LumoPro LP160: Quad Sync v.2.0

UPDATE: 2013: -- The LP160 has been retired, and replaced with the better-in-every-way LumoPro LP180.
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Moishe Appelbaum and the folks at MPEX were never ones to leave well enough alone. Building on the sold-out LP120, the original quad-sync flash, LumoPro today announced the arrival of the more powerful LumoPro LP160 -- a second version borne of user feedback from the original model.

It's a lotta flash, for notta lotta cash. Details after the jump.
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This is the reason those LumoPro LP120's have been out of stock the last couple of months. They were not re-upped in anticipation of the impending arrival of the LP160.

I am told that for those of you who had previously unfilled LP120 orders (for instance, in Strobist kits) they are simply gonna swap you out for the LP160. You're welcome, internet.

The feature set is improved all around (except they kept it to quad-sync, cause quintuple-sync woulda been crazy...)


Specs

• Power level: Equal to a Nikon SB-900 or Canon 580 EX II

• Four-second recycle time w/NiMH batts

• Metal, screw-lock hot shoe (sync #1)

• Rotating head turns 180 degrees to the right, 150 degrees to the left for 330-degree coverage. (So you can aim the flash head and the slave in any two directions.)

• Built-in slave (sync #2, and extremely sensitive)

• Built-in PC jack (sync #3, until the industry finally comes to its senses)

• Built-in 1/8" sync jack (sync #4, giving you access to cheap sync cords)

* Motorized Zoom Head goes from 24mm to 105mm

• 7 f/stop range: 1/1 - 1/64th power in 1-stop increments

• 2-year warranty.


The LP160 ($179.99) ships with the following accessories: Slip-on ultra-wide diffusor, 1/8 to PC pigtail sync cord (for remotes) and a cold-shoe stand. Note, the stand does not have a 1/4 x 20 socket embedded.

Additionally, it has a "digital" slave that somehow ignores preflashes. I have never used one of those, and do not usually have to deal with preflashes. But for those of you interested, have at it.

As for road testing, I got to play with a beta unit for a while a ways back. My results confirmed the power levels, and the flash was very color- and level-consistent from pop to pop.

Essentially, it has everything an manual off-camera flasher could want, without a lot of TTL doodads to drive up the price.

I am excited about this not just because it is great value for dollar in an off-camera speedlight, but also because the improvements came largely as a result of user feedback on the already user-inspired LP120.
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:: LumoPro LP160 Product Page ::