I’ve said it a hundred times or more: I love lighting equipment! I use lighting for almost all parts of a wedding, especially portraits. Right now my big portable light is the Profoto AcuteB2 Air. It’s a power, portable lighting system, and I really do like it. Why then, am I considering changing and using the Flashpoint Xplor 600 for Weddings? It’s something I’m considering, but I haven’t made up my mind yet.
Flashpoint Xplor 600 for Weddings
Ok, so if I love the AcuteB2 so much, why would I consider switching? Technology is always improving, so the Flashpoint has some big upgrades that the AcuteB2 doesn’t. The first thing that’s a big upgrade is that everything is self contained within the flash. There aren’t any cords or battery packs. I like this because it can be hard to carry two things and have the cord get wrapped up in everything. I will say I do like the light-weight head of the AcuteB2 and the ability to extend and put it places. The Flashpoint has an optional extender that actually does the same thing. It’s a head that connects to body, so now you the flash head is lighter and can be moved.
The next big upgrade has to do with the actual usage. The Flashpoint can do HSS and can have the power manually controlled from the remote. Both of these are great. HSS lets me shoot at higher shutter speeds and darken the sky to create dramatic portraits. I could do this in another way with the AcuteB2, but it was a bit tricky and involved shooting the flash at full power. The AcuteB2 isn’t that big of a pain to change powers since it is on a battery pack, but that does mean I have to walk over to it. With the Flashpoint, I can just click it on the transmitter.
There are a few issues that I’m running into. One, I already have the Acute, so do I really need to buy another flash? Are the upgrades worth it? Well, right now I can get the whole system (flash, transmitter, and extension) for $600, so that’s about $400 less than what I paid for my used Acute. The next thing is modifiers. I already own a few modifiers for my Acute, so I’d have to go out and buy new ones. Luckily, my Impact foldable beauty dish can be adjusted to fit multiple heads, so I could use that one. The biggest issue is quality. Profoto is known for having the highest quality. I actually had the Acute head fall over and hit a rock a few days ago. The only damage was a bent reflector. Will the Flashpoint hold up to use?
The current deal on Adorama only lasts for today, so I’ll have to make up my mind pretty soon if I’ll be using the Flashpoint Xplor 600 for Weddings. The reviews that I’ve been reading are very positive, so that’s sure making it seem worth it. Before buying the Acute, I was looking at the Profoto B2, and this is basically a cheaper version (by $1000). Sure seems like a lot of reasons to buy it. If I do end up pulling the trigger, I’ll make sure to get a review up for everyone to read.
