INTERFIT S1 ON-LOCATION 2-LIGHT BACKPACK KIT

When it comes to value for money, the Interfit looks like it could be twice as good as the other kits on test

Although similarly priced, the Interfit comes with two flash heads rather than just one. The heads have the same 500W rating as the Elinchrom and Phottix, beating the 250Ws of the Profoto B10. Interfit’s S1 wireless trigger also has a budget price tag of just £80/$95, available in Canon or Nikon dedicated options. Use of the wireless trigger enables automatic TTL flash metering and HSS flash modes. Rear-curtain flash is also available.

The Interfit S1 has rechargeable Li-ion batteries that plug directly into the heads, rather than into a separate power pack. This means no thick electrical cable needed to connect the head to a power pack, but the Interfit heads are relatively heavy, at nearly 3kg each. The AC adaptors supplied can power the heads directly from the mains, making them equally suitable for use in the studio or at home, as well as on location.

As well as two flash heads, the ‘2-light Backpack’ kit doubles up on chargers, mains adaptors, cables and reflectors. Fully loaded, the high-quality backpack is a real heavyweight at about 13kg, although you can ease the load down to 10kg if you don’t need to take the two AC adaptors with you.

Power adjustments for each head are made via a simple rotary knob. An impressive nine-stop power range is available, in 1/10th stop adjustment increments, complete with a digital display. Each head also has a 10W LED modelling lamp, although, when switched on, its operation is limited to either full or half power, so there’s no proportional option. For mounting light shapers and other accessories, the heads have a standard Bowens S-type bayonet mount.

We recorded a healthy GN 57 with a standard reflector, dropping to a still very useful GN 40 in HSS mode. The recycle time between flashes is longer than in competing heads at low to medium power settings, at around half a second, and it rises to 3.1 seconds at the top end of the power range.

Left Double the fun The comparatively massive and weighty Interfit kit contains two of pretty much everything, from flash heads and standard reflectors to batteries, chargers and AC adaptors, plus a wellpadded backpack. As usual, however, you need to buy lighting stands and a wireless trigger separately