New Satos pack is a “game changer” updating flash photography for the hybrid workflow
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With the high uptake of LED continuous lighting in recent years, are flash packs still relevant?
Boncolor’s new Satos pack is proving that you can have the best of both worlds – combining the ability to freeze movement at high speeds with video-enabling continuous light in one powerful pack that can be used across studio and location.
Tim Jones put its features to the test during his April 18 workshop at SUNSTUDIOS Sydney, where he unveiled Broncolor’s next generation of packs and lights to a curious audience of 50. Over the course of two hours, attendees were treated to three lighting set-ups, each designed to showcase a new technological innovation such as high-speed sync, adjustable flash colour, and LED continuous light mode.
Image by Sergio Martin
Following a warm welcome, houselights were dimmed and the sweet West-African melodies of Ali Farka Toure began to fill the walls of Studio 7. Enter Lucky Lartey, a gravity-defying Ghanese dancer and choreographer who took centre-stage behind a 20-foot backdrop.
What sets this generation apart from the Broncolor Scoro and Pulso G, is new functionality allowing the Satos and Pulso L to be plugged into mains power when in studio or run on batteries when on location while retaining an impressive 3200J power output. And this is only where the differences start.
When Lucky took to the air, Tim was able to capture the dancer mid-flight at 1/2000th shutter speed and a frame rate of up to 20 images per second* without dropping a single frame using the Canon EOS R5 and the Satos set to high-speed-sync (HSS).
Image by Odessa Jones
For set-up number two, Tim unplugged the pack from mains power and shifted to an intimate portrait using a single light-shaper and on a wide lens to dramatic effect. Running on battery power now, which reduces recycling times by 0.5 seconds, Tim showcased bi-directional communication, meaning that adjustments such as colour temperature and lighting mode can now be made on the flash-head directly.
This allows for near infinite workflow possibilities combining and mixing continuous light and flash, and varying colour temperatures across multiple heads without using multiple set ups.
“The photographer can concentrate on the talent, and not on the equipment”, quipped Tim, noting the benefits of being able to set the power output using a knob on the flash head as well as via the pack.
“Sometimes it is the simplest of things that can make our work-flow more efficient.”
For the third and final act of the evening Tim recorded a video on the Canon EOS R5C by setting the Pulso L to continuous light mode. The new L head comes equipped with a 90W LED lamp (equivalent to 300W tungsten) which can be colour-balanced 2800-6800K and operates across four stops.
With the camera now rolling, Lucky delivers the longest movement sequence of the evening, showcasing his traditional brand of West-African dance – leaving the audience transfixed. The audience erupts in an applause, and so the workshop officially concludes.
Image by Odessa Jones
With the announcement of Satos, photographers and hybrid shooters no longer have to choose between speed, power, portability and buying or hiring multiple set ups with one pack and multi-function heads delivering a solution to most needs within one system.
“You can take this top-of-the-line studio pack with all its power, performance and features … out on location. It is no longer restricted to the studio. This, I feel, is a gamechanger.”
Book now for the next set of workshops with Tim in Melbourne and Canberra.
*Canon R5 frame rate, independent of Satos pack
Image by Odessa Jones