Disclaimer: I am sponsored by Elinchrom and have received some of my lighting gear as part of that sponsorship. Regardless of my sponsorship, I look for the best equipment that suits my needs and I was already using Elinchrom lighting equipment before receiving any gear as part of my sponsorship. I was not paid to...
The Winter 2015 issue of the Michael Clark Photography Newsletter is now available for download. If you’d like to sign up for the Newsletter just drop me an email and I’ll add you to the mailing list. This issue includes an editorial about about making goals and thinking about long-term ambitions, a review of the Other World Computing ThunderBay 4 RAID enclosure,...
Disclaimer: This is kind of a long-winded book review but stick with it to the end and you’ll see why I am so excited about this book and why I highly recommend it to everyone! About a month ago, I had lunch with New York Times bestselling author Steve Kotler here in Santa Fe, New...
I usually save product reviews for my Newsletter, but in this case, I have found a product so useful that I just have to get the word out right here on the blog. Get ready for some serious gushing because I am going to praise this product like few others. I would like to introduce...
The Summer 2013 issue of the Michael Clark Photography Newsletter is now available for download. If you’d like to sign up for the Newsletter just drop me an email and I’ll add you to the mailing list. This issue includes an editorial about finding inspiration on a recent assignment, an overview of the new features in...
The Spring 2013 issue of the Michael Clark Photography Newsletter is now available for download. If you’d like to sign up for the Newsletter just drop me an email and I’ll add you to the mailing list. This issue includes an editorial about adapting to new technologies, an equipment review of the TrekPak dividers for Pelican...
The Winter 2013 issue of the Michael Clark Photography Newsletter is now available for download. If you’d like to sign up for the Newsletter just drop me an email and I’ll add you to the mailing list. This issue includes an editorial about how the learning process never ends, an equipment review comparing the Nikon D800...
Hi Michael, thanks for the fairly comprehensive review (I’m guessing written just before Profoto introduced its shot more clearly aimed at the Quadra market, the B2).
One obvious question (as the owner of two Quadra RX packs), did Elinchrom give you any indication what the USB port is primarily designed for? Phone charger socket? Future firmware updates?
Also, Elinchrom frowned upon Quadra use in more challenging weather conditions. Does the new ELB400 actually have better weather sealing?
My first reaction to reading about the B2 as hope that Elinchrom would come out with a more refined Skyport trigger system and tackle TTL (primarily for HSS on its own) and stop relying on a third-party trigger.
I bought my Pocketwizard TTL triggers primarily for Hypersync and have never been thrilled about the reliability. But it looks like the next bit of the news will be the ELB1100.
Thanks again for a nice review.
Earle – I wrote this over the last few days, which is after the Profoto B2 announcement. Stay tuned as I am going to post an in-depth article comparing the B1 and the B2 to the ELB 400 tomorrow.
I believe the USB port is for Firmware upgrades — especially for use with their software that you can add to your phone, iPad or laptop.
I have had my Quadras in very challenging conditions, i.e. rain,snow, humid conditions and it has done very well – never had an issue. I know they don’t like me talking about the weatherproofness of their battery powered products but they are more weatherproof in my experience than any other product on the market.
I don’t know if Elinchrom is working on a new Skyport but I’d be surprised if they were not working on it. I would love to be able to use my Skyports for Hypersync.
Stay Tuned for tomorrow’s blog post – comparing the Profoto B1 and B2 to the ELB 400.
Hi Michael,
I’ve been a long time user of the Ranger Quadra system myself and am looking forward to trying out the ELB 400. Is it compatible with the previous generation cables and heads?
The image of the power outlet socket does look a bit different. It would be a pity if one would have to buy an entire new set of cables and heads to get the most out of the system.
Please let me know.
Thank you
Hi Michael, thanks for the very informative review! Do you already know when the article comparing the B1 and the B2 to the ELB400 will be published? 😉
Thanks, Johannes
Johannes – I will have it out here later today.
Hello sir, great review there.
i just buy elinchrom quadra a 2 month ago and realize that it’s hyper sync can’t use on sony camera.. i use sony camera A300 and mirrorles sony A7 series
when i read some spec of the new ELB 400 on this site http://www.theflashcentre.com/Elinchrom%20ELB%20400%20Pack.html?category_id=972
they said this lighting had internal/build in sky port radio system that allowed hyper sync on canon, nikon and sony camera, with additional pro head and pocket wizard or phottix trigger system. is that true sir? can you test it on you next review sir?
i also notice this new ELB 400 can use LED modeling lamp set to continues mode, how long it work if we use modeling lamp LED from full battery?
can it ELB 400 do a burst mode shot like profoto B1/B2? profoto B1/B2 can make 20 burst flash shot a second
thank you sir 🙂
RVN –
Hypersync is only achieved using the PocketWizard ControlTL transceivers with the Quadras – and I don’t think those can actually do Hypersync with Sony cameras. They only work with Nikon and Canon cameras. The Skyport cannot do Hypersync. You have to have the correct PW ControlTL transceivers (one plugged into the pack and one attached to the camera – Nikon or Canon only).
Both the ELB 400 and older Quadras can have the modeling lamp turned on continuously. On the older Quadras, Pressing and holding the modeling light button down for 2 seconds will leave the modeling light on for as long as their is power in the pack. Not sure how long it will last with the Modeling light on.
The ELB will shot at 10 fps in a burst mode or in strobe mode at lower power settings.
thank you sir for your reply, i will try it again on my older elinchrom quadra 😀
really love your hardwork and your great review about elinchrom 😀 god bless you sir
[…] comments on both of these units. Many of you know, especially if you read my previous review of the ELB 400, that I am sponsored by Elinchrom. I am not writing this comparison to bash Profoto. They make some […]
Hoping for an ELB1100 announcement!
Thanks for the great review Michael. What settings on the TT1 and TT5 do you use when hyper-synching with the ELB400 or the Quadra? I have been trying out several combinations of settings and can’t nail down the best results. I know Pocketwizard has a guide here:
http://wiki.pocketwizard.com/index.php?title=HyperSync_Setup#How_to_Configure_the_ControlTL_Transmitter
But what works for your setup? (I guess a D4?)
Thanks again for the great review.
Gaving – You and me both. The Rangers are my main go to pack since I usually need more power than the ELB 400. I can’t wait to see an update.
Devaka – Yes, the ELB 400 can use older Quadra flash heads and they go into the sockets just fine. No worries there….sorry for the late reply.
Joel – My settings for Hypersync are generally to set it up for Maximum Output in the software. I think the options are Maximum Output or Reduced Clipping. In the Reduced Clipping mode I can shoot at up to 1/4000th second with my Elinchrom Rangers and Quadras with the D4 and D800. In Maximum Output I start to see clipping at around 1/1600th sec on both cameras – this will be highly dependent on the cameras you use. I generally go for maximum output and shoot at around 1/1000th sec up to 1/1250th sec for the shutter speed. I also put the Hypersync on the C2 channel on my MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 units. I often just use two TT5 units as the reception between those units seems to be better. If you are a Canon shooter, then I have heard and seen that Hypersync doesn’t work as well for many Canon cameras. Hope this helps.
Dear Michael Clark;
Thank you for sharing this great article.
I want to ask you a question. I have Elinchrom ELC PRO HD 500.
I just want to learn if I can use pocket wizard for hypersync or not.
I did a research on the net but I didn’t find anything about this.
So could you please tell me if I can use it with Elinchrom pro hd or not? If Yes, Please tell me which pocket wizard prodcut should I buy.
I am waiting your helps and by the way, I am so sorry for my poor english.
Safak
Safak – I don’t think the ELC Pro HD 500 can do Hypersync because it has a very fast flash duration. It might be able to do it at certain settings like full power but I haven’t ever tried and I don’t see it listed as one of the compatible flashes on the PocketWizard website. You would need the PocketWizard Flex TT5 and Mini TT1 to do Hypersync with – the Nikon or Canon version depending on your camera brand. I would call or email PocketWizard and see if they have tried it with those units. I have the ELC Pro HD 1000 Ws units but I don’t think it works with them. I use the Rangers with the S heads or the Quadras with the “Pro” heads for Hypersync because they have a slow flash duration.
Michael… Are the new Heads built better then the older heads? I have heard a lot of comments about the sloppy build quality of the elinchrom quadra heads and just want to make sure they will handle my abuse that most of my gear goes thru.
Eric – The new heads are pretty much the same as the older heads. The cord, as I said in the review is a bit better integrated. I have not experienced any sloppy build quality issues with my Quadras. And as I said in the review, even though there is a lot of plastic in the heads, I have not had any durability issues with them. They are tougher than they look. These are meant to be lightweight, so the heads are in that vein. If a head falls over on a light stand and hits something hard, like a rock or concrete, you will be buying a new flash head but that would be the case with just about any flash head out there save for the all metal DynaLite heads or maybe the top-end Profoto Pro heads. If a Profoto B1 falls over on a light stand, with that much weight, it is going to do some damage to the flash head for sure. The nice thing about he ELB 400 is if you have a light modifier on the Quadra heads they are very well protected and mold into the light modifier. The light modifier, like a softbox, will protect the flash head. The new light modifier adapter is also very robust. And the battery-pack is totally bomber – no worries with that.
Just took possession of a new ELB 400 and Pro Head. Alright, the OLED panel looks NOTHING like the photo in the article, at least outdoors in direct sun or even shadow. If this is an improvement over the old one, I’d hate to see what that one looked like. Inside a darkened studio it’s nice and easy to read and legible as per the photo but that’s it. There should be a truth-in-review somewhere here for this!!!
Other than that, unit seems tight, quick and well built. HOWEVER….. why oh why they designed the heads so the locking lever is on the left side of the head is beyond logic, as it goes against the first rule of gripping (well maybe second or third) that things are set up so that they lock against themselves by the weight of the object; i.e.. as the weight of an umbrella pulls down the head, which it does have a tendency to do given that the assembly is mostly plastic, it will loosen itself rather than tighten. Due to the umbrella shaft holder (again, what size is this?) on the right side, you can’t reverse engineer the handle, sadly. Perhaps it’s not that big of a problem as you’ll probably be using the Elinchrom adapter for additional light modifiers (boxes, octi etc…). So much to like, and yet so close but a bit short.
Mark – I think I did comment on how the OLED isn’t easily readable in bright sunlight. It isn’t so bad in the shade in my opinion. I never even noticed what side the locking lever for the flash head was on.Once it is locked down I have never seen one actually move – I crank them down hard.
Oh,then my mistake on that one regarding your mentioning readability in sunlight. HOWEVER…. just noticed that the white buttons are glow-in-the-dark! Not sure if that’s been covered! Do you have any idea if they’re planning on updating the Ranger series as well; would much prefer the added power of those along with a weight reduction in the batteries.
Thanks for the great review and user-experience with these units; thought it was the most credible of anything written so far.
Mark – Thanks. Sadly, no lighting solution from any manufacturer is perfect. I wish it were…but that is another topic. I can’t speak to the Rangers. I am right there with you hoping those are updated soon. Thanks for the comments and the note on credibility. I try to call it like I see it.
Hi Michael,
I sent you direct message but figured I would write directly here so other people can benefit from it. I purchased two ELB kits and with the skyport Transmitter I don’t get more than 20 meters in range. I tried with many different settings and on a parking lot as well as outside in a grassy field with no obstructions. I loose connection after 20 meters. Both pack and transmitters have the same problem. I returned them to B&H and I am debating if I should get an exchange or a different system.
Thanks for your help!
Paolo
Paolo – Hello. Great to hear from you. Honestly, I am not sure I have ever been more than 20 meters from my Quadras or the ELB400s. I haven’t tried to see how far I could be away from them. I have been pretty far away from my Rangers but I was using the PocketWizard ControlTL transceivers for that shoot using Hypersync. You can certainly use PocketWizards with the ELB400 set up.
Hei Michael
I have the “old” Ranger Quadra with Action heads. I have a Canon 5d Mark 3 and have not been able to do Hyper Sync. But I heard that is possible with standard head. Does the new Pro Head fit the old Quadra, and will I be able to do hyper sync, when I also use the pocketwizards?
Yes, you can use the Pocketwizard ControlTL transceivers with the Pro Head or the older S-Head with your Quadra and use Hypersync to activate them. The PocketWizards can be a bit finicky with the older Quadras as you will have to connect the transceivers via a cable but it does work very well. I haven’t tried it with Canon cameras but you should be able to sync up to 1/1,200 sec or higher without banding or a huge gradient. The new Pro head will fit and work with the older Quadras.
Hi Michael
I have the Profoto B1’s at the minute and when i use high speed sync with shutters over 250th second it goes instantly to power 8 out of 10 which is a very high power. I’d like to buy the Elinchrom HS heads with the ELB 400 power packs and hopefully shoot at any flash power with HSS. Will i be able to shoot at any flash power i want over 250th?
Thanks
James – I have used the ELB400 with the HS head at half power and it was totally fine. I need to do more testing to answer your question completely. But, in theory, yes, you should be able to use any flash power or use the ODS feature to use lower flash output. I’ll put up a blog at some point with test results…
hallo sir clark, yesterday elinchrom just release new el skyport plus HS with many improvement, interface and feature so it look very handy. they said this new skyport will come with canon, nikon and sony in following. thats really good news because i am is sony user camera.
Hi Michael,
Would you recommend the Pocket wizard system for hypersync with the ELB + pro head or the elinchrom HS Plus remote? I don’t see any banding in your photos while there is banding with the elinchrom remote.
Thanks!
Mark – I would definitely recommend the Elinchrom Skyport Plus HS transceiver over the PocketWizard. I would also highly recommend those that want to use the Hi-Sync feature to choose the HS flash head for the ELB400, which will eliminate all banding. I am not sure which photos you are commenting on that have banding. The gradation was way worse with the PocketWizard Hypersync than it is with the new Elinchrom Skyport HS, especially when using the HS flash heads.
Hi Michael, thanks for your answer. I don’t see banding on your photos, but I saw it on another site where they tested the new elinchrom trigger with different heads. I would use it for all sorts of photography: product photography, portrait (shallow depth of field), corporate. Sometimes clients ask for shots on location to freeze action like liquids. My elinchrom dealer advised me to take the pro head since it’s the (close to) best of all worlds: Hi-sync capable but with shorter flash duration than the HS head.
Mark – I’d say that was bad advice you got from the dealer. The pro head does neither well. It’s flash duration is pretty slow so it won’t stop action, not at fill power or anywhere near full power. And it doesn’t work that great for Hypersync. It will work but there will be a lot of gradation. The beauty of the ELB400 system is that you can have it both ways by buying the Action head and the HS head. That would be my recommendation. Buy one of each. They aren’t that expensive. Also, if you want to freeze liquids, shooting with the HS head and 1/8000th second will do that way better than any fast flash duration ever would.
Hi Michael, thanks for your advice. I think I’ll start with a ELB HS kit then and see from there what I need. I guess I’ll need the action head to freeze motion inside (when they are moving fast) since the HS head will need faster shutter speed to freeze the motion but maybe that can also be an advantage even inside (darkening the background).
thanks for the good article
2 things about using the ELB 400
1/ if we want a dark background under strong sun : is it possible shooting with fast speeds (like 1/2000 sec @ f/11) with a non HSS camera option? (like the fuji XT1 that has no HSS option )
or will we always be forced to shoot no faster than the maximum flash speed synchronization?
2/ may we connect to the same battery 2 different heads, one Action and one Pro ? and fire both o the same shot?
thanks in advance
Jovelino
Jovelino – the Hi-Sync option is a result of the transmitter, not the camera. Hopefully Elinchrom makes a Fuji and Sony version of the Skyport Plus HS. With the Fuji right now there is no option to shoot at higher shutter speeds than the standard flash sync with any flash system. You can connect two different flash heads to the same ELB400 pack but I am not sure why you would do this as your flash durations would be lower than if you just plugged in the action head. Typically you would use one or the other.
Hi Michael
how do you get 10Hz in strobo mode? My unit will only go to 8Hz.
And did you know, that the new ELB 400 is slower than the old quadra (even the non Hybrid ones) with the gel battery?
I just test and wrote to elinchrom and got this information back: “The ELB 400 can only charge faster when used with the latest Li-Ion battery MKII (59 Wh, 14.4 Volt) Article code19259.
The Lead Gel Battery offers only 12 V, which slows down the ELB 400.
So, with the dedicated Li-Ion battery it will match the specs.”
This was quite disappointing.
Jens
Jens – 10 Hz is a setting in the menu for the strobe mode. Not sure why you aren’t seeing it. I have never tested the ELB400 with the Lead Gel batteries. I am not sure I would ever want to use them or need to use them as I have worked with the ELB400 in some very cold environments (which would be the time to use the Lead Gel batteries) and saw no performance drop. So for 99.99% of people, myself included, it doesn’t matter – I will always use the Li-ion batteries. Apparently the ELB400 is optimized for the Li-Ion battery. Didn’t your ELB400 come with a Li-ion battery? Just use that and sell off the Lead Gel batteries.
Hi Michael, I am an original owner of a 1st gen Quadra. I don’t do sports or anything “fast” but I do like a fast recycle for my not so patient people in group shots 🙂 I was disappointed about Elinchroms misleading fast recycle specs and # of shots per battery (I have spoke to Elinchrom and just got a lot of brush off answers). Basically I get 160 full power shots from a battery which is fine but if you are on fast recycle you only get 80 shots before it goes into slow recycle mode. Anything above 200ws takes forever (over 3 sec) in slow recycle.
I am wondering if the Hybrid or the new ELB work differently meaning better. I am looking for a pack that will deliver a fast recycle while keeping most of it’s flash per battery charge count. Obviously the Lith batts are higher flash count but do they still go into a slow recycle mode 1/2 way through depletion? Thanks!
John – As for the ELB400, they recycle faster than any of the former Quadras. I have them in fast recycle time all the time and just depleted a battery the other day while shooting and never noticed a slow down so i would say yes, they do offer much faster recycle times and don’t seem to slow down. Not sure about the Hybrids.
Hi Michael
Any advice for air traveling with ELB400.
Will be traveling from Panama to NY but not sure if will have problem because the ion battery.
Already read all the traveling recommendation from elinchrom.
Daniel – Hello. I travel with my ELB 400 kit in either a Pelican 1510 carry on case with the TrekPak dividers or with my trusty Lowepro X200 Pro Roller case. I normally check these bags instead of taking them on the plane. As for the Li-Ion batteries I have never had an issue checking the ELB400 and a set of extra batteries. I always take out the fuse before traveling as well.
Hi Michael. Can you plug the action and pro head on the same module at the same time?
Roel – I have never tried that. I suppose you could though I am not sure what purpose that would serve. I would ask the Elinchrom folks on their Facebook page.
Hi Michael.
I am hoping you can offer me some advice as you also use the Canon 5dmk3 that i am using with my ELB400.
I have just taken delivery of my HS head and transmitter and after some head scratching i figured out what to do.
BUT, i still have a dark vignette at the top if i go over 200/sec.
I worked out i needed to switch on the ODS, but even after turning it up to 5, the vignette is still there albeit less.
What am i doing wrong?
At this stage i am so disappointed, hopefully it is something small i need to change.
Thanks in advance.
Quintin – I shoot with Nikons. I would suggest checking out this blog post:
http://www.elinchrom.com/learn/setup-hi-sync.html
You do have to engage the Hi-Sync feature on the transmitter when working with Canon cameras. I would call the Elinchrom support people at Mac Group and ask them some questions. I have heard the best results with Canon cameras are in the ODS range of 2 to 2.5.
You might check out my blog post here: https://blog.michaelclarkphoto.com/?p=4590
But realize, I have not shot with Canon cameras so I don’t have experience with them and Hi-Sync. I know plenty of people who have gotten it to work well though. Here is an excerpt from that blog post linked above:
Setting up HS mode for Canon Cameras: Setting up Hi-Sync mode for Canon cameras requires that you actually engage the HS mode on the transmitter itself. To do this, push the button below Setup and then select SYNC Mode and choose HS Hi-Sync Mode. Your transmitter is now setup for Hi-Sync.
As I don’t work with Canon cameras, I have heard from a few that have tested it out and those photographers have indicated that for the best results the ODS (OverDrive Sync) settings need to be set between 2.0 and 2.5 ms. To adjust the ODS settings, press the button below Setup , then go down to the ODS Setup menu and use the scroll wheel to adjust the ODS setting to 2.5. Note that you may want to test various ODS settings with your Canon camera because each camera is a little different.
With Nikon cameras, I have found that no ODS adjustments are necessary.
That is it for setting up the Hi-Sync capabilities of the Skyport Plus HS transmitter. To get an accurate exposure with the flash I recommend that you calibrate your LCD screen on the back of your camera (to a calibrated monitor) and use the Histogram to check your exposure.
Anyone who tested this?
Does the Nikon version of the Elinchrom HS Skyport plus remote support rear curtain (2nd curtain) sync pass through with the elb 400 flash system?
According to the manual you can’t set it through the Elinchrom HS Skyport Plus remote for Nikon (the Canon version can). But when you set it through the Nikon camera it should work with the remote. It would pass it though to elb 400 or other flash systems. I would like to be sure before I purchase a new flash system.
For information purposes the Profoto does allow this from their remote.
Yes, it does. Jus set the Nikon camera to rear curtain sync and it works perfectly.
Hey Michael,
i just bought the ELB 400 with the HS Head.
Can you tell me, why i cant use the 10hz in Strobo mode. if i use 10hz and for example 2 second exposure to capture a runner, the HS Head flashes just a couple times (about 2-3 times, depending on the power, i use)
If you read the instructions, there is written, that you have the fastest recycle time on the B Port with 0,17 of a second. For me, that means, that the fastest strobo sequence is about 5 flashes per second (1:0,17) and this with a minimum of the power. But i dont even reach this sequence.. can you tell me, how i use the elb400 with the HS (or the Action, i will buy next) right. I know, that i should use the Action head for Strobo, because of the shorter flash durations, but the hz-sequence-possibilies should be the same on both flash heads, right?
Kind Regards,
Jan
Jan – Yes, I think you said it, you will have to be at the lowest power settings on the B port to get the full 10 flashes per second in strong mode or any other mode. The Action head will be the one you want for that as well because of the faster flash durations. With the Frequency set to 10 Hz and the Duration Window set to 1.0 second, with the Action head in the B port and at the lowest power setting, I get quite a few flashes – it is hard to tell how many. More than five. Not sure if it is 10. You might ask your Elinchrom dealer for more details. I don’t use this mode very often on the ELB 400 – I tend to use it on the ELC Pro HD mono blocs.
Hi Michael. I have the elb 400 and i was thinking to get a couple of lights more. Bit I’m little in doubt about getting some older rangers quadra or HYBRID or buy MORE elb 400 units?
I’M IN A LITTLE DOUBT IF THE ELB 400 IS WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY AS I NEVER USED THE OLD UNITS? AND OF COURSE THERE IS SOME MONEY TO SAVE TO BUY THE OLDER UNITS.
So what would you recommend to invest in?
Per – The ELB 400 has much better battery life and is lighter. Sure, the older models are cheaper but the ELB 400 is pretty cheap these days. Up to you as to which way you want to go.