So we are almost in the second month of 2012 and are receiving some exciting rumours and titbits of information about new products that will roll out this year! However there are things we would love to see. (We dream too! …while the editor has us chained to the desk writing for the site). What, in my opinion, should and shouldn’t there be in the lighting industry of 2012?
2012 seems like an exciting year for new products and there has been some neat stuff, but there are a few things I would love to appear this year:
- Hot shoe strobes with a 1/4″ stud thread on the side
Having to buy brackets to put  speedlights centered in an umbrella is too 2010 and it is getting silly, even more when the solution is pretty simple. Put a 1/4″ thread on the side of a flash so it would help center the strobe’s head into umbrellas, brolly-boxes, Photek Softlighters and parabolics.
- Location flash head systems that can withstand a big octa
I know they are designed to be light weight but both the Elinchrom Quadra Adapter and the new Jinbei Discovery heads should be manufactured to withstand any kind of gear weight.
- LED panels with remote control
Because when you put together many LED panels to light a scene it is kind of a PITA to adjust each one of them (it is more of a PITA when you have more than four put together in each group on many light stands).
- The death of the PC sync port and cord
Please, please put a 3.5mm jack with screw-lock on the radio triggers and the hot shoe flashes and forget about PC sync. Please, there’s no advantage to keep using it. (Other than to sell more PC sync cables, which are very delicate). I for one would dance on its grave (just saying…)
- Lighting gear manufacturers stop making fanless monolights
Removing a cooling fan from the design of an entry level monolight isn’t cool. Including fans as standard will only work in the brand’s and client’s favour (and cut down on after-sales maintenance too).
- New lighting gear brands not using the Comet accessory bayonet
Note to manufacturers: license a more popular mount but please don’t use Comet’s mount, especially if you plan to sell your stuff in Europe.
Eduardo Frances is a professional photographer based in Pamplona, Spain, and co-editor for Lighting Rumours.