New high speed, remote-controllable monolights
Three different studio flash units have been released by Shenzhen-based manufacturer CononMark. The G4.0, GID50 and GE400 monolights add to the “3G Wireless” series of remote-controllable monolights.
The defining feature of the system is the CononMk 3G trigger, a 3GHz wireless controller which may be handheld or camera mounted and allows adjustment of all flash settings from a distance. Since it mounts on the camera it also functions as a wireless flash trigger. The test button may be used for metering.
Specifications
| Model | G 4.0 | GID50 | GE400 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Energy | 400J | 500J | 400J |
| Power Source | DC only | AC/DC | AC only |
| Guide Number | 56 | 58 | 58 |
| Modelling Lamp | 35W DC | 75W - 150W | 60W E27 |
| Accessory Mount | Comet | Comet | Bowens |
| Power Levels | 1/1 - 1/64 | 1/1 - 1/128 | 1/1 - 1/64 |
| Recycle Time | 0.1 - 3.5 sec | 0.01 - 1.2 sec (AC) 0.2 - 3.5 sec (DC) | 0.5 - 2.8 sec |
| Cooling Fan | No | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.90kg | 1.75kg | 1.85kg |
| Price | US$685 | US$699 | 2 for US$599 |
CononMk G4.0
Effectively a remote-controllable version of the popular CononMk DL 4.0, the G4.0 is a Comet bayonet battery-powered monolight with IGBT circuitry. At full power, the specified flash duration is 1/3200 second, dropping to 1/8600 at minimum power and 1/13000 in stroboscopic mode. Perfect for freezing action!
Without remote control, it’s known in different countries as the Impact Lite Trek, Strobeam DL4, Phottix PPL-400 or Photoflex TritonFlash.
CononMk GID50
Very similar to the G4.0, the GID50 can be powered by either a battery or the mains. IGBT control provides quick flash durations at low power settings. It can be turned down to 1/128 of full power. Recycle times are slightly quicker when powered from the mains than from the battery.
CononMk GE400
The odd one out in our line-up, the GE400 can’t be battery-powered and doesn’t have IGBT control. Nonetheless, the Bowens S bayonet is much easier to find accessories for, and the device has a cooling fan to keep the light going longer during intensive shoots. The claimed flash duration is 1/1900 second (t 0.5).
Another advantage is that a two head GE400 kit is cheaper than a single G4.0 or GID50. On eBay, a two head kit is a comparable price to the Hobo Merlin (see below).
Where to buy
- Dzone2, based in Hong Kong, sell the G4.0 for US$685 (£425), the GID50 for $699 (£445) and a 2-head GE400 kit for $599 (£369). Click here for the listings.
- Green Life, also based in Hong Kong, list the G4.0 at $670 (£425).
- Dragon Image of Australia sell the GE400 under the FlashPro brand for A$360 including GST.
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If GID50 comes in Bowen’s mount, that would be a very good outdoor light. The remote/trigger is a very nice addition. Hope more of these will come.
I have a CononMk light bought during a travel in China. It looked and felt really beautiful. But, it was broken (big bang followed with smoke) the next day. Got a replacement and left the country and it was broken again. I communicated with the factory (long story) and I gave up. Bottom line: buy it from a local supplier/importer and make sure they have good return/repair service.
i wish the remote controller worked with previews conon flash.
I have the 200w version of those!
Very cool.What the maximum speed?
1/13,000 second in stroboscopic mode
Are these only controllable by Full stops of power?
Remote control is nice, but if you want fine control over ratios, or even just power, it sounds like you’ll need to move the lighting in addition to changing the power.
The YouTube video only showed adjusting in full-stops.
It’d also be nice to know if you could buy two different strobes, or models of strobes, and use the remotes together. Having one remote for light metering is something that many people do.
In the video, the adjustment is actually in 1/3 stops. Notice how it takes three clicks to go from 1/1 to 1/2.
Ah, thanks for correcting me! Interesting – I was watching on the small embedded player and didn’t notice anything on the LCD(s) changing apart from the full stop. Good to know.
This looks to be a really nice alternative to the BXRi + Skyport – though triggering flashes other than these needs to be done either optically, or by piggybacking transmitters.
It’s a little easier with the Skyports.
Ordered the GE400 units, and have tried them out for a few minutes.
Very nice build quality – the casing of the strobes is metal, and feels solid. The handle is solid plastic. The buttons have a solid click in them, though they don’t travel far.
I really like the Bowens mount on the front – rotate the speedring/reflector and it locks in, and slide the release switch to allow it to be removed. Feels secure, even with a little wiggle.
The unit has a fan that’s always on, and seems to buzz a bit when it’s winding up (Takes about 30s to reach full speed)
Now there are some odd things I’ve seen – the units aren’t able to fire above 1/4 power. The charging indicator bar on the LCD panel keeps moving, but it never says ready, and is never able to fire.
This is a huge problem, and almost seems like a bug in the firmware, as it’s the same with both strobes, and has the same symptoms. The 1/4 power flash doesn’t look like 400ws to me, but I’m not sure.
I also cannot control the lights in 1/3 stop increments – only full stops. This isn’t what I was expecting. The same is true of the wireless controller – I guess only the IGBT strobes have the more advanced features of the remote, and I also wonder whether these remotes are cross-compatible.
The remote that came with these strobes cannot access any menu functions other than turning the beep off, and those that the buttons on the unit can control (Modelling lamp, slave cell, each/all, A/B, ID#)
The protective cover that they include will not fit with the modelling lamp installed – this is quite annoying, as I plan to be using them with at least one softbox.
Interesting points, Ryan. The manufacturers are sending us a set to try out so I’ll see if we have a similar experience.
I also found that the recycle times are a little longer than I expected on the unit, but not bad. The modelling lamp also comes on about a half-second before it’s able to fire again, which is a bit deceptive.
Pros:
Good build quality (Metal casing)
Bowens mount (Nice implementation)
Wireless triggering built-in
Remote power adjust
Inexpensive, for 2x 400W units, and a remote.
Cons:
Full-stop power adjustment (Not 1/3)
Moderate recycle times
Modelling lamp powers on before unit is ready to fire (After shutting off when firing)
GE400 remotes may not be compatible with G4.0 / GID50 flashes/remotes
Problems with test units:
Couldn’t fire at any power above 1/4 (1/2 or full power) – unit kept cycling the animation for recycling, but never showed up as “ready”
I’ve notified the seller as of yesterday, and am waiting for a response.
Also, I made two videos that show problems that I’ve encountered. I don’t expect these to be typical of all units (Of course), but the power problem is consistent with both GE400 units that I received, which I find odd.
The other problem is power on the 3G controller – sometimes when it’s unplugged, it stays powered on, and sometimes the backlight stays blinking, as though it’s trying to power on.
Units won’t show “Ready” (Required to fire flash) above 1/4 power:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvqOmPoasBE
(Recycle indicator is above the “M” on the LCD)
Remote power problems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0q1MhKjHNg
Does anyone have any information on these strobes? http://www.strobeam.us/en/location-lighting/122-innovative-dl250-mark-iii-3g-ready-igbt-fast-flash-duration-location-lighting-2head-kit-with-battery-pack-.html ?
Strobeam are calling them DL250 MARK-III I’m presuming they are from cononmark