Angel House Portraits wrote:
You just got rid of the one light that most photographers I know use. The ad600. Its a beast for day shooting. That said I wouldn't  take it everywhere. You can still get great photographs in the right conditions.

I hardly had any problems focusing. You are probably shooting in very dimmed places. Turn on the light. That usually fixes it.

I am happy with the light I have now. Not planning anytime soon moving away from it.

Oh well I got rid of it ages ago. Like 2 years ago or something. But guess what? I just ordered the Godox AD400Pro so let's see how it goes.

JBP Graphics wrote:
Which model of AD600 did you have? The AD600BM only had a 10 watt L.E.D. modelling light whereas the 38 watt L.E.D. modelling light in the AD600PRO is equivalent to a 250 watt tungsten bulb so you should be able to focus with that. Were you stacking on ND’s to shoot wide open?

That Interfit S1 is also a 10 watt modelling light so you will still have the same low output of illumination for focusing that you may have had with the AD600BM.

I had the BM, because I love manually doing things, but yeah that modeling light did nothing hahaha. After posting this I sat down, thought it through more and got the Godox AD400Pro. It's lighter and the modeling light is brighter so I want to see how that will go. And no I wasn't stacking, I was doing HSS. For example, for the shot below I saw the sky and it looked cool but I wanted to make it darker to add drama. I wasn't going for natural at all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lnyib50b4wquo … 9-Edit.jpg

Anyway, once I did that the camera seemed to have trouble focusing. I could tell the camera just didn't have much light to be able to focus. Honestly I think I just need more experience with HSS and I gave up too quickly. I will practice with the new light when it gets here and follow up. Should be much easier with the brighter bulb.

tcphoto wrote:
Too heavy and the modeling light isn't bright enough? Granted, it is just 30watts but how does that matter when you're shooting in open shade or sunlight? It offers 600ws and is in line with just about any other battery powered monolight. When combined with a HSS like a PW FlexTT6 you can get full power up to 1/2000 sec sync.

The one I had was the BM with a 10 watt bulb. And when I was outside, wanting to really darken up a sky but correctly light the model, my focus was struggling. It wasn't a flash being strong enough issue. The flash was plenty strong really.

GRMACK wrote:
You shouldn't be having AF issues outdoors in daytime using a flash for fill.  Nighttime is another matter, but you can use a LED light on subject to get an AF lock-on.  A fast lens helps too.

I've shot in dark gold mines using a kerosene lantern to set up the studio flash units in the dark (i.e. Old Paul Buff White Lightnings with their Vagabond Mini battery packs.  I had a miner's lamp on my helmet which helps to provide an AF lock-on and see the camera settings.  Just need to learn your gear for the circumstances.

Yeah in a dark location like that it's very easy. My issue is outdoors. I think I was darkening the scene so much that my flash was my main light and not a fill. There is something I was overdoing for sure. Thank you for the feedback.

Bob Helm Photography wrote:
Look at  David Black. If he cannot light an assignment he doesn't take it.
https://www.instagram.com/daveblackphoto/?hl=en

https://daveblackphotography.com/

Bio https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-e … black.html

That's cool. I was doing these shots for TF, not paid. I did TF so I could test the light without the pressure. I would never take anything on I can't do. It's not worth the stress honestly.

YAJHILPHOTO wrote:

I had the BM, because I love manually doing things, but yeah that modeling light did nothing hahaha. After posting this I sat down, thought it through more and got the Godox AD400Pro. It's lighter and the modeling light is brighter so I want to see how that will go. And no I wasn't stacking, I was doing HSS. For example, for the shot below I saw the sky and it looked cool but I wanted to make it darker to add drama. I wasn't going for natural at all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lnyib50b4wquo … 9-Edit.jpg

Anyway, once I did that the camera seemed to have trouble focusing. I could tell the camera just didn't have much light to be able to focus. Honestly I think I just need more experience with HSS and I gave up too quickly. I will practice with the new light when it gets here and follow up. Should be much easier with the brighter bulb.

I think you will be just fine with the AD400Pro, its 30 watt modelling light is virtually equivalent to the 38 watt LED in the AD600Pro when used with the included reflector.

YAJHILPHOTO wrote:

I had the BM, because I love manually doing things, but yeah that modeling light did nothing hahaha. After posting this I sat down, thought it through more and got the Godox AD400Pro. It's lighter and the modeling light is brighter so I want to see how that will go. And no I wasn't stacking, I was doing HSS. For example, for the shot below I saw the sky and it looked cool but I wanted to make it darker to add drama. I wasn't going for natural at all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lnyib50b4wquo … 9-Edit.jpg

Anyway, once I did that the camera seemed to have trouble focusing. I could tell the camera just didn't have much light to be able to focus. Honestly I think I just need more experience with HSS and I gave up too quickly. I will practice with the new light when it gets here and follow up. Should be much easier with the brighter bulb.

What Canon camera model were you using?  I use Nikons and don't know about Canon AF systems, but I know that AF is not simple and it can make a huge difference to get to know your AF system.  For this example that you showed, an AF sensor might not be able to find any vertical or horizontal lines to focus with, depending on what focus point you use.  Also if makes a difference what F-stop you focus with, esp if it's a MF lens where the camera doesn't control the aperture.   

I generally don't have problems with AF outdoors and don't need a modeling light for this, but once in a while when shooting a person, the AF can't find the straight lines it needs to focus correctly.

pbdimages wrote:
What Canon camera model were you using?  I use Nikons and don't know about Canon AF systems, but I know that AF is not simple and it can make a huge difference to get to know your AF system.  For this example that you showed, an AF sensor might not be able to find any vertical or horizontal lines to focus with, depending on what focus point you use.  Also if makes a difference what F-stop you focus with, esp if it's a MF lens where the camera doesn't control the aperture.   

I generally don't have problems with AF outdoors and don't need a modeling light for this, but once in a while when shooting a person, the AF can't find the straight lines it needs to focus correctly.

Ok so with my camera now, which is the Canon 6D, I use live view and focus on the eye. I also use this attachment with it:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ … SoQAvD_BwE

That way I can hold everything steady and it's not an issue. Without flash, when I am outdoors my pictures are often sharp and I have no issues. With flash, when I am indoors it's also not a problem. Normally, about 90% of the time I use a tripod with IS off. On this occasion I tried both the actual viewfinder and the LCD with the attachment. I've noticed while using the LCD that when you connect a trigger to the hotshoe the screen gets much darker. I believe that is the case with most cameras. That forces me to first expose for the background without the trigger attached, then connect it, and then try to focus with a pretty dark screen. And when I used the regular viewfinder, it would still hunt. But now that I think about it, I should try to turn exposure simulation off and see if that works.

I wonder if this is also a thing with mirrorless cameras and their EVFs. I have never used one.

JBP Graphics wrote:
I think you will be just fine with the AD400Pro, its 30 watt modelling light is virtually equivalent to the 38 watt LED in the AD600Pro when used with the included reflector.

Thank you. I hope so. I am very excited about it. Arrives Wednesday :-)

FIFTYONE PHOTOGRAPHY wrote:
Godox X2T has a focus assist beam for low light situations.

fwiw

Thanks. I got it with the Godox XPro TTL, well it came with the kit from B&H. Hopefully it all works out. I'm starting to clearly see there is a lot I need to try out this time so I don't give up again so easily.

YAJHILPHOTO wrote:

Ok so with my camera now, which is the Canon 6D, I use live view and focus on the eye. I also use this attachment with it:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ … SoQAvD_BwE

That way I can hold everything steady and it's not an issue. Without flash, when I am outdoors my pictures are often sharp and I have no issues. With flash, when I am indoors it's also not a problem. Normally, about 90% of the time I use a tripod with IS off. On this occasion I tried both the actual viewfinder and the LCD with the attachment. I've noticed while using the LCD that when you connect a trigger to the hotshoe the screen gets much darker. I believe that is the case with most cameras. That forces me to first expose for the background without the trigger attached, then connect it, and then try to focus with a pretty dark screen. And when I used the regular viewfinder, it would still hunt. But now that I think about it, I should try to turn exposure simulation off and see if that works.

I wonder if this is also a thing with mirrorless cameras and their EVFs. I have never used one.

Not familiar with Canon cameras but it sounds like you have the answer already. Turn off exposure simulation which sounds like it stops the aperture down reducing light coming into the camera so you can preview DOF.

YAJHILPHOTO wrote:

Outdoors I had the same issues You are experiencing, missed shots / out of focus, I focus through the viewfinder and suspected the (old) 11 point system was the culprit.  After switching to a body with the newer dual pixel autofocus My out of focus missed shots were practically nil.

My last set was shot with the 11 point system body, heavily backlit (f/11ish @ 1/200).  Using the center point, which I rarely ever do, My soft images were still through the roof.

YAJHILPHOTO wrote:
Ok so with my camera now, which is the Canon 6D, I use live view and focus on the eye. I also use this attachment with it:


That way I can hold everything steady and it's not an issue. Without flash, when I am outdoors my pictures are often sharp and I have no issues. With flash, when I am indoors it's also not a problem. Normally, about 90% of the time I use a tripod with IS off. On this occasion I tried both the actual viewfinder and the LCD with the attachment. I've noticed while using the LCD that when you connect a trigger to the hotshoe the screen gets much darker. I believe that is the case with most cameras. That forces me to first expose for the background without the trigger attached, then connect it, and then try to focus with a pretty dark screen. And when I used the regular viewfinder, it would still hunt. But now that I think about it, I should try to turn exposure simulation off and see if that works.

I wonder if this is also a thing with mirrorless cameras and their EVFs. I have never used one.

This isn't a problem with my Nikon DSLR's, trigger or no trigger attached to the hot shoe, Live View exposure does not change.

YAJHILPHOTO wrote:
Lastly, I used to own a Godox AD600 but I found it too heavy and I had a very hard time getting my pictures in focus while using HSS.

It's been a while since I've been on MM and recently started shooting again ... so be nice.....
I use mostly speedlights (SB800s) for all my lighting as they are very compact and very easy to set up.
If you are trying to shoot HSS, this means you are using a fast shutter speed in bright light.  Why can't you focus your camera in bright light?  In low light situations, I use an SB800 which has an AF function which assists in focusing in low or no light. Also the SB800s have modeling lights as well.  Most new speedlights have the same functions.
As far as outdoor lighting, if the sun is out I almost always use a reflector.  This was shot exclusively with a reflector.


If I need extra light for rim or fill light,  I use speedlights in combination with a reflector.


Hope this helps.