Godox AD200 questions

JonathanRyan

JonathanRyan

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So it looks like I'm going to replace my ragtag collection of held together with sticky tape SB800s with some Godox AD200s. Typical usage will be on site head and shoulders using 2X lights with softboxes and a third just in case/as a kicker/as a sep light depending who the client is. I tend to take around 500 pics per session running at about half power on an SB800 - I assume that's somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 on an AD200. I don't use TTL but I do like to adjust my lights from camera position.

Questions:
  1. Presumably one battery per light will be fine for this? Maybe one spare in case something weird happens?
  2. Can you get AC leads for the AD200? I've seen them for the 400 - this would be a handy backup.
  3. Are the cables that let you separate the head and the battery worth it? I guess I could put the pack at the bottom of the stand and the head at the top. Is this a useful thing to do?
  4. What trigger would you get? Don't need TTL, don't need HSS (though could be handy for other work), shoot Nikon. Does the X2 do anything useful the X1 doesn't?
  5. Is there actually a modelling light on the AD200? Does it kill the battery? Does it even work?
  6. Will I be happy with this kit?
 
1 - I would think so. I've never come close to draining mine, but that's at around 100-150 at full power so a bit less work than you're suggesting for your Key
2 - no idea, never needed any
3 - as 2
4 - I have the ST-IV - it does things you don't say you need, but I got it partly as the screen is much bigger so easier to see & work with, I didn't think it an expensive upgrade at the time
5 - yep there is one, but unless you're working in a pretty dark environment you might not even notice its on. I never use it so can't comment on battery life
6 - no idea - but for what I use it for I'm very happy with it

HTH, even if only a tiny bit

Dave
 
DG Phototraining said:
1 - I would think so. I've never come close to draining mine, but that's at around 100-150 at full power so a bit less work than you're suggesting for your Key
Click to expand...

Thanks - do you mean you will typically use 100 - 150 full power and it's still fine or you believe the limit is 100 - 150 full power?

Manu specs say 500 @ full but you know what manufacturers are like :)
 
JonathanRyan said:
Thanks - do you mean you will typically use 100 - 150 full power and it's still fine or you believe the limit is 100 - 150 full power?

Manu specs say 500 @ full but you know what manufacturers are like :)
Click to expand...

I have used it up to around 150 full power shots without it running out of juice, and yes I agree manufacturers like to s t r e t c h the truth a bit :D

Dave
 
The missing bits, there’s a modelling light in the fresnel head but not the bare bulb, you’ve not got one on the speedlights so doubt it’ll be missed.
Godox’s battery claims aren’t a million miles out, that said, I’ve never got close to that amount of use. I reckon 500 shots at a quarter power is a piece of cake.
I don’t think the cable that separates is useful unless you’re trying to hide a light in a small space, the body of the ad200 isn’t significantly heavy enough.
I use the same trigger as Dave, it makes changing things easier than the x1. Probably allows more options than you ‘need’ but you’re not exactly paying through the nose.

If you were thinking of an AD600 I’d definitely say get the remote head.

I can’t think of a better multi head portable studio - unless you absolutely need modelling lights.
 
Thanks @Phil V - that corresponds with what I was thinking - it's always good to get another opinion.

Modelling lights would be nice but as you say, I'm used to working without them.

I think I might be swaying towards the X1 trigger (despite your advice :D ). After years of fumbling with a PW on top of the camera it would be nice to be able to read info on the *back* of the trigger. I tend to use my camera on a tripod as high as possible and can't read stuff on the top of it.
 
Graham W said:
Ha! You've still got SB800's!
Anyway...if when you come to get shot of them you find you're missing an original box, I have one I could fold flat and put in the post.
Just the box, no other packaging.
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Thanks :) One of them is held together with 3 different kinds of tape so I suspect a box could double its value :D

Strangely I've just never got on that well with my SB900. The 800s were awkward to use and clunky but they remain my favourites.
 
I like the x-pro trigger... the screen is larger and easier to read. I found the X-1 difficult to read in daylight; never got the X-2. The X-Pro also has more direct controls for less digging. I.e. hit a button and spin the wheel to adjust the power.
(Edit: just realized that the ST-IV is the pixapro rebrand)

The remote head is useful if you're putting it on a boom of some sort... a VAL will certainly appreciate it.
 
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Hmm, 3 votes for the X-Pro and none for the X-1. At some point I may just have to admit you guys know what you are talking about :)

Looking to buy an X-1 in the classified for 20ish quid. Cheap enough that I can check it out and keep it as a spare if I hate it (I like backups....). The X-Pro is calling.....
 
The XPro is easier to read and operate due to the larger and better display.
 
Graham W said:
Ha! You've still got SB800's!
Click to expand...

Ive shot with 2 of these for the last 10 years at pretty much every Wedding - still going strong, can't see any need to change before they break :)

Oh and unlike JR's, mine are in great condition still, and I've only lost 1 of the Stofens too - boxes in the loft I suspect :D

Dave
 
DG Phototraining said:
Ive shot with 2 of these for the last 10 years at pretty much every Wedding - still going strong, can't see any need to change before they break :)

Oh and unlike JR's, mine are in great condition still, and I've only lost 1 of the Stofens too - boxes in the loft I suspect :D

Dave
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I had three...loved them. Sold them to a mate and they're still going strong. :)
 
They last a lot of shots, but if in doubt take one spare battery and charger. I doubt you'll need it.

No modelling light with bulb unless you get a dual head bracket, which are really worth it for portrait work.

I have basic trigger and it's ok. It gets the job done and I really like that switch is on the side and very light which means tripod doest move a multimeter operating it unlike ste3
 
Update: bought a couple of AD200s in the classifieds and an X-Pro trigger from the 'bay. Done a reasonable amount of testing - yesterday used them in anger for the first time (with a bag of my old lights in reach just in case).

Set them up at 8am, left them on all day and packed up at 4:15. 798 pictures plus a few tests. Every one of them fired first time at the power I asked for EXCEPT for 2 exposures where I had turned one light off and then back on. Weirdly it fired too hot twice and then settled down. I had one at 1/32 and on at 1/16 with the lights pretty close at ISO200.

At lunchtime, the ambient in the room came up so I dropped the camera ISO to 100 and turned the lights up 1 stop to 1/16 and 1/8. That trigger is PERFECT. Press the "all" button, 3 clicks to the right, carry on :)

Godox did good.
 
OK so I had a weird gotcha today....

Shooting all day with lights set at 1/8 and 1/16. No power worries (though eventually I'll buy another battery). However, I found that when the heads go into sleep mode, the remote does NOT wake them. So if I've stopped for lunch (or an extended rant at Adobe) then when I restart I needed to hit the test buttons on each head to wake them. Just firing a couple of times via the trigger doesn't work.

I guess they power off the receivers when they sleep. (Yes, one day I'll find which custom function stops this happening.....).
 
Is there a test button on the triggerr. That wakes mine up. I have the smaller trigger though so maybe different.

Gaz
 
On a side note. "I'm a hobbyist so only photos for fun & family" I also used speedlights but bought an Ad200. I generally use just the one in a 90cm softbox plus reflector if needed.
I know they are supposed to be 3 times more powerful but I find I use it at similar power to the speedlight. I am wondering if there is an issue with mine as your power level is much lower ?

Gaz
 
cargo said:
Is there a test button on the triggerr. That wakes mine up. I have the smaller trigger though so maybe different.

Gaz
Click to expand...

There is, it doesn't :)

It's not a huge deal but it's something else to fail. Also I have a nice umbrella box and to access the test button I need to open up the front of it.


cargo said:
On a side note. "I'm a hobbyist so only photos for fun & family" I also used speedlights but bought an Ad200. I generally use just the one in a 90cm softbox plus reflector if needed.
I know they are supposed to be 3 times more powerful but I find I use it at similar power to the speedlight. I am wondering if there is an issue with mine as your power level is much lower ?

Gaz
Click to expand...

I don't know if your light is faulty. However, I typically used to use 1/2 and 1/4 power on SB800s. On the AD200s with the same modifiers and same lighting pattern I'll use 1/8 and 1/16 which suggests they are 2 stops more powerful which is more or less what I'd expect from the stats. I do tend to set my lights pretty close. If I'd have though, I would have done a BTS shot from yesterday. This should give you a clue.

Oct19-553-Edit.jpg
 
Yes I too have my lights close. It's always bothered me that I was sure I would have had to drastically reduce the power of the ad200 but I never had too. If I get chance this evening I'll try a comparison for my own curiosity if nothing else
Would have been good if I knew someone else with one.

Gaz
 
cargo said:
I know they are supposed to be 3 times more powerful but I find I use it at similar power to the speedlight. I am wondering if there is an issue with mine as your power level is much lower ?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing you're comparing the speedlight with its reflector and Fresnel to the bare bulb AD200?

If you use the AD200 with its Fresnel you should see something more comparable but probably best avoided otherwise.
 
simonbarker said:
I'm guessing you're comparing the speedlight with its reflector and Fresnel to the bare bulb AD200?

If you use the AD200 with its Fresnel you should see something more comparable but probably best avoided otherwise.
Click to expand...

That would make sense as I'd expect the bare bulb to have a lot less apparent power.

Out of interest, why do you say to avoid the fresnel head? That's all I use :)
 
Yes I'm using the bare bulb on the ad200. I've never used the freznal head. As I have a speedlight so assumed it would be the same sort of light.
So to recap. Are we saying with the bare bulb on the ad200 there is not really a noticeable difference in power ? Compared with the Canon 580 ex. Both in a softbox.

Thanks for the reply !
 
cargo said:
Are we saying with the bare bulb on the ad200 there is not really a noticeable difference in power ? Compared with the Canon 580 ex. Both in a softbox.
Click to expand...
W/o the reflector I assume... the main thing you will/should notice is more even light, but only with critical setups. The speedlight isn't really making full use of a standard softbox, it's mostly just using the diffusion and will tend to have a hot spot. The bare bulb is sending a lot of its' light sideways, making more use of the back/sides of the softbox for more even lighting of the diffusion. Basically, the AD200 is (should be) giving you a larger area of the same brightness, which equals more light (2x the area would be 4x the light).
 
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JonathanRyan said:
That would make sense as I'd expect the bare bulb to have a lot less apparent power.

Out of interest, why do you say to avoid the fresnel head? That's all I use :)
Click to expand...
There isn't really any reason to use the fresnel head most of the time; because it has less power and less coverage than the bare bulb w/ reflector... and a bare bulb is much better in a softbox.
But the fresnel head is a lot more protected/durable for use in the field. And there may be times where you actually want the tighter/harder light.
 
sk66 said:
W/o the reflector I assume... the main thing you will/should notice is more even light, but only with critical setups. The speedlight isn't really making full use of a standard softbox, it's mostly just using the diffusion and will tend to have a hot spot. The bare bulb is sending a lot of its' light sideways, making more use of the back/sides of the softbox for more even lighting of the diffusion. Basically, the AD200 is (should be) giving you a larger area of the same brightness, which equals more light (2x the area would be 4x the light).
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply.
It seems there is more to it than to just say that the Ad200 is 3x more powerfull than your speedlight. Your explanation goes some way to explain whats going on.
I tend to feather my light quite a bit.
So I guess I am wasting a fare amount. Mind you that shouldnt matter if I do it with both lights.

Gaz
 
cargo said:
Thanks for the reply.
It seems there is more to it than to just say that the Ad200 is 3x more powerfull than your speedlight. Your explanation goes some way to explain whats going on.
I tend to feather my light quite a bit.
So I guess I am wasting a fare amount. Mind you that shouldnt matter if I do it with both lights.

Gaz
Click to expand...
You have to compare like for like. If you use them both using the fresnel heads, at the same beam focus (zoom) setting, you will find the AD200 notably more powerful (IDK what that setting is offhand).
 
sk66 said:
You have to compare like for like. If you use them both using the fresnel heads, at the same beam focus (zoom) setting, you will find the AD200 notably more powerful (IDK what that setting is offhand).
Click to expand...

Yes, you have to compare like for like and that's actually quite difficult. Very few reviewers manage to do it properly and some are shockingly ignorant of apparently small things that can make a big difference. However, I'm pleased to say that Robert Hall's most recent test rig (reverse-firing softbox, detailed in the YouTube link below) is pretty good - both in terms of accuracy and real world relevance. I have used something similar myself for magazine reviews and my figures tally with his almost exactly for the Godox V860 II, AD200 and AD600 (within a tenth of a stop).

It's all in this link with the test data at 2.50mins. He puts the AD200 at 1.2 to 1.3 stops brighter than the V860 II speedlight, with the AD200 Fresnel head having the fractionally higher figure. I agree, but I would also add that the top end Canon and Nikon speedlights are typically about 0.1 to 0.2 stops brighter than the V860 II.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t51IsHqwa-8
 
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