Photography News issue 27

48 First tests

Photography News Issue 27 absolutephoto.com

Interfit S1 £799.99 The huge advances in cameras means there are more ways than ever to express yourself. The same can be said about what’s happening in the world of flash where speedlights and mains flash have merged so much that they’re be inseparable. The Interfit S1 is a great example of the new world of flash. It can be mains or battery powered, has IGBT technology just like speedlights for very short flash durations and little or no colour shift at lower power settings and it has the option of High-Speed Sync. Add an output of 500Ws, the ability to accept a huge range of modifiers and radio wireless remote control, and you have a lighting unit with all the credentials of a superb and versatile lighting unit. The S1 is available as a kit with battery, charger, 7in-spill kill and an AC adapter, and all for a penny shy of £800 – but allow an extra £80 for the S1 TTL Remote. On paper, that looks very good value.

Specs

the head with its spill kill fitted, I was getting a reading of f/16.6 at ISO 100. With a white shoot-through brolly that became f/11.2. The power output control is accurate at settings from level 8 down to 4 and then there was a loss of 0.2EV at 3 and another 0.2EV at 2. Not a problem but worth knowing if you are going from a higher setting into that power range without checking exposures or taking meter readings. The power control itself doesn’t have a quality feel but it works fine which is all that really matters. For the colour-output test I started with a Nikon D800 in its flash white- balance setting. The test shot was warm, as usual with this camera. A custom white-balance gave neutrality and then I did shots inmanualmode of a colour test chart at each designated power setting. Colour output stayed consistent from maximum- to minimum-output settings. The LEDmodelling gives an output enough for a meter reading of 1/20sec at f/2 at full power and 1/10sec at f/2 (at ISO 100) at half power. Useful enough to aid focusing in dark situations, for video and even for stills shooting with the appropriate camera settings. Output with the camera’s AWB looked accurately neutral. Key selling points of the S1 are wireless control, TTL flash and High- Speed Sync (HSS) with the S1 TTL Remote that is available for Canon and Nikon DSLRs. This gives great control – from a long distance and around corners too – of the S1. Power adjustment in manual and TTL, channel setting, turning the beep and model lamp on and off are just some of its features. In TTL mode, flash

Prices Interfit S1 flash head, 7in reflector, Li-Ion battery and charger, AC power pack and mini USB cable £799.99, S1 TTL Remote for Canon or Nikon £79.99, S1 battery £159.99 Output 500Ws, GN48.7 (ISO 100/m) Flash power range 7 stops in 1/10-stop increments Recycling time 3secs (mains and battery) Flash duration 1/1000sec (max power) to 1/9000sec (min power) Colour temperature 5700K +/- 100K Modelling lamp 10W LED Wireless control Interfit TTL-C/N 2.4GHz remote, sync port, IR/optical Shootingmodes Manual, TTL (Canon or Nikon), HSS Maximum sync speed 1/250sec in normal sync mode, 1/8000sec in High-Speed Sync mode Fan cooling Yes Auto dump Yes Battery type 4500mAh Li-ion Battery life

It’s a solid unit with the controls on the back and a drop-in compartment on top for the battery. The battery can’t be charged in situ – even when the AC adapter is in use – although the unit can be used with the AC adapter without any battery in position. The controls are easy to navigate and the large, clear LCD helps. The on/off switch has AC or DC positions while the integral modelling lamp switch has off, 50% and 100% settings. If you are working in a group situation, there are eight channels and three group options. Power output is settable in 1/10EV steps within a seven-stop range. Theclaimedoutputis500Wswhich is plenty for most photographers. Using a Gossen flash meter 3m from

exposure compensation up to +/-3EV in 0.1EV is possible. The Remote is really easy to use, helped by a clear LCD, and large icons. I’d say the buttons on my sample needed a very definite push to operate, although that is probably a good thing. HSS is a handy feature for outdoor portrait fans especially those keen to shoot at wide lens apertures. The Remote unit automatically sets HSS when the camera’s manually selected shutter speed exceeds the usual top sync speed and this is set on the flash unit too. Output is selectable on the unit from levels 5 to 8 and is adjustable in 0.3EV steps. The specs say that flash sync up to 1/8000sec is possible. I tried the S1 with a Nikon D3s and a D800 and

getting flash sync at 1/8000sec was no problem. The Auto FP option was selected in the camera menus to enable HSS. Battery capacity is very good. Over 350 full-power bursts are claimed. I got to that easily. Recycling time at full power is 3.2sec to start with and by 200 full flashes this had increased to just over 4secs. After 350 flashes recycling time had increased to 4.4secs and the battery level indicator was flashing a single bar. I did the capacity test at one sitting over a period of an hour or so, and while the unit got warm that is to be expected and the overheating circuit did not kick in. Basically, there is plenty of capacity on hand even if you only have one battery. WC

350 full-power flashes Battery charge time 3 hours Dimensions 34x23x13cm Weight 2.85kg Contact interfitphotographic.com

Over 350 full- power bursts are claimed. I got to that so easily

How it rates

Verdict There is much to like, enjoy and use on the Interfit S1. It’s highly featured, powerful and versatile. It is also a very good price for what you get. Spend £880 and you get mains and battery operation, 500Ws output, HSS, TTL and access to popular S-bayonet modifiers. In recent times, Interfit has probably not been considered among the upper echelon of flash brands but the S1 could change that. It’s a seriously capable unit at a seriously attractive price. Features TTL, HSS, IGBT technology, mains and battery powered – it’s got the lot Performance Powerful and impressive capacity, so rates highly Handling LCD control panel very clear and the same applies to the Interfit remote Value formoney £800 for the head, and both power options sounds tempting. Budget for the Remote Overall The S1 has much to offer and delivers at a very competitive price Pros Great value and the kit comes with AC adapter and battery, capacity, HSS Cons Battery can’t be charged on the head, power-control knob seems flimsy

25/25

24/25

Images Colour temperature of the S1’s output is consistent from minimum power, level 2 (above) to maximum power, level 8, (right), as you can see from these shots of an X-rite colour chart. Both were taken on a Nikon D800 after a customwhite-balance reading had been taken from the S1. Colour consistency is one of the benefits of IGBT circuitry compared with mains flash that use capacitors.

24/25

25/25

98/100