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I’ve been into images since I used to be a small baby, studying from my dad, who was knowledgeable photographer. I didn’t get into studio flash till a few years later – almost 20 years in the past, in reality. I did plenty of analysis earlier than shopping for my first equipment, a set of Elinchrom D-Lite heads, and have by no means seemed again. I’ve examined and reviewed a number of Elinchrom flash kits since then, starting from entry-level units to top-end professional choices, and have been impressed each time round. The Swiss firm has plenty of historical past, being based again in 1962, and has all the time had a repute for innovation and the very best ranges of efficiency.
A continuing theme, so far as I’m involved, is that Elinchrom gear is all the time easy and intuitive to make use of, delivers constant outcomes of the very best high quality, and is totally dependable and reliable. In the end, I can provide my full consideration to the inventive strategy of capturing, fairly than wrestling with needlessly sophisticated lighting setups. And the identical goes for this transmitter and receiver set. Among the later D-Lite ‘RX’ and different Elinchrom flash kits have the receiver electronics constructed into the precise flash heads, and even come full with the set off.
The EL-Skyport wi-fi radio distant system was truly launched again in 2005, and the Common set that I’m reviewing right here goals to be one of many greatest flash triggers on your digital camera, whichever digital camera system you occur to make use of.
Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus: Specs
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Dedication choices |
Common |
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Wi-fi vary |
200m / 656ft |
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Wi-fi TTL |
No |
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Distant flash management |
Sure (EL-Skyport system solely) |
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Excessive Pace Sync |
Leaf shutter cameras solely |
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Flash teams / channels |
4 / 16 |
Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus: Worth
I do know loads of skilled photographers who depend on Elinchrom lighting and equipment and wouldn’t use the rest. The Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus Transmitter & Receiver Set is comparatively easy, fairly than having an overblown characteristic record and devoted features for particular person digital camera programs. Nonetheless, it’s made to work reliably and to be strong with pro-grade construct high quality, which makes the asking value of $140 / £142 / AU$260 very affordable, so far as I’m involved.
Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus: Design & Dealing with
I’ve mentioned it as soon as, however I’ll say it once more: Elinchrom ‘RX’ flash heads have the receiver electronics of this equipment constructed into them, so that you solely want to make use of the transmitter, which is commonly provided as a part of a whole equipment anyway. Nonetheless, the common nature of this equipment extends to make use of with just about any digital camera system, any flash head, and any flashgun or ‘speedlight’.
Let’s begin with the transmitter. The entire set is of a sure age, so there’s no new-fangled touchscreen interface. In reality, there isn’t even a mono LCD panel. Guess what – I don’t care. The highest panel of the transmitter provides me the whole lot I want, with easy pushbuttons for setting as much as 4 teams of lights in 16 channels. That mentioned, eight channels are for regular sync and eight are for ‘pace’ mode, enabling high-speed sync with leaf shutter cameras. You also needs to bear in mind that solely three of the channels are appropriate with older EL-Skyport programs.
The total vary of pushbuttons provides entry to teams, mode, channels, power-up and power-down, in addition to a take a look at flash button. Altering the ability of the flash is simply obtainable with Elinchrom heads that characteristic the EL-Skyport system, so when you’re utilizing a flashgun or a distinct studio flash head, you’ll want to regulate the ability manually.
Transferring to the right-hand facet of the transmitter, you’ll discover a easy on/off change and a 2.5mm sync socket. The sync socket extends the vary of compatibility to incorporate cameras that don’t characteristic an everyday hotshoe. As such, you could possibly both purchase a hotshoe adapter or use the provided sync cable to attach the transmitter to a digital camera’s PC sync socket.
Up entrance, there’s a standing lamp, as additionally featured on the receiver unit. This flashes in inexperienced when the transmitter and receiver are in regular mode, and in purple once they’re in ‘pace’ mode. Urgent the mode button on each items to make the change additionally leads to the opposite standing panels for teams and channels swapping between inexperienced and purple accordingly. The entrance standing lamps additionally flash once you press any of the buttons or launch the digital camera’s shutter, for visible affirmation.
One of many issues that actually impresses me about this equipment is its wi-fi vary of as much as 200m / 656ft. To assist the radio frequency communication actually go the gap, the transmitter has a 90-degree upright pivot facility, so you possibly can alter the orientation for optimum connectivity. Nonetheless, in pace mode, the utmost vary is halved to round 100m / 328ft. That ought to nonetheless show greater than sufficient for many conditions, in addition to giving sufficient energy to chop by way of obstacles or work round corners, in contrast to with infrared wi-fi communication. The picture above exhibits the set off and receiver in horizontal orientation, whereas under, each are upright.
Let’s transfer onto the receiver module. Once more, this has a hotshoe mounting base, or fairly a ‘cold-shoe’ as there’s no triggering pin beneath. That’s solely pure, because the triggering is obtained by RF wi-fi transmission, which is the entire level of the equipment. The foot has a typical threaded quarter-inch socket for attaching to a tripod or comparable assist, in addition to mounting right into a cold-shoe, full with locking clamp.
The highest of the receiver truly does have a hotshoe. Take away the protecting rubber pad and also you’ll discover that, as with the set off, there’s solely a single digital connection pin. That’s as a result of the equipment is common fairly than coming in several devoted variations for particular digital camera programs. The online result’s that there’s no TTL flash metering nor high-speed sync on faucet. The plus facet is that you may slot an everyday flashgun into the hotshoe of the receiver and set off it remotely, whereas utilizing handbook flash energy changes.
As with the transmitter, compatibility is stretched to the max by the receiver that includes a 2.5mm sync socket. You should utilize the provided cable for triggering any flash head that options a typical 2.5mm jack socket for synchronization. That mentioned, fairly just a few flash heads have a 1/4-inch jack socket as an alternative, however no worries, the equipment features a 2.5mm to 1/4-inch adapter. The receiver’s sync socket is in direction of the rear of the right-hand facet, which additionally options the on/off change, plus the pushbutton and standing show for the group settings, the latter with 4 choices.
The left-hand facet of the receiver has one other pair of pushbuttons. The one in direction of the rear lets you cycle by way of the assorted channels on provide, with a standing show exhibiting the present or new setting. In direction of the entrance, there’s a Mode button for choosing customary or pace modes, which should be matched to the setting on the transmitter. On the rear of the left-hand panel is a Micro-USB socket, which you should use to use firmware updates as and when wanted.
Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus: Efficiency
When it comes to efficiency, the Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus Transmitter & Receiver Set solely actually has one aim. That’s to ship 2.4GHz radio frequency wi-fi transmission between the transmitter and receiver, successfully and reliably. I want the peace of thoughts that comes from realizing that once I press the shutter launch on my digital camera for that all-important, time-critical shot, the digital camera goes to fireplace the transmitter, the transmitter goes to speak with the receiver, and the receiver goes to set off the studio flash or flashgun.
Utilizing the Elinchrom with studio flash in addition to with flashguns, I’m pleased to report that it gave me a 100 per cent success price, which I actually can’t say about some flash triggers that I’ve used. As marketed, it labored over giant distances, by way of obstacles and round corners, each indoors and outdoor. It’s helpful being to extend or lower the ability of Elinchrom flash heads which have built-in EL-Skyport connectivity however, for me, needing to manually change the ability settings of flash heads and flashguns when that is unavailable actually isn’t a deal-breaker.
One other side of efficiency is battery life. You want to have the ability to depend in your batteries not going flat throughout a shoot and the system has loads of stamina. I like that the transmitter and receiver every take a pair of normal alkaline or Ni-MH AA batteries, that are long-lasting, universally obtainable and straightforward to exchange, in contrast to small coin batteries.
You’ll be able to anticipate recent batteries within the transmitter to final for round 30,000 flashes, and the batteries within the receiver to final for about 30 hours of use. I exploit a few of the greatest rechargeable AA batteries and, if I’m in any doubt, high up the cost earlier than an essential shoot. Each modules characteristic a power-saving standby mode, which prompts after half-hour within the transmitter and after 4 hours within the receiver.
Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus: Verdict
For those who’re after a ‘devoted’ wi-fi set off set to match your digital camera system, that allows TTL flash metering, high-speed sync and distant management of flashgun energy changes, then the Elinchrom EL-Skyport Common Plus Transmitter & Receiver Set isn’t for you. Nonetheless, if you would like a set off with rock-solid dependability that works flawlessly even over lengthy distances, each indoors and out, it is a nice common set off set that you should use with all kinds of cameras, flashguns and studio flash setups.
Certain, you solely get one receiver within the equipment, however you should purchase extra individually if it is advisable to. I discover that triggering one flash with the equipment and utilizing different flashes in slave mode, once I’m utilizing multi-flash configurations, often works high quality anyway. And when you’re utilizing Elinchrom ‘RX’ flash heads with built-in RF receivers, the set off additionally provides you the flexibility to extend or lower energy remotely. All in all, it’s a wise equipment that mixes wonderful efficiency with actually strong construct high quality.
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Options ★★★★☆ |
The set off and receiver each characteristic pushbutton interfaces and illuminated standing shows, whereas the receiver’s hotshoe and provided cables guarantee the best ‘common’ compatibility. |
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Design ★★★★☆ |
Construct high quality feels of Elinchrom’s common pro-grade customary and the equipment is fairly compact, contemplating its intensive wi-fi triggering vary. |
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Efficiency ★★★★★ |
The transmitter and receiver by no means missed a beat throughout my testing, and I’ve skilled the identical when utilizing the transmitter with Elinchrom RX flash heads. |
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Worth ★★★★☆ |
It’s not an inexpensive equipment however I feel it’s nonetheless superb worth, contemplating the construct high quality, reliability and efficiency. |
