Godox AD300 Pro has same output as Godox AD100 Pro??

[luigipasto]

I just bought an AD300 Pro because I like the AD100pro and thought about expanding my flash capabilities. I received the flash today, started testing it (after fully charging the battery), and was very disappointed to find that it is not more powerful than my AD100 Pro. It was not a scientific test but it convinces me that something is wrong. I mounted one strobe at the time on a light stand, stood a fixed distance from the strobe, and triggered the strobe with the Godox trigger while holding my flash meter on my chest (at about the same height as the strobe on the stand). Both flashes generated a reading of f 11.3 at full output. The AD100 pro was set at the 28mm zoom setting. If I set the AD100 Pro at the 85mm zoom setting, I got a reading of f 11.6. I got virtually the same readings with both my Sekonic and Minolta meters set to non-cord flash mode, every other setting was identical. The possible interpretations that I can think of are:

1) I'm doing something wrong
2) There is something wrong with the AD300 Pro that I bought (maybe the flash tube is defective)
3) The 2 strobes are actually the same power (GN) despite their different power consumptions.

Any ideas would be appreciated before I decide whether to return the AD300...

Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 55]

AD100PRO is 100 Watt Seconds and is focused in a narrow beam like a speed light!

AD300PRO Is 300 Watt Seconds and is a true wide angle studio mono-light!

Use them with identical soft-boxes and you will see the difference

 

[luigipasto]

Thanks for your reply Will. As described I tested the AD100 at its widest zoom setting and at its narrowest as well. Even at its widest (28mm) setting, it was just as bright as the AD300 with its reflector/lamp cover in place (providing a relatively narrow beam). I'll try tomorrow morning in a couple of modifiers, but don't expect the AD300 I received to ever get 1.5 stops brighter than the AD100...

 

[Deleted member 55]

The only true test is to use a soft-box

 

[luigipasto]

As you suggested Will, I tried both strobes through the same soft-box this morning. I did get a difference between the two but barely one stop in favour of the AD300. This is not quite what I was hoping for....but better than what I was fearing last evening.

 

[Asher Kelman]

As you suggested Will, I tried both strobes through the same soft-box this morning. I did get a difference between the two but barely one stop in favour of the AD300. This is not quite what I was hoping for....but better than what I was fearing last evening.

Luigi,

….But was the flash lightbulb bare or covered with some lens?

Asher

 

[luigipasto]

The AD300 was covered with the standard protective glass cover.

 

[Asher Kelman]

What about the AD100?

 

[luigipasto]

It has a sealed bulb behind a fresnel lens. It does zoom from 28mm to 85mm. I tested it at all the zoom ranges. The difficulty I had with the AD300 is that it appears to be just as powerful and 50% more cost than the AD200.

I sent it back today. I kept the AD100 because of it's extreme portability. I'll use it as my street flash on a Manfrotto Nano stand.

 

[Deleted member 55]

The best reason to have the 300 is it directly supports a speed ring.

I have a shoot coming up that I will be using 2 300’s, then we can compare the different levels as I shot the same model with the 100’s with the half dome magnetic diffuser’s.

These are my two different studio in a backpack setups.

Photos of the setups to follow!

 

[Deleted member 55]

The AD100PRO will have a hotspot on the soft box making the apparent brightness being more!

To have a accurate test you need a internal diffusion panel in the soft box!

The goal is to have an even panel of light!

T AD100PRO is a speed light with a light stand mount!

The AD300PRO is a studio light designed for use with a soft box!

If you put a proper fresnel modifier on it the AD300PRO Will show you much more power!