I’ve all the time beloved flashes, particularly for portrait images and flower images. I’ve two guide ones, however they’re pretty giant so I used to be interested by attempting out one thing extra compact that additionally supplied a TTL mode. On this article, I’ll be reviewing one such possibility: the Viltrox Z3 Spark, a TTL flash obtainable for Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fuji X programs.
Primary Options
The Viltox Z3 Spark is a small flash that weighs about 144g. At a value of $55, it’s about as cheap as you’ll discover for a TTL flash. It has an attention-grabbing design with a small plastic window that permits you to see into the digital parts:
The physique of the flash has three controls: energy stage (when utilizing guide mode), a mixed energy and guide/auto swap, and a receiver mode swap. There’s an optical receiver with two receiver modes: one for rapid triggering upon the firing of a distinct pre-flash, and one wherein it ignores the preliminary pre-flash and fires solely upon noticing a second exterior flash. When in receiver mode, the flash solely works manually. You possibly can see the rear controls under:
There’s additionally a USB-C port for charging the Viltrox Z3 Spark. That’s vital as a result of in contrast to some flashes with detachable batteries, this one has an internal-only 1,800 mAh battery. In keeping with the specs, it could possibly energy the gadget 650 occasions at full energy, which appears about proper from my testing. There’s a small mild on the flash that blinks to point when the flash is totally charged, and charging takes simply over an hour.
The sunshine additionally blinks 1-4 occasions while you flip it on, indicating the battery stage, with 4 being the very best.
The ability of this flash is 26 watt-seconds, and it has a acknowledged information variety of 3′ / 0.9 m at ISO 100. That is on the dimmer facet of issues, and in observe, it’s most likely going to be about 4-8 occasions much less shiny than a typical swiveling flash. However it’s nonetheless an honest quantity of energy of its dimension and meant use.
The flash additionally comes with a tender diffuser cap. Except for making the sunshine barely softer, it may also be used to attenuate the output of the flash a bit, which might be helpful if you wish to use the flash extra as a set off for different flashes with a slight fill.
The flash period goes from 1/3000s – 1/30,000s, which is fairly respectable and it ought to be sufficient to freeze movement for a lot of artistic tasks. And naturally it’s greater than sufficient for portrait images.
Shade Temperature
I used to be curious to measure the colour temperature of this flash and its consistency. Here’s a plot of eight trials in opposition to the Cactus RF60:
We are able to see that the Viltrox Spark Z3 is definitely constant, so no worries there. However, its common coloration temperature was 4930K, so a bit hotter than Viltrox’s acknowledged coloration temperature of 6500 +/- 200. If something, I preferred the marginally hotter look because it blends in higher with hotter mild sources, however it is likely to be an issue should you’re attempting to steadiness the flash with different flash sources. Shade correction gels could also be vital, both on this flash or the opposite ones.
Remember the fact that there might be slight variations in measuring white balances as completely different lenses may give barely completely different temperatures. Nonetheless, normally the distinction is inside 100 kelvins. I additionally measured the flash with a second lens and obtained a mean of 4887K, so both means, it’s hotter than anticipated.
Strengths
The principle power of the Viltrox Z3 Spark is that it’s well-built, particularly for the $55 value. I like the truth that the controls are behind a bolstered plastic construction in order that they aren’t simple to knock or harm when thrown right into a digital camera bag. The controls themselves are simple to make use of as effectively, and the guide energy dial permits you to shortly set an influence stage.
The Viltrox Z3 Spark is sufficiently small to deliver with me into tougher conditions like rainforest for macro images. With two mild triggers, it may be used to light up mushrooms and flowers or present a bit fill mild for summary patterns. I like my bigger flashes, however I’ve all the time discovered them a bit cumbersome in such conditions.
The TTL functionality additionally works fairly effectively. On fill-flash mode, it appears to output the correct amount of flash.
Remember the fact that you should utilize the Viltrox Z3 Spark to set off different flashes which can be in receiver mode. I predict that some photographers will need two copies of this flash for that purpose: one to make use of as an on-camera set off, and one for an off-camera flash. That’s undoubtedly one among its strengths, helped by the $55 value.
Weaknesses
One potential weak point of this flash is that it could possibly’t swivel when mounted on the digital camera, so it could possibly’t be used to bounce the flash off a wall. Due to this fact, should you’re utilizing simply this flash on-camera, then you definitely’ll all the time have direct mild. Nonetheless, should you’re utilizing it for only a fill flash, then the sunshine from it nonetheless appears respectable. In fact, this implies it additionally has much less transferring components, and that’s additionally a very good factor.
One other unfavourable this flash is that some individuals may favor replaceable batteries. Nonetheless, for the reason that inside battery lasts a very long time, it ought to be ok for its meant function. However I want it used some type of customary battery that might be changed as a result of all such electronics finally grow to be ineffective should you can’t exchange the battery, whereas AA-powered flashes can final for many years. My first one from 2016 remains to be going robust, in any case.
Conclusion
The Viltrox Z3 Spark is a fairly helpful flash. It’s well-built, and should you don’t thoughts the mounted place of the flash on the digital camera, it’s a powerful contender for a transportable gadget while you want a bit of additional mild or an optical set off. I’m wanting ahead to testing it additional with some macro images tasks I’ve deliberate later this 12 months!
If you happen to’re on this flash, you should buy it from our trusted associate B&H by the affiliate hyperlinks under, which helps our ad-free web site: