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alienbees pro and cons
okay alienbees seem to be the ticket for me now but what are the pros and cons to them apart from the look....im thinking of getting the busy bee package but I need to hear your thoughts Dec 30 07 12:23 pm Link They work great for me. Cheap and powerfull enough. 1600 and ringflash I mainly use as a second strobe. Just be gentle with them... Dec 30 07 12:25 pm Link Like the previous post said just be gentle with them. Dont over tighten the clamp things. I busted my ringflash mount doing that but luckily they replaced it for free. Great great great customer service over at AB. They just came out with grids for their softboxes, so i think ill pick a few of those up. One thing id like to see in the future is some way to use gels with the softboxes. Dec 30 07 12:27 pm Link how long do u think they will last providing I handle with care Dec 30 07 12:33 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: well the bulbs are rated at 250k flashes each. So id imagine youll get tons of use out of them before the heads themselves give out. Ive only had mine for 6 months but so far they are the best thing ive ever purchased. I'd say your biggest concern should be for transporting them. I invested in pelican cases. Pricey but dependable. Dec 30 07 12:41 pm Link man I looked at your port ....wonderfull....wonderful did you shoot thouse using alienbees Dec 30 07 01:06 pm Link JLC Images wrote: Gentle nothing... I've had one get blown into a swimming pool and picked up and slammed on the ground as a sand storm came in... it's still firing away... (Yes, I had to replace the bulb after the pool incident) Dec 30 07 01:10 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: See my post above... I've had that light for two years now and it works fine Dec 30 07 01:11 pm Link About the biggest drawback to the Bees is that nasty pink version. But, on the other hand, about the only people willing to steal them would be pre-teen girls that wouldn't be inclined to steal them anyway. ;-) Dec 30 07 01:14 pm Link Special Ed wrote: lmao.....I looked at your port too be honest did you use ab s for all that work too.....looks good Dec 30 07 01:23 pm Link AB's are tough, but if you are really concerned about it get White Lightnings. I just ordered 2 x1600's... should be here on Monday :-) Dec 30 07 01:24 pm Link AB's work well enough and are by far very cost effective. They work for me for now, but still don't do everything I want them to do. Profoto is calling me slowly but surely lol... Dec 30 07 01:29 pm Link E Hinn Photography wrote: Like? Dec 30 07 01:31 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: Thank you... all but one flash picture was shot with AB's Dec 30 07 01:32 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: Dec 30 07 01:34 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: As far as cons, they aren't dc so I don't think they are as portable for outdoor work. You would need a generator or maybe the Vagabond system for on location work Dec 30 07 01:35 pm Link JLC Images wrote: I have 3 I use just for travel and pack arounds, they have been dropped, kicked, tipped over and run through airline baggage handlers in a Pelican case with no problems ever. The only problem I have ever had with AB products is their soft boxes are fer sh*t... the velcro on every one seperated from the fabric in no time and AB does not replace them... Dec 30 07 01:36 pm Link i love AB's  I have an 800 I love love love it!!! and it's tough, but I still take good care of it  I actually got it really cheap off of another photographer, he took fantastic care of his equipment. All of the studio shooting except for the self portrait was done with ABs the self-portrait is natural lighting from a window. Dec 30 07 01:41 pm Link First thing let me say it's not the lights, its the person that uses them. If you know lighting and how to use it you can use 60watt bulbs... Now the AB's... the older I get the lighter I like my equipment, they weight 3-4 lbs each. Yea, they make some ugly colors but you can order them in black like I did.... I have used almost every light out there, I have access to about a dozen White Lightnings, Photogenics, Calumets but when it comes time to shoot with lights I grab the AB's. My suggestion is buy them, if you don't like them you can return them within 30 days. What other lighting company does that....and last, just because it doesn't have a big price tag doesn't mean they are not "great" lights. Dec 30 07 01:42 pm Link I just packed my 800 wrapped it up in two pair of jeans tossed in my suitcase and flew from SJC to ATL and back. She still works like a charm... The reflector bent a bit bit she still fires just fine... Dec 30 07 01:45 pm Link does pocketwiz work with them Dec 30 07 01:55 pm Link pros: cheap, lightweight, small, portable cons: not durable, safety will shut down strobe if used too hard, not very sturdy (try hanging a large softbox from one & you'll know what I mean), worthless modeling lamps... I don't find the inconsistency issues that others claim. I swapped the standard lightbulb out w/ a 150 watt Halogena bulb as recommended by AB... http://www.davidweikel.com/E20_Page/ali … bees.shtml Most of my studio shots are done w/ AB's, as well as some outdoors shots... Paul Dec 30 07 01:56 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: yes, you just need an 1/8 to 1/8 male/male connector cord. (available @ any electronics store & Radio Shack) Dec 30 07 01:57 pm Link I know someone who has a set and I love them for location work. They are by far the easiest to lug about. i have carried Lumedynes, then Speedo + 3 heads around, but the AB's are more flexible, light and much more portable. I've borrowed them a few times for location jobs and am considering a set for location work. I have the Kata Palms 3. It fits the 3 heads, 3 reflectors, 4 grids, 3 umbrella's, 3 stands, pocket wizards and wires. Its so good i think they should make a kit of it. on the flip side. I am not sure about the quality of light they produce. i suppose is you are using them with modifiers then its good. But i do shoot bare bulb a fair bit and i think the light be unflattering(never tried). The position of the flash tube so close to the flat base makes the light radiate in a semi- spherical direction, the frosted household bulb for a modeling lamp gets in the way and probably casts an uneven dark middle region as well. Another photographer in the same building swears by his profoto, but i can't justify the $7000 initial investment for a decent pack and pro series head. (i remember the acute heads being similar in design to the AB's. for now its Speedo in studio, AB on location. S. Dec 30 07 01:57 pm Link The pros and cons are the same: they're cheap. When I first started out I bought a speedotron blackline studio setup and 8 years later I sold it all for about 20% less than what I paid for it. And for those 8 years, I got to use a top-notch product that didn't have a cartoon-like logo on the heads. If you could rent a speedotron studio for 8 years for under $1000 would you do it? Dec 30 07 01:58 pm Link thinking about this further. does anyone know if someone makes a frosted glass cover for the AB's? Dec 30 07 02:05 pm Link sai wrote: You can replace the modeling light with any light bulb... as for the spherical issues can you show examples and counter examples of another strobe of this effect? Dec 30 07 02:09 pm Link sai wrote: eh ? english ? Dec 30 07 02:13 pm Link Iona Lynn: Nekked MOD wrote: Exactly... Dec 30 07 02:18 pm Link I've had a set of Bees for about 4 years now...for the most part they have done the trick for me, if I've had any problem with them, its the flash sync plug...seems to be rather delicate, sent one in for repair about a year ago. Typical of Paul C. Buff, the turn around time was really quick, was able to get it back before my next shoot! Now my second unit is misbehaving, will have to do it again. Other than that, I have no complaints! They are small, lightweight, and powerful, with a great deal of reliability! I went with the DigiBee set, then upgraded the units to 800's, i see now, this set includes a wireless transmitter/receiver, which i added at my own expense later and would highly recommend! All studio images in my portfolio were created with this equipment, with the exception of the Sacred Skin images, however, the photographer's equipment I used in that set, were also Bees. Charlie Tribbey Dec 30 07 02:20 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: me? Dec 30 07 03:13 pm Link sai wrote: My entire portfolio was shot with ABs and my kickers are almost always barebulb if not sunlight. Dec 30 07 03:28 pm Link Paul Brecht wrote: There are a variety of pros and cons for the Bees. Most pros don't use them but I happen to agree that they represent great value for the money. For the most part, they are great lights. Dec 30 07 03:49 pm Link they seem good to me grab a vagabond and go Dec 30 07 03:57 pm Link JCWPhoto wrote: yes Dec 30 07 04:31 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: Years and years. Maybe decades. Dec 30 07 04:35 pm Link Paul Brecht wrote: thanks paul ...so the regular buld purpose is what though dosnt the tube deliver the flash Dec 30 07 04:36 pm Link Paul Brecht wrote: Alan from Aavian Prod wrote: Very true. It is necessary to mount the light to a softbox with the box on the floor. Otherwise, it is a recipe for a new flash tube. Dec 30 07 04:37 pm Link i'm still waiting all do i think the'll be great! Dec 30 07 04:38 pm Link Don Cortex wrote: everything in my gallery was done with my beloved ABs Dec 30 07 05:06 pm Link |
