rp_photo wrote:
I just ordered an AB800 (in boring "deep space black").

Should have it Thursday or Friday.

I will be using Softlighter II's and/or umbrellas for modifiers.

For the time being, I will be using existing Sunpak 383 flashes for fill, back, and hair lighting.

Shipped already!

SCrude Photography wrote:
I was thinking about gettin 1-400 2-800s and 1-1600.....is this a good idea?

That is a lot of light, how big is the studio you are working in. I use two 300W (from another brand) because I have a small studio. But definitely go with the Alien Bees, I had them before and they were work horses. I switched because where I live now, the electric current is different and the electrtric transformer weighed a ton.. I had 1 800 and 1 400 and I never used it on full capacity.

Stephen Fletcher wrote:
I got my first AB400 yesterday and I am more than satisfied with it but today I am going to order 2 AB800's and will probably trade the 400 back in for another 800.

My original thoughts were that 3 AB400's would work in a small studio, and they would, but I also know I tend to think bigger over time.

PS  Their shipping is fast.

Hi Stephen!
How big is your small studio? My home studio is 9.5' x 12' with an 8.5' ceiling. I bought a set of Bees about 5 years ago, including two 400s and one 800. I have never fired up all three of them at home because the space gets tight really quick. Anyway, I remember having a tad bit of buyer's remorse within the first year of my purchase, thinking that "Maybe I need to trade one of these 400s for another 800". These days, I only run _one_ Bee, and that one is a 400, and it never gets cranked up past 1/2 power. I shoot typically at iso200 and get f/8 at the subject. Any other lights that you see in my port are little battery flashes or one of my 5-in-one reflectors. If anything, I am thinking about dialing down to get f/5.6 in order to have a better balance with the battery flashes (or maybe just get stronger battery flashes that can be dialed down..).

If you have not already done so, you should get some Phillips Halogena light bulbs in 100w and 150w. The 100w halogena is most likely brighter than the 100w standard bulb that the Bees ship with, and the 150w halogena will give one stop brighter modeling than the 100w halogena. Sylvania and GE also make halogena-style bulbs. If you add the 800s as planned, then you will want to put the 150w halogena bulbs in the AB800s, and the 100w halogena in the AB400.

Robert Helm wrote:
The Bees are inexpensive and that is the reason you will not find them at rental houses. They need lights that can take a lot of abuse, that have consistant light output, not only from one pop to the next but one flash to another and cheap units cannot do that.
For a little more there are much better units out there, Speedo, Novatron, Hensel etc.

How much is "a little more"? Are we talking 10-20% more? Are we talking about upwards of twice as much? How much is "a little"?

Robert Helm wrote:
The Bees are inexpensive and that is the reason you will not find them at rental houses. They need lights that can take a lot of abuse, that have consistant light output, not only from one pop to the next but one flash to another and cheap units cannot do that.
For a little more there are much better units out there, Speedo, Novatron, Hensel etc.

Keith R Smith wrote:
How much is "a little more"? Are we talking 10-20% more? Are we talking about upwards of twice as much? How much is "a little"?

It's kind of an odd list - Novatron monolights I believe are around $300-$600, and Hensels are more like $1200 I believe.  Somebody feel free to correct me if I'm wrong - that's from memory.

Stephen Fletcher wrote:
Update:  I put a Cashiers Check in the mail on Tuesday for two AB800's.  Today I got an email they will be here on Monday.

Did I mention they ship fast?

I emailed them yesterday asking about a replacement reflector for my ringflash.  I received an email saying that another one had shipped this morning and a follow up email from their customer service tellng me that it is still within the warranty period and that they would replace it.   The kicker?  I cracked it myself the last time I loaded my trunk when a light stand bounced against it.  They didn't ask.

von francklau wrote:

I would advise anyone purchasing Alein Bees to buy all 800's. 

One reason is that working in the studio, you will hardly ever need the full power of the 1600's.  Even working events with large groups, I rarely shoot the 800's at full power.  The 400's are a bit limited in their usage...for the small money difference the 800's are the way to go.

Another reason is when you have all your lights the same power, you can use any light, anywhere in your setup, at any given time.

I use my AB1600 all the time. In the studio, it's generally set to 1/8 power...

but outside, being able to match the sun's intensity is quite a plus. The AB800 won't quite do that.

I'm about to order 2 more 1600's.

The only reason to order the 400's or 800's is if you insist on shooting with large aperatures (2.8-5.6).

Smedley Whiplash wrote:
I use my AB1600 all the time. In the studio, it's generally set to 1/8 power...
but outside, being able to match the sun's intensity is quite a plus. The AB800 won't quite do that.
I'm about to order 2 more 1600's.
The only reason to order the 400's or 800's is if you insist on shooting with large aperatures (2.8-5.6).

If you are generally setting your AB1600 to 1/8 power in the studio, then that translates to using an AB800 at 1/4 power, or an AB400 at 1/2 power. I have an AB800 and a pair of AB400s. I generally use one AB400 in studio, and that hardly ever gets cranked up past 1/2 power. The AB800 stays in the travel case. Just for reference, I commonly get f/8 @ iso200 at my normal light to subject distance at 1/2 power with the AB400. Sunlight can be tamed with high speed sync. Look up "This is how I do it", by Ransom _The Cheese_ J, and see what he did with an ancient WL10,000 and a Sony Cybershot (I forget the model, but he referenced it in his thread).

Keith R

SCrude Photography wrote:
Hey everyone....I have been renting different lights for my portrait work...unfortunately I can't seem to find Alien Bees lights for rent....but their price looks great for the 4 light kit. Do any of you use them and can you back up their quality? Are they good for portrait work? Can they run on Pocket Wizard Plus II system? I was thinking about gettin 1-400 2-800s and 1-1600.....is this a good idea?


Thanx

Chris~

Alien Bees are  so cheap to buy why would anyone rent them?

von francklau wrote:

I would advise anyone purchasing Alein Bees to buy all 800's. 

One reason is that working in the studio, you will hardly ever need the full power of the 1600's.  Even working events with large groups, I rarely shoot the 800's at full power.  The 400's are a bit limited in their usage...for the small money difference the 800's are the way to go.

Another reason is when you have all your lights the same power, you can use any light, anywhere in your setup, at any given time.

Ditto