Buyers’ guide
Buyers’ guide Let there be lights!
Pick up some new flash or continuous lighting and see the benefit in your shots
Profoto B10 PlusAirTTL › £1895 › profoto.com
0.05-2.5secs on full power, and it gives 200 flashes off a full charge. For continuous light, it has a 2500 lumen output, adjustable across 10-100% power and 3000-6500K temperature, controllable in 500K steps. Like its siblings, the B10 Plus is easy to control. Using Profoto’s AirTTL trigger, you can shoot in TTL and HSS modes, and it has a helpful interface.
For many, Profoto is the Rolls-Royce of flash equipment. And with heads like the B10 Plus AirTTL, it’s easy to see why. Following up the success of the B10, the B10 Plus is only a little larger at 23.5cm long, and weighs just 1.9kg. But it delivers twice the power, with 500Ws output, adjustable over ten stops. Recycle times are also excellent, at
THERE’S NO DENYING that you can make some great images with available light. But adding your own illumination with flash or continuous light will undoubtedly increase the quality of your work. Flash has long been the go-to lighting solution for photographers, and modern systems are smaller, more compact and easier to use than ever
before – so there are plenty of reasons to invest. And with the superb high ISO abilities of modern cameras, and fast lenses, continuous lighting is now a real option. Of course, this means no additional thought in terms of exposure. Whether you’re taking your first steps, or blessed with experience, check out these high-quality flash and continuous lighting solutions.
RiBLAuraMVL2 › £34.90 › ukdigital.co.uk
Nanlite Forza 150 › £535 › en.nanlite.com
The Aura MVL2 is a highly portable LED model, making it a handy location light – but it also comes with a neat twist. Playing on its weight and size – just 98g and 70x35mm – its stand includes a flexible suction cup, so the lamp can be easily attached to surfaces like tables, walls or windows. The lamp can also be removed and mounted on stands, clamps, or directly on-camera, using its 1/4in thread or integrated coldshoe – and additional lights can be clipped onto its ABS housing. It gives an output of 850 lumens (a 6W equivalent), and the bi-colour output can be controlled over a colour temperature range of 2500-6500K. The Aura MVL2 runs off a rechargeable battery and charges via USB-C.
delivered in a daylight- balanced output. Rated at CRI 96, you won’t get annoying fluctuations in colour. This light uses a Bowens-type mount, making it compatible with a range of modifiers, and it comes in a neat carry bag. It runs on mains power, but if you're on-location, a V-Mount battery adapter costs around £32.
The Nanlite Forza 150 is a superb LED lighting choice, giving an affordable option to photographers who don’t want to – or can’t – work with flash. The Forza 150 weighs only 1.36kg and measures 227x133x115mm, but has a very high-powered output of 27,960 lux – equating to a 170W bulb at 1m. This can be set from 0-100% and is
ElinchromD-Lite RXOne/One SoftboxToGo › £585 › theflashcentre.co.uk
Manfrotto Lumimuse 8 › £79.95 › manfrotto.co.uk
Aspiring shooters can see flash as complicated and off-putting. With a set-up like the Elinchrom D-Lite RX One/One Softbox To Go kit, it doesn’t need to be. It comes with two mains-powered RX One heads. These have a maximum output of 100Ws, adjustable over five stops down to 6Ws – which is excellent for close work or fast lenses. Recycle time is 1.2secs at full power; 0.35sec at the lowest. The set comes with a Skyport Plus wireless trigger for easy control, but you can use the EL- Skyport app for settings. To get you started with light shaping, two softboxes, two reflectors and a translucent deflector are included, along with two light stands and a carry bag.
The Lumimuse 8 is a small and powerful light, with an output of 550 lux at 1m. Weighing 175g, it can be mounted directly on-camera, or on a variety of supports using its included coldshoe mount and 1/4in thread. Featuring eight LEDs – hence the name – it has tough aluminium casing, and uses a
controlled using Bluetooth and a free app, where dimming is controlled from 0-100% compared to the manual mode’s four steps.
filters and a diffuser; other modifiers can be bought separately. Whether you’re using a single model or multiple lights, they can be
rechargeable lithium battery with USB connection. This provides a running time of up to an hour. It comes with three snap-on colour
Issue 95 | Photography News 25
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