At the close of 2011, Adorama, the New York photographic retailer, informed us that “a new Flashpoint monolight with special capabilities” would be introduced this year. That product range has now been unveiled and will be available for sale in March.
Branded the Flashpoint DG-series, it will comprise two different flash heads, the DG400 and DG600, and a portable NiMH battery pack (1.2kg) capable of powering either unit. Though this overlaps with the AC/DC capabilities of the older Flashpoint M-series, those lights will not be discontinued any time soon, so say Adorama. As with previous Flashpoint products, the model numbers are a bit misleading. The DG400 stores 200 Joules, not 400 as the name suggests. The DG600 is a 300J flash.
So, marketeers, what’s new? What are the “special capabilities” promised? Would an in-house brand studio light really offer anything innovative to surprise us?
Sure enough, the DG has an ace up its sleeve. Look into the front of the flash head and, instead of a traditional halogen modelling lamp, you’ll find dozens of of light emitting diodes. The whole LED array draws just seven Watts of power. This means you should be able to run the modelling lamp for long periods without having to worry about heat or running down your battery pack, bugbears of studio and location photographers respectively. Other benefits are that diodes last longer and don’t protrude as far as bulbs, making the flashgun less fragile and easier to pack away for travel and storage.
Some more specifications:
| Model | DG400 | DG600 |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 200J | 300J |
| Guide number | 41 | 53 |
| Recycle Time | 0.5 - 3 sec | 1.5 - 4 sec |
| Flash duration | 1/1500 - 1/800 second | |
| Modelling lamp | LED 7W | LED 7W |
| Colour temperature | 5600K | |
| Power adjustment | Stepless control down to 1/32 | |
| Voltage | 100-130 VAC (60Hz) / 12 VDC | |
| Flashes on battery | 200 | 180 |
Where to buy
The Flashpoint DG-series is available to pre-order from Adorama, based in NYC. The 200Ws DG400 costs US$161.95, the 300Ws DG600 is $199.95 and the battery pack, optional, sells for $129.95. You can also buy the DG600 and battery together as a kit.
The expected release date is the 3rd March 2012. For more information, please follow the links above to the respective product listings.