 Barbara Helgason |
Studio light confusion My confusion comes from inconsistent results from my studio lights. I eventually always manage to get the exposure I want but I need to understand the inconsistency. When shooting with my lights I always have my camera on manual. Why then, when all lights fire do I get one perfectly exposed image, followed by all extremely underexposed images although not one of the settings has changed and all lights fired?!?? My lights are Alien bees, my camera a Canon 40D if that makes any difference. Any help in explaining this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Mark Feldstein |
If your first exposure turns out fine and the others are not, chances are you need to allow time for the lights to recycle back up to the power setting you're using. While I'm not familiar with the Bees, all the other studio lights I've ever used have some sort of alert or indicator that tells you when they've recycled. It could be that feature isn't turned on with your pack. Check the instructions. It's either a beep, a buzz or a light of some kind. Take it light. Mark
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Can the lights fire without reaching a full charge?
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Barbara Helgason |
Hmmm, I hadn't considered that. Guess I assumed they would not fire unless they were fully charged, but that would explain it. I'll give it a try. Thanks.
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Pete H |
The "bees" will not fire until fully recycled. How are you triggering strobes?
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Barbara Helgason |
Hi Pete, I use a shoe mount transmitter which sets of the Canon speedlite which triggers the bees.
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Pete H |
Ahhhh.. Perhaps it is that the Speedlite is firing before the "bee's" are ready to shoot? The first shot makes sense that all is well. The speedlite will recycle much faster than the bees. "Why then, when all lights fire do I get one perfectly exposed image, followed by all extremely underexposed images" Hmmm? ;) Pete
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Barbara Helgason |
But the bees are firing and you are saying they won't fire until fully charged. I'm now making sure everything is charged but still running into the same problem. Barbara
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Pete H |
If the bees are firing, then it is a mystery why only your 1st shot comes out ok. Hmmmm? I know the "bees" recycle pretty fast, even when dialed up to full output. They are usually ready to fire in well under one sec. Ya got me wondering now. Can't say I ever ran into this scenario Pete
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Barbara Helgason |
Confusing isn't it? Although I've had my strobes for a while now and have had some success with them, I'm really a novice at understanding this studio light stuff. I still think I'm missing something simple here and I will figure it out. Thanks for your help.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Are you using the speedlite to add light, or as a low powered, insignificant trigger for the other lights? Anything about the speedlite that's set to measure flash, like a flash meter? Will it dial it's own power down after it sees the extra light from the alien bees?
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Barbara Helgason |
I'm using the speedlite to add light. Can't really answer your other questions, maybe there's my problem! Speedlite is set to ETTL. ...Can the amount of light coming from the speedlite differ so much from one shot to the next that it would completely underexpose the image? I mean it's such a little light, the Alien bees is really the main light.
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W. |
Don't let the physical size of the Speedlite compared with that of the Alien Bees fool you, Barbara. Speedlites are designed to pack a considerable punch in as portable a package as possible. Alien Bees are not. However, if you use the Speedlite to trigger the Alien Bees, it will not release a full power flash, but just a tiny one, relatively speaking. Just enough to trigger the Alien Bees' slave sensors. Our human eyes can't see the difference: to them (us) a flash is a flash. And any flash appears as powerful as the next. Have fun!
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
There may be something in the ttl that's the reason. Using it just as a trigger, you wouldn't need ttl settings. You wouldn't even need to point it in the direction of the subject. You can experiment with each alien bee, using a sync cord, a see what happens with each. Look for changes with consistent settings. But I'd like to see you try with the speedlite on manual set at the lowest power needed just to trigger the alien bees(which the lowest power it has should be enough) and see if you the problem continues. What's difference look like? Put two in your gallery.
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Barbara Helgason |
Thanks, I will do exactly that and let you know.
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Debby A. Tabb |
Barb, Do you have the Alien Bee Synced to the flash or relying on the sensor? I relyed on the sensor with Briteks and a Fuji S2, So it might be that you should try having a reciever on each light and your flash,(transmitter on the camera) Just a thought,
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Barbara Helgason |
Turns out my speedlite was the problem all along. When setting it to manual I am finally for the first time ever getting consistent results. Never realized the power of that little speedlite! Thanks everyone for your help!
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