http://www.digitalcameraworld.com OCTOBER 2019 DIGITAL CAMERA^121
raditionally, Elinchrom has
stuck with conventional
variable-voltage flash for
its battery-powered heads.
This enables optimum performance
and colour consistency throughout the
output range. Three variants of each
head are required for standard, high-
speed sync and ultra-short-duration
flash. The ELB 500 employs IGBT
(insulated-gate bipolar transistor)
technology, as used in the other
battery-powered kits on test, enabling
all three options from a single head,
plus automatic TTL flash metering.
Performance
Maximum power output in standard
flash mode is the strongest of any
battery-powered kit on test, although
you can’t turn down the wick as
much as with the other competitors.
lightly larger and nearly 1kg
heavier than the mains-
powered Honey Badger
head, the newer Unleashed
edition runs on a rechargeable battery.
Unlike the Elinchrom and Profoto
battery-powered kits, you can’t run
it from the mains, so you might need
to add a spare battery (£59/$60) or
two. Our test kit includes two heads,
batteries and mains chargers, two
60cm softboxes and a backpack.
Unlike the mains kit, there’s
no cooling fan, making the Unleashed
edition virtually silent in operation.Performance
Although the 250Ws head gives less
output than the 500Ws heads on test,
this is the only battery-powered kit in
the group that features two flash heads
rather than one, making it good value.TS
Elinchrom
ELB 500 TTL
To Go Set
£1,349/$1,900
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Honey Badger
Unleashed
£699/$749
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http://www.interfitphotographic.com
Controls
Unlike every other flash kit on
test, the ELB 500’s controls
are in a separate power-pack,
rather than on the flash head.Controls
(^1) The control panel is a little
more straightforward than
in the mains edition.^2 The
absence of a cooling fan
makes it virtually silent.
Digital Camera verdict Digital Camera verdict
5.0 A best-in-class product 4.5 Outstanding
5.0
Features Features
5.0
Performance Performance
4.0
Value Value
5.0
Build &
handling
Build &
handling
This flash head is tiny
yet powerful, although
you need to connect it
to a separate power-
pack. Even so, it’s
the top-performing
battery-powered kit
in this test group.
The Honey Badger
Unleashed only has
half the power rating of
other battery-powered
flash heads on test, but
you get two heads in
the kit rather than one,
making it great value.
Lighting kits Group Test
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GOLD
AWARD
4.5 4.0 4.0 5.0
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LOCATION FLASH
Power output
Maximum output power is
mighty, but there’s the usual
drop-off when switching to
high-speed sync mode for
using fast shutter speeds.
Power output
The 9-stop power range is
impressive, with a decent top
end for a 250Ws head and
the availability of very subtle
output at lower settings.