Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-06-07)

subscribe 0330 333 1113I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI 1 June 2019 55

Tech Talk

Our experts suggest

Ask the ex erts

BowensXMS500

TheXMS500hashadan

overhaul,withthenewversions

beingavailableexclusivelyat

WexPhotoVideo.Themount

onthe500Wheadhasbeen

strengthened,whileit stillhas

anincrediblyquick0.9sec

recycletime.TheLEDmodelling

lampkeepsthelightscoolso

thattheheadsareeasierto

handleandsaferin a studio

environment.It alsohasan

integratedwirelesstriggerand

opticalreceiver,foldawaystand

mountandanintegrated

r e fle c t o r c a p.

ProfotoB10AirTTL

TheProfotoB10off-camera

flashhasa poweroutputof 250

andcomesin a verysmall

package,nearlyassmallasa

cameralens.Theheadscanbe

runfrombatteriesora power

source,makingthemhugely

versatile.A continuouslight,it

hascolourandpowercontrolso

it canalsobeusedforvideo.It is

compatiblewith120+Profoto

light-shapingtoolsincludingthe

fullOCFrange.Theirsmallsize

andcompactdesignmakes

thema perfecttravel light,

evenwhenflying.

BowensXMT500

These500Wheadsare

powerfullightsthatcanbefired

frombatteries(upto 500xat full

power)foroutdoorshootsand

forworkingonthego.LED

modellinglampshelpto keep

thelightscoolforcontinuoususe

anda fast(0.9sec)recycletime

with1/8000sechigh-speed

syncmakescapturingaction

easy.Theabilityto shootwitha

batteryfor 500 shotsmakesfull

wirelessshootsa possibility,both

in thestudioandonlocation.The

batteryunitcanbefullycharged

fromemptyin just four hours.

£599

●LEDmodellinglight

●High-speedsyncupto1/8000sec

●Reliable build quality

£1,496

●Lightweight,travel-friendlydesign

●Canbefiredwithoutwires

●Continuous lighting for video

£699

●Travel-friendlybatterycapacity

ofupto 500 shots(fullpower)

●High-speedsyncof1/8000sec

●LEDmodelling lamp for continuous

cool light

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Lookingfora newcameraoraccessoryandneedsomeadvice?TheexpertsatWexPhotoVideo

are here to help. Contact us [email protected] or on Twitter at@AP_Magazine and#AskAP

Manfrotto’sPixi
EVOtripod
mightsuit
your needs

Q

Ihaverecentlybecomemoreinterested

in artificiallighting,bothindoorsand

outside.I amhopingtoadda coupleof

flashheadstomyphotographicgeararsenal,but

I’mnotsurewhichheadstogofor.I needa kitI

cangrowwith,andI’dratherbuybetterquality

productsnowandnothavetobuythemagain

if I getbetterat myphotography.Mybudgetis

somewherearoundthe£1,500mark, but I’m

happytotakerecommendations.

Craig Grayson

A

Wheneveryoulookatbuyingintoa flash

system,therearea fewmainthingsto

consider.Thefirstis thepowerofthe

flashesyourequire,thesecondbeingsizeand

thethird,ofcourse,wouldbebudget.It is

alsoreallyimportanttoconsiderthecostof

accessoriesfortheparticularsystemyouare

considering.It is alsoworthrentingsomeofthe

kitbeforepurchasetomakesurethelightssuit

thetypeofphotographsyouarehopingto

achieve. Below are our top suggestions.

Flash heads that I can grow with

Whichstabilisationoptions

forhikingthrough

wilderness?

Q

Igohikinga lotthrough
wildernessalloverthe
world,andsincethe
mirrorlessrevolution,I havebeen
accompaniedbya camera.I travel
verylight,withonlyonelens,but
I reallyneedsomeformof
stabilisationtoimprovesomeof
myshots.A conventionaltripodis
toolargeformyneeds,socan
youmakesomesuggestions?
ThomasGodinho

A

Smallmethodsof
stabilisationhave
recentlybecomemore
readilyavailableandsothere
aremanydifferentoptions.For
yourneedsI wouldsuggesta
miniaturetripod,suchasa
ManfrottoPixiEVOMiniTripod
ora beanbag.Beanbags
arenormallyheavierbutare
extremelyversatile,because
theycanbeusedforbalancing
yourcamerain harsher
environmentsaswellasfor
balancingthecameraoncar
windows.Miniaturetripodsalso
offeraneasyvlogginghandle
if you’reinterestedin shooting
video.Inaddition,bothofthese
optionscomein atlessthan£50
each,sowon’tbetoodamaging
toanybudgetthat you had in
mind either.