Monday 10 January, 2011   David A. Selby   Flashguns, MeiKe, New releases   10 Comments

MeiKe MK930: Yongnuo YN-560 rival?

MeiKe MK930

Hong Kong: Following the demonstration of their FN-920 and FN-950 prototypes at Photokina, photographic supplier MeiKe have released a manual flash, the MK930, to the market. Armed to the teeth with manual modes, optical slaves and power zoom, it sits next to the YN-560 for Strobist-friendly features, but at the slightly lower price point of US$69.99 shipped. Yongnuo’s YN speedlight range has now been improved with metal feet and increased reliability. Can MeiKe compete with their first venture into off-camera flash? Or will it turn out merely to be a poor imitation?

Features

  • Full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, 1/128 power, plus “fine tuning”
  • Electronic zoom: 24/28/35/50/70/85/105mm
  • Prontor/Compur (PC) synchronisation port
  • Two optical slave modes (claimed range 15m outdoors, 30m indoors)
  • Supports 8 fps continuous shooting when set below 1/8 power
  • Compatible with Nikon SD-8A type external battery packs
  • Overheating protection
  • Power saving mode
  • Plastic flash foot with locking ring
  • Looks like a Nikon SB-900 to the untrained eye

It is worth noting that the YN-560 takes Canon-type battery packs, whereas the MK-930 takes Nikon ones. Yongnuo YN-560s numbered YN12840000 onwards have metal hotshoe feet, whereas the MK930′s feet appear to be made of plastic.

Specifications

Guide Number 58 (105mm)
Power levels Full – 1/128
Modes Manual, S1, S2
Swivel 0 – 270°
Tilt 0 – 90°
Batteries 4 * AAs
Colour 5600K
Flash Duration 1/200~1/2000 sec
Recycle speed ~3 sec
Guide Number 58
Dimensions 200 * 75 * 57mm
Net weight 340g

Where to buy

The MeiKe MK930 costs US$69.99 shipped and is available now on eBay, or you can get it for $59.00 plus postage from LinkDelight’s online store.

  • mark

    Wonder if it has ready beep? Like the 560.

    • David Selby

      According to the LinkDelight listing it has a “sound indicator” which probably refers to a ready beep.

  • Xiu

    Didn’t they release the version for nikon? BAD

    • David Selby

      It’s a manual flash, so it is universal. The reason for the Canon hotshoe pins isn’t clear.

  • http://www.amazing-foto.com Harry

    I direct picture of the back, and a picture of the power connector would be helpful. I am assuming when it says Nikon-type battery pack the connector it is the same as the Nikon SB-800 connector.

    • David Selby

      SD-8A refers to a Nikon SB-800 type connector, correct. There are more pictures available in some of the listings.

  • implosion

    I can see no advantage of this flash compared to YN560.

  • Dave

    Cheap and powerful, otherwise meh.

    I just want a manual speedlight with a built-in radio receiver and a transmitter with power adjustments like the radiopopper jrx. They could partially offset the cost of the radio receiver by omitting the optical slave. Forget TTL stuff – make it universally compatible and inexpensive.

    All this RF flash triggering stuff is so Rube Goldberg: Extra batteries, hot shoes, cables, velcro attachments…all the set up & take down….everything multiplied by the number of speedlights you have. I have enough junk in my bag already.

  • http://www.trentchau.com trent

    So I bought two of these. One’s already falling apart (I got it last week). The plastic clips that hold the body together broke, and now the wide angle diffuser has broken off.

    It does work well though.

  • A.P.M. Elshof

    It’s a manual flash, so it is universal. The reason for the Canon hotshoe pins isn’t clear.

    The flash wil not working anytime.

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