AB800 too bright?

[usnrs]

so i got the ab800 like you all recommended, also got the 22" dish and 'sock' cover. i've seen around the forum that i should have a shutter speed of around 180ish. so when i do that, i've got to turn the light ALL the way down and use a f/11 or higher to not get a totally white (overblown) picture. i'm shooting in an apartment that's about as big as a suv, with all the furnature and crap i've got jammed into this little place i'm honestly working with about 7 or 8 feet from camera to background. my problem is that if i take the shot at f/22 or something so it looks decent, i've got a completely sharp fabric wall for a background - and photoshopping an entire background isn't fun. is there a super duper secret photo pro secret setting i can use? lol...i know more space and talent would be the ideal answer, but if any of you cn point me in the right direction that'd be great.

BTW - we're talking about a d100 and an AB800 if that makes any difference.

thanks in advance.


ben

[Benji]

The shutter speed in flash photography is almost inconsequential as long as it is at or below the synch speed and you are not shooting in bright sunshine. The AB 800 is a powerful light. I believe it is too powerful for your small room. Assuming you have the unit at its lowest power, and you are shooting at the lowest ISO there are several things you can do.

1. Learn to live with F 16 and F 22 apertures until you get a bigger camera room.
2. Call the manufacturer and ask Paul what he thinks. Perhaps you can return the AB800 for an AB 400 (or smaller.)
3. Place a ND filter across your lens (this might hinder the AF capabilities of your camera.)
4. Place a ND gel in front of your flash tube. I've never tried this, but I assume after several hundred firings (or less) the gel will lose its light blocking abilities. The possibility exists that it may also melt and harm your flash tube, I don't know how tough this stuff really is.

Benji

[WayneF]

Other than ND on camera lens, there probably is no good solution in that tiny space. A smaller B400 will not be magic, it will be one stop less intense, but only one stop. Distance to the light is what you need, twice as far is two stops less light. But if only 7 feet camera to background....

The sock on the beauty light might be thicker, like adding a couple of extra layers of white bed sheet over the front (not in the back where the fan is). Should block considerable light. I suppose it becomes a softbox then.

[Waleed]

I have 4 AB800, and I control them with the slider at their backs to reduce their power..
Check the x-sync speed of your camera to see what shutter speed it can handle.

Do you have a lightmeter?

[usnrs]

the slider is all the way to the left (min. power). i don't have a light meter. i will have to check out the sheet idea, i didn't think of that. thanks!

[Benji]

If placing ANYTHING over the flash tube and modeling light MAKE SURE it is not combustible. A bedsheet on fire dropping onto the floor from your AB800 may look cool to you, but I doubt your client will think it is, especially if it burns her. Also your wife may never speak to you again, (assuming she survives the house fire.)

Benji

[WayneF]

Originally Posted by Benji

If placing ANYTHING over the flash tube and modeling light MAKE SURE it is not combustible. A bedsheet on fire dropping onto the floor from your AB800 may look cool to you, but I doubt your client will think it is, especially if it burns her. Also your wife may never speak to you again, (assuming she survives the house fire.)

Benji

My guess is that the beauty light's diffusion cloth will have to ignite before the fire can reach any outer bed sheet. Since the diffusion sock doesn't ignite, I'd guess it will be fine. Just don't cover the rear housing and fan.

[usnrs]

got it, no pyro - lol...

the dish i have is 6-8 inches deep, and the center has a cap over the flash tube and modeling light, so there's no way taping fabric over the sock will come into contact with anything real hot.

[CSalemi]

I've also had good luck with the AB flashes using just the modeling light. This will let you get to lower f-stops. You may have to minimize other lights in the room. I know that this means you didn't have to buy the AB-800 at all, but it still is useful this way.

[ezekiel]

What ISO are you using?

[TimAndrea]

i would also bump your shutter, you can go 1/250 as long as your sync is that high.

[Nikonfreak]

The D100 is a 200 ISO camera.

Well, several options.

Of course, if you can't move the light back away from the subject...

You can stuff the AB 800 into a double diffused softbox.

You can put a grid on it before firing it into the umbrella.

You can bounce it into an umbrella and then through a translucent scrim or you can flag the light.

ND filters on the strobe can work as well.

You can also bounce it into an umbrella and then bounce it into a wall or in the air or a reflector or two to direct the light.

You can see about swapping the AB800 for an AB400. In that tight of a space, you might need the lower W/S light and you might still need to do some of what I mentioned above.

Modify the light though.. I wouldn't use a ND on the camera.

I ended up buying 2 AB 800 and 2 AB 400 units when I purchased the AB strobes.

It's great when I can do a shoot with 4 lights or when I want two setups at a Bar Mitzvah for gift pics at the end of the evening for guests and their families or tight quarter location shots.

Julio

[Nikonfreak]

Originally Posted by Benji

4. Place a ND gel in front of your flash tube. I've never tried this, but I assume after several hundred firings (or less) the gel will lose its light blocking abilities. The possibility exists that it may also melt and harm your flash tube, I don't know how tough this stuff really is.

Benji

AB sells a frame to hold gels and filters.

You can buy nd filters and gels in rolls and cut your own out... if you use them enough it can be economical.

Julio

[blundar]

Get a Neutral Density gel kit with a holder. That is your most convenient and quickest way to control your lighting output. I also strongly suggest that you get an inexpensive digital light meter.

I have (4) AB400's. At the highest setting I can get f8 at iso100 with a 60" umbrella. The bigger the light modifier is, the more light it tends to absorb. At iso200 I can get f16. That is about what you are getting with your AB800 at the lowest setting. Whenever I use color gels or ND filters, the power output goes way down very quickly.

You can also put on a polarizing filter on your lens. The good ones will drop the f-stop down by 2 when dialed all the way to dark. Everyone should own at liest 1 good polarizing filter.

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by Nikonfreak

The D100 is a 200 ISO camera.

But that doesn't mean it's set to 200.

I just shot an AB800 for the first time at 1/4 and 1/2 power. Metered at 1/125, F4 to F11, ISO100 on a 20D. This is playing with angles, etc., for setups using an umbrella and reflector. Range to subject was 6ft to 8ft from umbrella surface.

Same setup with a 30x40 softbox, 1/2 power, metered at F8 to F11 with a range of 4ft.

Again, this is all at ISO100.

I'm really curious what the OP's ISO settings were if he was blowing out across a room.

[Nikonfreak]

Originally Posted by brian.austin

But that doesn't mean it's set to 200.

I just shot an AB800 for the first time at 1/4 and 1/2 power. Metered at 1/125, F4 to F11, ISO100 on a 20D. This is playing with angles, etc., for setups using an umbrella and reflector. Range to subject was 6ft to 8ft from umbrella surface.

Same setup with a 30x40 softbox, 1/2 power, metered at F8 to F11 with a range of 4ft.

Again, this is all at ISO100.

I'm really curious what the OP's ISO settings were if he was blowing out across a room.

So true. I was assuming he was at ISO 200...

The f/8 to f/11 sounds about right. I don't like going beyond f/11. Between 4 and 6 ft to subject in a med size softbox that's about where I am as well. I think it's usually a tad below 1/2 power on an AB 800 at ISO 100 on a D200.

Julio

[usnrs]

my ISO was at 200 - but you'v egot to remember, that across the room in my place is almost one large step in any direction. and i don't know if it makes a difference, but i don't have a soft box, for whatever reason i went with the dish instead, and even with the sock on it it's pretty darn bright, i haven't hauled it out to try double baggin it yet.

[brian.austin]

Well, when I was taking pictures of my wife with that setup (softbox, not beauty dish), we were all inside a six foot diameter circle (her, me, AB800 with softbox and reflector panel on another stand). That was just a headshot, though.

Try the double bag idea.

Or find a larger place.

[Nikonfreak]

Originally Posted by usnrs

my ISO was at 200 - but you'v egot to remember, that across the room in my place is almost one large step in any direction. and i don't know if it makes a difference, but i don't have a soft box, for whatever reason i went with the dish instead, and even with the sock on it it's pretty darn bright, i haven't hauled it out to try double baggin it yet.

Scratch the beauty dish, switch to a white umbrella, pull the flash back 4-6 feet away from the subject if possible.. dial the power all the way down and see if that helps.

Another option is to fire the bee into a wall or the ceiling at the lowest setting... and, of course, use a meter to get the settings correct.

Julio

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by Nikonfreak

Another option is to fire the bee into a wall or the ceiling at the lowest setting... and, of course, use a meter to get the settings correct.

Julio

I like that one. If that apartment is really that small, you've got reflectors all around you! Put the 7" reflector dish on it, point it at a wall or ceiling and use it to your advantage.

Good idea, Julio.