Flashpoint 320M / 620M

http://www.adorama.com​/FP320M.html
http://www.adorama.com​/FP620M.html

I have seen these on Flickr Strobist, lots of talk about battery powered AC/DC lights starting to hit the market...good news for all of us. I like the AB's, but I don't like an 18lb battery to lug around. These look similar to the Interfit Stellar Extremes that are also AC/DC.

These look great, the Flashpoints have been getting good reviews due to their metal bodies, I know there are a lot of happy users out there. Specs say the light weighs 3 lbs, the battery is 1lb. Recycle time is 1.5 seconds on battery, .5 seconds on AC.

Anyone have any experience yet? Thinking I might try them.

I'm also interested in these.... anyone out there using them?

Just got a Flashpoint 620M recently with a trade with my 430exII here...Am happy with the results so far with the battery pack to shoot outdoors...

I have the 320's with the battery pack. Very nice outfit for the price. They are fairly large strobes so they are still a pain to lug around, but the battery pack is very light and can be hung easily off of a stand.

These look to be re-branded Mettle units (or maybe Mettle is re-branded Flashpoint, but that's irrelevant); there was a dual-power monolight on eBay a couple months ago, but it's gone now... however, if they are the same units, then this might be a cheaper battery alternative than Adorama.

I have a pair of 320Ms and I'm very happy with them. Internal fan for cooling, stepless power adjustment. The modeling light can be set to adjust with the flash power which is nice. Build is solid, AC/DC, and it appears to dump the flash when you turn it off. I haven't verified this, but it doesn't "test" once you turn it off. Comes with the sync cord, AC and DC cord so you don't need to buy a separate cable if you get the battery pack. Plastic covers snap on to protect the lamp and tube while in storage. You can turn the beeper off and on. Optical slave can be turned off and on. Handle on the back. I really can't think of anything they overlooked.

They seem pretty rugged. They are built solid but are a bit heavy. But I dropped one last week and it hasn't given me any trouble. (The protection cover was on when I did this.) So I'm a happy camper right now. Very good for a unit less than $100. They were just going to hold me over till I bought some ABs but I think I'm just going to stick with these and maybe buy a couple 620Ms as well.

I have a pair of the 320m's and have been extremely happy with them, my only gripe has been that they are only 150ws but then again they were only meant to tide me over until I could get the 620m's then they will become hairlights. They are much heavier and less compact than the AB's but they are metal vs plastic; and dont forget the audible recycle beep that the AB's are missing. For 99$ a better product cant be had. And the Mettle battery pack will work with the flashpoint lights but with the regular problems associated with some of the battery packs I would pay the extra money for Adorama's customer service in the event of a failure.

I've been looking at Einsteins and Elins for weeks. I keep coming back to these Flashpoints. I can get a 620M two light kit with a 320M/Battery pack for under $700. I don't know where this is taking me but to start off with one Einstein or be a non-starter with the Elin (as I'd go with the 500Bri or the 600rx system) is limiting. I know the flashpoint system in good condition will still recoup a decent amount on the used market when I sell. It appears the I can use any softbox with their (FP) speedring and since an Elin Deep-Octo is out of my realm at the moment and spending another $250 for the CC with PCB isn't going to happen soon, I still am coming back to the FPs. I've shot portraits with speedlights and am looking for a little more power...I've also shot some sports Team photos outdoors (maybe a 1220M in the future). I've seen messages critical of the FPs color consistency, durability, and modifiers but I've seen no data to back it up. But I do consistently see messages from people that use FPs professionally, have positive things to say about the FPs and post some stellar work from using them.

Still looking but about ready to pull the trigger. (Especially, after reading that latest thread on the failure of other lights).

I have been running two 320M strobes for about a year now and more recently added the Vagabond Mini Lithium for power. So far everything has worked great for me and I plan on adding some more powerful flashpoint monolights to my arsenal soon. They also have a great selection of Visico modifiers which can be had for cheap but have done nothing but impress me for the quality.

Maybe someone should start a "Hey Flashpoint Users...Check In" thread.

I was looking at the Mettles on Ebay...with battery packs, they appear to be cheaper than the flashpoint brand and they take Bowen mounts.

What to do?

Allen K wrote in post #12531927
I was looking at the Mettles on Ebay...with battery packs, they appear to be cheaper than the flashpoint brand and they take Bowen mounts.

What to do?

I'm looking at a photo of the Mettle on ebay and a photo of the Flashpoint on Adorama and I am pretty darned certain it's the same product. Certainly it's the same manufacturer. They are identical in every way I can tell on the outside. Can't be certain about the ring mount since I don't own any Bowens gear. I would do some more research to make sure, but if they indeed are, I would go with the cheaper ones knowing I could always get parts from Adorama.

Shjo wrote in post #12528807
I have been running two 320M strobes for about a year now and more recently added the Vagabond Mini Lithium for power. So far everything has worked great for me and I plan on adding some more powerful flashpoint monolights to my arsenal soon. They also have a great selection of Visico modifiers which can be had for cheap but have done nothing but impress me for the quality.

Just curious, why did you go with the vegabond mini vs the Flashpoint battery pack? $255 for the vegabond mini w/carrying back, vs $125 for the flashpoint

I want to get a 620m and the battery pack, but was curious if the vegabond is worth 2 times the price.

I would like to see a thread with photos using flashpoint products. They seem very affordable and have plenty of accessories..

as far as I know the flashpoints accept bowens mounts as well, although the 600ws with a batt pack for less than 300$ is a screaming deal. the only thing is the customer service if you encounter a problem, I'm not sure how OE Camera is in that dept.

Well it appears I may be wrong about the mounts, tried to find dimensions on the web with no luck so far, does anyone have a bowens speedring to measure? need inside diameter, outside diameter and lug spacing and thickness. I couldve swore someone told me the bowens would fit on the flashpoints but the flashpoints wouldnt fit the bowens. But then again I noticed the original flashpoints have a different mount than the newer version

In doing a little research, it appears that the Mettles do have a Bowens Mount while the Flashpoints are manufactured with a propriatary mount.

If someone can find info disputing this, please correct me.