Should I get a strobe or Speedlight
This was a recent dilemma I faced. I currently have older Bowens Strobes in the studio and while there is nothing actually wrong with them, the recycle time was too slow and I had found they were continually misfiring with my Sony a7RIII. I also have an older Nikon Speedlight, it was all quite serviceable, but I wanted something that did High-Speed Sync and had a much faster recycle time, and that all worked very well together, but what to get…
The choices
These days Photographers can create many (but perhaps not all) similar type of images using either a Speedlight or a Strobe. Using that brief burst of light that can freeze movement, as well as light a scene can be similar from either. Where the lighting equipment differs is in power, portability, flexibility, speed, and cost. So let’s take a little look at both.
Speedlights
So what is a Speedlight? Also known as a Flash or Hot Shoe Flash or flashgun. Traditionally they sat on top of the camera and connected via the hot shoe. But there are so many more options these days. In fact, I never put mine on top of the camera. I use them as rim lights or extra fill light. As an off-camera flash, you can also use gels and light modifiers with them as well, same as with strobes, but mostly on the smaller side. They are (in general) controllable and you can alter the settings quickly and easily. Speedlights are also lightweight, durable, run on batteries and very portable. They are often considerably cheaper than strobes as well.
I adore using a Speedlight as a rim light, but also to illuminate smoke
Strobes
So what is a Strobe? Strobes also create a short burst of light. Mostly used for studio lighting and not mounted on a camera. They are larger and far more powerful than a Speedlight. Often using mains power, but also these days come with a power pack and batteries. By design, they are adjustable and you can control the intensity, and frequently used with light modifiers like softboxes, beauty dishes and umbrellas. Including really large modifiers as octoboxes and barn doors too big to use with a flash. They also have a modelling light, which is useful for working the direction the light is facing and focus etc. By their very nature they are bigger and bulkier (sitting on lighting stands or dollys), require power or larger bulky power packs and they often are much more expensive than a Speedlight.
Two light strobe setup
So which way did I go?
Even with each type, there are so many options, but after some investigation and talking to other photographers I actually did a little of both. I was lucky and picked up some bargains during the sales at a really good price. In the end, Godox was my brand of choice, as it has had so many great reviews.
I opted for the Godox AD400Pro over the AD600 as my studio is quite small. Also, there was a price consideration, as I bought two units. It’s just the way I like to set up my studio lights, one with a large Octobox and one with a beauty dish (as above).
I still had a nagging thought in the back of my mind about using my old Nikon Speedlight, so with the sales I also opted for the Godox AD200Pro. I could then be confident that everything would communicate and be similar in the setups. All had HSS and the AD200 also came with a traditional flash head or a bare bulb flash head. Making it the perfect companion for my strobes. I can also pack the Speedlight up and use it on location as it is lightweight and compact, but also quite powerful.
Conclusion
So I guess I can say I got the best of both worlds. But if your budget doesn’t quite go that far (even in the post-Christmas sales), decide if you want purely studio or location lights. How many you require, as often you may require two to three, but you could start out with just one. Do you want something small and compact, or do you need more power in a larger studio situation?
Consider what your subject matter is. Product photography would possibly be more suited to a Speedlight (or two), but Portraits in a studio is better suited to strobes. If you shoot portraits outdoors in natural light, then a portable Speedlight might be quite serviceable as well, just as a bit of a kicker.
Always buy the best you can afford, but always do your research first. Buy the lights that best suits your needs and budget, that way you can eliminate any buyers remorse.