The Paul C. Buff Celestial is a 500Ws, TTL/HSS Compatible Battery Strobe
Paul C. Buff has announced a new 500Ws compact and lightweight battery strobe called the Celestial, which features a bright LED modeling light, a built-in wireless receiver, and support for high-speed sync (HSS) and TTL shooting.
Paul C. Buff positions the Celestial as an ideal lighting solution for both outdoor and studio photographers that are looking for high-end specifications but want a lightweight strobe that doesn’t cost a fortune — it weights 4.6 pounds and costs $650.
The new strobe is battery-powered but can be charged while shooting, while the HSS and TTL capabilities are controlled by the company’s HUB remote, which is currently available for Nikon, Canon, an Sony cameras. That built-in CyberSync transceiver is also compatible with CST3, CyberCommander, and CyberSense remotes, but does not allow for HSS or TTL capabilities. When used with HSS, the strobe can sync at up to 1/8,000 second. Action-stopping flash duration (which is usually at lower power levels but is not specified by the company) is as short as 1/18,600 second.
The Celestial features 12 stops of power variability from 3.1 Ws to a maximum of 500 Ws via a digital control via a rear LCD display. The company says that at any power, the color consistency is plus or minus 50 Kelvin. The company says that its maximum recycle time (the slowest it will get) is 1.5 seconds, and Paul C. Buff says that while it is a 500Ws strobe, it’s output is “similar to the 640Ws Einstein” strobe.
In addition to the strobe, the Celestial also has an adjustable 160-watt equivalent daylight-balanced LED modeling lamp. The company says that the unit is compatible with its magnetic silicone gel domes as well, which it says allows “photographers to utilize gels hassle-free with any modifier.”
“As photography has become more and more accessible with the advent of smartphones and affordable starter cameras, pro-grade lighting still remains out of reach for many. The Celestial features phenomenal color accuracy and industry leading standards for a light of its power level,” the company says.
“We have spent the past two years working tirelessly to bring this light to market with a price that will not only provide photographers with the features they love from the industry’s current offerings, but the savings to keep investing in their craft.”
The Paul C. Buff Celestial will be available to order from the company’s website starting on January 20, 2023 for $650 and comes with a two year warranty.
