WhiteLight
Senior Member
Hi All,
Stumbled across this article & thought it would be a good share considering the number of people who come up with this question as to what's right for them.
CREDIT/SOURCE - http://improvephotography.com/5898/speedlights-vs-strobes/
Further Comparison
Thanks to @WayneF
SOURCE - Speedlights vs Studio Lights
Stumbled across this article & thought it would be a good share considering the number of people who come up with this question as to what's right for them.
What is a Speedlight?
A speedlight (sometimes referred to as a “flash gun”) is a portable flash that can be fired on the hotshoe of the camera, or fired wirelessly on a cold shoe. The real advantage of a speedlight is that it can be less expensive, and much more portable. Because speedlights almost always run on AA batteries, they are easy to chuck in your camera bag so they are available whenever needed.
The disadvantage of using speedlights is that they are not as powerful as a studio strobe. A studio strobe can generally pump out at least double the light compared to a speedlight. Also, speedlights have a slow recycle time, which means that you often have to wait between 1.5 and 5 seconds between pops of the flash when the flash is turned up to full power.
What is a studio strobe?
A studio strobe is a larger light that is powered with AC power. You have to either plug it into the wall, or carry a large battery pack (think small car battery) to power it. Studio strobes have lightning fast recycle times, so the photographer never has to wait for the flash to catch up.
Strobes sound great on paper, but they can be quite a bit more hassle to use than a speedlight, because they are not nearly as portable. Also, studio strobes are quite expensive. A quality studio strobe costs between $500 and $1,500. That price increases even more when you consider that lighting modifiers (like umbrellas and softboxes) are more expensive for strobes because they have to include a heavy metal speedring. The price of strobes is increased EVEN MORE when you consider that you’ll probably want to purchase a battery pack so that you can use your strobe when no power outlet is available to you.
CREDIT/SOURCE - http://improvephotography.com/5898/speedlights-vs-strobes/
Further Comparison
Thanks to @WayneF
FEATURE | Speedlight | Studio Strobes |
Automatic TTL operation | Most | None |
Portability | High | Low |
Ability to Follow Fast Action | Very High with TTL automation | Very Low |
Power Capability | Low | High |
Recycle Time | Slow | Fast |
Duty Cycle / Cooling - Repetitive flashing | Low | High |
System Expandability | Low | High |
System Versatility | Low | High |
White Balance | more blue at low power | more red at low power |
SOURCE - Speedlights vs Studio Lights
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