THE NEW PLAYER - THE LUMOPRO
The new players in the Strobisto Manifesto Flash Hunt are the entries from Midwest Camera, trade name LUMOPRO and at the time of this writing broken down as the Model 120, now discontinued, and the Model 160.
The 120 has been discontinued and replaced by the Model 160 which is 40 dollars more and claimed to be more powerful. OK, they are only sold by Midwest Photo, so they are what we call in branding, a "House Brand". Created solely for one purpose, filling a need and usually that needs fills a gap and that gap makes money. This is how the Brooklyn Bridge got sold so many times and Barnum is credited with "there's one born every minute" even though he was not the author. It was Hannum who said it.
Branded products go direct manufacturer to retail, no middleman, no distributor and more profits. SCHEN-FENG to BROADWAY direct. It's a new "play" on Broadway. Using the Wal-Mart business plan, sooner or later some of these companies buy out the manufacturer, Home Depot is the king of aquisitions, and it's all in house from production to your credit card.
MARKETING STRATERGENY (King Bush II, the Crusader credited for this)
Midwest Photo is not unique in this marketing "stratergeny". Adorama brands the Flashpoint line of tripods and studio gear, B&H markets deals with companies like Pearstone and ten others, mostly Chinese point of sale items. It's called "the BUSH I version of the New World Order" promulgated by the "BUSH II theory of destroying the nation while embracing the Saudis and China.
You see it in Wal-Mart and Home Depot. They call them partners. Home Depot buys from a small company, send it to China and then puts them out of business. Especially tools, and knocks off everything building in China or South America. (Read about BRIC, the new world order).
The house branding is called HUSKY, thats just one name of many. I usually wind up at ACE HARDWARE where even the screws, nuts and bolts are better quality. I am a hardware nut and don't challenge me on this one, it's not the same stuff. How long that will last, who knows.
Midwest Photo vies for the Strobist Shooters but also carries larger more powerful studio gear if someone should actually get good at this game of photography and step up to expand their gear locker. A good portion is Chinese made third level knockoffs. It's a great financial connection for the Strobists and Midwest.
"The truth - You can't handle the truth". (Jack Nicholson in a Few Good Men)
I subjected their add to the Jacobs No Bull/ No Smoke meter. It scored three bulls. It rated about 50% truth and 40% over the top and 10% pure corn. Don't get me wrong, I like those guys, and they have to make money too.
It's just better for me that it be your money. So I will give them a free ad here because I like the concept. We just removed the glamor, the usual sales hype part and added the real lines of truth translation from our source similar to POLITICO.
"We developed it in conjunction with the Strobist community."
Translation - We saw the writing on the wall, and an opportunity since the Vivitar is going extinct with those failing Chinese clones, to make money in a niche market. And by buying direct, incorporating a few cheap features like 40 cent ports, more variable settings which mean little, we can achieve profits from said item on two tiers. As the distributor and retailer. In addition we can keep the market captive by exclusivity and possibly reward the Strobist chain of command financially. Forget the love crap this is all about money.
"This flash is ideal for professional and amateur photographers alike".
Translation - So is C4, Sempex, Trinitrotoluene [TNT] if you use it correctly, any flash if you pay for it and know how to use it by reading and understanding the instruction book and basic lighting. Most pros will opt for more power and a more consistent power supply like with potent AC units.
"The LumoPro LP120 is the most versatile all manual flash in production today".
Translation - Other than a few really cheap $39.95 - $89.95 flashes direct from China which this was based on, plus a few copy ideas from low end SunPak, the SAKAR boys revised Vivitars, and YONG-NUO, it is the only all manual flash really being pushed anywhere by anyone tailored to the Strobist way of thinking.
"In its one size fits all design, it offers 4 ways of synchronization with your camera through its PC port, mini-phone port, optical slave sensor and hotshoe".
Translation - I gave them 50% - The majority of better flashes today have either a locking PC and a Hotshoe, or an optical pickup, or IR. They placed two additional ports in the Auto sensor area with two inexpensive 40 cent ports. The minphone port as it compliments Pocket Wizards is a good idea though many in this arena go for the Ghetto Receivers like the 616, and other clones of clones.
This diversity also provides you with backup options. For example, those 150 dollar existing radio slaves you bought lose power, dead batteries, or you forgot your sync cord at home.
Translation - This is a good point if you are prone to doing these things, like not checking batteries, forgetting cords and have Alzheimer's. It might indicate your need to pursue another line of endeavor like digging holes, you only need to remember the shovel. Forgot the shovel, you use your hands. But you can solve the problem by buying a camera strap, attaching it to the shovel and tying it around your neck, the shovel that is, foolproof. Who dreams up this sh•t, this is worse than TV commercials by Ronco.
Using your flash off your camera has never been easier. With its 270-degree swivel and 180-degree tilt, you will be able to bounce the light off any wall, ceiling, and most light modifiers.
Translation - As far as using the flash, the full tilt and swivel is a nice feature if you know what you are doing. Bouncing also requires some brains and thinking. Like turning the flash head around and looking. and when that fails, aim the camera and flash in the same direction, turn mode node to "P" and tell the world it stands for professional. You could also use "S" for super professional mode.
CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES
YONG-NUO 460 II Manual Flash $ 41.00 - 59.95
The YONG-NUO 460 II minus the PC Port (not commonly used) and Mini-port (easily added) may be purchased for 41.00 on Amazon or ebay. The YN460-II is a simple and inexpensive flash unit that is an upgrade of the YN460.
The upgrade consists of more power just as the Lumopro 120 to 160 upgrade. They claim a GN of 53 instead of 33, faster recycling and fine tuning for the flash power. Same claims as Midwest and 100 dollars less.
The flash head has both tilt and swivel. The YN460-II has two operating modes: manual flash and optical slave flash. In either operating mode, the YN460-II flash power must be set manually. And it has a 2nd flash focus switch for those with pre-flash cameras. Can it do the job as good as the Lumopro. Most likely it came from the same factory.
So we started looking at what Yong-Nuo has to offer for the price and voila! Look what we found. The features of the Lumopro with the exception of the PC socket which is treated by disdain by most professionals as a throwback to the fifties and sixties.
STEP UP
The features of a comparable Flash from YONG-NUO for $89.95 with a Zoom Head, all digital, more power, and compatibility with the 460 II basic features. It's called the Model 560 II.
FEATURES
Multi-Lamp Lighting Application (Communication)
Exposure Bracketing (FEB)
Uses a Wide-angle Diffuser
Rear-curtain Sync
FE Lock
Application of AF LED
Exposure Compensation
Reflection Flash (Bounce Capability)
They are known in the industry as Chinas best Japanese knockoff house. They copy anyone and anything and make custom House Brands. And they too indulge in creative writing, from their site.
"Shenzhen Yong Nuo Photographic Equipment Co., Ltd is Mainly engaged the product development, manufacturing and retailing of professional photographic equipment to our customers". "We have abundant in product development. And our engineer who has a very experienced knowledge on photographic equipment manufacture". "That's the main reason to lead Yong Nuo Photographic Equipment Co.,Ltd to be more profession, modernization and internationalization".
NOTE: In Mandarin Chinese, the characters for Knockoffs, are 把…敲掉；击倒；停工
The "New" LUMOPRO 160
The LP160 Quad-sync flash replaces the LP120 since Yong-Nuo or his brother in law just upgraded their own branded lines to reflect the new capacitor skin molds and breadboard, it was MidWest's time to upgrade the cloned clone.
Their newer model has some stronger numbers. Higher Guide of 140 versus 120 on the older model. It is a totally manual strobe, and uses the MB5 module from Quantum. The 120 used the MA2. It has Tilt and Swivel, Multiple Synchronization, and Variable Power. And it works perfect with the Perfection Bracket and the BLACK BOX:
THE PRESS RELEASE - MIDWEST
Today's digital-photographers are looking for powerful, small flashes that are reasonably priced and well constructed. The LP160 is the flash that delivers the power, features and price point to meet that need.
As with previous projects, LumoPro crowd-sourced the additional features from the Strobist community, a popular online group of photographers devoted to working with small, battery powered flashes. This creative and sophisticated group led the developers to create the tools to meet the demand.
The LP160 features twice the power and quicker recycling for faster shooting. The Full to 1/64th power setting and digital optical slave make the flash more usable under low light situations. Like teddy bear and kids on the floor pictures.
A 7 degree tilt, metal hot-shoe, electronic zoom, and improved body construction add to the long list
of features for professionals. Optical slave, PC and Miniphone syncro ports, and manual power adjustments. (That explains the price going up forty dollars.)
MORE POOP
I took some time after I first wrote about the Yong-Nuo and Lumopro. I researched a lot of the sites catering to this line of products. The Lumopro is basically Yong-nuo with two extra features and a better warrantee.
For 100.00 dollars more you get the second year from Midwest. Otherwise the cheaper 460-11 and the 560-II are covered for a year as long as you send it back to China. Have you checked the postage rates yet to send something back to China? More than you think to send them back and there is the chance it might get redirected to Uranus and lost forever.
Many mixed responses on the web especially under the Strobist's and Flicker's. Both great reviews (everybody is a reviewer now) from newbies, some experienced shooters representing comments that were Good, and Bad, some Very Bad.
When something goes through the Jacobs Testing Bureau, we push things to failure. I am the stress test for this stuff and I have opinions backed up by trials. Its simple, inexpensive imports will not take the stress of the pro photographers venue. If you are shooting your teddy bear on your couch and the occasional shot of your kids with colored toys at Christmas they are great. For a working pro, longevity is not their strong suit.
One fellow actually wrote a retraction on his 560 which arrived only partially working. His review was of a pre-production model. I call it first out of the tub. People love writing critiques, thats just the web. After he got the production model, they were no better. They write great stories on those sites. Going into minute detail, I call it discovery and its good for the newbies.
My clientele is on another mission, we call it making money at Photography. It's not a condesending attitude, I have seen plenty of Teddy Bear pictures and test reviews which really mean nothing other than the accolades for writing a detailed report on something insignificant. BUT, when your BUTT is on the line when a $5000 wedding is going up in smoke, thats a whole new world, thats different.
The Wedding, Event, Sports, Papparazzi game gets tougher every year. I deal with newbies and pros alike but the end run is all about making it with a higher level of expertise and financial reward real arena. The majority of folks I know doing this Commercial work, prefer to stick with branded accessories, like Nikon, and Canon, gear. I find they stand clear of these Lumopro, Yong-Nuo, and other full Chinese frugalities.
Thats because of the high failure rate right out of the box and some of these units are not built to specs that can handle more powerful packs. Many of these clones and no-names are profit structures for the sellers.
NEW HORIZONS, A LITTLE CLOUDY
Something I found today on the factory site for NISSIN stobes. The Japanese Firm of Nissen who design a lot of these small flashes for other manufacturers, and then get knocked off by the Chinese have come out with a warning against Ni-Zn or Nickel Metal Zinc batteries (1.6+) volts.
If a strobe can't handle 4AA cells x1.6 = which is 6.4 volts at a fast amperage transfer, to me it is useless. Zinc can transfer current very fast. In a flash light who cares, in a strobe…toast.
This might be the deciding factor as to whether I will bother to support these products. I don't want to be a third party to these things. Too easy to claim the power of the BB at fault and the newbie usage of a weak item is a good combo for me. Simply not enough business to cover it and it takes away from my Forensic, Commercial, Newspaper, Sports Customers.
Thats China, gang, their quality control is hit or miss and their designs are borderline weak. The reported rapid failures of the product are common after a short while. Even Yong-Nuos website is so full of verbage flaws and mis-information. Humorous at times, I write seven blogs a day and guaranteed I got more gaffs than Joe Biden. My advantage is not having an open mike.
Folks should just take them for what they are… inexpensive offshore quality, cheap (not at Midwest prices, they are making a profit as well they should) and the long distant qualities are not there. It's not a product I would sell in my stores without a disclaimer that these are disposables and if you buy it, you own it, and when it fails, and breaks in two, you own both halves.
CURRENT PROJECTS and SUBSTITUTES:
For Yong-Nuo the 460 series and the 560 will work with their cheap SB-8, SB-9 AA battery holder. Unfortunately no one ordered any so who cares. It is a Nikon and Canon clone that uses 6-8 AA cells. I will suggest using Alkakines as they might stretch a day, the Ni-Mh will go too fast.
I did not see that port on the 460-II which I have on my bench that I am modifying as a test making the cables myself possibly with a hard wiring meaning solder to assure no burps.
All attempts at getting with a cable manufacturer Paramount have failed just as with previous attempts with Paramount have failed when it was under the old leadership. The new management is no different from the previous mangement so I gave up on them and recommend you get nothing from them. They have forced me to go to China or a domestic companyif their prices are reasonable and then I won't need them or the other guys in the future.
