A new flashgun has been launched for photographers seeking automatic lighting on a budget. The Pixel X-650 offers E-TTL metering, manual power control, an autofocus assist lamp and an electronic zoom head.
Where this unit differs from the countless other cheap flashes on the market already is in its front-facing LED modelling light. This lamp, which also has removable plastic filters for colour correction, can be used as a makeshift video light or help you compose and focus your shot in dark studio environments.
The Pixel X-650, priced $88 on eBay, also supports external battery packs and sync cords by way of a series of ports on the side. For now there is only a Canon E-TTL version, but you have the expected range of manual control down to 1/128 of full power, plus a bonus stroboscopic function. There is no optical slave or advanced wireless tech, though.
This is not the same flash as the “Mago” X-600, which will include high-speed sync (HSS) functionality in the same form factor and is still in development. For more information, visit the manufacturer’s product page.