Studio Nocturne

These monolights (300i) are just about equal with any other self-contained monolight on the market (i.e. alien bees, photogenics, etc.). They provide accurate, consistant lighting and have a pretty good build quality. But their quality is overshadowed by little flaws that equal big problems. Number one problem is the built-in slave needs LOTS of light to trigger the unit. In fact, if you are shooting anywhere with celings higher than 10 feet or without any sort of bright walls around your primary flash, you will need some sort of EXTRA triggering mechanism. Second problem is standard items such as umbrellas cannot be used while the reflectors are attached. This is a drawback because there is no protection for the flash tube besides the 3 inch buffer the reflectors provide between the flash tube and anything that might touch it. Be prepared to purchase many replacement tubes if you do location shoots. Lastly, be prepared to purchase new light stands if you need to elevate your units more than half the height of the stands provided. The weight of the unit creates an unsteady setup at any height above say 5 feet. And that’s WITHOUT accessories like softboxes and such. In short, the units are good for in-studio shoots, but be prepared to “accessorize” if you want a traveling light set.
Rating: 2 / 5