omd:godoxad600b
Godox AD600 / AD600B / AD600BM
Introduction
specs
600Ws powerful portable studio type LiIon flash giving GN 87m ISO 100 AD-R7 standard reflector
11.1V 8700mAh LiIon battery pack attaches to rear of unit and takes 4hrs to re-charge but gives 500 full shots and recycle of 0.01-2.5sec (can attach an optional AC adapter after removing the battery)
4 versions
10W LED modelling lamp with 3 output values
USB firmware upgradeable
optical TTL slave mode with Canon or Nikon
Godox radio remote TTL/HSS slave mode with any X1 transmitter (AD-600 requires firmware upgrade)
flash duration 1/220th - 1/10,000th sec; strobe multi flash up to 100 times at up to 100Hz
NOT able to be mounted on camera - requires a light stand but does incorporate an umbrella holder (although need to buy the optional Godox reflector with umbrella slot in correct position)
can be hand held, preferably via the optional AD H-600 / H-600B remote flash head which is much lighter but does drop maximal power output by 1/3rd EV
optionally, if you own two AD600 units, you can combine the power output of each into one 1200Ws H-1200 head with a 1200W bulb to get an extra 0.7EV light compared to a straight AD600B or 1EV more compared to a H-600B
optional PB-600 portable bag to help carry and operate the controls of the AD600 while using the H-600 head, and the bag helps to keep dust and rain from the unit
optional AC power adapter
2.66kg w battery but excl. bulb and reflector
when using the remote head, use the optional locking clamp (purchased separately) otherwise there is a chance that the remote head plugs come out a few millimetre and activate the main LED lamp which can then melt the centre of the remote head
DO NOT STORE with battery attached!
compared to the Profoto B1
Compared to the Profoto B1, the AD600B
1):
gives 1EV more power when using 7“ reflector and same spread of light (although same output when tested with Godox vs Profoto softboxes)
has shorter flash durations and less shot-to-shot variation in output level (B1 had +/- 0.1EV)
is lighter, smaller, much more affordable and with much more affordable lighting accessories
HSS works at all power ranges not just at the higher ranges
gives 500 shots on a full battery compared to only 200 shots
transmitter has a hotshoe on it whereas the Profoto one doesn't
can use an AC adapter
can use one or two onto a remote head to give 600Ws/1200Ws remote head output
has a variety of other TTL controllable flash styles whereas Profoto only has studio type flashes
but the B1 recycles faster with more accurate color (the AD600 color changes by ~300K at different outputs) and has a better head for applying gels
my blog posts reviewing and testing the AD600B on Olympus and Sony cameras
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one can shoot at 15fps with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 II in mechanical shutter high speed burst mode outdoors in the shade with a bare bulb set at approx. 3m from the subjects to give a broad coverage as a key light, and at 1/32nd output get good, consistent burst exposures with reasonable motion stopping flash durations at ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/250th sec (you may need to adjust shutter speed to increase ambient exposure)
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over-powering the sun
by this I do not mean resporting to HSS or Super FP modes as, in these modes, the flash output gets less as you shorten shutter speed, so while it allows a wider aperture, it is not really effective in increasing the flash output relative to the sunlight
by over-powering the sun, I am meaning creating an image with sunlit areas UNDER-EXPOSED, and the flash then acts as the key light
summary
using "push-sync"
I use the term “push-sync” for when I use a PC sync cable or central pin only hotshoe adapter to fire the Godox X1 remote in “single pin mode” and allows the camera to have a shutter speed faster than the camera's x-sync speed
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II has a rated x-sync speed of 1/250th sec and when tricking the camera to use faster shutter speeds, you will get some increased vignetting and black banding at the top of the image which increases in size as shutter speed gets faster - but if you don't have any close objects in this region, then this should not adversely impact your photos, and it may allow you to gain some advantage in overpowering sunlight
thus, if one shoots at ISO 200, f/16 and 1/400th sec with a polarising filter on, you will be under-exposing sunlit areas substantially, but will we be able to over-power the sun with just one Godox AD600B and 7“ reflector?
first we need to see what happens to flash output as we shorten shutter speed in normal "push-sync mode
unfortunately, the Godox AD600B takes a full 1/225th sec to blast out 90% of its full 1:1 flash output (the t0.1 measure) - that means any shutter speed shorter than this will result in lower flash exposures as they capture less of the full flash duration.
at the 1:2 + 0.7 flash output setting, the t0.1 duration is 1/350th sec
at the 1:2 + 0.3 flash output setting, the t0.1 duration is 1/535th sec
timing of the flash with respect to shutter may impact these measurements, but for these tests, I have used the default timings (the Godox AD600 does allow these to be changed!)
at 1/320th second, one actually appears to get approximately the SAME flash exposures measured on the camera's histogram at either full, 1:2+0.7 or 1:2+0.3, which suggests you may as well just use 1:2 +0.3 at this speed
at 1/400th second, one actually appears to get approximately the SAME flash exposures measured on the camera's histogram at either full or 1:2+0.7, and a slightly less exposure at 1:2 + 0.3, so one could probably use either of the latter settings rather than full output which is being wasted.
as one shortens the shutter speed from 1/250th to 1/320th to 1/400th sec, there is a sequential small reduction in the camera histogram exposure and to gain a constant exposure, aperture needs to change by 1/6th EV for each of the 1/3rd EV changes, but the BIG advantage is that by doing this, the ambient exposure is falling twice as fast, by 1/3rd EV for each increment.
BOTTOM LINE
as one shortens the shutter speed from 1/250th to 1/320th to 1/400th sec, although effective flash output falls slightly, the ambient exposure is falling twice as fast, by 1/3rd EV for each increment.
no point using full output above 1/250th sec, just use 1:2+0.7 or, at 1/320th sec, use 1:2+0.3
ps. to avoid the transmitter going to sleep, set the transmitter's CFn single pin mode to ON
high speed sync mode
omd/godoxad600b.txt · Last modified: 2018/07/27 23:27 by gary1