GROUP TEST: LOCATION FLASH KITS

We test and rate four smart lighting kits that are built for the road, but with all the comforts of home

Four smart lighting kits get tested and rated – which one should you take with you?

Studio flash kits are all well and good, if you’re shooting in the studio. When you’re out on location with no access to mains electricity, they’re a lot less ideal. Naturally, you could pack one or more flashguns for the ride, but their power is often inadequate for outdoor shooting, when you’re competing with the sun.

The best solution comes in the compact, lightweight yet high-tech shape of the latest battery-powered flash kits. Most are based around one or two flash heads, with a power rating of 250Ws or 500Ws. That’s far more powerful than a high-end flashgun but, as the saying goes, power is nothing without control.

Not only do the latest kits feature quick and easy controls, but all of the ones we’ve selected for this group test have the kind of flash modes more usually associated with dedicated flashguns. For example, add a hotshoe-mounting dedicated transmitter to your kit, and you can enjoy the speed and ease of TTL (through the lens) flash metering. You’ll also be able to use high-speed sync, again, just like with a dedicated flashgun, so you can use fast shutter speeds as and when you need to.

The Elinchrom and

Profoto kits on test also add ‘Action’ and ‘Freeze’ modes respectively, which deliver ultra-short flash durations for freezing motion. The Interfit and Phottix kits offer rear-curtain synchronisation, the latter also featuring a ‘multi’ programmable stroboscopic mode.

Even at the maximum power setting, you can expect a battery life of 350 to 400 flashes from these kits before needing to recharge. And if you do happen to have an electrical outlet available, they can all be run from the mains, although the Phottix requires an optional adaptor. Let’s take a closer look at how they compare, so you can make a

choice of which is best for you.