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[AndrewCCM]

I don't have the Photogenic here at my house. My partner owns it and we use it on location. I have the AB800s... Output seems very similar, but I can't say that I have metered them side by side.

The 320 true w/s to 800 effective has been one of those things that Paul Buff has marketed "effectively". It has been discussed a lot around the net and everything that I have read indicates that it is a 320 w/s monolight. Adding the reflector and naming it with an 800, etc is marketing. The bulb output is 320 as I understand it...same as many other 320 monolights.

FWIW.. I will be ordering at least one of the Photogenic 320 AC/DC models in the near future. I'll be happy to test it with my meter then and report back.

[davidhood]

I'd be interested to know the results. If photogenics can get light output equal to aa AB800 from a small battery powered strobe then I definitely need to take a look at it.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by davidhood

I think the AB800 is 800 w.s. of light output, at leasts according to the web site.

You have to understand Paul Buff's original thinking when he first started his company. There were only one or two other companies manufacturing monolights at the time so when he came up with his EFFECTIVE WATT SECONDS marketing idea he was comparing his units to "box and cable" flashes which do lose some power between the power pack and the flash head. Even at that I believe he exaggerated the differences, but so be it.

As I stated before back in the late 1980's, I tested a Photogenic Powerlight 600 against a White Lightning 1800. In order to make the test a true test of light output, I removed the reflectors and placed each unit one foot away from and facing a white background. I put my flash meter on a stand five feet and then ten feet from the background and took readings. The White Lightning was consistently two tenths of a stop more powerful than the Photogenic. But not two or more times more powerful as their names would lead you to believe.

Photogenic later bought into the marketing idea and their most powerful unit became the Powerlight 1500. I have three of the Photogenics and two White Lightnings and they all work great. I don't own an Alien Bee, but if someone wants to bring one over we could set up this test again.

[AndrewCCM]

Originally Posted by davidhood

I'd be interested to know the results. If photogenics can get light output equal to aa AB800 from a small battery powered strobe then I definitely need to take a look at it.

Yeah.. They do work...

Just keep in mind the modeling light is disabled when on battery power.

[davidhood]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

I have three of the Photogenics and two White Lightnings and they all work great.

So is that still the case? Is the Photogenic 320 the same light output as the WL800?

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by davidhood

So is that still the case? Is the Photogenic 320 the same light output as the WL800?

I have not used either of the units you mentioned so I can't say, but judging from past experiences, I would tend to think so. I bought a White Lightning 1600 a couple of weeks back and when I used it with a "Beauty Dish" and diffuser sock, I was surprised at how high I had to turn up the power to get the exposure right.

[davidhood]

Really? I use the AB1600 to do group photos and use them to light up gyms by bouncing them off the gym ceiling.

Originally Posted by bondarnes

I have not used either of the units you mentioned so I can't say, but judging from past experiences, I would tend to think so. I bought a White Lightning 1600 a couple of weeks back and when I used it with a "Beauty Dish" and diffuser sock, I was surprised at how high I had to turn up the power to get the exposure right.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by davidhood

Really? I use the AB1600 to do group photos and use them to light up gyms by bouncing them off the gym ceiling.

I'm sure you do, but you probably were not shooting at ISO 125 @ f 11. If I wanted to light a gym (and I actually have) I would use my Calumet Traveller plus 3000A.