb 11 08 02:57 am Link Dreamshot Photography wrote: I got in sweet by ordering my V- I in January of last year and got the upgrade to the V-II at a discount, so now I have both, they make a great weight for the stand too. Feb 11 08 03:00 am Link AV8R Photography wrote: As has been said, you can make up your own custom package. Iâm sure you know that if you buy 4 lights, AB gives you a 20% discount on accessories. Feb 11 08 03:30 am Link Hope Parr wrote: I was hoping that the commander mode on the D300 would fire them but it seems it will not. Works great with the CLS by Nikon. I will be using the Bees as both a constant light source for low key stuff and as strobes or possibly constant light for model work. I like the cost of the wireless system and at $250 to have all 4 wireless I think it is worth it. Now I am not a expert at lighting (very far from it) but I have used them a few times. Never had the need to use a light meter before...just a few test shots until I got it right in camera. Probably not the best way but it has worked so far. Can't start adding to much stuff...this will be over $6000 total in 4 months....want to keep sleeping in the bed not the couch. Only got the wife to agree because I am a little better than breaking even. I have a shoot that will pay for the bees (with nothing left over)....will break even but I won't have to keep paying rental fees. Feb 11 08 03:44 am Link Southern Glamour wrote: Lucky b*****rd Feb 11 08 03:46 am Link The remote -- if you only use it for the hair light is worth it. Trying to adjust a hair light at the end of a boom is hard but the remote makes it easy. I think the outfit is pretty good as is. I would order the UV tubes -- add $20 for each head and gives you the non-uv tubes as spares. (do not know if it makes a difference but I do know that some fabrics require UV tubes. Feb 11 08 06:31 am Link Southern Glamour wrote: Me too! But my first V2 was defective. Had to send it back. But they paid postage for the return and the new one's delivery to me. They sent me the new one first too BTW and is perfect. THEN had the carrier call me to arrange a PU of the defective one. Feb 11 08 06:37 am Link GET THE WIRELESS. You will want or need it at some point, and it will not effect you lighting like a Flash, which will work, will. Bite the bullett, and do it right. I am thrilled with all my A' Bees equipment.....versatile and sturdy, you wont be letdown. D Feb 11 08 06:38 am Link AV8R, This kit is quite good, but in my opinion you need few more gadgets if you want versatility. First, I would change one AB800 with an ABR800, as someone already suggested, you'll find useful for outdoors and indoors for certain look. If you don't want that particular look with the help of 30" moon unit you can use ABR800 like an round softbox or like an umbrella. Second, if you want to overpower the sun you could change one AB800 with a AB1600 Third, add a boom arm which is very useful for having lights above the model. Many times boom works great with a beauty dish. Fourth, add some more modifiers, one foldable large softbox with grid, one medium foldable softbox, one beauty dish (22-inch Pan Reflector without sock), one snoot. For sure you may need one radio transmitter and four (two at least) receivers, but I can't recommend to buy them from AB. In time you may need more modifiers, but you can buy them later, as you start to feel you need them. Happy purchase and use them well. Feb 11 08 07:01 am Link Lorin Edmonds wrote: I have been using the UV tubes ever since my days of shooting Ektacrome with the WL5000 (remember them?). When I ordered my ABs a few years ago, I ordered the UV tubes as well. I just checked the website, and it appears that the UV tube is now the standard. If all of your lights are going to be of the same power, then be sure to use the 150watt Phillips Halogena as your modeling lamp. I have an AB800 and a pair of AB400 units. I put the Halogena in the AB800 and the Phillips 100watt Soft White in the others. The soft white that I use is rated at 1620 lumens, which is more output than any other 100watt frosted bulb that I have come across, and exactly half of the output of the 150watt Halogena. It will cost you 1/10 of an f-stop in flash power over a standard frosted light bulb. Feb 11 08 10:42 am Link The LG4X wired trigger which comes with your system is really good. It uses telephones wires to trigger your remotes. The thing I like about it is you can set the power and modeling lights remotely. Good when your lights are on a boom or hidden around a corner or backdrop. I tape the LG4X command model to my tripod and use the standard sync cord. Alternatively, you can get the $39 wireless trigger and receiver from Alien bees. You only need one it goes on the LG4X command module. Triggering with a external flash is very bad and unreliable. Threre are plugs which come with the LG4X which disable the slave modules in the AB's Ps the alien ee triggers are very good because they plug into AC Power most require Double A batteries and will start to miss fire as the batteries die. I tried an ABR800 and personally hated it. I have one WL x1600 for my large Octogon but use my AB800's outside because the WL is too big and bulky. If not using a light meter having all 4 lights be the same makes setting ratios much easier. But I would still recommend a meter with 4 lights. sometime you need it when things are just not working right. Feb 11 08 11:42 pm Link I didn't like the light stands from Alien bees and purchased a heavy duty stand from calumet that was the same price or less but was a lot more solid then the AB. And as someone else suggested I'd trade in one of the light stands for a boom. you can get a good one ffrom Calumet or a bogen from B&H for a decent price. The wireles remote is nice as long as you can deal with the chords being around because you save time having to go to each light to adjust power. If you use the same light setup with the same modifiers this may not be a big thing as you get to know what power settings you need but if you are changing setups and modifies it is nice Feb 12 08 12:10 am Link |
, I know where you are coming from though on wanting more than one. I've had mine for just over a month and it's already become a pretty much indespensible part of my location setup and the sooner I can get a couple more, the better.
