Lighting equipment is one of the most rapidly expanding market segments going into 2011, and it includes everything from sophisticated and basic studio lighting units and kits to wireless strobe outfits, on-camera lights, flashes, triggers and diffusion devices. The reason: Savvy consumers from seasoned pros to first-time DSLR and interchangeable-lens compact camera buyers are onto the fact that quality lighting is the fastest, most efficient route to expanded picture-taking possibilities. With millions of people now shooting HD video using everything from cameraphones and point and shoots to high-end DSLRs and camcorders, and experienced picture shooters opting for more sophisticated lighting options than built-in flashes can provide, selling auxiliary lighting equipment effectively is one sure way to brighten your bottom line.
Lights! HD Video Camera! Action!
Of all the traditional lighting categories, the one most likely to experience the fastest growth this year is non-flash or continuous lighting equipment. Consumers may initially be driven by HD video mania (you can’t shoot movies with a strobe), but they’ll soon find out the floodlights, spotlights, LED lights, umbrellas and diffusion devices they’re using to shoot video are also very helpful in achieving professional-looking still pictures. In short, continuous light sources are an ideal crossover product for enhancing your customers’ shooting experience and taking their images up a couple of notches. They’ll also have the distinct advantage of being able to see and adjust the lighting effect before they take the shot or shoot the movie.
While the quality of the lighting is certainly a crucial factor for serious photographers, so is convenience. That’s why on-camera light sources, both electronic flash and continuous, are extremely popular. And while no on-camera light source can quite match the nuanced effects you get with a multi-light or off-camera setup, there are ingenious flash diffusion devices that deliver remarkably good results. Also, many on-camera continuous lights can be bounced or feathered to yield pro-looking results.
Some naysayers have conjectured that the amazing high ISO capabilities of today’s cameras would shrink the demand for auxiliary lighting, but the reverse is true. While the percentage of available-light pictures has undoubtedly increased as technology has improved, so have the expectations of the average shooter, not to mention enthusiasts and pros. Just as lens sales have increased over the past few years despite the widespread availability of super-zoom cameras and “all-in-one” lenses, the sales of lighting equipment have also shown a steady upward trend even as the low-light performance of cameras has increased.
When it comes to lighting, photographers demand greater flexibility, control, convenience and quality than ever before. Knowledgeable dealers who are forthcoming in demonstrating these advantages in real time, and in providing advice to their customers on selecting and using today’s lighting equipment, will be the ones to benefit. As one of my late, great New York dealer friends used to say, “You’ve got to show and tell it to sell it!” To give you an overview of the lighting market, we’ve provided a concise guide to some of the latest equipment out there, along with commentary on the 2011 lighting market by the marketing honchos.
A QUICK GUIDE TO COOL LIGHTING GEAR
OmegaBrandess
SP Off-Camera Flash Kit. Dubbed a “strobist” lighting kit, this flexible, lightweight outfit is based on two universal AA-cell-powered US92 Phoenix SmartFlash units delivering an ISO 100 guide number of 92, wireless and hot-shoe sync, power settings to 1/16, 0–90º bounce and 0–330º swivel capability. Rounding out the compact, lightweight kit are two 6-foot stands, two umbrella brackets, two 33-inch umbrellas and a stand bag. $299.99. omegabrandess.com
Phottix Strato 2.4GHz Flash and Shutter Trigger. This wireless four-channel trigger kit includes compact tripod-mountable transmitter and receiver units that trigger your flash at ranges of 330 feet. The Strato transmitter features an innovative hot-shoe pass-through that allows the use of TTL functions on compatible Nikon and Canon flashes when used on-camera, permitting full TTL and AF-assist light functions. The Strato receiver triggers compatible flashes or the camera’s shutter and features two status-indicating LEDs. Other features: Nikon, Canon and Sony-compatible models; flash wakeup signal; remote accessory; and 5V DC power ports on receiver. $78.95. phottix.com
Lighting market outlook: “Our view of the 2011 lighting market follows two tracks. One sees sales increasing on all products related in any way to the “strobist” movement. This would include our Phoenix SmartFlash US92 universal slave flashes, products from Enlight Photo—including the Orbis ring flash adapter and Frio cold shoe—Gary Fong flash diffusers and new products like the Phottix Strato 4-in-1 radio flash/shutter triggers. The other track sees continued growth in more traditional studio lighting. We are seeing a return of photographers who desire flash heads that perform consistently shot after shot, as opposed to those who have purchased heads that pack in the most bells and whistles in the past. Our line of Novatron monolights and, yes, pack and head kits, are very traditional in design and are made to last many years while yielding excellent color and consistent output, even in the most demanding circumstances. They are boxed, metal and made in the USA, and they work!”—Jeffrey J. Seidel, director, Sales and Service, OmegaBrandess Distribution. omegabrandess.com
Gary Fong
Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible. A further evolution of the acclaimed Gary Fong Lightsphere diffuser, it fits most flash units with swiveling bounce heads, providing a soft, natural-looking lighting effect from a single source. It folds down to 1-1/2 inches for easy storage. Utilizing patent-pending sizing ribs to fit tight over the flash head without straps or bands, its universal-fit base mount opening stretches to 2×3.25 inches to accommodate most shoe-mount flash units from major manufacturers. $59.95. garyfonginc.com
Lighting market outlook: “With the continued popularity of legacy products like the Lightsphere Collapsible, we’re planning to offer equipment bundles that create better value and more options for customers seeking DSLR accessories. We are also beginning to see additional interest in lighting accessories within the Micro Four Thirds, mirrorless interchangeable-lens segment, and we anticipate creating new products to support users of these popular camera models.”—Alison Hickman, vice president, Sales and Marketing, Gary Fong. garyfonginc.com
Promark International
Cool-Lux SL3000 Sound & Video Kit. Designed as a ideal location interview kit aimed at DSLR users shooting HD video, it includes an SL3000 on-camera soft-light/broad-light with 100W lamp and three levels of power output, a removable hood for soft light when shooting interviews and close-ups, a BC3454L7 battery providing one hour of output at 50W, an MD3000 light-and-sound bracket for mounting a microphone, and a combo gel pack containing four half-blue gels for daylight balance and four light salmon gels for warmer skin tones. It’s hot-shoe mountable and includes a battery with a four-pin XLR connector, soft case and strap. $399.95. cool-lux.com
Photogenic StudioMax III AKC320B. This economical battery-powered monolight strobe employs “constant color” technology for unvarying color output over its six-f/stop flash power range, and it provides a choice of AC or DC operation via a 3-lb. power pack that’s good for over 150 full-power flashes. Other features: 10–320W-sec power range; 3-sec recycling; power adjustable down to 1/32; 5-volt triggering; easily replaceable Photogenic C4-12C flashtube; 100W quartz ESR modeling lamp; built-in photo slave; 1/8-inch sync socket; and compatibility with Quick-Change light-shaping accessories. $329.95. photogenic.com
Lighting market outlook: “During 2011, PromarkBrands USA, manufacturers of Norman, Photogenic, Smith-Victor and Cool-Lux lighting products, will see an increase in overall business as a result of two key industry trends. Among the multiple areas of growth projected in photographic lighting industry, our Cool-Lux professional on-camera constant lights are projected to increase substantially over previous years. That’s due to a greater demand for quality lighting for the HD video capabilities of today’s DSLRs. Additionally we will see an increase in our studio lighting in the amateur and pro markets as a result of photographers wanting to purchase superior quality products made in the USA.”—Bob Higgins, Sales & Marketing manager, Promark International. promarkbrands.com
Lowel-Light Manufacturing, Inc.
Lowel SoftCore. This compact, continuous light fixture adds versatility and control to fluorescent softbox lighting setups using the fluorescent lamp heads of the Rifa eXchange system to light with up to five lamps. Its rotating four-arm hooking system is usable with most standard softboxes and permits easy balance and positioning, and it utilizes 80W screw-threaded daylight fluorescent lamps for high output with accurate color. The lamps’ high-frequency ballast is designed for flicker-free high-res digital still, video and slow-mo cinema use. SoftCore is sold alone or with one of three lamp head options (holding one, three or five lamps) as well as a kit (without stand). Other features: convenient tilt handle; folds down for easy storage. SoftCore FLO-X3 kit, $618.50. lowel.com
Lowel Fluo-Tec Studio Fluorescents. Featuring bright, soft output for a range of studio applications, these professional-grade units can be dimmed to exact levels using a DMX console or optional IR remote, allowing users to recreate lighting setups. Other features: LED monitoring display; five dimmable models housing from two to eight lamps; ETL/CSA or CE approved with state-of-the art electronics; a full range of accessories. Fluo-Tec 450 Phase, $1,326.95. lowel.com
Lighting market outlook: “We expect the lighting market, on both the studio and location side, to continue to evolve in the direction of LED fixtures and systems. While they are still a bit in the frontier days, with generally lower performance than desired in the areas of output, color, beam control, etc., they have a lot to offer right now. And there is plenty of room for growth, as they are continually getting better.”—Duane Sherwood, director, Communications, Lowel-Light Mfg. lowel.com
MAC Group
Profoto ProTungsten Air. A continuous light source that works with most Profoto Light Shaping Tools, the ProTungsten can be used with 500W or 1,000W halogen lamps and is equipped with a cooling system designed to minimize noise. All have metal housings and all components are solid. With Profoto’s Studio software, users can create and coordinate multiple lighting setups, which include numerous flash and continuous light units, from their computers. The unit also has a built-in “Air” radio remote capability, which lets users activate or deactivate and dim from 100% down to 10% of the light in the palm of their hands. It includes a tungsten lamp with 300-hour life. $999. profoto-usa.com
Profoto D1 Air. This pro moonlight strobe has a digital display panel and flash output control circuitry to ensure consistency in flash-to-flash color temperature and output. Dual-mode SMPS capacitor charging technology assures a flash-to-flash precision of 40ºK and output constancy of 1/50 of an f/stop. Available in 250, 500 or 1000Watt-sec versions, it adjusts from full to 1/64 power in 1/10-stop intervals, giving a range of seven f/stops. All are fan-cooled, accept the full line of light modifiers and have a built-in reflector. They come with a 300W quartz-halogen proportional modeling light, which, along with the flashtube, is covered by a protective glass. All units can be used with any worldwide voltage, from 90–130 and 200–240 volts without changing the modeling light. And with the Profoto Air system, users can remotely control and trigger the flash. Connecting the Profoto Air USB with Profoto Studio Air to the D1 Air lets users wirelessly gain full control of their studio flash systems. Kits start at $2,000.
profoto-usa.com
Lighting market outlook: “The lighting world of professional photographers has changed along with the changes in capture technology. As cameras change, so do the lighting tools photographers use, and there have been two major changes in the last year or two. First is the wider adoption of continuous light sources. As DSLRs offer HD video capabilities and clients are asking for everything from full production video to behind the scenes video, photographers have embraced the new technology. Profoto introduced the ProTungsten Air and ProDaylight HMI to let still photographers use their existing Profoto Light Shaping Tools with continuous light. These light sources offer the ability to shape the light for video as they did with still, maintaining their own unique look. Second is the move toward more precise, more color accurate lighting. Photographers shooting for reproduction need to ensure output and color consistency across all the images of a shoot. The Profoto D1 assures that the light and color of the flash is 100% repeatable and consistent every time. The smaller form factor also allows them to pack and travel lighter.”—Mark Rezzonico, vice president, Profoto Product Group. macgroupus.com
