The carrying case that was on backorder arrived today (November 23rd).
It's actually not a bad case. Its made of that "ballistic" nylon. It has a shoulder strap, two hand straps, and a small zip pocket on the front stamped with the Neewer name. The sides are padded and there is a stiff, padded insert for the bottom. Like any case or bag I own, it's not going to be big enough for all that I wan to stuff in it, but I am not disappointed. I will post pics later.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Neweer 300D, the light itself.
So now that I have had some time to play examine and use the new strobes, I have reached a few snap judgement conclusions:
First and foremost, we have to keep in mind that these lights are currently selling for $59.32 ($47.94 for the 250 w/s version) on Amazon. That is a great price for any studio light that works. So these are not going to be Profoto, Hensel, Alien Bees, or even Flashpoint (an Adorama offering also sold under the brand name Mettle elsewhere) quality. They cab also be purchased as a 3 light kit with stands and modifiers (softboxes, umbrellas, etc...)
You might recall from my earlier post that they Studio Kit and the additional light arrived in a largish box with NO packing materials whatsoever to cushion the product. Currently, there are two working properly, 1 is dead-on-arrival, and the fourth works but the modeling light goes off after 5 minutes and doesn't come on till you shut the unit off and let it sit for ten minutes or so.(update: four hours later: the modeling light no longer works at all) (2 days and about 100 flashes later the second light is completely dead as well)
At least one of the units made some SERIOUS electrical popping noises the first time I turned in on. I should have marked them 1-4 so I could have kept track of which one it was, but I wasn't being very scientific. After the first few pops I waited to see if it was going to start a fire. It didn't, and after having the three working units plugged in and turned on for several hours they seem to have settled down. (the one still doesn't have a working modeling lamp but it strobes just fine). I wouldn't recommend leaving them unattended unless your homeowners is paid up though.
The light measures 3.75" in diameter across the nose, and right at 9.25" from nose to the back of the power control knob. The front and back caps are plastic. The casing appears to be metal (specs say aluminum) and is non-magnetic (I waved a large speaker magnet at it). The mounting bracket is permanently affixed to the bottom, and seems to fit my existing light stands snugly. The Umbrella shaft hole fits all my existing umbrellas. I haven't tried the new ones yet.
To mount modifiers on the front, it uses the "circle with four nuts" method. You basically just slide it on and tighten it down. It seems to work well enough. I haven't had the softbox fall off just yet. Here is a picture of the back of the softbox in the kit:
I get a a consistent flash sync rate of about 1/160 using the single supplied remote trigger and optically firing any other units I am using. I did occasionally get up to 1/250 (the sync rate listed for my camera), but it was hit or miss.
The instruction sheet (yes, a single sheet front and back) is rife with mistakes and errors. Trust nothing in it. Experiment a little with the controls. Everything is fairly common sense. If i get some spare time, I will try to come up with a proper diagram.
You can NOT turn off the recycle beep. Despite what the instruction sheet advises, I have yet to accomplish turning the beep off.
The modeling light does track with the strobe output, but it is not much of a variance between low and high, in my opinion. The modeling light will cycle off if you crank it to high, while the flash capacitor is building up, then come back on. Just like if you had cycled the strobe. Oh, and the strobe will not automatically dump the power going from high to low. So make sure to hit the test button after you lower to power.
The optical Slave does not play nice with the TTL preflash on modern cameras. The trick to this is to go into the camera menu and set the flash to MANUAL, and dial the on camera flash down to 1/128 so it will not contribute to your exposure (unless you want it too, then set it for whatever you need it to be). Alternatively you can use remote flash triggers (pocket wizard, cyber sync, yongnuo, cactus, etc...), and that works very well. I'll touch on the trigger included in the kit later on.
First and foremost, we have to keep in mind that these lights are currently selling for $59.32 ($47.94 for the 250 w/s version) on Amazon. That is a great price for any studio light that works. So these are not going to be Profoto, Hensel, Alien Bees, or even Flashpoint (an Adorama offering also sold under the brand name Mettle elsewhere) quality. They cab also be purchased as a 3 light kit with stands and modifiers (softboxes, umbrellas, etc...)
You might recall from my earlier post that they Studio Kit and the additional light arrived in a largish box with NO packing materials whatsoever to cushion the product. Currently, there are two working properly, 1 is dead-on-arrival, and the fourth works but the modeling light goes off after 5 minutes and doesn't come on till you shut the unit off and let it sit for ten minutes or so.
At least one of the units made some SERIOUS electrical popping noises the first time I turned in on. I should have marked them 1-4 so I could have kept track of which one it was, but I wasn't being very scientific. After the first few pops I waited to see if it was going to start a fire. It didn't, and after having the three working units plugged in and turned on for several hours they seem to have settled down. (the one still doesn't have a working modeling lamp but it strobes just fine). I wouldn't recommend leaving them unattended unless your homeowners is paid up though.
The light measures 3.75" in diameter across the nose, and right at 9.25" from nose to the back of the power control knob. The front and back caps are plastic. The casing appears to be metal (specs say aluminum) and is non-magnetic (I waved a large speaker magnet at it). The mounting bracket is permanently affixed to the bottom, and seems to fit my existing light stands snugly. The Umbrella shaft hole fits all my existing umbrellas. I haven't tried the new ones yet.
To mount modifiers on the front, it uses the "circle with four nuts" method. You basically just slide it on and tighten it down. It seems to work well enough. I haven't had the softbox fall off just yet. Here is a picture of the back of the softbox in the kit:
I get a a consistent flash sync rate of about 1/160 using the single supplied remote trigger and optically firing any other units I am using. I did occasionally get up to 1/250 (the sync rate listed for my camera), but it was hit or miss.
The instruction sheet (yes, a single sheet front and back) is rife with mistakes and errors. Trust nothing in it. Experiment a little with the controls. Everything is fairly common sense. If i get some spare time, I will try to come up with a proper diagram.
You can NOT turn off the recycle beep. Despite what the instruction sheet advises, I have yet to accomplish turning the beep off.
The modeling light does track with the strobe output, but it is not much of a variance between low and high, in my opinion. The modeling light will cycle off if you crank it to high, while the flash capacitor is building up, then come back on. Just like if you had cycled the strobe. Oh, and the strobe will not automatically dump the power going from high to low. So make sure to hit the test button after you lower to power.
The optical Slave does not play nice with the TTL preflash on modern cameras. The trick to this is to go into the camera menu and set the flash to MANUAL, and dial the on camera flash down to 1/128 so it will not contribute to your exposure (unless you want it too, then set it for whatever you need it to be). Alternatively you can use remote flash triggers (pocket wizard, cyber sync, yongnuo, cactus, etc...), and that works very well. I'll touch on the trigger included in the kit later on.
Neewer 300DI Specifications
I cribbed these straight from the Amazon listing for a single light (link at bottom).
Specifications:
Model: 300DI
Flash Output: 300WS
Guide Number(ISO100): 58
Color Temperature: 5400±200K
Power Voltage: AC100-120V 60HZ
Flash Power Control: stepless
Modeling Lamp: 75WS( adjustable)
Recharging Time: 0.5-2s
Flash Triggering Method: Sync cord, Slave, Test button,Flash trigger
Triggering Voltage: 5V DC
Flash Duration: 1/2000-1/800s
Fuse: 8A
Package Contents
1 x 300W Strobe light
1 x 75W Modeling bulb
Sync Cord & Power Cord
All fairly straightforward. I don't currently have a meter so we'll have to take all that on faith. I will say that the recycle period seems to be on par with what is listed here. I would also note that the modeling light stays off during the recycle period as well. That would only be a consideration if you were shooting in a completely darkened area, and then only for the brief second or two they are off.
I don't think anyone in a smallish studio environment is going to be using these things at full power, They are BRIGHT. Let me say that again, BRIGHT, all caps. I've been using them in my living room (or as i like to call it, "the sometimes studio") and I have been using them on pretty much their lowest setting the whole time, and I have yet to need more than 1/3 power. (I would give that in meaningful numbers, but as you can see in the pictures, there is no scale printed on the back).
Specifications:
Model: 300DI
Flash Output: 300WS
Guide Number(ISO100): 58
Color Temperature: 5400±200K
Power Voltage: AC100-120V 60HZ
Flash Power Control: stepless
Modeling Lamp: 75WS( adjustable)
Recharging Time: 0.5-2s
Flash Triggering Method: Sync cord, Slave, Test button,Flash trigger
Triggering Voltage: 5V DC
Flash Duration: 1/2000-1/800s
Fuse: 8A
Package Contents
1 x 300W Strobe light
1 x 75W Modeling bulb
Sync Cord & Power Cord
All fairly straightforward. I don't currently have a meter so we'll have to take all that on faith. I will say that the recycle period seems to be on par with what is listed here. I would also note that the modeling light stays off during the recycle period as well. That would only be a consideration if you were shooting in a completely darkened area, and then only for the brief second or two they are off.
I don't think anyone in a smallish studio environment is going to be using these things at full power, They are BRIGHT. Let me say that again, BRIGHT, all caps. I've been using them in my living room (or as i like to call it, "the sometimes studio") and I have been using them on pretty much their lowest setting the whole time, and I have yet to need more than 1/3 power. (I would give that in meaningful numbers, but as you can see in the pictures, there is no scale printed on the back).
Neewer 300DI Strobe Pictures
Here are pics of the 300DI Strobe Light:
In the next post, we'll examine to published specifications for the 300DI.
This Just In: The Neewer 300DI Strobe
Today I received the Neewer 300DI Studio Lighting kit (link at bottom of page), and an additional strobe, in order to have four lights altogether. I ordered the kit from New Harbor, a company doing business on Amazon. Before ordering, I did as much research as possible. Finding only limited information about the kit itself, one well written blog posting on louish.com and the 15 or so reviews on Amazon, there wasn't a great deal to form an opinion, one way or the other.
My instinct advised me to buy something more mainstream (alien bees, the adorama flashpoint series, etc), but the deal hunter in me won out so I placed the order. I love stumbling up on quality and cheap rolled into one package (the two are not mutually exclusive). Oh, and the comments section is open, but please refrain from just saying "chinese junk". Odds are, virtually 80% or more of the products in you home are made in China or contain a significant amount of "chinese junk". Herein and in upcoming posts you will find facts, specs, and opinion intermingled with little regard. That's kind of how my brain works and that is how I type, as well.
Since I just received the kit via UPS today, my first post will be rather limited in scope. I will post more over the next few weeks as i develop opinions. (really now, you didn't think this would be unbiased, did you?)
Ordering, shipping, and receipt:
I ordered through Amazon on November 10th, so no issues there. Amazon has this whole selling/ordering thing down pat. From there on out it was a bit of a mystery.
I received an email from Amazon on the 14th stating: "Lucas J Parker trading on Amazon as New Harbor shipped the following (my order and order number)". Delivery estimate November 18th-December 6th via USPS.
I had a missed UPS delivery on my door the same day, requiring a signature, and the next day I was home when UPS ran and voila, it was the kit. The USPS referred, apparently, to the Neewer 22 ' reflector which I had ordered at the same time from New Harbor. A quick trip out to the mailbox and i discovered the reflector had been delivered as well.
Here is the box i received:
This is how it opened. There was no packing material at all.
There was also no packing list, two stands were missing (there were 3, the product description indicated 5), and there was a note saying the carry case was not in stock and would be shipped in a few days. There was also a phone number for customer service, I will try to call that about the stands and update when I have more information.
Overall, a very timely shipping even though I never received any tracking information. leaving me to believe that my order was literally on a slow boat from China. I am, however, astonished that the kit would be shipped with the products just dropped in a big box with no protection. (addendum: 1 light was DOA, on another the modeling lamp would go off after a few minutes and not come back on until cooled off, and the slip cover on the power adjustor on another came off. Whether due to craftsmanship or lack of packing material, I do not know) (also, two of the four units have bits rattling around inside).
Would I order from New Harbor again? I am going to say yes, I most likely will. They have decent product at excellent prices. If they have any kind of customer service then it's a no-brainer. As for the Strobes quality? The next few days will tell the tale, and I will be sure to post my results.
In the next post, I will post pictures of the light itself. Ultimately, I hope to have a post for each piece of equipment in the kit.
Link to Amazon listing:
Neewer Studio Lighting Kit
My instinct advised me to buy something more mainstream (alien bees, the adorama flashpoint series, etc), but the deal hunter in me won out so I placed the order. I love stumbling up on quality and cheap rolled into one package (the two are not mutually exclusive). Oh, and the comments section is open, but please refrain from just saying "chinese junk". Odds are, virtually 80% or more of the products in you home are made in China or contain a significant amount of "chinese junk". Herein and in upcoming posts you will find facts, specs, and opinion intermingled with little regard. That's kind of how my brain works and that is how I type, as well.
Since I just received the kit via UPS today, my first post will be rather limited in scope. I will post more over the next few weeks as i develop opinions. (really now, you didn't think this would be unbiased, did you?)
Ordering, shipping, and receipt:
I ordered through Amazon on November 10th, so no issues there. Amazon has this whole selling/ordering thing down pat. From there on out it was a bit of a mystery.
I received an email from Amazon on the 14th stating: "Lucas J Parker trading on Amazon as New Harbor shipped the following (my order and order number)". Delivery estimate November 18th-December 6th via USPS.
I had a missed UPS delivery on my door the same day, requiring a signature, and the next day I was home when UPS ran and voila, it was the kit. The USPS referred, apparently, to the Neewer 22 ' reflector which I had ordered at the same time from New Harbor. A quick trip out to the mailbox and i discovered the reflector had been delivered as well.
Here is the box i received:
This is how it opened. There was no packing material at all.
There was also no packing list, two stands were missing (there were 3, the product description indicated 5), and there was a note saying the carry case was not in stock and would be shipped in a few days. There was also a phone number for customer service, I will try to call that about the stands and update when I have more information.
Overall, a very timely shipping even though I never received any tracking information. leaving me to believe that my order was literally on a slow boat from China. I am, however, astonished that the kit would be shipped with the products just dropped in a big box with no protection. (addendum: 1 light was DOA, on another the modeling lamp would go off after a few minutes and not come back on until cooled off, and the slip cover on the power adjustor on another came off. Whether due to craftsmanship or lack of packing material, I do not know) (also, two of the four units have bits rattling around inside).
Would I order from New Harbor again? I am going to say yes, I most likely will. They have decent product at excellent prices. If they have any kind of customer service then it's a no-brainer. As for the Strobes quality? The next few days will tell the tale, and I will be sure to post my results.
In the next post, I will post pictures of the light itself. Ultimately, I hope to have a post for each piece of equipment in the kit.
Link to Amazon listing:
Neewer Studio Lighting Kit
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