Godox ad 200 for portraits?

soeren said:
Sorry I seem not to be able to link from this unit :(
Gavin Holy did some portraits in sunlit conditions with different lights among them an AD600 which did not do much more than an AD360
Click to expand...
Well, I haven't seen it and won't be looking for it, but in bright conditions at full power, even 600Ws without any form of modification does require very short light to subject distance.
Some years ago I did an outdoor model shoot that used 7 600Ws flash units, we invited along some TP members to watch and several comments were made about overkill - but the reality was that we used 7 of these units for one simple reason - they were needed:)
 
HoppyUK said:
Over the years, that knowledge has come in very useful.
Click to expand...
I guess I fall in the middle... primarily self taught but many years and very diverse.
I have to admit that if you find the right source of information (and put in the effort/time) you can be self taught to a much higher level more easily these days... unfortunately, finding the right source(s) is pretty hard in the mass that is available.
 
Indoors, you often don't need much power and can get away with very little if you push the ISO. One stop higher ISO effectively doubles the Ws output in exposure terms.

Outdoors in daylight is a totally different thing. The sun is very bright, that sets the baseline for exposure and you can't just push the ISO as that increases ambient exposure too. Then you need to go above the ambient level if the flash is to be anything more than fill-in. Outdoor subjects also tend to be shot at greater working distances, and that needs more power. Greater distance means bigger softboxes if you want to retain soft light - more power. And if you're shooting action at fast shutter speeds, that needs high-speed sync - and lots more power :eek:
 
soeren said:
Sorry I seem not to be able to link from this unit :(
Gavin Holy did some portraits in sunlit conditions with different lights among them an AD600 which did not do much more than an AD360
Click to expand...
I think THIS is probably it.
IMO, too many changes to directly compare (position/modifier). And it appears to me that the AD600 shot has the light more feathered to the front w/ more light going past onto the wall.
 
sk66 said:
I think THIS is probably it.
IMO, too many changes to directly compare (position/modifier). And it appears to me that the AD600 shot has the light more feathered to the front w/ more light going past onto the wall.
Click to expand...

It's well known that the flash tube of the Godox AD600 is not optimally positioned and doesn't put out as much light as expected from 600Ws. But if you can fix that with a suitably low-profile modifier mount so all the light is properly distributed, the brightness is there. No doubt they will sort that with the Mk2 version expected soon, and hopefully double-up the modelling LEDs too. I tested the AD600 as exactly one stop brighter than the AD360, which in turn is 0.6 stops brighter than the AD200 with bare-bulb head.

I've found Godox power settings to be generally very accurate (unlike some).
 
Phil V said:
It was £256 and I’ll be selling my AD360 mk1, with some accessories thrown in.

I rarely use the 360 at max power, I’ve got a Safari2 for bright conditions. The AD200 will create an easier VAL experience.
Click to expand...

Just had a look ....an AD600 would be tempting as well with the discount.....do you use the X1 trigger?

Was going to try for a deal at the show in March......Going to sleep on it....got till tomorrow to decide.....thanks for the heads up....[emoji106]
 
Canon brook said:
Just had a look ....an AD600 would be tempting as well with the discount.....do you use the X1 trigger?

Was going to try for a deal at the show in March......Going to sleep on it....got till tomorrow to decide.....thanks for the heads up....[emoji106]
Click to expand...
I’ve ordered an x pro trigger, I think it looks a better option than the x1
 
Canon brook said:
Just had a look ....an AD600 would be tempting as well with the discount.....do you use the X1 trigger?

Was going to try for a deal at the show in March......Going to sleep on it....got till tomorrow to decide.....thanks for the heads up....[emoji106]
Click to expand...
You've got until tomorrow to claim the Lencarta Black Friday discount. For reasons that I can't go into, I believe that the deals available at the photography show will be less good.
 
Phil V said:
I’ve ordered an x pro trigger, I think it looks a better option than the x1
Click to expand...

Not sure if I imagined this, but did I read that the XPro trigger does not have a timing off-set feature, for tail-hypersync etc? Not sure if that's important to you Phil, but it's included in both the XT32 and X1 (also has pass-though hot-shoe that's handy for those that like to tinker).
 
simonbarker said:
It's worth the upgrade just for the TCM thing, always managed to either forget to pick a group or accidentally pick the next one on the old trigger.
Click to expand...

Just for clarity, how does TCM (TTL Convert Manual) work exactly? I know what it does I think - set up a bunch of flash heads in auto-TTL if that's how you want to work, fiddle about with ratios or whatever until everything's just right, then hit the TCM button and all those power settings are locked.

That's great, could be very useful, but are the settings merely locked but still in auto-TTL mode, or do the heads actually switch to manual at the appropriate power setting? And secondly, can you switch it back again?

I'm thinking of the times I'd like to use something like that, sometimes what I actually want is to stay in auto-TTL mode, but know what power output the flash is firing at. Basically, I want to know how much headroom I've got if the situation is likely to change quite a bit and the flash unit/s are already close to max.
 
HoppyUK said:
Not sure if I imagined this, but did I read that the XPro trigger does not have a timing off-set feature, for tail-hypersync etc? Not sure if that's important to you Phil, but it's included in both the XT32 and X1 (also has pass-though hot-shoe that's handy for those that like to tinker).
Click to expand...
It doesn't, but I haven't needed it.
simonbarker said:
It's worth the upgrade just for the TCM thing, always managed to either forget to pick a group or accidentally pick the next one on the old trigger.
Click to expand...
If you mean the magnified single group mode, I agree...
getting old sucks.
 
HoppyUK said:
Just for clarity, how does TCM (TTL Convert Manual) work exactly? I know what it does I think - set up a bunch of flash heads in auto-TTL if that's how you want to work, fiddle about with ratios or whatever until everything's just right, then hit the TCM button and all those power settings are locked.

That's great, could be very useful, but are the settings merely locked but still in auto-TTL mode, or do the heads actually switch to manual at the appropriate power setting? And secondly, can you switch it back again?

I'm thinking of the times I'd like to use something like that, sometimes what I actually want is to stay in auto-TTL mode, but know what power output the flash is firing at. Basically, I want to know how much headroom I've got if the situation is likely to change quite a bit and the flash unit/s are already close to max.
Click to expand...
Trigger and head both switch to M mode. Change mode to revert to TTL.
There's a custom setting for which model strobe is listened to w/ mixed units or something like that... I haven't figured that out yet (haven't messed w/ it).
 
HoppyUK said:
Just for clarity, how does TCM (TTL Convert Manual) work exactly? I know what it does I think - set up a bunch of flash heads in auto-TTL if that's how you want to work, fiddle about with ratios or whatever until everything's just right, then hit the TCM button and all those power settings are locked.
Click to expand...

Sorry wrong person to ask, I wouldn't use TTL even if I didn't only have the manual head but I'm only using it in the sense that it locks you onto a specific group and power adjustments are immediate without requiring you to pick a group each time.

It's a tiny thing but damn if I didn't find it annoying on the old remote plus all the other systems I use work the same way so it just feels right now and one less distraction.
 
simonbarker said:
It's a tiny thing but damn if I didn't find it annoying on the old remote plus all the other systems I use work the same way so it just feels right now and one less distraction.
Click to expand...
I agree. It's really the magnified single view and nothing to do with TCM... it's also the only view on the XT32 trigger.
 
Last edited:
middlearthimages said:
Update,

I purchased 2 godox 200's and did a family portrait session inside the peoples home and the results were really good. well happy with the amount of light although i was lucky too that the room was very light.

Thanks all.

regards,

john
Click to expand...
Which modifiers did you use with the AD200's?
 
I wasn't even aware of the AD200 until seeing this thread just before Christmas.

However I got tempted and ordered one up along with a few accessories to have a play with the other day. I also ordered the Pro version of the trigger which arrived today but the AD200 won't arrive until the New Year. :)

Will give it a go, I like the fact that it's so portable and for what it will be used for it should be fine even being a little under powered. If all goes well I think I might get rid of my AD360 and just run with 2 of these.
 
AD200 has arrived - need to find a few models. thanks for the advice everyone. debating a beauty dish to go with it
 
Redgie44 said:
AD200 has arrived - need to find a few models. thanks for the advice everyone. debating a beauty dish to go with it
Click to expand...
As above, Lencarta have a sale on. I have one of their folding BD’s and it’s a very versatile tool.
 
As to not bug anyone with a new thread I'm in the market for my first strobe and here are my requirements. I think the main lighting guys are on this thread anyway


- Torso and headshot portraits on a Chamonix large format camera ( 100 and 400 speed, bnw only
- Full body portrait and maybe 3-4 person group shot on Pentax 67 ( probably 50 - 400 speed film, bnw only )
- I also have a X-t30 which acts as my colour camera and digital polaroid to check lighting

Full length body shot would be nice on large format but not vital

I live in a small london flat and have the space for 1 120cm soft box and reflector

Be good if I could use the strobe as outdoor fill people and no need to fill foreground in landscapes. Im already in the Godox system with a tt350f and x1 trigger

Due to the large format consideration (f16 and above) ive emlinated the ad200

I'm looking at the ad600 pro but also unsure if the ad400 would also fit my needs. Im a hobbyist so hope to grow the system a bit more eventually but for now one main key light and if needed I think I could get away with a reflector or even use the tt350 as a fill

Thanks!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
There is a ridiculous amount of work that can be done with AD200s. The small size makes them suitable where big heads could be a headache.

Perhaps it is easier to say where you won't get away with AD200. And that's 1. Shooting with the bright sun in the mix, or sun cast highlights. AD600 barely copes with that. (unless you can have much better real life HSS than 1/160s - and that's before taking into account of flash duration at 1/1) 2. Where You need modelling light.

AD400 pro may be a compromise if you need both. It's more compact and lighter and is even just about handholdable like AD200 is.
 
Last edited:
LongLensPhotography said:
There is a ridiculous amount of work that can be done with AD200s. The small size makes them suitable where big heads could be a headache.

Perhaps it is easier to say where you won't get away with AD200. And that's 1. Shooting with the bright sun in the mix, or sun cast highlights. AD600 barely copes with that. (unless you can have much better real life HSS than 1/160s - and that's before taking into account of flash duration at 1/1) 2. Where You need modelling light.

AD400 pro may be a compromise if you need both. It's more compact and lighter and is even just about handholdable like AD200 is.
Click to expand...
How far can I take a single a200 with 4x5 large format? with 100 film and the 120cm lencarta soft box for example
 
acrobatic_Citron said:
How far can I take a single a200 with 4x5 large format? with 100 film and the 120cm lencarta soft box for example
Click to expand...
Around the world I would think as long you take a decent sized car and have permits to cross the borders :p
 
I don't know anything about the Chamonix, http://www.chamonixviewcameras.eu/ but according to this they're 4 x 5" and larger. So, assuming 4x5" you're probably looking at f/45, not f/16 - and even with the light source extremely close, that's going to need a lot of power. The AD600 has a guide number of around 87 with the standard reflector (100 ISO). Let's assume 80 with your softbox, With the softbox at 3metres from subject that will be f/25 in theory, more like f/16. 400 ISO would make that around f/32. With the light closer you should be able to achieve f/45 but with anything less than the AD600 you'll clearly struggle.
 
Garry Edwards said:
I don't know anything about the Chamonix, http://www.chamonixviewcameras.eu/ but according to this they're 4 x 5" and larger. So, assuming 4x5" you're probably looking at f/45, not f/16 - and even with the light source extremely close, that's going to need a lot of power. The AD600 has a guide number of around 87 with the standard reflector (100 ISO). Let's assume 80 with your softbox, With the softbox at 3metres from subject that will be f/25 in theory, more like f/16. 400 ISO would make that around f/32. With the light closer you should be able to achieve f/45 but with anything less than the AD600 you'll clearly struggle.
Click to expand...
Cheers!
 
Might stick to 6x7 for the indoor stuff then, cheers all!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top