My new one just came this past weekend and I've been testing it out. It's a Godox AD200. Considering you'd need a trigger for your camera type at minimum (it's a dedicated off camera flash) you're looking $400 or so. I dropped more and got modifiers though.

Anyhow, you have a swappable fresnel or bare bulb head that can do HSS and puts out 200w/s of power, with 500+ full power pops on the rechargable li-on battery.

1/1 power with the bare bulb and dome diffuser will completely light up a medium sized room to proper exposure, when the camera shows a black exposure otherwise. (I tested with ISO 100, 3 second, F/22, to make sure the only light in the exposure was the flash)

Trigger showed up today, so I'll be trying out the remote settings, hss, etc over the next week, but damn this thing works great so far. The trigger even has a projected AF grid for darker areas. They are supposed to be putting out a whole bunch of other heads for it as well.

Anyone want to see any specific tests for it? I'm still waiting for my octabox to show up, but I have a reflector with gels and honeycomb, dome diffuser, barn door with gels and honeycomb, and am about to try to test out a reflector with umbrella mount. (manufacturer says it should fit, but it doesn't. For $10, I'm just going to modify the bastard)

It's the first flash I've ever seen consistent 5 star reviews on, and I was needing a HSS capable flash with a ton of output for outdoors stuff. Figured it was worth a shot, because dragging monolights outside to shoots sucks because you need expensive battery packs or a generator.

Well then, I'm looking forward to seeing how shots taken with this come out. I've always had trouble illuminating large, dark areas myself.

Posted by Aran Well then, I'm looking forward to seeing how shots taken with this come out. I've always had trouble illuminating large, dark areas myself.

While I don't have anything abandoned nearby, I'll see what I can do about coming up with something convincing as a photo. I'm not really that keen on taking a photo of my room as it's a mess right now. (half unpacked from moving)

I'm open to ideas though. 21+ hours of daylight right now, so going into the yard and setting it off won't work either.

Will take the flash into the garage tonight (now that fishing gear is out of it) and take a 1/1 power with the diffuser dome, regular reflector, and bare bulb.

"Anyhow, you have a swappable fresnel or bare bulb head that can do HSS and puts out 200w/s of power, with 500+ full power pops on the rechargable li-on battery."

It would be nice if you could go into more detail on your experience of that... because I would imagine you're talking about $400 just for a Godox (whatever brand that is) And how much are the bulbs?
Can you get a different lumen outputs with this setup? Based on initial power output and what bulbs you may use?

any recommendations under 50$?

Somehow I knew this would involve xenon

Posted by General Zod "Anyhow, you have a swappable fresnel or bare bulb head that can do HSS and puts out 200w/s of power, with 500+ full power pops on the rechargable li-on battery." It would be nice if you could go into more detail on your experience of that... because I would imagine you're talking about $400 just for a Godox (whatever brand that is) And how much are the bulbs? Can you get a different lumen outputs with this setup? Based on initial power output and what bulbs you may use?

The flash itself is $360 ish usually bundled with a trigger for your camera type (TTL varies on manufacturer so they use different models) and a reflector of some kind. I just snagged one of the intro models that came with everything. Cost a bit more, but a lot less expensive than buying separate.

Replacement bulbs are $30-40 and are rated for the 200ws power output, but is also controllable on the back panel or through TTL metering. So you could do the 200ws or down to barely nothing. The bulbs are specific to the unit, but output is adjustable.

If my memory is right, it's roughly 17 lumens per watt, so this would output roughly 3400lm in one pop. The bare bulb with modifiers is better for wider areas and the fresnel head for distance or specific spots you want to hit with light.

Plus you can use modifiers on them really easily. Considering most speedlights are 50-80ws it is a TON more power output in a same sized package.

Posted by VacantMedia any recommendations under 50$?

The Yongnuo 560 IV is right around $60 on Amazon and very well reviewed. It is a straight manual flash, so you'll have to learn how to run it. Honestly, it's not that hard, just takes a bit of trial and error to get your exposure right.

Posted by blackhawk Somehow I knew this would involve xenon

Well yeah, they are awesome. I'm freaking loving this thing.

Btw, sorry about the clutter. These were taken in the garage ISO 100 f/9 1/250 on my D7200 with 14-24mm wide angle. No post processing done. Without flash, it shows a black exposure. I'd have done another set with a higher ISO, but family was mucking around in the garage lol.

This is 1/1 output pop in probably the hardest to illuminate settings. Realistically you could make it a lot brighter by not using base ISO for the image.

In order:
reflector without any modifiers (honeycomb, gels, etc)
dome diffuser (you lose about 3 stops worth of light, but is very soft light)
bare bulb

click to view

click to view

click to view

Posted by DarkAngel Well yeah, they are awesome. I'm freaking loving this thing. Btw, sorry about the clutter. These were taken in the garage ISO 100 f/9 1/250 on my D7200 with 14-24mm wide angle. No post processing done. Without flash, it shows a black exposure. I'd have done another set with a higher ISO, but family was mucking around in the garage lol. This is 1/1 output pop in probably the hardest to illuminate settings. Realistically you could make it a lot brighter by not using base ISO for the image. In order: reflector without any modifiers (honeycomb, gels, etc) dome diffuser (you lose about 3 stops worth of light, but is very soft light) bare bulb click to view click to view click to view

Looks pretty sweet
Now all you need is a missile silo or bunker complex...

Posted by blackhawk Looks pretty sweet Now all you need is a missile silo or bunker complex...

There are a couple abandoned missile and guidance sites nearby but the AF has gotten *VERY* active at arresting people at them lately.

Not sure what is going on with Eielson AFB, but compared to the lots of bases I've been on, they have zero sense of humor when it comes to security.

Shooting aircraft photos from the highway? SP's will show up destroy it if you are lucky. Need lots of passes to get into the training areas, but I'm hoping to get up there this summer. Bunch of maintained Soviet era stuff to take photos of. Would love to see a ZSU up close.

Posted by DarkAngel There are a couple abandoned missile and guidance sites nearby but the AF has gotten *VERY* active at arresting people at them lately. Not sure what is going on with Eielson AFB, but compared to the lots of bases I've been on, they have zero sense of humor when it comes to security. Shooting aircraft photos from the highway? SP's will show up destroy it if you are lucky. Need lots of passes to get into the training areas, but I'm hoping to get up there this summer. Bunch of maintained Soviet era stuff to take photos of. Would love to see a ZSU up close.

I meant ones on inactive bases if they exist there.
Federal trespassing is a bad idea any day or night. Just not worth it.

Posted by blackhawk I meant ones on inactive bases if they exist there. Federal trespassing is a bad idea any day or night. Just not worth it.

I figured. They patrol inactive stuff in town at least. The stuff in the Aleutians I dreamed about photographing are in the process of getting demoed right now. A buddy is working on it, and they had to recover a bunch of still in cosmo M1's, 1911's, belt feds, etc, and put them in a crusher.

Killed me inside to hear.

The actual highway cuts through base property, so even pulling over to photograph a moose will end up with a colonoscopy.

At least I can get a pass into the training area when they aren't doing exercises and see the soviet stuff (if I can find it)

Posted by DarkAngel I figured. They patrol inactive stuff in town at least. The stuff in the Aleutians I dreamed about photographing are in the process of getting demoed right now. A buddy is working on it, and they had to recover a bunch of still in cosmo M1's, 1911's, belt feds, etc, and put them in a crusher. Killed me inside to hear. The actual highway cuts through base property, so even pulling over to photograph a moose will end up with a colonoscopy. At least I can get a pass into the training area when they aren't doing exercises and see the soviet stuff (if I can find it)

Can you get a base pass?
I've been know to get lost on those big bases...

Posted by blackhawk Can you get a base pass? I've been know to get lost on those big bases...

To the training area, yes. Base itself, (per a conversation with them earlier this week) without a verified press pass, no.

Posted by DarkAngel To the training area, yes. Base itself, (per a conversation with them earlier this week) without a verified press pass, no.

How about to interview with a contractor that's working there like Rayatheon?
That got me into Fort Hood three times back in 2010.
The may have tighten security since then... (I didn't do it)

So my multibox showed up today. This this is great. ~$30 for a 22" umbrella style octabox that works as a beauty dish (screw in reflector) softbox, and octabox, plus quick attach diffuser and grid for light control.

Kinda awesome for headshots.