Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

If you're using a 1.2, you might be able to just use the modeling lamp.
Get a whibal card and do a custom color balance and shoot away...

If your popup flash is firing, the pre-flash could be triggering the Bee. If this happens, the Bee will fire becore the shutter opens, and would therefore not contribute to the exposure.

That is a good point. However in this case, the 5D mkII doesn't have a built-in flash.

Ok, I tested it again. At F/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100, it had a light output variation, but it is extremely overexposed. At F/11, I saw a minimal, almost not noticeble light output variation.
So, now I am going to retrace my steps, because I'm still new to this I might be making a very basic mistake, and maybe you can help me.
When I turn on the B800, I press the power button on my my receiver and my commander to turn them on, set exposure, ISO, and ss and shoot from there. My camera's it set to AWB, AL SERVO, MANUAL, and the light/ flash comp set to 0. I never used the phone jack. I didn't understand what it is for (pardon my ignorance).If my ss is higher than 200, I get a black band on the side of my image, so I'm pretty much set to have it pretty open(which is fine with me). I only move the slider on the back panel, after my camera is set, but I only get overexposed pictures with narrower aperture numbers. Thank you so much for you patienece ;)

Agreed. Not using it.

I think it is a problematic light. However, I would suggest calling in for a bit more real-time trouble shooting, as I do need some calrification. You can answer here if you prefer.


Can you please elaborate on this? What exactly are you seeing when you see "out put variation"?

What happens at f/11 and the light set to full power?


It seems you have the basic CST (one dial, one LED, one button) vs. the Cyber Commander (two buttons, and a big LCD screen), which is fine, but they are very different. You do not have to "turn on" the CST like you do the reciver.


I assume the MANUAL you refer to here is the "M" on the top dial of the camera? AWB is less than ideal, but not related to the problems you are having. This can be discussed in a sperate thread. Flash compensation will have no effect with studio flash regardless of its settings, so that is fine. Same with AI servo.


ISO200 is the max sync speed of your camera, so that is OK. The telephone jacks are for remote power control of our lights with the Cyber Commander. Do not use these jacks with the CST


Again, If you get f/11 at full power setting and f/11 at minimum power setting, I believe your light is not adjusting as it should.

Answer: Right now I just took 2 pictures at F/11, ISO100, SS200, one at fullpower, and one at 1/32 of power and I did not see any variation. The picture looks the same to me. You' re right, sorry for my mistake- I'm using the cybersync, not the cyber commander.Sorry!
So if the light is not adjusting right, what should I do? Again, thanks for all your kind atenttion.

Call or email our sales department (contact info is in my signature). They will be able to get this corrected for you.

Once corrected, I think you will find achieving your goals rather easy. If not, we're here to help!

Dum question, but are you adjusting the slider for the modeling lamp instead of power?
There are two sliders..if you slide both to the left and press the test button, it fires at full power? If so, it's broken :)

There is only one slider on the Bees. Recent White Lightings and Zeus have two sliders.