LumoPro LP120, new budget manual flash for strobists, free for a week

IsaacEastgate · 06-15-2009, 01:50 PM

Just thought i would stop in and mention i borrowed an LP120 from lumopro. It is their new flash designed to replace the classic 285HVs
I have posted a brief review on my flickr:
Lumopro LP120 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It is a very nice little bit of kit, a good match for my sigma 530 although it obviously only has manual controls, no TTL or any of that!

Anyway, if anyone is interested you can sign up on the LP120 flickr group, they will add you to a list and eventually you will get sent a flash free of charge, which you keep for 1 week before sending to the next guy. Well worth it even if you just want to try out a multiple flash setup sometime soon.
The link to the flicmr group is here: Flickr: LumoPro LP120

Hope to see some UK pentax guys adding their name to the list!

GerryL · 06-15-2009, 06:36 PM

Looks kinda sleek like the new DSLR flashes.
I kinda like the look of old school mixed with the DSLR.
DSLR looks better with MF old lenses and old flash (285HV) to match too (at least to my opinion).

..if this thing works and is cheap and built like a tank, why yeah, I'd buy it (specially with the swivel feature)!

GerryL · 06-15-2009, 07:04 PM

Here's the specs : LumoPro LP120 Manual Flash
I got this from Gadget Infinity site as compared to the 285HV, the Lumopro forgot to include these nice features of the 285HV and just went fully manual.

*Automatic Operation - Vari Sensor Module

The Vivitar 285HV Electronic Flash has a Vari Sensor Module that measures the light reflected from the subject, as well as other reflective surfaces near the subject.
This information is interpreted by sensor’s computer which programs the flash to automatically provide just the right among of light required for correct exposure.
You don’t have to change the f-stop on your camera lens when you move closer to a subject or father away as long as your subject is within the automatic operating range of the flash for that f-stop.

*Sufficient Light Indicator

The Sufficient Light Indicator will let you know whether the light output is sufficient for a proper exposure before you take a picture.
It is particularly useful in bounce lighting which involves complex exposure calculations.

**These are actually the features that I liked about the V 285HV which seems to have been omitted.

*res3567* · 06-15-2009, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by GerryL

Here's the specs : LumoPro LP120 Manual Flash
I got this from Gadget Infinity site as compared to the 285HV, the Lumopro forgot to include these nice features of the 285HV and just went fully manual.

*Automatic Operation - Vari Sensor Module

The Vivitar 285HV Electronic Flash has a Vari Sensor Module that measures the light reflected from the subject, as well as other reflective surfaces near the subject.
This information is interpreted by sensor’s computer which programs the flash to automatically provide just the right among of light required for correct exposure.
You don’t have to change the f-stop on your camera lens when you move closer to a subject or father away as long as your subject is within the automatic operating range of the flash for that f-stop.

*Sufficient Light Indicator

The Sufficient Light Indicator will let you know whether the light output is sufficient for a proper exposure before you take a picture.
It is particularly useful in bounce lighting which involves complex exposure calculations.

**These are actually the features that I liked about the V 285HV which seems to have been omitted.

The Vivitar 285 rules!

Venturi · 06-15-2009, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by GerryL

**These are actually the features that I liked about the V 285HV which seems to have been omitted.

To be fair, Gerry, while it does get compared to the Viv285HV often - the LP120 was designed and built from the ground up for off-camera use.
Those features you list would have been excess baggage. Instead they packed into the LP120 an optical slave, swivel and both PC and 3.5mm sync jacks. For a "strobist" those are indispensable features.

*res3567* · 06-15-2009, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by Venturi

To be fair, Gerry, while it does get compared to the Viv285HV often - the LP120 was designed and built from the ground up for off-camera use.
Those features you list would have been excess baggage. Instead they packed into the LP120 an optical slave, swivel and both PC and 3.5mm sync jacks. For a "strobist" those are indispensable features.

I have used my Vivitars for off camera use with an umbrella reflector.

How can a swivel head be advantages for this purpose?

Just curious; as I have never owned a flash with a swivel head.

When are you gone buy the LP120?

Venturi · 06-15-2009, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by res3567

I have used my Vivitars for off camera use with an umbrella reflector.

How can a swivel head be advantages for this purpose?

Just curious; as I have never owned a flash with a swivel head.

There are tons of lighting situations where an umbrella isn't appropriate or desirable. I use my flashes bare-bulb, with grids, with difusers and mini-softboxes, flags, etc.
Why swivel? Quck scenario: You're using bare bulb to backlight your subject. The flash is about 30ft away from you. The ready light is on the backside of the flash unit - but the flash head needs to be pointed back at you. Only way to see that ready light is if you swivel the head 180.

Originally Posted by res3567

When are you gone buy the LP120?

Maybe never? I have no need for one now. I have two perfectly good 285HVs, an AF540FGZ and two AlienBees AB800 monoblocks.

*res3567* · 06-15-2009, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by Venturi

There are tons of lighting situations where an umbrella isn't appropriate or desirable. I use my flashes bare-bulb, with grids, with difusers and mini-softboxes, flags, etc.
Why swivel? Quck scenario: You're using bare bulb to backlight your subject. The flash is about 30ft away from you. The ready light is on the backside of the flash unit - but the flash head needs to be pointed back at you. Only way to see that ready light is if you swivel the head 180.

Maybe never? I have no need for one now. I have two perfectly good 285HVs, an AF540FGZ and two AlienBees AB800 monoblocks.

Now that DOES make a lot of sense!

I rekon those Alien Bees are awesome; I have read up on them. They also make the cybersync?

That will probably be my first studio lighting setup on past my starving photographer setup I have now

GerryL · 06-16-2009, 09:11 AM

Plus compared to the price of 285HV ($90),
the Lumopro ($130) is still quite expensive nearing the price of the Pentax AF360DGZ (priced now at about $150).

Plus optical slaves are kinda hard to use in the field with other photogs around,
that's also the reason behind a lot of people are buying the radio flash triggers instead.

GerryL · 06-16-2009, 12:40 PM

If I where Cactus and I already bought the rights to the original design of the Vivitar 285HV, I would ahve retained everything and just redesigned the head to swivel.
With that I would have made a very salable and hit flash as most of the photographers were just wanting a swivel head on the 285HV.
Too bad they retained everything and just redesigned the name brand to "Cactus".

*res3567* · 06-16-2009, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by GerryL

If I where Cactus and I already bought the rights to the original design of the Vivitar 285HV, I would ahve retained everything and just redesigned the head to swivel.
With that I would have made a very salable and hit flash as most of the photographers were just wanting a swivel head on the 285HV.
Too bad they retained everything and just redesigned the name brand to "Cactus".

You are sooooooo right!