What we like
Contents
1. All in all the Bowens Studio In A Box is a fantastic low cost kit that serves as the perfect introduction to home studio photography What we like A Excellent build quality A Two brollies and two reflectors included A Low price What we don t like Y No carry case included in the kit Y No softbox Y Control dials aren t labelled very accurately HOME STUDIO LIGHTING KITS GROUP TEST LASTOLITE LUMENS F400 PRO FLASH KIT 720 A SLICK KIT DESIGNED FOR THE PROS website www lastolite com contact 01530 813 381 he Lastolite Lumen8 F400 Professional Flash Kit certainly appears to live up to its pro credentials The whole lot comes in a hardwearing large black fabric case with a convenient extendable handle and wheels for easy transportation With it comes two 400w s flash heads two 185mm reflectors one PVC 800mm umbrella two light stands one 600 x 600mm Ezybox softbox two mains leads two sync cables and the sturdy carry case Each flash head incorporates a flash tube and modelling lamp that can be adjusted to proportional or full power The Remote setting means that the heads will automatically detect when the synced master head fires to ensure simultaneous firing from all units The heads contain air vents to keep the unit s components cool plus thermal cutoff is also included should things get too hot The layout of the controls on the back of the heads is very easy to interpret If you do need extra gu2. get themselves started conTacT 01530 813 381 FEATURES KK FEATURES KK KKK CONTACT sales interfitphotographic com FEATURES KKK QUALITY OF RESULTS KK KK gt QUALITY OF RESULTS K k kkk QUALITY OF RESULTS X K K HANDLING K K gt lt HANDLING K kkk HANDLING K EASE OF USE Kk KJ EASE OF USE FAIA EASE OF USE FIIIK VALUE FOR MONEY K k amp VALUE FOR MONEY K VALUE FOR MONEY K k K3 An inexpensive way to get started in studio photography or a lightweight setup that s ideal for location work It s pricy but the quality os accessories make it worth it If you re looking to make an investment this is it Overal ee AND WIN f you re on a budget the three entry level kits are all very worthy contenders The D Lite 2 kit sports a faster recycle time and more modelling lamp power options whereas the Bowens kit doesn t include a softbox or a carry case but does feature two reflectors and two umbrellas The low priced Interfit and professional Lastolite kits offer the best of both worlds each containing an umbrella two reflectors and a softbox Having some of the controls on the side on the Bowens Esprit Gemini 200 heads is necessary as there isn t enough space to have them all on the back But we found it a bit annoying that they weren t all together The dials on these heads also have rather cryptic pictures which made it difficult
3. flash heads are compatible with the Bowens range of portable power packs making them a great choice for location photography too You get a fair amount of kit for the price with every piece designed to be petite for maximum portability but still powerful enough for most portrait or tabletop lighting situations Inside the box you ll find two Esprit Gemini 200 flash heads two Handy Stands two mains leads two modelling lamps a sync lead two 900mm silver white umbrellas and two 120 degree Wide Angle Umbrella Reflectors It s just a shame there s no carry case included which would reinforce the kit s portability If this is an issue however you can purchase one from the range on the Bowens website You also don t get a softbox but Bowens makes up for this with the extra umbrella The controls on the flash heads are pretty simple with a side mounted dial to control the power a Test button and a Ready light On the rear of the unit you ll find the modelling lamp control which can be switched to Full Half or Off as well as the switch to turn the audible recharge confirmation and slave cell on or off These compact units pack plenty of power and aren t fan cooled so you have to go easy on the rate at which you shoot In that sense the comparatively slow recycle time of 1 3 seconds should help to keep the unit from overheating but it will automatically cut out and allow itself to cool should you start to overcook it
4. kits are the As most versatile allowing the photographer complete contro over light intensity i UMMM LLULLU L LLU GROUP TEST HOME STUDIO LIGHTING KITS ELINCHROM D LITE 2 488 THE ENTRY LEVEL KIT THAT DELIVERS A PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE website www theflashcentre com contact 0207 837 5649 D Lite 2 heads is just how light they are The whole kit weighs just 1 1kg an impressive measurement that highlights the kit s suitability for photographers who need to travel with their equipment Equally handy the whole kit folds down into two shoulder bags The lightweight nature of the kit does make it feel a little less professional than its competitors but this is by no means reflected in its performance The D Lite 2 heads are stabilised to plus or minus 1 5 per cent so you know what you re going to get each time you fire the flash as indicated by the consistent results we achieved during our tests As with the other contenders in this test the D Lite 2 heads support the popular S type bayonet reflector mount so they re compatible with a wide range of accessories across the Elinchrom range As with the Bowens kit the plug in flash tube is user changeable which is one benefit of buying an entry level kit over a pro version that would need to be replaced by experts scoring it a few extra points for convenience The control panel incorporates a digital display and buttons that are si
5. sturdy as other kits OU py IJZJZ JIe EC WYG G GG GGG UMMM MMM GROUP TEST HOME STUDIO LIGHTING KITS RESULTS BOWENS STUDIO IN A BOX ELINCHROM D LITE 2 PRICE 429 LASTOLITE LUMENS F400 PRO FLASH KIT PRICE 720 INTERFIT HOME STUDIO EXD200 PRICE 370 RECYCLE TIME 0 7 seconds RECYCLE TIME 1 3 second RECYCLE TIME 0 4 1 6 seconds RECYCLE TIME 1 5 seconds AUDIBLE Yes RECYCLE CONFIRMATION AUDIBLE Yes RECYCLE CONFIRMATION AUDIBLE Yes RECYCLE CONFIRMATION AUDIBLE Yes RECYCLE CONFIRMATION FLASH 1 1200s DURATION FLASH 1 1700s DURATION SLAVE CELL Yes SLAVE CELL Yes TRIGGER VOLTAGE 5v TRIGGER VOLTAGE 5v FLASH 1 700 1 1700s DURATION SLAVE CELL Yes TRIGGER VOLTAGE 4v FLASH 1 100 1 300s DURATION SLAVE CELL Yes TRIGGER VOLTAGE 5v DIMENSIONS 160 x 200 x 110mm DIMENSIONS 145 x 310 x 130mm DIMENSIONS 410 x 182 x 210mm DIMENSIONS 155 x 145 x 145mm WEIGHT 1 1kg WEIGHT 2 2kg WEIGHT 1 2kg WEIGHT 1 2kg WEBSITE Www elinchrom com WEBSITE Www bowens co uk WEBSITE Www lastolite com WEBSITE Www interfitphotographic com contact 0207 837 5649 FEATURES KAAK contact 01255 422 807 QUALITY OF RESULTS k k kk HANDLING K k KJ EASE OF USE K k KJ VALUE FOR MONEY K k k K A top kit for the price perfect for those looking for an uncomplicated entry level kit to
6. to gauge exactly what power settings we were using The Lastolite Lumen8 dials are Overal kaka score THE ER IS much clearer with more meaningful markings however overall we prefer the digital display on the Elinchrom and Interfit heads The Bowens heads have half the amount of power as the professional Lastolite heads while the recycle time is much longer highlighting the fact that extra cash does buy added functionality It also emphasises just how much value for money these entry level kits represent for 200 300 less than the professional kit you get a head with a recycle time that s only 0 3 seconds slower D Lite 2 or a kit with the same flash duration and comparable build quality Esprit Gemini 200 If you re just starting out the entry level kits are brilliant even after you ve weighed up all the pros and cons But if you want a kit that has everything and you have the cash available the Lastolite kit is definitely worth the extra cost Overall aaa An excellent entry level kit that doesn t compromise on quality a great buy for those just starting out Overall ee ok Reproduced by kind permission of Digital Camera Buyer Issue 63
7. UMMM GGO OO OGOOGO OGOGO GGG GGG G9 GROUP TEST HOME STUDIO LIGHTING KITS Home studio lighting kits STUDIO LIGHTING KITS ARE TAKING THE PHOTOGRAPHY MARKET BY STORM BUT WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU Words Josie Reavely The photographic studio provides a controlled environment in which to experiment with light manipulate it to match your requirements and achieve the precise look you want Studio flash kits are the most versatile kind allowing the photographer complete control over light intensity and positioning as well as producing a neutral coloured light that saves the hassle of correcting the colour casts that are introduced by other types of lighting These kits are also compatible with a range of accessories that help to control the direction and intensity of the light from snoots and softboxes to gobos and honeycomb grids It s important to check the sync voltage sometimes called the trigger voltage as anything over 6v may damage your camera Flash recycle time is also a key factor to take into account when purchasing a lighting kit particularly if you plan to put it to professional use It s often best to keep things simple when it comes to lighting a lot of professionals will advocate working with just a couple of lights The range of different effects you can achieve with a two light setup is plentiful making the four kits in this round up ideal for most projects All four units are lightweight a
8. idance there s a brief user manual included in the kit which includes colour pictures is easy to follow and gets straight to the point It details how to set up and operate the kit as well as tasks such as changing the modelling lamp and fuse The units are easy to operate with a clearly labelled dial to control the flash power as well as the modelling lamp when it s in Proportional mode A Test button allows you to fire the flash check your setup or take a meter reading And the range of accessories supplied with the kit means that you have everything you need to get started with the option to expand your horizons with more accessories available separately from Lastolite What we like A Great range of accessories A Excellent wheeled carry case A High quality professional kit What we don t like Y It s expensive Y Only one umbrella a second would be useful Y Flash tube can t be replaced by the user INTERFIT HOME STUDIO EXD200 370 PROFESSIONAL GOOD LOOKS FOR A BUDGET PRICE website www interfitphotographic com contact sales interfitphotographic com C learly designed for both portability and user friendliness the Interfit Home Studio EXD200 has impressive specifications for such a low price tag The kit comes with two EXD200 flash heads two air damped stands one 600 x 600mm softbox one translucent umbrella two power leads and a soft carry case to pack it all into The kit also includes two sy
9. mple to operate and they allow for very precise settings to be dialled in ensuring consistent results One other addition to the Elinchrom T he first thing we noticed when handling the offering is an instructional DVD that s included in the price an invaluable source of information about the kit itself and studio work in general The kit performs very well indeed quick to set up the flash heads deliver colour cast free results The recycle time of just 0 7 seconds is very impressive although note that these heads deliver a flash duration of 1 1200s rather than the 1 1700s offered by the Bowens and Lastolite contenders Nonetheless this is all you really need for static photography What we like A Very lightweight and portable A Accurate digital controls A You get two softboxes great for portraits What we don t like Y The flash duration isn t fast enough to freeze action Y It could do with a few more accessories really Y There are no reflectors included in the kit BOWENS STUDIO IN A BOX 1429 EVERY PHOTOGRAPHER SHOULD FIND SOMETHING TO SUIT HERE website www bowens co uk contact 01255 422 807 imed at amateurs and professionals A alike the Studio In A Box from Bowens seeks to provide everything you need to supplement your first studio The modest price tag y is not indicative of the quality or performance of this lighting system which incorporates Bowen s renowned Esprit Gemini monobloc These
10. nc cables so you can plug a flash meter into one and connect the other to your camera The controls on the back of the flash head are intuitive and a digital display allows you to monitor power levels while dedicated buttons let you adjust the flash and modelling lamp power independently Another button controls the audible recharge confirmation which can be switched off if desired There s also a button that controls the four different slave cell modes designed to eliminate problems caused by cameras that fire pre flash AF assist or red eye reduction beams You can turn the Sync function off or operate in Standard Sync mode allowing you to wirelessly sync multiple flash heads It all gets a bit clever when the second or third lights are on The flash head will fire on the second or third flash detected by the flash receptor simply ignoring the first or first and second flashes it sees instead firing on the second or third depending on which mode it s in The softbox and shoot through umbrella are quick to set up providing two even lighting sources or the reflectors can be used to achieve dramatic lighting What we like A The brolly is a welcome accessory A The kit includes two reflectors A Slave cell modes eliminated pre flash problems What we don t like Y The accessories don t fit snugly on the flash head Vv A beep is omitted every time you press a button you can t turn it off Y The stands aren t as
11. nd portable making them perfect for photographers who have to travel around with their gear Studio kits come in all manner of shapes and sizes bundled with a range of different accessories Some are better suited to certain forms of photography than others Those with a shorter flash duration for example will be better for action studio photography while other models that may not be as speedy might be lighter and easier to transport Our group test features four of the top kits on the market tested for their ease of use quality of results and consistency as well as portability and value for money Featuring a variety of specifications and price tags you ll hopefully find one to suit THE CONTENDERS ELINCHROM D LITE 2 ZEI The featherweight entrant in terms of size but don t be fooled we reckon it has still got the weight to pack a good punch i ight is essential in photography and can have a profound effect on images BOWENS STUDIO IN A BOX F429 Bowens is a brand that should instill confidence can this ultra portable kit live up to its name LASTOLITE LUMENS F400 PRO FLASH KIT 720 This certainly looks like the professional kit it claims to be but does its performance warrant its price tag INTERFIT HOME STUDIO EXD200 l 370 At the low end of the price range should that put you off Or does it simply offer superb value for money TUDIO LIGHTING KITS GROUP TEST WS Studio flash
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