Product Review: Photoflex Starflash 650 monolight

Design and Style

The Starflash 650 is a moderately large unit compared to some competing models that we have tested. This gives the unit a sturdy feel when handling the unit but does not seem to be a problem for a normal weight light stand when a medium softbox or large umbrella is mounted. The design of the swivel mount allows the unit to be positioned along its bottom rail at the point that gives the best balance with mounted modifiers. This came in quite handy when attaching very large boxes to the Starflash . The unit also has a molded handle on the rear of the unit which helps in transport as well as positioning. Modifiers lock in place by inserting them into the front receiver and twisting until the accessory lock snaps in place.

The Starflash is painted with rubberized paint which varies in color among each of the Starflash models. The Starflash 650 is blue with a gray rear panel. All of the control switches and knobs are very robust providing great tactile feedback and are placed in a way that makes the controls easy to reach without crowding or confusion. The main unit weighs 7.1 lbs and measures 15.5" x 5" x 5.5".

The Starflash is mounted on a standard light stand (studs up to 5/8") using the provided light stand swivel connector. The swivel connector includes a large handle which allows a 170 degree tilt when loosened. This allows the light to be positioned easily in most cases with just one hand.

Storage of the Starflash is simple as the included plastic bulb protector does a great job of guarding the glass from accidental bumps. The bulb protector locks in place with the modifier mount. The swivel mount can be easily removed if the Starflash is to be stowed in a tight space. We found the handle of the swivel mount to be slightly in the way when left attached to the unit as it does not tilt into a flush position with the main unit.

The provided (120VAC) power cord is 15 feet long and provides plenty of room for positioning your light in the studio. A sync cable (1/4" to PC) is provided for firing the unit directly from a camera. The Starflash is also equipped with a light sensitive slave trigger giving it the ability to be triggered by any other strobe light source. The sync connector and slave sensor are located on the back panel of the unit. The optical slave sensor is located at the top rear of the unit and can be switched off to avoid accidental discharge from other lights. Another very useful feature is the audible beep which sounds when the unit has recycled and is ready for the next shot. As full power recycle times in our tests were between three and four seconds, having an audible recycle indicator allowed us to waste fewer frames between flashes.

The 250 watt halogen modeling lamp provided with the Starflash provides a good approximation of the final strobe light quality. The modeling light can track the power of the flash power, showing to be more dim when the flash is set to low power. The modeling bulb is encased in a glass enclosure which allows it to be touched without causing premature failure due to skin oils. Always allow the modeling lamp to cool completely before touching it for removal or replacement.