I have been watching the Adorama's Flashpoint Studio R2 strobes, they are finally available last week.
https://www.adorama.com/fplfs300b.html
I ordered the 400 version because the spec indicates faster cycle time than the 300. After playing with it a few days, here is my user experience with it.
The Flashpoint Studio R2 line is the rebrand of Godox SK II, basically a light weight budget strobe with R2/Xi receiver built in. It comes with a 6" (six) reflector which won't take the standard 7" grid.
The Bowens mount is made of steel, the reflector plate behind flash tube is aluminum. There is a built in fan behind the flash head blowing air toward the front and through the reflector plate. The fan is very quiet (kind of weak). Rest of the body is made of hard plastic. The fit and finish are quite smooth. The flash tube is sticking out about one inch from the mount.
If you are familiar with the R2/X1 system, you can operate the Studio R2 without reading any instruction. Press the Group and S1 button together will turn the X1 receiver mode on/off, do all the adjustment from the R2 trigger.
The modeling light (150W) has 3 modes: OFF - Proportion - Manual (5%-100%). The R2 trigger can turn on/off the modeling lamp by pressing the CH twice, but can not switch between Prop and M mode.
The Studio R2 has 1/16 minimum power, if R2 trigger is set below that, the strobe will just stay at 1/16 on the LED screen, which is very bright and clear.
Compare to the AD200, it's about 4 times of size, 2X weight, 2X power, 1/2 price, about the same recycle time.
Since this is a low price strobe, some of the more advance features not available are: TTL, power auto dump, and HSS. It's a relatively slow speed strobe, but on the flip side it can do Hypersync (long burn) in some capacity. With R2/X1 dialing in some delay (mine was +24), I can shoot up to 1/8000 without any black line at the bottom of the frame. But there is the gradient effect of brightness from top to bottom of the frame. Not that I will use this strobe for HSS stuff, but I was surprised it has that capacity, even though it's limited.
An example at 1/16. Normal sync
Hypersync
Two questions I had before I purchase the strobe.
1) How is the consistency of the power output?
I did some quick tests. For the brightness test, I did 10 pops meter measurement each at max and minimum power, and got the same F number each set. Then I took took 10 shots each with the camera, brought in the computer, with my naked eyes I didn't see much of variance in color in each set, in my opinion they are within the +/- 200k spec. I have been using the AD200 lot longer, and I don't notice any difference between it and the Studio R2. Maybe the minimum 1/16 power helps in that regard.
2)Is the min 1/16 power low enough?
Well, I bounce it off a 43" umbrella, I got F3.2 at 6 feet from the strobe head, so there maybe difficulties for close up/table top at F2.8. On the other hand, we can never have enough strobe power
Anyway, quick reference of the 3 strobes at 6 feet with their supplied reflector at their extreme ends of power..AD200 (200Ws, 1/128 min) F2.5 - F25
Studio 400 R2 (400Ws, 1/16) F5.6 - F22
PCB Einstein (640Ws, 1/256) F2 - F29
OK, that's my quick review. Overall, the build quality is good, the price is unbelievably low. Though the 1/16 minimum setting could be limited depends on what you shoot, but for indoor shooters who need modeling light and in transition to the R2/X1 system, The Flashpoint Studio R2 strobes are valuable choice.
Thanks to Godox for contingently pumping out more cool lights, and kudos to Adorama for bring them us with such affordable prices.
