Pocket wizard/Alien bees combo?

BanditPhotographyNW · Aug 12, 2013

The creepiest gnome ever lives in your photo collection.....I love it...

BanditPhotographyNW · Aug 12, 2013

So maybe instead of the B1600 I should pick up one of the white lightning 3200's would that be a better option to go with the 2 b800s and the B400? It says its 1320ws

BanditPhotographyNW · Aug 12, 2013

I actually have a buddy that shoots for Transworld and Thrasher...He is very secretive and wont help me out any...Says he learned on his on I should too lol....Some peoples kids I tell ya..

Village Idiot · Aug 12, 2013

BanditPhotographyNW said:
So maybe instead of the B1600 I should pick up one of the white lightning 3200's would that be a better option to go with the 2 b800s and the B400? It says its 1320ws

That's an option. Have you thought about how you're going to power this light if you don't have an outlet available?

Gavjenks · Aug 12, 2013

Didn't read the whole thread, but @OP,

As an owner of basic alienbees monolights, I can confirm that by "slave capability" they are referring to the feature of being able to trigger the lights with any external short burst of light (another flash).

Whenever you don't plug anything into your alienbees' PC port, they by default trigger whenever they detect a flash around them, using photo-sensitive sensors.

So for normal situations in a studio, like portraits, you can simply set your camera to 1/150th or whatever of a second (give a little bit of leeway above your camera's shutter sync speed), and a low ISO to block out ambient light, then trigger JUST ONE flash from your camera, and the others will automatically fire after they see the first flash.

Often I do it so that the first/"master" flash is simply a speedlight on top of my camera, aimed backward away from the subject, at a very low power (1/32 or 1/64). This doesn't show up in the actual image, but is strong enough to trigger the alienbees. And it means I don't have to carry or rely on any wireless devices at all.

Dinardy · Aug 12, 2013

Really helpful thread guy! Thanks!
I have been looking into a similar system

Village Idiot · Aug 12, 2013

Gavjenks said:
Didn't read the whole thread, but @OP,

As an owner of basic alienbees monolights, I can confirm that by "slave capability" they are referring to the feature of being able to trigger the lights with any external short burst of light (another flash).

Whenever you don't plug anything into your alienbees' PC port, they by default trigger whenever they detect a flash around them, using photo-sensitive sensors.

So for normal situations in a studio, like portraits, you can simply set your camera to 1/150th or whatever of a second (give a little bit of leeway above your camera's shutter sync speed), and a low ISO to block out ambient light, then trigger JUST ONE flash from your camera, and the others will automatically fire after they see the first flash.

Often I do it so that the first/"master" flash is simply a speedlight on top of my camera, aimed backward away from the subject, at a very low power (1/32 or 1/64). This doesn't show up in the actual image, but is strong enough to trigger the alienbees. And it means I don't have to carry or rely on any wireless devices at all.

Or any of the thread for that matter. OP wants to shoot skateboarding outside. That's going to kill the ability of the optical slave under full sun.

BanditPhotographyNW · Aug 13, 2013

ok so to give an update here is my list please tell me if there is anything I should have I have the money right now so its not too much of an object. that said the alien bees price range and product range is where I want to be. here is the list.
[TABLE="class: tbl_cart_container"]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]B400-P[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] B400 Pink Studio Flash[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$224.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]1 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$224.95 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]B800-G[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] B800 Green Studio Flash[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$279.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]2 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$559.90 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]VM-UPC3-120V[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] Vagabond Mini Lithium Short Power Cord
[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$5.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]4 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$23.80 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]VM120*[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] Vagabond Mini Lithium 120VAC[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$239.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]4 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$959.80 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]VMB8.8A*[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] Vagabond Mini Battery Pack[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$89.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]2 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$179.90 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]X3200/BAG[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] White Lightning X-Series X3200 (with free WLBAG carrying bag)[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$549.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]1 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$549.95 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]CC[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] Cyber Commander[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$179.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]1 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$179.95 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]CSRB+[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] CyberSync Receiver Plus (battery)[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$89.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]4 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$359.80 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]FOB47[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] Foldable Large Octabox (47in.) with attached speedring[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$169.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]1 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$169.95 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]HG20[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] 20° Grid for the 7AB/R[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$19.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]1 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$19.95 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]LS3900[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] 13-foot Heavy Duty Stand[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$69.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]4 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$279.80 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]PLM64-WFDF[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] PLM Front Diffuser Fabric, 64in White[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$15.95 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey"]ea.[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]1 [/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: right"]$15.95 [/TH]
[TD="class: bordBottomGrey, align: center"]

change qty
then click

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"]PLM64U-S[/TH]
[TH="class: f2 bordBottomGrey, align: left"] 64-inch Parabolic Umbrella Extreme Silver with Buff Speedring[/TH]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Gavjenks · Aug 13, 2013

Village Idiot said:
Gavjenks said:

Didn't read the whole thread, but @OP,

As an owner of basic alienbees monolights, I can confirm that by "slave capability" they are referring to the feature of being able to trigger the lights with any external short burst of light (another flash).

Whenever you don't plug anything into your alienbees' PC port, they by default trigger whenever they detect a flash around them, using photo-sensitive sensors.

So for normal situations in a studio, like portraits, you can simply set your camera to 1/150th or whatever of a second (give a little bit of leeway above your camera's shutter sync speed), and a low ISO to block out ambient light, then trigger JUST ONE flash from your camera, and the others will automatically fire after they see the first flash.

Often I do it so that the first/"master" flash is simply a speedlight on top of my camera, aimed backward away from the subject, at a very low power (1/32 or 1/64). This doesn't show up in the actual image, but is strong enough to trigger the alienbees. And it means I don't have to carry or rely on any wireless devices at all.

Click to expand...

Or any of the thread for that matter. OP wants to shoot skateboarding outside. That's going to kill the ability of the optical slave under full sun.

The 1320 Watt second strobe should be quite capable of triggering the other slaves in sunlight, if fired near full or even half power probably.

It may require adding a little sunshade over the optical receiver cells of the slave units and possible a little reflector if the receiver is pointing the wrong way, but it will work if they are somewhat reasonably near one another and you add those things.

Also @OP: why do you have four vagabonds listed?? Firing all of your strobes at full power at once would call for 2 vagabond units only, as they are rated for 1280 total Ws of stuff plugged into each one. If you need to spread out your lights, an extension cord is a lot cheaper than 2 extra vagabonds.

BanditPhotographyNW · Aug 13, 2013

Gavjenks said:
Also @OP: why do you have four vagabonds listed?? Firing all of your strobes at full power at once would call for 2 vagabond units only, as they are rated for 1280 total Ws of stuff plugged into each one. If you need to spread out your lights, an extension cord is a lot cheaper than 2 extra vagabonds.

Well to be honest I didnt know how well they would power 2 lights but if they really will that will free up some funding for other things.thanks for pointing that out...Also I am getting a plus receiver foe each because PCB recommends it and I want them to fire flawlessly lol...Like I said in the first post I tend to over buy...But wasting isn't good either so thats why I posted the list.. Anything you would add to it?