Kenro, Nissin Digital’s distributor in the United Kingdom, has stated that they will be using the Focus On Imaging trade show in Birmingham next month to launch a number of new products.
Among the announcements will be a “flagship” flashgun, the Nissin Di700, and the new PS 8 battery pack. The Di700, despite its “flagship” moniker, reportedly has a middling array of features that really do not come close to the company’s existing top-of-the-line Di866 Mark II.
According to the DC Fever news site, the Nissin Di700 will emphasise “simple operation” and will be marketed as a “cost effective choice” for consumers. It is still a relatively high-end model, with a metric guide number of 50, a flash head with a wide 24–200mm zoom range, high speed synchronisation and advanced wireless slave modes.
The flashgun will have a colour LCD and “idiot lights” to allow quick read-off of settings from a distance. In manual mode you will be able to adjust the power down to 1/128 of full output. The recycle time at full power is reportedly specified to be four seconds and there is a socket on the side to attach an external battery pack and improve this speed.
That brings us to the new Nissin PS 8, which is already listed on the manufacturer’s web site so the spec sheet is all but confirmed at this stage. It is a nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack with interchangeable 3000mAh cartridges designed to be quickly swapped in and out. There are two output sockets for speedlights and a USB port, which can be used to charge up a mobile phone.
Plugged into a Di866 Mark II, Nissin reckons that the recycle time at full power is as quick as 0.7 seconds. Firing at that rate for any length of time, you may need the over-engineered heatproof MG8000 Extreme, as any other flashgun may sizzle. Flash responsibly!
Focus On Imaging takes place at Birmingham NEC from 3–6 March 2013. Kenro, based at stand L2, will not actually have any Di700 flash units to show off at the fair, but they say that visitors “are welcomed to the Stand to learn more about its upcoming UK release”.
For more information, visit the Nissin Digital web site.