With dimensions not much larger than a camera lens, the Profoto B10X packs a lot of power into an on-site light. It’s 250W of flash and 3250LM of continuous light with a weight of only 3.3 pounds. But, the monolight comes at a high price point — $1,995, to be exact. Is the power worth the price?
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I’m a snob about lighting. I still, to this day, swear by what a flash can do vs an LED for the same price. And I think off-camera lighting is a creative tool not only designed for when a place is too dark. For many reasons, the Lowel EGO LED shouldn’t leave your home studio. But no matter what, it will give pretty great light, and it surprised me in ways I didn’t think would happen.
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I’m very aware that I’m probably going to sound like an elitist photography blogger in this review. But that’s because I purposely try to aim for the absolute best when it comes to my gear. The Godox TT685 II N isn’t the best, but it’s also not at all the worst. Instead, it’s the standard. Want a radio flash? This is it. Want it cheap? You can’t do much better. Want it to be reliable? The Godox TT685 II N surely is. And when it breaks, you’ll probably just buy another.
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To say I was excited when opening up the 500ws Profoto B10x Plus unit is an understatement. Profoto is known for the quality and consistency of its lighting systems. As a Broncolor Siros L shooter, I have become accustomed to reliability, durability, and consistency for demanding fashion shoots. I was most looking forward to all of this in a more compact size with the added continuous LED light functionality.
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There are just some things you shouldn’t buy as cheap off-brands. Oreos. Coffee. Running shoes. But, flashes shouldn’t be one of them, offering in many cases more features and power than options made by major camera manufacturers. The Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III is one of those flashes. With a long feature list that ranges from multi-shot to HSS and built-in radio transmission, the Zoom Li-on III has a lot to offer for under $300.
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Oof! Sony, what did you do? The world’s most innovative photography company made two flashes. Also being announced today is the Sony HVL-F60RM 2. Both flashes aren’t anything very special. Their biggest updates are the metering with skin tones, the ambient white balance, and build quality at the hot shoe foot. But otherwise, Sony shows that they’re really not trying very hard. Plus, the new Sony HVL-F46RM flash is $399.99. Dive in, and you’ll see why we think there are better options out there.
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My favorite things to review for this website are flashes. Most people read about cameras and lenses. But the true creators care about light. Flash is, unfortunately, a place where there needs to be a lot more innovation. That’s the case with the Sony HVL-F60R M2 especially. Being announced today, this is Sony’s new flagship flash. For such an incredibly innovative company, they’re surely holding back on their flashes. In fact, the Sony HVL-F60R M2 flashes feel like a bit of an afterthought. And to be frank, we’re still not sure who would buy them.
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Over the years, LED lighting has offered photographers a cost-effective and creative option to up their lighting game. If you were to search for a portable LED, the options are very slim. Light & Motion is one of the only brands to bridge that gap. Their Stella Pro Clx10 is a powerfully compact and versatile offering that will entice a lot of photographers. It features an integrated battery, bi-color LED options and packs a lot of power for its fun size. The question is, can it truly replace the need for strobes as advertised?
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Hot shoe flashes offer the flexibility of both on and off-camera use. But, hot-shoe flashes tend to have more limited power and settings than strobes. Canon’s new flagship flash, however, is powerful enough to use with a 200mm zoom lens. Despite the power, the Canon Speedlite EL-1 can add just a touch of light with the ability to go all the way down to 1/8192 power. And, with weather-sealing, versatile power isn’t the only way Canon is trying to set itself apart.
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Elinchrom has been very quiet over the past few years. But today, the company is announcing its new Elinchrom One lights. They’ve been doing some reorganization, and that’s apparent with their new CEO. Simon Whittle is around 30 years old, and he’s worked with the company for many years. It’s nice to see a millennial at the head of a company, and that’s why I’ve got some new-found hope for Elinchrom. When you think of Elinchrom, you’re most likely thinking of the Ranger series of battery packs and lights. But, they’re doing something new, and these lights are totally different. Better yet, it’s not a rip-off of some Chinese-made product.
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As an on-site photographer, I’m an off-camera hot shoe flash kind of girl. I work without an assistant, so the ability to pull the flash off my camera after a wedding ceremony and onto a light stand for portraits has always appealed to me. But, at times — like when fumbling with four AA batteries — I’ve wondered if I was missing out by not lugging around a studio strobe. Enter the Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pro TTL pocket flash.
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Recently, Profoto updated their iPhone app. The Profoto app has a camera built-in that lets you use flashes like the B10 as a strobe. Except instead of shooting with a real, dedicated camera, you’re using your iPhone. The recent update includes TTL algorithm changes and lets you use Apple ProRAW. We spoke with Profoto’s product manager and tested it out for ourselves. It’s a stark reminder of just how limited a camera phone’s sensor still is.
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We are huge champions of learning how to use flash, strobes, and continuous lights here at The Phoblographer. Nothing is more liberating or more freeing than being able to shoot in many lighting conditions. We were offered the chance to test and review the Light and Motion CLx10. The CLx10 is a 10,000 lumen continuous light. Many photographers might appreciate continuous light more than a standard flash in the day and age of exposure previews. How does this continuous light source work in the real world? Should you buy it? Find out in our full review.
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It’s not often that I’m baffled by a flash. And that’s not to say that the Profoto a10 is a tough flash to use. But I’m trying to understand who’d buy it. I had to consult with a trusted friend of mine to help me understand, but neither of us could make the case. It’s not because the Profoto a10 is bad: it’s honestly a stellar flash! It even has a few proprietary innovations. However, most photographers probably won’t be able to justify the price to themselves.
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Beginner photographers are often intimated by stroboscopic flash. As a result, those just getting their feet wet with photographic lighting often look to constant lighting as an alternative. Consequently, we’ve seen plenty of LED constant lighting options come to market in recent years. Their overall quality has improved as well. The LitraPro is one such example. It combines a waterproof aluminum housing with a maximum light output of 1,200 lumens and the ability to use a variety of light modifiers. That all sounds great on paper, but is the LitraPro up to the task under real world conditions? Find out in our full review.
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Content creators tend to dabble in more than one medium. For instance, many photographers now have YouTube channels they make videos for, and YouTubers who do product reviews need lighting to showcase products. This is all well and good, but it also means you need to have lights to illuminate yourself, and you need a light source that you can use in your product photography. The LitraStudio claims to be versatile enough for all content creators, and it’s a product that might help consolidate your lighting, so we decided to put it to the test. Find out how well the LitraStudio performed in our full review.
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The long term complaint from many photographers is that learning how to use a flash is hard. And with the prevalence of LED lights, it seems like the industry is trying to fight the tried and true flash. But at similar price points to the LitraTorch 2.0, I think a photographer might get more from a flash. LEDs are fantastic; don’t get me wrong. You can have endless fun with them. But if what you want is power output and that extra sparkle, then only a flash will do the job unless you spend a long time in Photoshop or Lightroom. While everyone has told me over and over again that LEDs have gotten better and better, there are still major limitations.
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The Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro TTL Pocket Flash brings incremental but welcomed refinements to an already excellent portable strobe.
The Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro TTL Pocket Flash is an incremental upgrade to its well-regarded predecessor. Although there’s been no power increase, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. More power would’ve meant more components, and more components would’ve resulted in a light that became less portable. Considering the portability of the original eVOLV 200 was one of its biggest selling points amongst off-camera flash enthusiasts, focusing on upgrades that improved on build quality and usability rather than power was the right decision. The eVOLV 200 Pro’s form factor remains compact, making it the ideal off-camera light for solo shooters or those working with small teams. Our version of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro TTL Pocket Flash includes the optional Round Flash Head accessory. Find out after the jump if the changes made to the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro add up to a worthy upgrade.
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The Flashpoint Zoom Li-on X R2 TTL Round Speedlight is a versatile and portable lighting option that works on and off camera.
The Flashpoint Zoom Li-on X R2 marries a round flash head to the body of a traditional speedlight. It has a modeling light built-in, and is surrounded by a magnetic light modifier attachment ring. This setup allows you to easily attach a huge variety of small light modifiers to the Zoom Li-on X R2 including diffusers, grids, gel holders, etc. To say that the Flashpoint Zoom Li-on X R2 was inspired by the Profoto A1/A1X would be an understatement, but that’s a conversation for another day. Find out how the Flashpoint Li-on X R2 performed in the real world after the jump.
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The Rogue Flashbenders V3 are the latest update to the event photographer’s essential accessory.
I got excited when I heard about the update to the Rogue Flashbenders. For years, I used to rely on these for event shooting. They were incredibly useful, and they were arguably a game-changer when they were introduced. To this day, I still see them used at events if photographers are going for a specific look and aren’t using the built-in diffuser. But now, the company has updated their Rogue Flashbenders once again. What’s new is the construction and the way they mount onto a flash. Further, there are improvements to the way the optional diffusion panels work. The Rogue Flashbenders do a great job if you can get the metering just right.
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The Nissin MG80 Pro is a flash we initially weren’t sure of, but it grew on us and now we like it.
This past year I’ve been looking at small flashes again, and the Nissin MG80 Pro has seriously caught my attention. Years ago, I reviewed the Nissin MG8000, one of the company’s first flashes to use a Quartz bulb. I liked the results, but the interface was a tad odd. Fast forward about seven years, and I’ve got the Nissin MG80 Pro in my hands after a previous announcement. This flash still uses a Quartz bulb and has enhancements that I really like. To be in line with the needs of the modern photographer, it has a modeling lamp that can be used as a small constant light. The zoom head’s quality can be confusing until you realize it’s removable. And one will also be very impressed with the battery life. But, if you want to use it off-camera, then be sure to pair it with the Air 10s transmitter correctly. If you do, you’re going to get one of the best flashes you can buy for the Canon system.
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