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10/14/2006 12:42:30 PM · #1 |
I got 2 new alien bees today (800's) I'm so excited. I have been practising and having a little difficulty just pressing the shutter on my camera. It's always the little things that get me! I had to turn off my af illuminator since it was activating the stobes before I even took the picture...but now with just the modeling lights on, the room is too dark for the camera to focus quickly. This is my guess anyways. I am pressing the shutter for what seems like forever and since I shoot children - the child is out of the room before the shutter goes off. I guess I could go to manual focus but I'm really reluctant since my eyesight isn't that great, I wouldn't want to trust it.
What do you recommend? Is there a standard way to do it? Any help would be great. I feel a little dissapointed at this point since I have been looking forward to these lights forever. Thanks in advance.
L.
PS. I don't plan on using my onboard flash permenantly, I have a radio remote trigger on it's way through snail mail. I'm not sure if that will make a difference. But have a shoot on Tuesday and want to dial it in now. |
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10/14/2006 12:58:42 PM · #2 |
Can your lens 'see' well enough to autofocus when the modeling lights are turned all the way up? If so, then you can set the modeling lights so they don't track the strobeĆ¢s power setting. That way they will always be on at full power, except when the strobes flash.
The radio remotes will fix the problem of the strobes being set off by the pre-flash from the on-camera flash.
Congratulations on your new monolights, and good luck!
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10/14/2006 01:04:15 PM · #3 |
P.S.
If you have an assistant, another option would be to have him or her turn the room lights on while you're focusing, then turn them off when you are ready to take the shot. This requires a very patient assistant though. :D
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10/14/2006 02:06:54 PM · #4 |
no assistant - yet! I was told that the light from my overhead should not be a factor while I'm using my strobes since the strobes are so bright. I just tried with the overhead light on and it was better. I did keep them on though throughout the whole practise session.
I will try to keep the modelling lights all the way up and see if that works. Thanks.
L. |
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10/14/2006 02:27:55 PM · #5 |
From the FAQ on AlienBees web site...
"Q: Is the 150-watt quartz lamp the brightest modeling lamp that I can use?
A: 150 watts is the maximum power recommended for your modeling lamp. This allows the cooling fan to maintain low internal temperatures. It is possible to use a 250-watt quartz lamp if particular care is taken. As a 250-watt bulb produces more heat, you should not operate your flash unit for extended periods of time with this bulb in place. You will need to be cautious when using this bulb, ensuring that there is adequate airflow. Accessories that close around the faceplate (such as a softbox, an octabox, a honeycomb grid or a snoot) may restrict the airflow and trap heat. In these conditions, a 250-watt lamp should not be used. Failure to follow these precautions could cause damage that may not be covered by our warranty."
So, you can use 250w modeling lights, but be very careful with them because of the extra heat they put out.
I've been wanting to give this a try, but I haven't got around to it yet. I want to find the 250w quartz bulbs at a good price first.
What I would really like is a small wireless remote control that would turn the room lights on and off. Even better would be to have the room lights slaved to the modeling lights. If the room lights would turn on and off simultaneously with the modeling lights, that would be awesome. Is there an electrical engineer in the house? :D
Message edited by author 2006-10-14 14:29:28.
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