The Energizer Bunny of Power Packs: Introducing the broncolor Satos and Pulso L
Looking at product releases of the past 20 years, one could say that location power packs have gone out of fashion. Yet, there has been no shortage of location shoots. So how are photographers lighting their sets these days? Battery powered monoblocs have been a popular choice for the last decade, and while extremely portable, most hover around 500-1000 W power-output per head. Hardly enough to rival the Australian midday sun.
Fast forward to 2024 and after nearly 5 years in development, broncolor has released its next generation of hybrid power packs and lights. Packing a whopping 3200 Joules, the Satos comes with a dual power system, meaning it can be operated via mains power when in studio, and via batteries when on location, while retaining its impressive 3200 output.
Image by Sergio Martin
Where in the past photographers had to weigh up their choices, bring a generator to set, or forego certain shots, the Satos and Pulso L come packed with innovation, from high-speed sync (HSS), three individually controlled channels, the option of setting different flash colour temperatures per lamp, and bi-directional lighting control. While location shoots once resided within the paradigm of compromise, the Satos/Pulso L combo has shifted it to one of possibility.
Feature-wise, the Pulso L knocks all competitors out of the water. Equipped with a flash tube, LED continuous light, and bi-colour modelling lamp, you can now combine LED and flash using the same pack or adjust energy and colour temperature directly on the lamp.
Image by Sergio Martin
Never have photographers had this amount of power, versatility, and precision on set. And the beauty of it all? Even with the most complex of projects, photographers have less to worry about, leaving them to focus on the actual image itself.
Use As a Studio Pack, Location Pack, Or Both
The Satos pack has an integrated power-slot system, consisting of batteries and power supply units. The batteries are rechargeable, with charging status displayed via LED lights. By using at least one battery element even when in studio, flash recharge times are reduced by 0.5 seconds, and compensate for voltage fluctuations. You can get 480 flashes with 4 batteries at full power, and it only takes 60 minutes to recharge from empty.
Image by Sergio Martin
Flexibility Per Channel
The Satos features symmetrical and individually asymmetrical power distribution on three channels, adjustable flash colour temperature per channel, bicolour modelling light, and LED continuous light with green/magenta correction.
High Speed Sync (HSS) – Rectangular Curve
The Satos guarantees uniform illumination across the entire sensor, even in HSS mode. Thanks to a new rectangular light curve, users experience a stable level of brightness and consistent colour temperature, irrelevant of shutter speed. This marks a very important change in broncolor technology.
A New touch display, with buttons
The large, high-contrast and multi-touch LCD display is protected by a cover glass, which is extremely resistant to cracks and scratches. You can operate the pack via touch or physical buttons, a combination that allows for ease of use even with complex settings. All key info and settings are visible on the home display window.
Image by Sergio Martin
Hybrid Lighting System
The Pulso L can be used as a flash head, continuous light, or a combination of both. A matrix of calibrated LEDs provides excellent light quality with colour temperature ranging from 2800K to 6800K. The new Pulso comes equipped with a bi-colour modelling light and is compatible with all existing and new light-shapers.
Image by Sergio Martin
Bi-Directional Communication
The bi-directional communication between Satos and Pulso L cuts out time-consuming commuting between power pack and lamp. All regular settings can be made on the lamp and are synchronized with the system in real time. This includes flash energy, colour temperature, modelling light, Cognition light, and test triggering.