monolight

A Guide to Studio Lights in Photography

If you’ve decided to take the next step in your photographic lighting and purchase some studio strobes, then you will need to ask some questions about what kind of images you’ll be creating in the studio and what the best lighting for those particular subjects is.

Profoto B1X Review: Tough, Powerful, and Worth Every Penny

When Profoto released the cordless, battery-powered B1X monolight in 2017, I was rather skeptical. Why should a company release a new light if it offers mild improvements over the old model? Faster recycling, better battery life, and more modeling lamp output aren’t exactly groundbreaking. Yet the build quality, the ability to freeze motion, and the number of flashes per charge make this light worth every penny.

StellaPro Reflex S Review: One Light to Rule Them All?

There have been a lot of interesting light solutions for creatives released in the last few years, but they were either a slight improvement over a previous generation (like the Profoto A1 to A1X) or something to serve a niche corner like the Lumee from Spiffy Gear. Nothing has been really groundbreaking... except perhaps for the StellaPro Reflex from Light and Motion.

An Intro to Flash Types in Photography, from 70W to 4800W

There are literally hundreds of different flashes on the market. With brands competing for attention and offering some very unique features, it is often hard to decide which flash to pick. What is more, buying a flash is sometimes like buying a whole lighting system. If someone buys Profoto they are likely to stick with it for a long time because it’s part of a lighting system, not just one flash.

Can We Please Stop Talking About Watt Seconds?

Photography is evolving -- Dramatically! I am talking about advances with smartphones, mirrorless cameras, and AI technology -- this is an exciting time to be a photographer. But there must be a better way than watt-seconds to compare lights.

Is Pro Flash the Future of iPhone Photography?

Photographer Patrick Hall over at Fstoppers recently put Profoto's 'AirX' iPhone flash sync technology to the test. Using just an iPhone and a Profoto B10, he set out to find out if professional off-camera flash is the "future" of iPhone photography.

Elinchrom Unveils Affordable ELC 125 and ELC 500 Mid-Range Monolights

Elinchrom has just released two new mid-range monolights that are both full-featured and surprisingly affordable for what they offer. The new ELC 125 and ELC 500 boast to 131Ws and 522Ws of power, respectively, and offer everything from standard options like TTL and HSS support, on up to more niche features like "Smart Pro-Active Cooling" and light-up logos that indicate flash group.

The New Profoto B1X Improves on the B1 with Power, Power, and More Power

Profoto isn't being shy about their new B1X monolight. They're calling it the "new benchmark for on-location lighting." A significant improvement on the Profoto B1, "This isn’t an update," explains Profoto. "This is a significant replacement with improvements in three important areas: power, power and power."

Hands On with The New Godox AD200 Pocket Flash

In late 2015, I stumbled upon a strobe called the Godox TT685: a fully-featured speedlight that has radio master and transmitter capabilities built right in. Being a Nikon user, I had never experienced that type of wireless connectivity, and I bought 3 despite being leery of the price.

Godox’s AD200 Packs 200Ws of Power Into a Flash the Size of a Candy Bar

Godox is quickly making a name for itself as a go-to lighting brand for photographers looking to save a buck without sacrificing quality or functionality. But the new AD200 is less about saving money than saving space: it's a "pocket flash" with two different heads that is literally the size of a decent candy bar.

You Don’t Get What You Pay For: $700 Godox AD600 vs $2,100 Profoto B1

Back in December 2015 I saw a rumor report online about a 600w/s Chinese monolight with onboard battery, TTL, and built-in radio. After doing some research I found they had a TTL speedlight that worked within the same system, and I became very excited.

In Defense Of Flash: 5 Reasons to Move Beyond Natural Light Photography

Flash is a complicated beast, let’s put it that way.

Say you’ve spent the last few years of your photography journey perfecting natural light, and you know the exposure triangle by heart. Flash comes in to the picture and ruins that perfect triangle, making it more of an exposure square.

Profoto Reveals the D2, The World’s Fastest TTL Monolight

Holy recycle time batman! Photography speed demons get your bibs out, because Profoto just released a new monolight that'll get the salivary glands going strong. It's the Profoto D2, and it's officially "the world's fastest monolight with TTL."

Speedlights vs Studio Strobes: Which is Better and Why?

As beginner's guides go, this is one of the best we've stumbled across. In 10 minutes, Joe Edelman does a fantastic job comparing the standard speedlight to the standard monolight or "studio strobe," explaining some of the confusing terminology, and helping break down which is better when and why.

Broncolor Goes Wireless with Battery-Powered Siros L Monolights

Profoto may have started the battery-powered monolight trend with the B1, but they're not the only major player in the game anymore. Earlier today, Broncolor officially announced two new 'Siros L' monolights that draw power not from a bulky external unit, but from a lithium ion battery built right into the light itself.