Elinchrom recently introduced a new flash, the ELB 400. Similar to the earlier Quadra, this pack is very lightweight (about 6 pounds with the head) and portable. I have used the Quadra around the globe; it is the perfect solution for portraits in remote areas and travel. Nothing is more exciting than lighting a Mongolian throat singer in the Gobi desert with this light! But the Quadra just got a lot better with the introduction of the ELB 400.
Here are some of the improvements:
-new OLED menu
-20% faster recycling
-25% more full power flashes (up from 280-350)
-new creative modes including Strobo, Delayed and Sequence
-minimum power setting is 0.3 f-stop lower
-new generation Skyport built-in
Let me just sum it up at the beginning. The ELB 400 shoots like a powerhouse. I have been shooting the light for weeks now, and right out of the box I loved the new OLED menu. This menu system is very intuitive and easy to navigate, even if you have never used an Elinchrom light before. And the increased power and faster recycling time is HUGE on shoots. I hate missing an expression from a model while I wait for a flash to recycle, and ELB does a terrific job speeding up recycle times. Also important to me is extended battery life, especially if I am miles into the backcountry shooting rock climbers or mountain bikers. 350 full power shots is a lot, and since I rarely shoot at full power, the lithium battery almost eliminates the need to bring in a second a battery on a shoot. I can get hundreds of flashes at full power, and over a thousand at less than full power…my climbers and bikers will wear out before the battery does.
The ELB also has a cool strobic mode to shoot multiple flashes over a long exposure for sequence shots. I have used this a few times and it works perfectly. Now I just need my ballerina dancer to become available to try this out even more…stay tuned, a future post will look at the strobic mode in depth.
If you are looking for a portable light that packs a punch, take a look at the new Elinchrom ELB 400. I’ve shot rock climbers to body builders with this light, and it hasn’t missed a beat.