SK400ii or MS300? Any 'real' user reviews?

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Gareth
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Hi all,
I've been using these Interfit EX 400Ti studio heads and they've done me proud, work well and still going but I'm thinking of upgrading them. I have an AD200 that I use with the X Pro trigger and thinking of upgrading to one of these 2 so the one trigger will fire them all off.



I'm thinking the SK400ii are the better heads to get as they're the same power to what I have been using already and they are fan cooled, something that I think is kinda important when they're left on for a period of time between shoots.

Has anyone used them and are they any good?

Also long term reliability?

Thanks ;)
 
Do you need 400Ws?

IMO the extra stop of adjustment is worth more than the extra 1/3 stop of power.

If you need support, you might want to look at what’s available from one of the better resellers of Godox gear rather than the cheaper box shifters.
 
Thanks, I don't need super fast flash duration for freezing droplets so I've always thought more powerful flashes that have slower flash durations are better then for portraits as when used at leases power they have better recycling times and less strain on the tubes.

Where are the better resellers??

Also, their range is mind blowing. Tried researching them and I think I have it right they have the MS, then SK, DP, QS and QT?

The Q range offer 1/8000 flash which I don't need, the DP has wireless ID I don't need either so that takes me to the SK range?
 
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Hi Gareth - tbh I wouldn't reject items because they have features you don't need. Almost all flash heads (inc your AD200) are IGBT regulated these days (like speed-lights) and so will have short flash durations at lower outputs (they increase the output by simply extending the time the flash is allowed to continue). The QT heads are the fastest, and tbh the best mains powered units Godox makes. Recycle at a given light output is subject to a number of variables with IGBT lights, however as long as there is enough energy in the capacitors to deliver whatever you've set it to, it will fire - so effectively a negligible recycle time. (eg you set the light at 1/8th - even if it wasn't charging the capacitors you could make 8 shots before it ran out of energy). Fast recycle goes hand-in-hand with short flash duration - so if you need fast recycling, get any IGBT regulated light and let the features you do need guide you. I'd also concur with Phil on the range of output over an extra 1/3 of a stop - I have one light that can only go down to 1/32 and it is often still too much for a lot of the shots I'm producing right now where I'm mixing in much dimmer continuous lights.

As Phil says - I would look at Lencarta or Pixapro in the UK though. Lencarta can service and repair Godox lights. Not sure if Pixapro can do the same, however they both offer UK warranties.
 
Hi Gareth
You're right that a more powerful flash has the advantage of faster recycle times - but the extra 1/3 of a stop could still give slower recycling just due to other design issues. Whereas the ability to turn it down more could mean the difference between F2.8 and F4.5

As Owen says, don't reject features based on perceived requirements.

If I was equipping a studio tomorrow I'd buy the QT's (Lencarta Superfasts), for this reason:

When I'm shooting portraits in natural light, I tend to shoot in bursts - because the tiny changes in expressions that people have are fleeting. We often find a shot in a burst of 5 or 6 has 'something' missing from the rest (often referred to as micro-expressions). So what's more useful than a flash that can keep up with the fastest cameras in bursts? Because I don't have fast flash heads, my studio work is arguably poorer than my natural light work.

But if you do want to go for the less expensive option, the Smartflash takes some beating (I think it's the SK)
 
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