Top 10 Best Portable Monolights
In professional photography, the use of specialized lighting equipment is essential, particularly in studios. If you’re in need of portable monolights for photo booths, studio setups, or outdoor portrait sessions, this list provides the top-rated options for most photographers, including budget-friendly choices.
A monolight is a type of strobe light that directly connects to a power source, typically a wall outlet. It differs from a power pack strobe, which connects to a separate power pack and controls the strobe’s power output from there. Monolights have controls integrated within the housing, offering convenient access to adjust settings.
When it comes to studio lighting, monolights are a popular choice. They provide powerful AC-powered lighting that can be directly plugged into a wall outlet or powered by a large battery pack. The best strobe lights for photography offer rapid recycle times, ensuring that the flash fires quickly and consistently, eliminating any waiting time for the flash to recharge.
One important aspect of monolights is the modeling lamp, which provides continuous illumination to help photographers visualize and set up their shots. The Flashpoint Rapid 600 HSS Monolight, for example, features an adjustable 150w quartz modeling lamp that can be set anywhere from 5% to 100% brightness, allowing for precise control over the lighting setup.
Monolights distinguish themselves from other lighting equipment in photography due to their independent power source. This independence grants them the ability to function autonomously, allowing photographers to manually adjust their power settings during a session. This flexibility and control make monolights highly valuable tools in the film industry.
Consider the list above to choose one of the best portable monolights that suits your specific photography needs. Whether you’re capturing images in a studio or on location, these monolights will provide reliable and adjustable lighting solutions to enhance your photography work.
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A List of Top 10 Best Portable Monolights
Cowboy studio 400 Watt Photography Studio Monolight
Is a superior moonlight that creates bright flash when taking a photo? Its portable light design enables you to position it the way you want your picture to appear. I like this moonlight in that, it has its own power source which makes you take photos in areas without power sources. Its price is also cheap hence can be easy to buy.
Pros
- Durability
- Great build
- 400 watts of power
- Comes in three colors; light are interchangeable when necessary
Cons
- Not ideal for professional studio photography
Neewer 300W Strobe/Flash Light
It is another type of moonlight which is used to locate photography seasons. This moonlight is used by professional photographers. It is loved due to its features and reasonable price. Its design easily allows you to connect an umbrella in order to hold the flash when you need it. It can be used both as a backlight and main light. When you click on your camera you can have continuous lamp action. It is also convenient to use when traveling to photo functions.
Pros
- 300 watts of lighting power
- High durability
Cons
- Build quality: average
- Reliability: poor
NEEWER 250W Studio Flash/Strobe Modeling Light
It has low lighting power of 250 watts but I’m happy with its performance when it comes to photography. It can be used as a meter light in professional photography. With this sensor, you can create a dramatic effect on your photos because it has concurrently light on the direction of your desire. With just a touch of a hand, the monolight slave sensor produces continuous flash and lamp function.
Pros
- Comes with a slave sensor to detect other strobes
- A test button and variable dial for setting from dim to full
- Versatile for use with an umbrella for nice lighting power
Cons
- Reliability: average
- Durability: poor
Flashpoint Rapid 600 HSS Monolight with Built-in R2 2.4GHz Radio Remote System (Bowens Mount)
It has good performance and durability. It is an excellent one for use which comes with a power code, cover and glass cover. You can be offered a carrying case for all components of this moonlight. It has an inbuilt radio receiver system.
Pros
- Recycle speed of 0.05 to 0.9 secs
- 600-watt power high-quality monolight
- Portable design; easy to carry
Cons
- Price is a little bit expensive
Studio PRO Professional Photography Studio 200W/s Monolight
When looking for a budget-friendly product with good performance, this is the best monolight for you. It recycling speed is so high when dealing with faster action if photography. When you buy this item, you are given essential requirements. It comes with a manual which can guide you on how to produce good pictures when you use it.
Pros
- High functionality and portable and convenient design
- Comes with a free 75 watt modeling lamp for probing
- Best for wedding shoots and college photography
Cons
- Instruction on how to use: average
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ORLIT RoveLight RT 610 TTL Monolight with On Board Power
This product is one of the wireless TTL monolights that’s compatible with Canon and Nikon wireless systems. The 6000mAh Lithium-ion interchangeable battery gives most outdoor photographers the freedom to shoot portrait and wedding photography.
Pros
- Powerful lighting
- Color accurate light
- 20W LED modeling light
Cons
- Customer service: not unresponsive
Flashpoint XPLOR 400PRO TTL R2 Battery-Powered Monolight
The Flashpoint XPLOR 400PRO Monolight is not cheap. But it’s worth the money for most professional event photographers who can invest in a quality monolight.
Pros
- Rechargeable Lithium Battery pack (21.6v/2600mAh) and charger
- Reliable and brilliant Flashpoint R2 2.4GHz Radio System
Cons
- Not cheap
Profoto B10 AirTTL, Off Camera Flash and Continuous Light
The Profoto B10 AirTTL is smaller in size (compact and lightweight), yet powerful and functional in lighting. The only downsize is there is only iOS app.
Pros
- Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery and battery charger
- Adjustable brightness and color temperature
- Easy and flexible to install on a tripod or light stand
Cons
- Battery reliability: average
Profoto B1X 500 AirTTL 1 Light to Go Kit
Essentially, I recommend this Profoto B1X for those who need a top quality portable monolight for wedding photography shooting.
Pros
- 80% brighter LED modeling light
- Cordless design
- Rechargeable Li-Ion battery
- 24W LED modeling light
Cons
- Average quality material: plastic
- Not quite durable
Interfit Honey Badger 320Ws Flash Head
Ideally, you can use this Interfit Honey Badger as a continuous light source for both photo and video purposes. Overall, this product is reliable, compact, and affordable.
Pros
- LED Modeling Lamp
- 320Ws studio flash head
- Good enough for the price
Cons
- Remote: average quality