Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I'm looking at some AB800s vs Einsteins.

I am curious if someone can point me to some documentation regarding the power output of the B800, specifically on the low end.

Sometimes I'll be shooting in some small rooms and I want to be able to dial the B800 down and shoot in the f2.8 range. I'm not concerned about the color shift.

I'm looking for something that basically says "The B800 @ 10 feet, ISO 100, 1/32nd power meters at f/..."

Thanks

It will vary depending on the modifier you use but about two thirds of the way down on this page you will find a table of metered results with various modifiers at full power. You just need to drop them down to 1/32.

http://www.alienbees.com/specs.html

Right, there are quite a few variables that will affect this. But under any one circumstance, Einstein will be settable to 2 stops lower than a B800 at minimum power. Additionally, neutral density filters on the lights or lens can reduce the light even further.

Thanks for the info.

I have concerns about exposure consistency of the B800 in the lower power range. I've heard that shot to shot consistency at power settings below 1/4 can vary almost a full stop.

Is this spec'd/documented officially somewhere?

Not intending any disrespect to the AB800 (or 400, or 1600) here, because I have used all of them and really like them. I planned to purchase a set of them for myself recently--however, when I studied the specs vs the Einstein, I went with the Einstein. I frakkin LOVE my Einsteins.

One of the many reasons for this is that one Einstein covers the range offered by three ABs (as low as the 400, covers the 800, as high as the 1600). So while it is true that you can get more ABs for the same money as the Einsteins, it is also likely that you could NEED more ABs than you would Einsteins.

So if you are concerned about being able to go to lower power, color shift, consistency etc with the 800, I would recommend you consider the Einstein instead. It costs more, but if you end up having to add a 400 to go lower, or a 1600 to go higher, then the 800 choice ends up being more expensive in the long run.

Yup, either way works that's for sure...

Now:
Einstein upgrade from AB800 = $220 difference per unit.
or
Reusable & stackable ND Gels = ~$25 for all your strobes. 8-)

Yeah the Einstein is VERY appealing. The way I look at it is you're getting 3 alienbees in one, sort of :)

The peace of mind with the whole color/exposure consistency would also be nice. I also don't feel like I would outgrow Einsteins for quite a while.

I think I know what I need to do.

Both I and a friend who worked together regularly using ABs at a studio for over a year have bought the Einsteins. We both love them, and have no regrets. Lots of the idiosyncrasies of the ABs are improved upon in the Einsteins: the modifer mounting is better, the diffusion dome with the modeling light inside gives both a better quality of light, and a better match of modeling light to strobe. The controls on the back are superior. And the ability to precisely adjust the light in tenth stop increments, and the fact that you can return to a specific setting later (rather than try to put the slider control back about where it was) is nice.

Again, not to put down the ABs, which I like, but for me the change from an AB to an Einstein is not unlike going from a point & shoot to a dslr.

I have also used dynalites, and they have a good light quality, but I found them very unfriendly to use. Strange power sharing between lights, and one guy used to put an extra light on the box, put it out in the hall, just to dump enough power there so that the one he was using could go low enough.

I think you will be more than satisfied with the Einstein for a long time. If that is the way you choose to go ;)