Two Godox AD200s with AD-B2 Bracket vs. Godox AD400 Pro

Greetings! Would you rather snag a solo Godox AD400 Pro or roll with the dynamic duo of two Godox AD200s coupled with the AD-S2 Twinhead Bracket? In the latest blog post, we'll be conducting a comparison between the Godox AD-S2 Twinhead Bracket (paired with a couple of Godox AD200s, naturally) and the Godox AD400 Pro, focusing on their brightness and practical applications.

The Contenders

(above) The Godox AD-S2 Bracket with two Godox AD200s attached

(above) The Godox AD400 Pro

As the product descriptions claim, the AD-S2 with dual AD200s promises to match the brightness of an AD400. Plus, you get the nifty perk of separating the duo of AD200s if you need two light sources.

Now, the real head-scratcher: Is the AD-S2 genuinely as bright as the AD400? And how does it throw down against a lone AD200? Time for a dash of SCIENCE, folks! 🚀

The Experiment:

We positioned our light source(s) three meters away from a light meter and conducted measurements. If you're unfamiliar with how a light meter functions, it's quite straightforward: the higher the f-stop value, the greater the brightness at the measurement point.

And here are our results: 

Wait a minute, what? 😲

Counterintuitively, a single AD200 with the Fresnel head attachment outshone all other contenders in terms of brightness. 

To understand this, it's essential to grasp the inherent characteristics of a Fresnel head, which is designed to emit an extremely intense and tightly focused beam of light. Conversely, the barebulb head scatters light in a multi-directional pattern, resulting in significantly different light meter readings. Read more about it here

However, when we introduce softboxes into the equation, the differences begin to even out. It's worth noting that the AD-B2 Twinhead setup is now twice as bright as a single AD200 when both are equipped with a softbox, resulting in a one-stop difference in brightness.

Additionally, it's evident that the Godox AD-B2 Twinhead setup matches the brightness of the AD400 when paired with a light modifier. However, as a barebulb, there is only a marginal difference in brightness. This understanding of light meter readings and modifiers is crucial for making informed decisions in your photography setup.

Conclusion

When you attach a light modifier, which is a common practice in photography, you can expect certain outcomes:

In this context, the Godox AD-B2 Twinhead, when used in conjunction with 2 x AD200s, typically delivers double the brightness compared to a single AD200. Additionally, it's noteworthy that, in a broad sense, the Twinhead performs at a brightness level equivalent to a Godox AD400 PRO. 

While there might be minor deviations depending on the specific light modifier and other variables. The choice of the light modifier and various factors can influence the outcome, but the overall trend remains steady.