Photography News Issue 38

Most Wanted 45

Photography News | Issue 38 | absolutephoto.com

Speed of light Flash brand Profoto introduced two lighting units that have redefined short flash duration. The D2 mains monolight has a minimum flash duration of 1/63,000sec in Freeze mode, while the Pro-10 mains flash pack has a duration as short as 1/80,000sec in Freeze mode. If you want to stop high-speed action these are the units for you.

News in brief

Kodak's all-in-one 360° If you want to shoot full 360° video footage, then the Kodak Pixpro 4KVR360 is what you need to buy. Two lenses are mounted back to back in a smart-looking body and these work in tandem to produce the 360° video from the 20-megapixel CMOS sensor. Each lens has a slightly different design with different angle of views. Lens A has a 1.633mm focal length while lens B is 1.257mm. An electronic anti-shake system is built into the rugged weather-proofed body. The Pixpro 4KVR360 will be available in-store from this December onwards. kodakpixpro.com/Europe

The D2 monolight is available in two outputs, 500Ws and 1000Ws. The D2 500 offers the flash duration of 1/63,000sec, while the D2 1000’s minimum flash duration is 1/50,000sec. In both cases this has been achieved without sacrificing high output levels. The speed theme is continued with recycling where burst shooting of 20 flashes per second is possible so you can shoot a high-speed sequence and pick the best result. The two units are user-friendly, robust and share many practical features including a power range of 10EV, adjustable in 0.1EV steps, TTL shooting with a Profoto Air-Remote TTL trigger and high-speed flash sync up to 1/8000sec. Of course, both heads mesh perfectly into the Profoto systemwith over 120modifiers available. If greater power and an even shorter flash duration are what you need, then look no further than Profoto’s flagship power pack, the Pro-10. This has a 2400Ws output with energy adjustable from 2.4Ws to full power in 0.1EV steps. In Freeze mode you get flash durations as brief as 1/80,000sec and you get this with high power, too, so you can achieve your required depth-of-field as well as an ultra-brief burst of light.

The Pro-10 power pack has two outputs and no fewer than 11 different Profoto flash heads are compatible with it. Output through the two outlets is fully asymmetrical 0-100% so you have full control over your lighting set-up. Profoto also added the Air-Remote TTL-S, a Sony compatible trigger which joins those already available for Canon and Nikon. It means Sony users can nowenjoy the great features of Profoto Air flash units, including TTL flash, high-speed sync flash and remote wireless control from up to 300m from the light.

Xmarks the spot for Bowens

Studio lighting expert, Bowens, has introduced a new range of monoblock flashheads. Four heads are available, the XMT 500, XMS 500, XMS 750 and XMS 1000, priced at £1199, £799, £899 and £999, respectively. The XMS heads are mains powered with the number in the name indicating power output inWatt/seconds. For location photographers, the XMT 500 has an on-board rechargeable Li-ion battery that gives up to 500 full-power flashes per charge. This portable head also features TTL flash operation with compatible Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras via the XMTR radio trigger (£229). All X heads have high-speed sync flashmode with correct sync at shutter speeds up to 1/8000sec. Buy the XMSR radio trigger (£199) you get Sync Offset mode tomake high- speed sync possible with every camera brand. The XMS 500 has 7EV of adjustable power, while you get 8EV with the XMS 750 and 1000 versions. At 9EV, the XMT has an even wider range and its minimumpower setting gives just 2Ws. Minimum flash duration varies on the heads and you get 1/10,309sec with the XMT 500 and 1/5180sec with the XMS 500. bowens.co.uk

Profoto.com

Perfect landings

With the burgeoning popularity of drones, it's no surprise that we're seeing more dedicated accessories, such as the FlatHat Portable Drone Pads andDrone PadLighting kits. The name of the FlatHat 32in Collapsible Drone Pad sums up what this landing pad offers; it costs £34.95. It folds just like a reflector to a third of its opened-out state and comes in a travel bag. Aluminium ground stakes are included as standard.

Heavy duty fabric is used and the bold patterning enhances the flying experience and helps to improve your landing skills. At 32in, it is big enough for mid-sized drones and a 16in version is available for mini and nano size drones at £17.95. To make landing easier in poor visibility, lighting kits areavailablewith the choiceof IceBlue or GammaGreen at a price of £17.95.

xpdistribution.com

Hahnemühle box it up Hahnemühle’s limitedA3+ portfolio box offers an elegant presentation and storage solution. Finished in black and made from acid-free archival materials, the box features a textured cover made from 100% cotton and has an eco-friendly acrylic coating to give a durable surface. The limited-edition box includes 50 sheets of A3+ inkjet paper with the choice of Photo Rag 308, FineArt Baryta Satin and FineArt Baryta. Prices are £220.51, £218.24 and £236.25 respectively which includes 50 interleaf sheets of acid-free glassine paper to protect the print surface. The products are available while stocks last.

hahnemühle.com

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