There are certain situations when you’ll need to fire your camera remotely in order to get the perfect shot. The most obvious scenario that springs to mind would be setting up your camera in an area you’re expecting a wild animal to pass through, and then needing to remove yourself by some distance so that you don’t scare it off. Though this is by no means the only use-case for its remote shooting capabilities.

Digital cameras have over the past decade included more smart features, and while it is possible on many modern digital cameras to shoot remotely via a smartphone and dedicated app, this is often unreliable and dependent on a strong WiFi or Bluetooth signal.

That’s where Hahnel’s Captur comes in! The Captur Timer Kit comes with a wireless transmitter and receiver that allows you to fire off exposures on your camera from up to 100m away using a 2.4GHz radio signal which is much more reliable than WiFi or Bluetooth.

The Hahnel Captur Timer Kit is available in Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and Olympus/Panasonic iterations. We got hold of the Canon version to test on our Canon EOS cameras, though much of this review will be the same for the other models with the main difference being the supplied cables to connect to your camera ports. Here’s how we got on with the Hahnel Captur and our thoughts as to whether or not you should add it to your photography wishlist…

Hahnel Captur Timer Kit: Design & Handling

The design of the Hahnel Captur has been kept simple which helps make it very user-friendly. In the Captur Timer Kit box, you’ll find the receiver and transmitter. The receiver slips onto your camera’s hotshoe and a locking wheel is spun to keep it securely on your camera.

The bottom of the hotshoe also has a 1/4 inch female port to mount the receiver to a tripod or light stand if needed. On our Canon version, two cables have been provided to fit either Canon’s C1 or C3 accessory port. The other corresponding end plugs directly into the camera accessory port.

It's worth noting that the receiver has a ‘cold’ shoe, in other words, no communication is made through the camera hotshoe, instead, it communicates through the provided cables - this means you don’t need to worry about compatibility issues with Canon’s multifunction shoe on its latest cameras. 

The receiver does however have a ‘hot’ shoe on the top, and this live female connection is ideal for mounting a flashgun or other hotshoe-powered accessory such as a flash trigger for off-camera flash work.

So that’s the receiver in a nutshell. The transmitter is equally just as easy to set up. Turn both the transmitter and receiver on via their respective switches and you’re ready to fire the camera remotely. Hahnel claims it can fire remotely at distances of up to 100mm using its 2.4GHz frequency and in testing we found it to be easily reliable at this distance - should there be no obstacles such as hedges or buildings blocking the signal.

If you want to get more advanced, the transmitter also has modes for intervalometer, long exposure, and delay. All modes are super easy to set up and use.

If you don’t need the wireless functionality you can use the provided cables to plug the transmitter directly into your camera and remove the need for the receiver altogether. The cable is a little short at 36cm in comparison to dedicated shutter release cables, such as Canon’s TC-80N3 which measures 80cm, but it’s a nice feature to have that makes the Captur more versatile and stops you from doubling up on equipment in your kit bag. Its functionality here goes way beyond what the cheap shutter releases you often find on Amazon and eBay usually offer so it is a more serious professional piece of kit.

Hahnel Captur Timer Kit: Performance

We had no problems substantiating Hahnel’s claims of a 100m range - in fact, we were able to reliably shoot over distances much longer than this, about 130m before the signal dropped out in our tests. The catch is we needed to be in an open area like a flat park or field, as disappearing behind any hedgerows or buildings did make the connection less reliable. 

One perk of using an app on your phone to fire your camera remotely is that you can see the live view feed and sometimes you can also adjust camera settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO and autofocus. While this isn’t a luxury you get with the Hahnel Captur, it does have a much beefier range and a more reliable connection. I have so far been unimpressed with the reliability of wireless camera and phone operation, though each method of wireless communication clearly has its own perks.

Both the Captur trigger and receiver run off two AA batteries and while battery life was impressive, there’s no indication of the battery status for either device on the trigger. This is a bit of a problem: if the receiver runs out of juice you could continue firing your camera from a distance thinking you’ve caught a fantastic moment, but the trigger has been off the whole time. So best practice is to put in a fresh set of batteries before any important shoot.

One thing we did like about the Captur is that the LCD in the trigger is illuminated when any button is pressed which lights it up and makes it easier to see in the dark. The green and red LEDs on both the trigger and receiver which indicate when they’ve been fired are also a little faint, so it can be difficult to see if it has been fired if you’re shooting in bright sunlight. We found the system worked best when paired with on-camera, or off-camera flash, as this gives a much clearer indication that the camera has fired an exposure as you'll see the flash fire if successful.

Hahnel Captur Timer Kit: Final Verdict

The Hahnel Captur Timer Kit is a formidable shutter release cable in its own right, currently costing around $79 it really gives Canon's own-brand TC-80N3 Remote Controller a run for its money as that will set you back $130. It has much of the same functionality, though perhaps not the same degree of weather sealing (the Captur uses a detachable cable whereas Canon's is fixed and sealed in place).

That said, not only is the Hahnel Captur a versatile and competent wired shutter release, but it also has the bonus feature of being able to fire your camera remotely from up to 100m, and even more in our tests. 

If you’re looking for a way to fire off exposures reliably at distances of up to 100mm and have found your camera's built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to be too unreliable for your needs then the Captur Timer Kit is a brilliant option to consider. It’s available to fit a wide range of camera types, though the Canon kit we had on test proved to live up to expectations and do everything it claimed to do.

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If you’ve lost your current charger, or you have lots of different battery types from various makes and models, all with their own unique type of charger, then a universal charger like the UniPal Plus  from Hahnel might be for you!

The UniPal Plus is a universal battery charger which claims to be capable of charging "practically all" 3.6/3.7 or 7.2/7.4v Lithium-Ion batteries and can charge over 300 different camera batteries. This is done by using the two thumb wheels to adjust the positive and negative terminals until correctly spaced to fit your specific battery. This makes it ideal for someone with lots of different battery types from various camera bodies and even manufacturers of drones, and can keep your workflow simple with just the one charger to suit all and could be a good replacement if you’ve misplaced your original proprietary battery dock.

The UniPal Plus has more tricks up its sleeve though. It’s also capable of charging either two AA or AAA batteries and has a USB type-A socket so you can charge devices like a smartphone or tablet at the same time too. An LCD panel clearly shows the current charge level and it comes with a variety of wall port adapters for US, UK, EU and AUS, as well as a 12v cigarette lighter adapter for in-car charging.

In this review we put it through its paces to see if you should buy one…

Hahnel UniPal Plus: Design & Handling

To charge a Li-Ion battery you simply need a positive and negative connection - the UniPal Plus has two of each, with each set either pointing upwards, or from the side to help accommodate and fit into the battery terminals of shapes and sizes of Li-Ion batteries. The terminals are moved laterally using two large thumbwheels which feel smooth to use and well built.

Your lithium ion battery should clearly state on it which are the positive and negative terminals, so it’s down to the user to make sure you line these up correctly, though it doesn’t matter which pins go in the positive or negative slots as the polarity will be automatically reversed, so you can flip the battery around if it helps it fit in the UniPal Plus better. In our testing we found some camera batteries are more fiddly to line up the terminals than others.

Once you’ve lined up your battery and plugged it into the terminals the LCD screen will indicate the battery status and charge level. It will also safely test the battery charge level before connecting to the power supply.

The UniPal Plus offers some decent features that you don’t get with your regular stock charger. This includes a USB port to plug in a USB Type A cable for charging phones or tablets and it also has space for charging either two rechargeable AA or AAA batteries. Unfortunately, it can only do one of these tasks at the same time, so while this extra versatility is welcome, it’s not the fastest way to charge up your batteries as you have to switch them out in sequence.

Provided in the box is a power adapter 12v power supply which comes with interchangeable plugs for UK, EU, US and AUS. The power cord is a decent length at about 50cm. Also in the box is a 12v cigarette lighter adapter so you can charge up in the car - useful for photographers travelling and constantly on the go that need to top up their cameras between locations.

Hahnel UniPal Plus: Performance

The Hahnel UniPal Plus feels well designed and robust. As a universal charger it does pretty much everything it says on the packaging. Our only gripes were that it can’t charge different battery types simultaneously, so you have to charge up your Li-Ion cells, AA or AAA and phone separately which is a slower way of working than we’d like.

Another issue is that if you load up the UniPal Plus with a set of AA batteries as well as a Li-Ion or plug in your smartphone, it won’t automatically switch between them once one has finished, you’ll need to manually remove the charged cells before it begins charging a different battery type.

Smart devices can be charged using the older Type A USB port, which is still commonly used, though we’d expect to see this be changed to a USB-C port if Hahnel released an updated version in the future as that is what most modern smart devices use now.

While the LCD display is a great feature that definitely makes it feel like a step up from the Mini II, the viewing angle isn’t fantastic, and you need to be able to look at the screen straight on to see the LCD information clearly.

It’s worth noting that Hahnel also used to have a UniPal Extra in its range, which featured a 5200mAh power bank, however, this has now been discontinued.

Hahnel UniPal Plus: Final Verdict

If you’ve lost your original camera charger then Hahnel’s UniPal Plus would be a good value option, it currently retails for about £50, while proprietary chargers like Canon’s LC-E17E for example costs £56. Despite this, Hahnel's UniPal Plus comes with some desirable features such as in-car charging, a USB Type A port and the ability to also charge rechargeable AA or AAA batteries. It would also be the one to go for if you have lots of different batteries and chargers, and you’d like one simple solution to charge them all.

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With the move to mirrorless, cameras need more juice than ever to power their LCD screens, electronic viewfinders and go the distance when doing power hungry tasks like recording 4K video. That’s why we’ve seen Canon update its proprietary LP-E6N 1865mAh battery for DSLRs, with a newer Canon LP-E6NH for mirrorless which has an extra 14% capacity at 2130mAh.

Hahnel’s Extreme batteries have been around for many years - they’re well-built with an additional silicone injection process that makes them more durable and drop-resistant. They’re also cost-effective and the original HLX-E6NH had a respectable capacity of 2000mAh as a direct replacement for the LP-E6N and LP-E6NH, for cameras such as the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6.

Hanhel first updated its Extreme battery cells for better mirrorless performance with the Sony Extreme HLX-XZ100, though Nikon and Olympus variations have also followed suit.

Hahnel has now updated its HLX-E6NH with a new and improved 2400mAh capacity, an increase of 20%, so in this review we got hold of the new and improved model to see if it really can deliver even more performance than Canon's LP-E6NH 2130 mAh battery at half the price, or whether this promise is simply too good to be true.

Hahnel Extreme HLX-E6NH: Design & Handling

From the outside the Hahnel HLX-E6NH looks no different to its prior model, as changes for the new and improved iteration are all internal, using the latest battery technology to squeeze in a large 2400mAh capacity.

Its shape and size are also determined by the original Canon LP-E6N and LP-E6NH - Hahnel’s Extreme batteries need to share the same design and dimensions to fit properly inside of its Canon camera body, such as a Canon EOS R5 or R6, which it does very well.

Hahnel has however given its Extreme cells a lick of paint. The bright orange plastic helps Hahnel to put its stamp on the range, which it has done since the range’s inception back in 2012. This also makes it a little easier to find when searching through your kit bag at night or in a dark shooting location.

While predominantly made to handle the higher power draw from mirrorless cameras as the LCD screen or electronic viewfinder has to be used to compose an image, whereas on a DSLR you could just use the optical viewfinder to compose which would draw very little power by comparison, there’s nothing stopping you putting this souped-up cell in your older Canon DSLRs and benefiting from the extra capacity. In our testing, a single charge easily lasted us a full day of moderate shooting, more on exact performance statistics for stills and video below.

If you’re interested in purchasing a Hahnel Extreme for your Canon be sure it will fit your camera as some Canon’s, even full-frame models like the EOS RP, take smaller batteries like the LP-E17.

Hahnel Extreme HLX-E6NH: Performance

In order to thoroughly test the Hahnel HLX-E6NH we pitted it against its closest rival for Canon cameras, the Canon LP-E6NH. With a charge capacity of 2400mAh, compared to the Canon’s 2130mAh, we were interested to see what the additional 270mAh equated to in real terms.

For our first test, we fully charged up both batteries and recorded some 4K-D (4096x2160) video at 25p on a Canon EOS R5. Canon’s proprietary LP-E6NH was capable of recording a very respectable 128 minutes, while the Hahnel HLX-E6NH with its supposedly higher capacity that should have delivered a 13% increase actually provided a poorer result, recording just 103 minutes of footage before the camera shut-off. That means the Canon first-party battery could record for 25 minutes longer, an increase of 24.3%.

When it came to stills photography, we set our Canon EOS R5 to record its highest quality RAW files and used the High-Speed burst mode using the mechanical shutter to rattle off 24,966 images before the Canon LP-E6NH ran completely flat. However, the new and improved Hahnel HLX-E6NH could only muster 19,093. That means that despite the Hahnel claiming a higher capacity, the proprietary Canon battery was able to last 30.7% longer when it came to stills in our tests.

In addition to raw power, the Hahnel HLX-E6NH also boasts additional insulation to help give it shock-absorbing properties with Hahnel claiming it can survive a 3m drop. After testing this for ourselves we can confirm the battery did indeed continue to work after taking such a tumble (though we wouldn’t recommend it). It’s worth noting that due to the extra insulation, Hahnel claims the Extreme HLX-E6NH should perform better in cold conditions, though we were unable to test this.

Once our batteries were thoroughly tested and completely flat we needed to charge them up, here there was again a bit of a difference between the two. It took two and half hours to fully charge up our Canon LP-E6NH, while the HLX-E6NH was fully charged after just 1 hour 51 minutes. However, this is perhaps unsurprising given that the Canon lasted for longer in our tests.

Hahnel also claims the HLX-E6NH is built from high-quality Li-ion cells with a high energy density ratio and good voltage stability. They also claim it is capable of more than 500 charge and discharge cycles and due to its extra insulation will perform better in cold conditions.

One issue with third-party batteries that's worth mentioning is that you might have anxiety that you're not using an OEM part. Many years ago when I shot on Nikon, I had a bunch of brilliant 3rd party batteries for my Nikon D800 which were much cheaper than Nikon's cells. However, when I upgraded to a newer Nikon D500 my 3rd party batteries refused to work with it and I had to buy the first-party batteries to ensure they would work correctly. Now, while I should reiterate this wasn’t found to be a problem with the Hahnel on test here, it is a problem I have in the back of my mind, worrying if something is suddenly going to stop working as intended after a firmware update or upgrading to a newer camera body - this is an anxiety you simply don't get when buying first-party products.

Hahnel Extreme HLX-E6NH: Final Verdict

Hahnel’s Extreme HLX-E6NH is almost half the cost of Canon’s proprietary LP-E6NH, plus has all of the niceties of its silicone injection process for enhanced cold-weather performance and 3m drop resistance, as well as having a bright orange design that makes it easier to find in your kit bag.

Our biggest gripe is that the new battery hasn’t been rebranded so it’s a bit confusing as to which model you’re buying online, whether that’s the older 2000mAh or newer 2400mAh (though the packaging has a new yellow sticker). Plus in our tests, despite claiming to have a notably higher capacity than Canon’s 2130mAh LP-E6NH at 2400 mAh, the Hahnel simply couldn’t keep pace and delivered a poorer performance ranging between 25-30% lower mileage for RAW stills and 4K video.

Why this was the result, we can't say for certain. But you can't argue with the facts: the OEM Canon battery despite costing much more and claiming to have a lower maximum capacity, delivered a much stronger performance.

That being said, the Hahnel Extreme is still a very good option for Canon shooters, recording about 20,000 RAW files or an hour and forty minutes of 4K video from a full charge in our tests, and at half the price of Canon’s LP-E6NH that’s a compromise we can see many being willing to take. We just wish Hahnel's marketing and branding was a bit clearer.

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While battery technology gets better each year, we still need a way to ensure that our cameras stay topped up and full of juice.

Hahnel’s UniPal Mini II is aimed at travel and business, claiming to be the one charger for all. To do this, the Mini II uses a pair of large thumbwheels so users can adjust the terminals to fit the positive and negative connections of “practically any” Li-Ion battery. There are two positive and negative connections to help fit batteries at different angles that might suit them best, the polarity is also automatically reversed which will help fit a wider assortment of Lithium Ion cells too. This universal camera battery charger could make it an ideal replacement for bulky chargers for your cameras, video equipment, drones, and peripherals that use removable Li-Ion cells.

Hahnel’s universal charger range has been simplified and now consists of the UniPal Mini II which we’ll cover in this review, as well as its bigger brother: the UniPal Plus which is a larger unit with an LCD display, more power plug options, and the ability to charge AA and AAA batteries. So if you're looking for a universal charger with a few extra features the UniPal Plus could be one to consider too.

Hahnel UniPal Mini II: Design & Handling

The design of the UniPal Mini II is very simple and straightforward. It comes with a Micro USB to draw power, though doesn’t come with a power supply plug, which Hahnel says this choice is for environmental reasons.

Unlike its more expensive sibling, the UniPal Plus, the Mini II swaps an LCD panel for an LED light which flashes to show battery status. It also omits a USB for charging phones and tablets, or a dock to charge up AA and AAA batteries, but this is the trade-off for making the Mini II a more portable and budget-friendly model.

We loved how small and portable the Mini II is. It can do the job of multiple different camera chargers so is a great way of streamlining your workflow and replacing lots of different chargers with one simple solution. It can also be a much better value buy over a proprietary charger, so could be a good choice if you’ve misplaced your original battery charger.

The Mini II can draw power from a 12v cigarette lighter adapter for charging in the car on the go, though it doesn’t come with an adapter so you’ll need to buy one at your own cost if you wish to do this. However, if your car has USB ports it can plug directly into these instead.

Overall, the design is foolproof and robust. Made from plastic it feels sturdy and solidly built. It also doesn’t matter which way around you put in the battery (so long as the positive and negative terminals are lined up correctly) as the polarity will automatically reverse if needed.

Hahnel UniPal Mini II: Performance

Impressively, the UniPal Mini II has similar charging times to its bigger UniPal Plus sibling, taking roughly one hour to charge 1000 mAh.

Its small form factor and slender proportions mean it takes up hardly any space in your camera bag or luggage. This is particularly handy if you’re usually fighting for space in your camera bag with various chargers for your cameras, gimbals and drones etc, as this can replace them all, providing they run off removable Li-Ion cells with terminals that fit up with its adjustable pins.

The build quality feels strong and sturdy and although only made from plastic, we get the impression it could survive a tumble or two.

One downside of the UniPal Mini II is the omission of an LCD screen. The LCD on its bigger brother, the UniPal Plus clearly shows the charge status as a percentage so you know roughly how long is left on a charge. With the Mini II, you have two simple LED lights, one which lights up red to indicate the unit is turned on, and another which flashes red to show the inserted battery is charging, then turning constant red to show when charging has finished.

There’s no ability to charge up AA/AAA batteries or from a USB port to charge up peripherals like a smartphone. Though, this is a compromise you’ll need to weigh up as it trades these features for a more portable build and lower price point.

The Mini II is powered by the included Micro USB cable, though we’d expect to see this be changed to a more modern USB-C if the product was refreshed down the road.

Hahnel UniPal Mini II: Final Verdict

The UniPal Mini II is a great option for those looking for a portable battery charger that can charge up different Lithium-Ions from different camera types and models. It would also be a good option if you’ve lost your original camera charger. Priced reasonably at around half the price of its bigger brother: the UniPal Plus, it is missing some noteworthy features, such as an LCD screen, the ability to charge AA or AAA batteries, a supplied car charger, and plug adapters for the US, UK, EU and AUS. So if you’re after those more advanced features it would be worth spending the extra on Hahnel’s Unipal Plus instead.

Alternatives

Hähnel is well known for its excellent third-party camera batteries and chargers, but it also makes a few other photographic accessories, including remote controls, flash triggers, flashgun, and flash modifiers. The Hahnel Module Creative Lantern Kit is one of the company's modular flash modifier systems and it requires either the Module 360 Clamp or Module 600 Clamp to mount on a flash.

Hahnel supplies the Module Creative Lantern Kit in a smart Velcro-close wallet with pockets to hold all the key components. Those include the Lantern Diffuser and a filter adapter that can accept any of the six included colored gels. What isn't included is the essential Clamp to attach any of the kits on the flashgun. That is purchased separately and is available in two sizes, so you need to buy the correct size for your flash. The Clamps also allow Hanhel's other Module flash accessories to be mounted.

Both Module Clamps have a stretchy build that enables them to extend to fit over a flashgun head and the spring back to hold firmly. The Module 360 Clamp opens to 35-64mm while the Module 600 Clamp stretches from 65-80mm.

The two clamps have magnets within them to hold the Lantern Diffuser and/or the filter adapter in position over the flash. 

When it's closed for storage, the Lantern Diffuser looks like a U-shaped piece of plastic, but it opens like a book to reveal a concertina-like structure made from what appears to be white paper. It's this white structure that spreads and diffuses the light.

Hahnel supplies six colored filters with the kit. These are blue, green, purple, red, orange and yellow. They cut out between 1 EV (yellow) and 1 2/3EV (green) of light with the orange, red, purple, and blue filters reducing the light by 1 1/3EV. They are intended for creative effects rather than color correction.

Hahnel Lantern Kit: Design & Handling

It's important to bear in mind the cost of a product when considering its build quality, and the Module Creative Lantern Kit feels well-made for the price, albeit made primarily from plastic. The additional Clamp feels similar to a mobile phone clamp with good tension and stays on the flashgun well.

I used the Module 600 Clamp on a Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT, which feels about the largest size that the Clamp can accommodate.

When it's closed, the Lantern Diffuser feels robust, but the diffusion material seems quite delicate and it needs to be handled with care to avoid creasing the structure when it's open. 

Meanwhile, the filter adapter feels very durable, and the rigid color gels snap in and out easily.

While the Lantern Diffuser can be attached directly to the Clamp, it's also possible to mount the filter adapter first and then pop the Diffuser on top. When the Diffuser is used directly on the Clamp, the magnetic attraction is strong, but the Diffuser can slide up or down fairly readily. This is avoided by mounting it via the filter adapter as there's a lip along the top that holds the Diffuser in position.

Hahnel Lantern Kit: Performance

While the colored filters may be of use occasionally for some creative effects, especially for creating a more interesting background or rim lighting, the Lantern Diffuser is likely to see the most use, and it works extremely well. As well as softening the light from a flashgun, the Lantern Diffuser spreads it further across the scene so the image has more uniform exposure.

With the Lantern Diffuser in position, the highlights are less harsh and the shadows look less dramatic as there's smoother gradation. It's particularly beneficial for portraits as the results are often more flattering.

Hahnel Lantern Kit: Final Verdict

For the price, it's hard to fault the Hahnel Module Creative Lantern kit. Even the fact that the Clamp isn't included in the kit is acceptable because it means you only have to pay for the one you want and it's compatible with other Hahnel Module flash accessories. 

The Clamp is easy to fit and it does a good job of staying put. With it in place, it takes just a few seconds to attach the adapter and the Lantern Diffuser. The color gels also snap smartly in and out of the adapter should you wish to inject some color into your images. 

Initially, the Lantern Diffuser's design may seem gimmicky and delicate; mine gained a few extra creases after a few uses, but there's no denying its impact.

The Hahnel Modus 360RT is a smart, small flashgun that won’t weigh you down, but it’s not lacking in high-end features, making it a very versatile bit of kit. It’s available in a variety of dedicated versions to suit Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and Micro Four Thirds cameras, all complete with automatic TTL (Through The Lens) flash metering. It’s very much a downsized edition of the fully-grown Hahnel Modus 600RT Mk II, yet retains all of the key attractions while adding a couple of extras. It’s actually quite amazing how much Hahnel has managed to pack into this compact flashgun, as we’ll come to in ‘key features’.

Specifications

Dedication: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, MFT
Gn, ISO 100, max zoom (m / ft): Gn 36 / 118
Bounce range: -7 to 90 degrees
Swivel, left / right: 90 / 180 degrees
Zoom Range: 24-105mm
Manual Power Settings: 1/1 to 1/128
AF-assist beam: LED lamp
Wireless: RF + optical master / slave
Additional Flash Modes:  HSS, RC, SS, Strobe
Dimensions (W x H x D): 64 x 150 x 50mm
Weight (excl batteries): 300g

Key features

Unlike many flashguns, the Modus 360RT is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack that comes with a USB  charger, instead of running on two or four AA batteries. This gives it greater staying power and faster recycling speeds, particularly noticeable after high-power flashes. It features a bounce and swivel head, complete with 24-105mm motorized zoom (in full-frame terms) and a pull-out wide-angle diffuser panel and catchlight card.

There’s a full range of flash modes, including high-speed sync, slow-sync, rear-curtain and even a programmable stroboscopic mode, the last of which you’ll generally only find on expensive, top-spec and full-sized flashguns. Another surprise, given the very competitive price point, is that the 360RT features not only infrared wireless master and slave modes, but boasts a built-in RF transceiver. This enables master and slave communication via radio frequency transmission over a much greater range of up to 50m, and is able to cut through obstacles and work around corners. RF is also more reliable than infrared when shooting under bright sunlight, for example when using fill-flash to banish unsightly shadows in sunny-day portraiture. Multi-flashgun setups can be configured in up to three separate groups, and off-camera flash is also available courtesy of Hahnel’s Viper RF trigger (sold separately).

Whereas the larger and pricier Hahnel Modus RT600 Mk II has a conventional red AF-assist lamp, the 360RT substitutes this with a secondary LED lamp. That’s good news if you’re using a mirrorless camera that doesn’t work with red AF-assist lamps. As well as providing AF-assist, you can also use the LED as a modelling lamp and even in its own right for close-up stills and video, with a range of power levels on tap. Another neat feature is a USB port for applying firmware updates as and when they become available, helping to ensure compatibility with new and future cameras.

Build and handling

Compact, lightweight kit can often feel a bit flimsy but the 360RT feels solid and robust. It’s made from high-quality plastics and has a sturdy metal hotshoe mounting plate, complete with an easy-action locking lever, rather than a more fiddly locking wheel.

For bounce and swivel, you get -7 to 90 degrees vertical movement, the former being useful for extreme close-ups, as is the LED lamp. Horizontal swivel is more limited, as it only stretches to 90 degrees to the left, although there’s a full 180 degrees of movement to the right.

The control interface is pretty old-school, based on the classic combo of pushbuttons and a rotary dial. The backlit mono display screen is pretty small, in keeping with the overall dimensions of the flashgun, but it’s informative nonetheless and the backlighting changes from green to orange to indicate wireless master/slave modes.

Plus and minus 3 stops of flash exposure compensation is available in TTL flash mode. Switch to manual and you get a range of adjustments from maximum output down to 1/128th power, in one-third stop increments.

Performance

True to its promise, the Li-ion battery pack enables good stamina and fast recycle speeds. Fully charged, it should see you through around 400 full-power flashes and very many more at lower power settings. Alternatively, it’s good for 11 hours running time of the LED lamp at its highest output setting, which delivers 110 lux at a distance of 1 meter, with a 5600K daylight color temperature.

In our tests, the maximum flash output proved a little better than from most low-budget flashguns but a little less than from mid-range models like the Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT and Nikon Speedlight SB-700. Ultimately, it should prove easily sufficient for direct flash in most scenarios, but you might struggle with bounce flash under high ceilings or with relatively distant walls. In TTL mode, the 360RT proved consistently reliable, with accurate exposure levels time after time.

Getting back to recycling speeds, we found them to be virtually instantaneous at flash power settings up to and including a quarter of the maximum output. At one-half power, recycling speed is still a speedy one second, and just 1.6 seconds after a full-power flash, which is noticeably quicker than with most AA battery-powered flashguns. All in all, performance is very impressive for such a compact and affordable flashgun.

Lab results

Power output:

We tested the flash output through the entire range of manual settings, from 1/128th to full power. Towards the top end of the scale, output isn’t overly generous and lags behind the maximum output of many mid-range flashguns.

Recycling speed:

Conventional flashguns running on AA batteries can be a little tardy with NiMH rechargeable cells and downright slow with alkaline batteries, especially as you get further into the latter’s lifespan. By contrast, the rechargeable Li-ion power pack of the 360RT delivers consistently excellent recycling speeds and impressive longevity between recharges.

TTL accuracy:

In our tests, the 360RT worked well in TTL flash mode, delivering very well-balanced flash exposures in a wide range of shooting conditions.

Verdict

Feature-rich flashguns tend to be big, hefty affairs that make for a somewhat top-heavy combination in the hotshoe of a fairly small mirrorless camera. The Modus 360RT redresses the balance with its compact, lightweight build. Even so, there’s a lot shoehorned into its diminutive frame, including RF and optical wireless master/slave modes, high-speed sync and programable stroboscopic modes, and it even has a secondary LED lamp, all powered by a high-capacity Li-ion battery pack. However, maximum flash power isn’t overly generous.

How we test flashguns

At DCW, our in-house team of experts are well-versed in testing cameras, lenses and accessories. We review equipment such as flashguns using a combination of real-world and lab testing, rating the power output of the flash, its versatility, its key features and its ease of use. We use our findings from reviews to inform our comments in buying guides. For more, see our guide to how we test and review at Digital Camera World.

Read more:

• Best camera lenses to get
• Best Canon lenses
• Best Nikon lenses
• Best Sony lenses

As more and more companies are excluding chargers from the box, unpacking your brand-new camera to find out it doesn't have a charger is incredibly frustrating! However, since investing in the ProCube 2 I haven’t looked back, and in fact, I’d recommend ditching the branded one your camera comes with and investing in one of these anyway. 

Capable of charging two batteries at once, dual charging is incredibly helpful when you have a big shoot ahead of you as it speeds things up, it has a digital display that tells you your battery's health and charge percentage and I’ve found it’s much quicker than standard chargers.

Build & Handling

This versatile charger can be plugged straight into the mains but it also comes with a 12V car socket for when you’re on the move, making it perfect for traveling and holidays - especially camping ones! A USB port at the back of it also enables you to charge a camera phone, laptop power bank, or other USB device. 

Unlike a lot of standard chargers, the ProCube 2 has a really nice feel and finish to it thanks to a smooth metal casing. The cube design is compact with an attractive brightly colored body and the screen display is clear and easy to read.

The screen is one of its most useful features, you can check your battery's health using the digital display.  You can also do this in-camera but I find it much easier to do using the charger. All you need to do is make sure your battery reaches 100% and then check exactly how many mAh it’s charged to. If it doesn’t say your battery is at its maximum capacity it means your batteries are on their way out and might need replacing soon!

Performance

For a fast charger, it really does do what it says on the tin. If you’re low on battery and just need a quick top-up,  a 20-minute charge will give you around 25% (I was testing it using the Sony FZ-100 batteries and a Sony A7 III). To fully charge two completely drained batteries to 100% it only took an hour and a half while a single battery took just less than an hour. 

Verdict

As far as third-party chargers go, the Hahnel ProCube 2 is pretty much the best you can get. Not only can you charge two batteries at the same time, but it also comes with an insert for rechargeable AA batteries that can be used simultaneously. If you own multiple camera systems and are looking for a one-charger-fits-all solution, you can also buy different charging plates for Sony, Olympus, Fujifilm, Nikon, and Canon so you don’t have to buy multiple chargers. 

The Hähnel ProCube 2 is very good value for money and if you can afford to, I’d invest in one regardless of whether your camera comes with a charger. It’s much more efficient than branded chargers, is incredibly versatile, and looks a damn site nicer. I literally can’t fault it and in some ways, I’m glad Sony didn’t provide a charger otherwise I may not have bothered to invest in this very useful bit of kit. 

Read more: simplify your battery charging with our top picks for the best universal camera battery charger or the best camera batteries.

You may know Hahnel as a premium photography accessories brand that makes third-party peripherals such as the Hahnel ProCube 2 charger or UniPal Extra power bank and universal charger. 

We’ve been using the HLX-E6N batteries for years on our full-frame Canon DSLR and mirrorless cameras and have always been very impressed giving them rave reviews, with a single fully charged Extreme battery often going the distance on long shoots such as weddings and events.

Hahnel's Extreme range are juiced up with higher capacities than the manufacturer's default offerings and also come with added insulation to help them perform better in harsh climates and also give them a certain amount of shock resistance too. 

Read more: The best camera batteries

We recently met up with product specialist David Holley at The Societies of Photographers 2023 London Photo Trade Show. David is a product specialist at Transcontinenta, the company behind distribution for Tamron, LeoFoto and Hahnel to name but a few of its brands. David revealed that a new Hahnel Extreme battery is on its way for the Sony full-frame mirrorless Alpha series and will have the product name HLX-XZ100.

It will come loaded with the companies next generation of Lithium battery technology, taking the Extreme battery from the current 2000mAh to 2400mAh - an improvement of 20% on Hahnel’s previous generation, and a 5.2% capacity boost over Sony’s proprietary NP-FZ100 battery. However, as an 'Extreme' battery you'll also have the added shock resistance and climate performance too. It’s due to be launched in May this year and is expected have an RRP of around £75 including VAT.

David also revealed Hahnel's current Extreme battery range is scheduled for a refresh to include the new next generation cells. 

Canon’s latest high capacity LP-E6NH batteries for the likes of the EOS R5 and R6 have a capacity of 2130mAh, so if Hahnel was able to bring out a Canon-fit battery with a capacity of 2400mAh this would be an improvement of 13%, plus the shock resistance and extreme climate performance would be very welcome additions too. 

While we know that these batteries are in development for Canon and Nikon we are yet to have any concrete details about capacity or availability, though pricing is expected to be similar to the the new HLX-XZ100.

The extra power from higher capacity cells could be a game-changer for videographers and users of mirrorless cameras with LCD displays and electronic viewfinders which are all very power hungry.

You can check out the latest Sony rumors in our hub. You can also find our guides to the best Sony lenses and the best Sony cameras.

The Hahnel Modus 600RT Mk II comes in plenty of options. For starters, it’s available in fully dedicated versions to suit Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and Micro Four Thirds cameras. The flashgun is great value, coming complete with Li-ion power pack and USB charger, tabletop/tripod cold shoe and soft carrying case. For a little more, the ‘Wireless Kit’ includes a hot shoe-mounting Hahnel Viper RF trigger with a 100m range and if you fancy doubling up, the ‘Pro Kit’ includes two flashguns plus the same hotshoe Viper trigger.

Specifications

Dedication: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, MFT
Gn, ISO 100, max zoom (m / ft): Gn 60 / 197
Bounce range: -7 to 90 degrees
Swivel, left / right: 180 / 180 degrees
Zoom Range: 20-200mm
Manual Power Settings: 1/1 to 1/128
AF-assist beam: Red lamp
Wireless: RF + optical master / slave
Additional Flash Modes: HSS, RC, SS, Strobe
Dimensions (W x H x D): 64 x 76 x 190 mm
Weight (excl batteries): 430g

Key features

Unlike the vast majority of flashguns, this one is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack. As a result, it has far greater stamina, delivering up to 600 full-power flashes and as many as 1,000 at its half-power setting. Recycling speeds are about twice as fast as from most flashguns that use AA batteries, at 1.5 seconds after a full-power flash and just 0.7 seconds after a half-power flash.

The impressive feature set doesn’t end there. The Hahnel has a motorized zoom head with a mighty 20-200mm range, a flip-down 14mm wide-angle diffuser and a pull-out reflector card.

Advanced flash modes include high-speed sync, rear curtain and programmable stroboscopic output, the last of which is often only available in flashguns that cost much more to buy. Improvements in the Mark II include a quick-release hotshoe locking lever and a new battery charger with a USB socket for added versatility.

The control panel interface is entirely conventional, based on a set of pushbuttons and a rotary dial. As a visual aid, there’s an illuminated mono display which lights up green in regular flash modes and turns orange when you switch to wireless RF operation.

The flashgun features a red AF-assist lamp built into the lower section at the front, It’s useful under very low lighting if you’re using a DSLR, but not if you’re using a mirrorless camera that can’t make use of the red lamp.

Like most flashguns these days, the Hahnel comes complete with a tabletop stand, which also has a threaded socket for mounting it on a tripod or other support. It’s of good quality in this case, with a threaded brass insert instead of being entirely plastic.

For the sake of comparison, the following image shows how the 600RT Mk II sizes up against its younger and smaller sibling, the Hahnel Modus 360RT, which packs most of the same high-end features into a more compact, lightweight build, albeit with a lower maximum output power.

Performance

Performance is impressive in all areas, from powerful maximum output to super-fast recycling and reliable TTL metering. In our tests with the optional Viper RF trigger, it never missed a beat and you can link other makes of flashgun to an RF group by using Hahnel’s companion Viper receivers. However, the flashgun faces stiff competition from the Godox VING V860III, which is also Li-ion powered, offers the same range of features and also adds a secondary LED lamp.

Lab results

We test all available features for each flashgun that goes through out labs. To test power output, we used a Sekonic flash meter placed at a distance of one meter from each flashgun. We check the complete range of manual power settings, in one-stop increments. Based on a sensitivity of ISO 100, the figures correlate directly with the Gn (Guide number). The results are double-checked by taking shots of a gray card with the appropriate lens apertures and using the camera’s histogram display in playback mode. This is done for flash zoom settings of 24mm, 50mm and 105mm (in full-frame terms), where available.

We also check the accuracy and consistency of electronic/intelligent TTL (Through The Lens) flash metering, and the speed with which each flashgun can recycle to a state of readiness after a full-power flash, using both Ni-MH and alkaline cells, or a Li-ion power pack where supplied.

Power output:

There’s plenty of power on tap. In our tests, the Hahnel drew level with top-end own-brand flashguns from camera manufacturers, including the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT and Nikon Speedlight SB-5000.

TTL accuracy (+/-EV): 0

Independently manufactured flashguns sometimes lack the accuracy and consistency of own-brand models but in our tests with the Canon and Nikon dedicated options, the Hahnel proved excellent.

Recycling speed: 1.5 seconds

Thanks to the rechargeable Li-ion power pack, recycling speeds are very fast. They’re virtually instantaneous and low to medium output settings and just 1.5 seconds after a full-power flash.

Verdict

Available in various dedicated options for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and Micro Four Thirds cameras, this flashgun is packed with high-end features. It has both RF and infrared master and slave connectivity, along with a powerful Gn 60 maximum power rating. Better still, it runs on a rechargeable Li-ion power pack instead of the usual four AA batteries, enabling super-fast recycle speeds and tremendous stamina. And it’s great value for money at the price.

Read more:

• Best camera lenses to get
• Best Canon lenses
• Best Nikon lenses
• Best Sony lenses

The best flashgun for your camera will put the built-in pop-up unit to shame, if it even has one. An external flashgun, Speedlite, Speedlight, or strobe (to name but a few catchwords) gives you massively more power and control.

So what features do you need? Automatic TTL (Through The Lens) flash metering enables easy use in all sorts of conditions. Bounce and swivel heads give you the option of reflecting light off ceilings and walls for a softer effect. Motorized zooms automatically track the focal length of your lens to extend your flash's reach when shooting at longer focal lengths. To varying extents, most flashguns also offer wireless connectivity, simplifying off-camera flash.

Pricier flashguns generally offer additional operating modes, such as high-speed sync, rear-curtain flash, and a programmable stroboscopic mode to capture motion at different steps throughout a long exposure.

Bear in mind, flashguns are not the only way to shine a light on your subject. You might like to consider the best LED panels, too. These certainly don't match the raw power of a flashgun, especially when you’re competing with outdoor sunlight, but they do provide continuous ‘what you see is what you get’ lighting. At the other end of the scale, you may need more flash power than any of these flashguns can provide, so you’d need to look at some of the best lighting kits for professional studio or location photography.

All the flashguns in this guide are compatible with multiple camera systems; however, you will need to buy the specific variant for your make of camera. The exceptions are 'universal' flashguns, which will work with any camera equipped with a hotshoe, but these are fully manual devices.

We also have guides to the best Canon flashguns, best Nikon flashguns, and best Sony flashguns, which focus on the manufacturers' own-brand devices, as well as the best third-party options specific to each make of camera.

The best flashgun or strobe 

Best flashgun overall

Better, faster, more! This is currently my favorite flashgun in dedicated TTL options to suit Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic, and Pentax cameras. It runs on a Li-ion battery pack, which can power you through around 500 full-power flashes on a single charge, with super-fast recycling speeds between flashes. And full-power flashes are mighty too, rated at Gn 60 (ISO 100, meters) at the long end of the zoom range. I love that its built-in RF transceiver offers wireless master/slave operation over as much as 100m/330ft, while it’s inexpensive enough to make multiple flashgun setups truly affordable. It works great with the Godox XPro RF trigger, sold separately, and I also like that the full range of flash modes includes programmable strobe (multi-flash) output.

I find that the secondary LED lamp, with its 10-step power range, is great for close-up stills and video, as well as offering modeling and AF-assist functions, the latter working for mirrorless cameras instead of the red AF-assist beam for DSLRs. The motorized zoom and bounce ranges are generous, at 20-200mm and -7 to 120 degrees respectively. I think the only room for improvement is that the control panel feels a little dated and it lacks any weather-seals. Even so, you can’t buy better at the price. Also consider the Godox V1, which is essentially the same flashgun but with a larger, circular head.

Read our full Godox VING V860III review

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Best alternative overall flashgun

I’ve long been impressed by the Hahnel Modus 600RT Mk II. It matches or beats the features of camera manufacturers’ own-brand flagship models, but at a fraction of the price. Even so, it’s a fair bit more expensive than the Godox VING V860III. On the other hand, I like the flexibility of being able to buy it in different kit options, either as the flashgun on its own, or as a wireless kit that includes a hotshoe mounting Viper RF (Radio Frequency) transmitter, as a ‘pro’ kit that comprises two flashguns and a Viper trigger, enabling the versatility of dual-flash lighting setups. Advanced flash modes include high-speed sync and programmable repeat (stroboscopic) options, and wireless RF master/slave operation has a long range of up to 100m/330ft.

I like that the flashgun is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, instead of the usual four AA batteries (and this can be charged in the unit via USB). This gives far greater stamina, of up to 550 full-power flashes between recharging, along with very fast recycling speeds of 1.5 seconds after a full-power flash and just 0.7 seconds after a half-power flash. The only catch is that additional batteries (should you want any) cost around $60/£50.

Read our full Hahnel Modus 600RT Mk II review

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Best compact Li-ion flashgun

For slimline, lightweight mirrorless cameras and small DSLRs, I find this compact flashgun a better fit than the full-blown Hahnel Modus 600RT Mk II. It certainly gives a less top-heavy camera and lens combo. Even so, the 360RT certainly isn’t lacking in features. Just like with its bigger sibling, I love the built-in RF transceiver for reliable off-camera triggering over a long range, its albeit downsized Li-ion battery pack, and its full range of flash modes, including programmable stroboscopic output. It even has a secondary LED lamp (missing in the 600RT Mk II), which you can use for AF-assist, modeling and close-range stills and video shooting, complete with adjustable power levels.

One area of downsizing that I'm not so keen on is that the maximum power output of the flash is relatively limited, and I struggled a bit with bounce and swivel flash with really high ceilings and relatively distant walls. And although you get a full 180-degree swivel to the right, there’s only 90 degrees to the left. Even so, it’s a very capable flashgun that’s very keenly priced, and recycling speed is fast even after a full-power flash, at 1.6 seconds.

Read our full Hahnel Modus 360RT review

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Best universal flashgun for pros

The Godox V1Pro is an upgrade to the successful Godox V1 flashgun, and introduces some interesting new features. However, these come with a higher price tag, and whether the additional cost is justified largely depends on your photography style.

My favorite feature is the new USB-C battery charging feature, which I appreciate is not the most exciting of innovations, but it is a big quality-of-life improvement and frees me from carrying another charging block. The much-touted clip-on fill light, however, seemed more gimmicky than practical to my own work. I don't like direct flash, and the clip-on unit gave my photos a cheap ‘flash photography’ look, which I wasn’t fond of, although other photographers may wholly disagree. The other major feature, the ability to take 100 continuous shots at full power, is impressive but not something I would frequently use as that adds up to more flashes than I can conceive needing. However professionals with a higher rate of shooting might find this more beneficial.

Despite these points, it’s undeniable that this is an exceptional flash. The consistency of the flash is top-notch, the power is more than sufficient for portrait, event, and wedding photography, and Godox’s wireless system is superb. But then again, the standard V1 also possesses all these features and meets my needs perfectly, and I don’t find enough compelling features in the Pro version to justify paying about a third more than the regular V1, so I would recommend checking that out as well before you buy the V1Pro.

Read our full Godox V1Pro review

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Best universal budget flashgun

The Godox iA32 flashgun is a compact, lightweight, and exceptionally versatile lighting solution. Its design cleverly merges a retro aesthetic with modern functionality, while its universal compatibility ensures it can be seamlessly used with a vast array of cameras, from classic models to contemporary digital bodies.

Despite its compact size, the flashgun is packed with smart features that enhance its usability and performance. It offers an effective, if slightly 'cheaty', auto flash exposure that relies on a light-sensitive cell rather than TTL metering, but nevertheless simplifies the process of achieving well-exposed images. A bounce head softens and diffuses light by directing it off ceilings, thereby creating more natural and flattering illumination (though there's no swivel for side walls). A vibrant color information screen, located on the rear of the unit, provides clear and intuitive access to settings and feedback.

Best of all, it offers excellent value for money. Its blend of compact dimensions, lightweight build, comprehensive features, and broad camera compatibility makes the Godox iA32 a terrific choice for both casual and more serious photographers looking to enhance their lighting capabilities.

Read our full Godox iA32 review

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Best universal basic flashgun

The Godox iM20 and iM22 are essentially the same mini hotshoe flashes, but the iM20 is shorter and flatter, while the iM22 is taller and thinner, and both act in a similar way to a pop-up flash. Their output is comparatively weedy against bigger ’guns, but they offer a highly convenient and useful mini-flash in situations where a modest amount of additional light is required.

With a universal fitting, they are compatible with a wide array of cameras, and they share an incredibly compact and lightweight design. They operate entirely in manual mode, lacking any form of automatic flash exposure, unlike bigger units with TTL or other auto-metering capabilities. The flash tube itself is similar in size to a camera’s built-in pop-up flash, and as such, its light output is only suitable for close-up illumination.

Powering the units is an internal, rechargeable Li-ion battery. This integrated battery takes approximately 70 minutes to achieve a full charge, after which it is capable of delivering around 440 full-power flashes, offering respectable endurance for its size. The iM20 and iM22 are cheap as chips, and offer no-frills lighting for quick, supplementary illumination, but for serious flash photogrpahy you'll need to look elsewhere.

Read our full Godox iM20 and Godox iM22 reviews

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Best multi-system flashgun

The Godox iT32 and X5 kit is an innovative flash system that separates the flash head (iT32) from its hot-shoe mounting foot (X5). The iT32 flash itself has no mounting foot; instead, it connects to the X5 module via a secure magnetic push-fit interface. This design allows photographers to switch between camera brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and OM System) simply by swapping the $20 X5 mount rather than purchasing an entirely new flash.

Furthermore, the X5 doubles as an RF wireless trigger, enabling an instant transition from on-camera lighting to off-camera creative work: you simply pull the flash off the camera, and it immediately functions as a remote unit while the X5 remains in the hotshoe to trigger it.

Despite its compact, pocket-sized build, the iT32 includes high-end features like a color touchscreen, TTL metering, High-Speed Sync (HSS) up to 1/8,000s, and a built-in LED modeling lamp. It also supports front- and rear-curtain sync and strobe modes. Its power is modest, with a GN 18, making it significantly more powerful than a pop-up flash but less potent than full-sized speedlights. The internal battery provides approximately 515 full-power flashes and charges via USB-C.

While it lacks a zoom head and has a slightly limited bounce range (-7 to 90 degrees), its ingenious modularity and reasonable price point (less than $100 for the kit) make it a game-changer for photographers who value portability and work across multiple camera systems.

Read our full Godox iT32 & X5 review

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Best round-headed flashgun

The Neewer Z3 100Ws Flash is a powerful and very well-rounded tool that bridges the gap between traditional speedlights and compact studio strobes. A large 2.75-inch color touchscreen is highly intuitive and responsive, allowing photographers to navigate settings with simple taps and swipes like a smartphone. For those who prefer tactile feedback, physical controls are also included, such as a dedicated M/TTL switch and a robust test-fire button that respects current power settings.

With a 100Ws power rating, the Z3 offers significantly more oomph than standard speedlights, making it effective for overpowering ambient light or shooting outdoors. The round-head design, paired with a frontal lens, produces a softer light with a more natural, gradual fall-off compared to rectangular 'letterbox' flash heads. The unit also features an impressive bounce range, tilting from -7 to 120 degrees and swiveling a full 180 degrees in both directions.

The Z3 includes a built-in RF transceiver for seamless master/slave operation within Neewer’s Q system, and it is also compatible with Godox triggers. Performance highlights include high-speed sync of up to 1/8,000 sec for fast-action photography; a 3000mAh Li-ion battery that delivers over 500 full-power flashes and features an integrated USB-C port for direct charging; and a fast 1.7-second recycle time at full power.

While it is physically larger and heavier than entry-level flashes, its combination of raw power, professional-grade build quality, and a class-leading touchscreen makes it a compelling choice for both on-camera and off-camera work, and it offers standout value for Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm shooters.

Read our full Neewer Z3 100Ws Flash review

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Best retro-look flashgun

The Viltrox Vintage Z1 is a compact, retro-inspired flash designed to offer old-school style and simple functionality, serving as a stylish, portable alternative to the now-rare pop-up flash. Its primary appeal lies in its aesthetics. It features a matte silver finish with a black 'litchi-grain' leatherette wrap, making it a perfect visual match for retro-styled cameras like the Fujifilm X-series or Nikon Z fc. It is exceptionally portable, weighing only 116g and measuring roughly 7cm in its largest dimension, allowing it to easily slip into a pocket.

The Z1 is a strictly manual flash. It lacks TTL (automatic) metering and brand-specific pins, instead using a universal single-contact hotshoe, allowing it to work with almost any camera. A large mechanical dial on the back adjusts power across seven levels, from 1/1 (full) down to 1/64. The flash has a modest Guide Number of 12 (ISO 100), making it slightly more powerful than a typical pop-up flash but far less potent than a full-sized speedlight. It is powered by a built-in 1100mAh battery that provides about 400 full-power flashes per charge. Recycle times range from a snappy 0.2 seconds at low power to 3.5 seconds at full power.

The Viltrox Z1 is for those who prioritize portability and style over professional power. It lacks a zoom or tilt/swivel head, meaning bounce flash is not possible. However, it comes with a snap-on diffusion dome to help soften its 28mm-equivalent beam. While the lack of automation and bounce capability limits its versatility, its $50 price point and charming design make it a fun, pocket-friendly option for street photography, close-up fill light, or those looking to achieve a direct flash retro look.

Read our full Viltrox Vintage Z1 review

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Best basic TTL flashgun

The Viltrox Spark Z3 is a compact, stylish flashgun that offers a significant step up in functionality from the company's Vintage Z1, due to its brand-specific TTL support. It also has cyber-inspired design cues, rather than the vintage retro look of the Z1. Its mech-inspired design features a matte metallic body that comes in gunmetal gray or tundra green, but its most striking design detail is a translucent top panel that reveals the internal circuitry and a 'photon core'. It looks more like a sci-fi film prop than a traditional camera accessory!

Unlike Viltrox’s manual-only flashes, the Spark Z3 is dedicated to specific systems (Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony), which allows for Auto TTL metering to ensure the flash automatically calculates the correct exposure for each shot. Optical slave modes enable wireless triggering via other flashes.

Eschewing digital screens, the Z3 uses two large tactile mechanical knobs on the rear – one for switching between Auto, Manual, and Off, and an oversized dial for selecting power (1/1 to 1/64) in full EV steps. With a Guide Number of 16 (ISO100), the Z3 provides enough pop for fill-in light and close-range subjects. Its internal 1800mAh battery delivers up to 650 full-power flashes per charge with a fast one-second recycle time. Charging is handled via a built-in USB-C port.

While it lacks a bounce or swivel head – meaning it is strictly a direct-illumination tool – and has no LCD, its combination of reliable TTL performance, portability (weighing just 144g), good value (around $55), and cyberpunk styling makes it an excellent travel or street photography flash.

Read our full Viltrox Spark Z3 review

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How we test flashguns

We test all available features for each flashgun that goes through our labs. To test power output, we used a Sekonic flash meter placed at a distance of one meter from each flashgun. We check the complete range of manual power settings, in one-stop increments. Based on a sensitivity of ISO 100, the figures correlate directly with the Gn (Guide number). The results are double-checked by taking shots of a gray card with the appropriate lens apertures and using the camera’s histogram display in playback mode. This is done for flash zoom settings of 24mm, 50mm, and 105mm (in full-frame terms), where available.

We also check the accuracy and consistency of electronic/intelligent TTL (Through The Lens) flash metering, and the speed with which each flashgun can recycle to a state of readiness after a full-power flash, using both Ni-MH and alkaline cells, or a Li-ion power pack where supplied.

For more information on how we test photographic equipment, click here.

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Flashguns: Jargon Buster

There’s a lot of jargon associated with flashguns, some of which can be daunting for the uninitiated. Here’s an explanation of the various terms and acronyms, to make light of the situation, so to speak...

AF-assist
You might well use a flashgun in very dull or dark lighting conditions. Traditionally, a red AF-assist beam will give the camera’s autofocus system something to lock on to. However, this doesn’t work with mirrorless cameras, which often feature a built-in AF-assist lamp.

Battery type
Most conventional flashguns run on either two or four AA batteries. Rechargeable AA batteries using NiMH (nickel metal hydride) cells tend to enable more flashes and faster recycling times, especially after high-power flashes, compared with alkaline batteries. Some of the latest flashguns run on rechargeable Li-ion battery packs, enabling a greater number of flashes and even faster recycling speeds.

Bounce and swivel
A bounce and swivel head lets you bounce the light off ceilings and walls, for a softer and more natural-looking lighting effect. Typically, you’ll get 0-90 degrees of vertical bounce and up to 180 degrees of lateral swivel in both directions, to the left and right. Some flashguns offer more generous vertical bounce, from slightly downward for extreme close-ups to slightly rear-facing. For the latter, you can also swivel the head through 180 degrees and then apply vertical bounce.

Catchlight card
This is a small white card that pulls out from the front of the main flash tube, where featured. It enables some forward-facing light when using the flashgun in bounce mode, to fill in shadows and give catchlights in the eyes when taking portraits.

Color filters
Some flashguns are supplied with clip-on color filter panels. Where featured, two are usually included, for balancing the color temperature of the flash with either tungsten or fluorescent ambient lighting. When fitted, the flashgun often conveys information to the host camera so that the appropriate white balance setting can be selected automatically.

Dedication
A dedicated flashgun is designed to work with a specific make of camera, typically enabling TTL (Through The Lens) automatic flash exposure settings for varying lighting conditions and different subject distances. It also allows various flashgun settings to be applied directly from the camera.

Diffusion dome
This is a translucent white plastic dome that fits over the front of the flashgun’s light tube. It gives a softer lighting effect and enables some forward-facing direct flash in addition to flash bounced off walls and ceilings. You’ll typically use it with around a 45-degree vertical bounce angle.

Diffusion panel
Many flashguns feature a diffusion panel that pulls out from the front of the flash tube and swings down with a spring-loaded action. It gives a wider beam angle, to cover the field of view when using a wide-angle lens.

e-TTL
Canon’s e-TTL system for ‘evaluative Through The Lens’ flash metering uses a pre-flash to automatically work out the correct flash intensity for any given subject distance and ambient lighting conditions. It’s since been replaced by e-TTL II, an updated version featured in Canon’s current flashguns.

Gn (Guide number)
The maximum power output (light intensity) of a flashgun is usually quoted as a Gn (Guide number). It’s generally quoted at the maximum zoom setting of the flashgun, where power output is at its greatest due to the relatively narrow beam angle, and tends to be given in meters and/or feet using a camera sensitivity of ISO 100.

i-TTL
Nikon uses i-TTL (intelligent Through The Lens) flash metering to work out the required flash power for shooting at any given subject distance and lighting conditions, to gain a ‘correct’ exposure. The flashgun fires a number of pre-flash pulses to make the calculation.

i-TTL BL
This is the default flash metering mode for current and recent Nikon flashguns. It stands for i-TTL Balance Light, and takes ambient lighting more into account than regular i-TTL mode, for a more natural overall look.

Illumination pattern
Some Nikon flashguns offer different illumination patterns, either giving wide and even-looking coverage, a more regular angle, or a tighter angle to concentrate the light in the central region of the image frame.

HSS (Auto FP)
The HSS (High-Speed Sync) mode offered by many flashguns enables you to use the flash at a faster shutter speed than the regular sync speed, which usually tops out at around 1/200 sec. Also called ‘Auto FP’ mode by Nikon, this enables you to use flash at super-fast shutter speeds, albeit with a reduction in maximum flash power.

LED lamp
Some flashguns include a secondary LED lamp. It usually comes with an adjustable output brightness. It’s useful for close-ups stills and video, as well as for use as a modeling lamp (to preview the effect of flash). You can also use it as an AF-assist lamp, useful with mirrorless cameras that can’t use a flashgun’s red AF-assist beam.

Red-eye reduction
This is a flash mode that fires a number of pre-flash pulses to narrow the pupils of the eyes when taking portraits. It reduces the effect of people appearing to have red pupils caused by the flash bouncing off the insides of their eyes.

Rear-curtain sync
With rear-curtain sync, the flash is fired at the end of the exposure rather than at the beginning. It can be useful when capturing light trails from vehicles with long exposures, as the light trails will appear to stretch out behind the vehicle in a natural manner, rather than in front of the vehicle.

Slow sync
Slow sync is a mode for combining flash with long exposures. It’s good for scenarios like night-time portraits, where you might want to photograph somebody set against the lights of a cityscape.

Stroboscopic mode
A programmable stroboscopic mode enables you to automatically fire a number of flashes at a preset interval, throughout a long exposure. This gives you the chance to freeze an object in motion at various stages through its path of movement.

Wireless modes
For using a flashgun off-camera, or in setups with multiple flashguns, one flashgun is configured as the master or commander, the others are set to slave or receiver mode. The most basic wireless linkage is the ‘optical’ mode, which senses the light from the main flash (pre-flash pulses in TTL mode can often be ignored). Infrared linking is more advanced, enabling TTL and other options, but works over a fairly limited distance. Wireless RF (Radio Frequency) linking is best, as it’s more reliable, especially in daylight conditions, doesn’t require a ‘line of sight’ so you don’t have to worry about obstacles, and often works over a range of up to 100 meters.

Zoom
Most flashguns feature a zoom head. It’s generally motorized in dedicated flashguns, so the zoom setting of the flashgun can be automatically matched to the focal length or zoom setting of the lens mounted on the camera. A zoom range of 24-105mm (in full-frame terms) is common, whereas some flashguns offer a more generous zoom range of up to 20-200mm, giving greater wide-angle and telephoto potential.

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The Hähnel Creative Lantern Kit does look pretty clever. It’s like a concertina paper lantern that fits to the front of your flash and fans out to produce a much softer, more diffuse light source.

You can use it on its own, or in conjunction with six different colored filters included in the kit. You can use these filters to produce colored flash effects, add a color contrast with the ambient light or experiment with different combinations of filters and white balance settings.

The kit comes with the Lantern Diffuser, a filter adapter, a wallet and the blue, green, purple, red, orange and yellow filters. It’s designed to be used with the Hähnel Modus 360 and 600 flashguns – but you will need to buy a separate Module 360 or Module 600 Clamp to fit them. 

Hähnel does say, however, that these clamps are adjustable and can fit a variety of Speedlights, not just Hähnel’s own. The Module 360 clamp has a maximum width of 64mm, and the Module 360 clamp goes up to 80mm.

The Creative Lantern kit attaches to the Hähnel clamps magnetically, and the company also makes a Module Softbox which fits in the same way.

The Creative Lantern kit will sell for a recommended retail price £59.99 (US and Australian pricing has yet to be announced).

Read more:

• Best flash diffusers
• Best flashguns
• Best lighting kits
• Hähnel Modus 600RT II

Accessories specialist hähnel has a variety of products to help you get the most out of your kit, and in turn the most out of your creativity. Here's an early look at some of the equipment that hähnel will have on display at The Photography Show later this year. 

Its award-winning speedlights, the hähnel Modus 600RT and Modus 360RT, offer an optimum on- or off-camera option for users of Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic or Fujifilm systems.

Both models use lithium-ion batteries for more shots per charge, with the 600RT delivering 600 full-power shots and the 360RT delivering 400 – and they’re four times faster than any AA-powered speedlight. Boasting wireless connectivity, any number of Modus lights can be controlled in up to three groups – and the power and TTL can be controlled either by the master speedlight or hähnel’s Viper controller.

Whether you’re using the Modus, or many other speedlights on the market, the magnetic hähnel Module system enables you to attach a series of accessories to your flashguns. First, the Module 600 Clamp and Module 360 Clamp fit to your flashguns; from there you can magnetically mount the Module Softbox, to diffuse and soften your light, or the Module Light Effects Kit, which comprises six colour filters, a honeycomb grid and a bounce card.

The hähnel Captur system combines two products in one: a wireless remote shutter release and remote flash trigger. The 2.4Ghz transmission delivers a range of 100 metres – and means that the trigger and shutter release don’t have to be in line of sight. 

The Captur system can be built upon as you expand the scope of your photography, whether it’s adding the Module – Timer for timelapse photography, or the Module – Pro with sensors that can trigger based on light, sound, laser or infrared. Captur is ready to go, right out of the box, and its digital Channel Matching technology (which promises zero interference) is ideal for use in a group situation. 

The hähnel ProCube 2 is an award-winning professional twin charging kit for camera batteries. Like the Modus and Captur systems, ProCube 2 is compatible with a range of Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic and Fujifilm DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

It charges 1,000mAh in 1 hour from mains or 12v DC, and can charge 2 batteries simultaneously. The ProCube 2 can also charge 4 AA rechargeable batteries, with the supplied charging plate, and has an integrated 2.4A USB charger. It comes with a UK and European mains power supply, along with a 12v car lead. 

For more information, visit www.hähnel.ie.

Read more: 

Welcome to The Photography Show: Burst Mode!
The Photography Show 2020: What's on, when, and everything you need to know
The Photography Show & The Video Show 2020 will take place 19-22 September

If you're a fan of flash photography and you're in the market for some new goodies, then pay close attention. Hähnel has announced the launch of its new Module Speedlight Accessory Range. Designed to complement the MODUS Speedlights, this new range includes the Module 360 and 600 Clamps, the Light Effects Kit and a Softbox.

The 360 and 600 clamps are built for the Modus 360RT and the Modus 600RT speedlight respectively, but they're also compatible with the majority of speedlights currently available on the market. While many accessory attachments utilize velcro, these clamps have a powerful magnetic system that allow accessories to be attached in seconds. These magnetic clamps are designed to be highly reliable and easy to use.

• Read more: Best flashgun

Meanwhile the Light Effects Kit has a range of accessories to help take your flash photography to the next level. Included in the kit is a filter adaptor, a bounce card for softening light before it hits your subject and a honeycomb filter that helps to direct your light in a tight beam. There are also six color gel filters, including Green, CTB, 1/2 CTB, CTO, 1/2 CTO and 1/4 CTO. 

Last but not least, Hähnel is also launching the Module Softbox, which attaches securely to your speedlight to provide diffused light. Hähnel has designed the softbox to enable photographers to control the amount of light needed and create soft shadows. Lightweight and able to be folded down flat, this softbox looks perfect for travelling. 

If you're interested in purchasing a product from the Module Speedlight Accessory range, you can pick up either of the Module Clamps for £9.99, the Module Light Effects Kit for £44.99 and the Module Softbox for £39.99. However, you'll have to wait for late September/ early October for these products to become available. 

Read more

• Best flash diffusers, softboxes and modifiers for your speedlight
• 50 best camera accessories, gadgets and gifts for photographers in 2019
• Best flash triggers: wireless control for off-camera flashguns

Hähnel is to launch a miniature version of its recent Modus 600RT Mark II flashgun. Shown at Photokina 2018, the flashgun with have a Guide Number of 36 (m/ISO100) - but will still have the wireless transmitter and receiver of its award-winning bigger brother. It will also have its own rechargeable battery, and mini USB charger – which are smaller than those used on the 600RT.

Rather than having a traditional focus assist feature like the 600RT, it will instead have a built-in LED light. This will be useful for video, as well as for helping AF in lowlight.

A design feature of a coloured ring around the flash head to signify the camera system that the speedlight is compatible with. It will be available in Canon, Nikon, Panasonic/Olympus (MFT), Fujifilm and Sony versions.

The flash has a rotating and tilt head, and incorporates a pull-out wide-angle diffuser and a bounce card.

It has the same quick-lock mechanism introduced the the recent Modus 600RT Mark II update. 

Price and availability

The Hahnel Modus 360RT will go on sale in January or February for around £160 for the flashgun alone. Kits with a Viper TTL radio trigger will also will be available, as will Pro kits with two 360RTs and the Viper TTL.

Read more:
Best flashgun in 2018

Hahnel has introduced a new DSLR charger and battery specially designed to be compatible for the newest entries in the Sony Alpha range of cameras; the ProCube2, an upgrade from its original ProCube, and the NP-FZ100 battery.

The ProCube2 for Sony

Sony’s A7 III is supplied with a cable for charging the battery in-camera, but that’s going to be of little help for charging a spare while you’re out and about shooting. The Sony BC QZ1 is available, but it can only charge one battery at a time, whereas the more affordable ProCube2 for Sony from Hahnel can charge two.

The ProCube2 for Sony uses interchangeable plates that adapt it to suit different batteries. In addition to the plates for charging two Sony FZ100 batteries - or indeed the Hahnel HL-XZ100s - the ProCube2 for Sony comes with plates for the Sony NP-BX1 and FW50 batteries, as well as for four AA batteries. The plates simply click in and out of place, so there’s no fiddling with cables or pins.

It takes around two hours to charge a single FZ100 battery, or three hours to charge two, with an LCD display showing the battery power. This display has an mAh reading, a new feature on the ProCube2, where it shows how much capacity has been added during charging, to help photographers gauge how many photos they can take with the added charge. In addition to the international mains connections, a 12-volt car charger is supplied to help photographers on the move.

The Sony-compatible HL-XZ100 battery

In addition to its DSLR chargers for cameras, Hahnel has also specialised in producing compatible batteries for a number of manufacturers. Its latest addition, the HL-XZ100, is designed especially for Sony’s latest Alpha cameras.

Sony introduced the NP-FZ100 battery with the A9 model, and it has subsequently been used in both the A7R III and A7 III models. This was widely appreciated as it has nearly double the life of the battery used in its second-generation models. Nevertheless, if you’re shooting all day, or you have a trip away from home, you’re more than likely to need a spare or two. At the FZ100 fairly steep price point, having an alternative in the Hahnel HL-XZ100 is a welcome relief.

Like the Sony battery, the HL-XZ100 is a 7.2-volt battery, but it supplies 14.4Wh at 2000mAh. That compares to 16.4Wh and 2280mAh with the Sony battery. In normal use, however, with variation in the number of shots, the shooting rate and the amount of reviewing, it’s virtually impossible to distinguish between the two batteries. 

The Hahnel battery fits neatly in the Sony cameras, and locks in exactly the same way as the Sony originals, to make for maximum ease of use for Sony owners.

A confirmed quality budget alternative

The new Hahnel HL-XZ100 and ProCube2 for Sony both received five-star reviews in the latest issue of Digital Photographer magazine, so they provide great quality and value for photographers looking for a more affordable way to stay powered up during their shoots.

Find out more about Hahnel and its offerings for photographers, please visit their site.

The Hähnel Modus 600T is already one of our favourite flashguns, but it is getting a refresh at Photokina next week. The Modus 600RT Mark II makes two small improvements to the design of this popular hotshoe speedlight. 

The most visible difference is in the hotshoe attachment itself, which now uses a quick-lock mechanism – rather than the screw locking mechanism found on the original version.

The other key change is with the new USB charger. One of the big advantages of the 600RT strobe is that it is powered by a bespoke rechargeable battery – rather then the AA cells used by most other guns. This provides a fast recycle time of 1.5 secs, which is claimed to be four times the speed of rival flashguns. The HLX-MD1 Extreme lithium ion pack provides 600 shots at full power from the flash, which has a Guide Number of 60 (m/ISO100). It can alternatively give 1000 flashes at half power. To make it easier to charge this battery whilst on location, the pack now comes with a new MD1 Mk II charger that can be powered through a standard USB lead. 

The flashgun has a built-in wireless transmitter and receiver, using the 2.4GHz standard, for simple off-camera operation – allowing the unit to be used as the master or slave in a multiflash set-up.

The flashgun is available to work with the following DSLR and mirrorless camera systems: • Canon • Nikon • Fujifilm • Micro Four Thirds - Panasonic & Olympus • Sony

The other key features of the flashgun remain unchanged  
Guide number: 60 (m/1S0100 at 200mm)
Flash coverage: 20mm - 200mm
Flash duration: 1/300 - 1/20,000sec
Tilt head: 0-360° rotation, -7 to 90° tilt
Catchlight panel: yes
Diffuser panel: yes (14mm coverage)
Modes: TTL, Manual, Second Curtain Sync, High-speed sync, stroboscopic Dimensions: 79 x 143 x 123mm

Hähnel Modus 600RT Mk II – kit options

The new Modus 600RT Mk II will be sold on its own, or in two different kits

The Wireless Kit pairs the flash gun with Hähnel's Viper TTL wireless trigger – which attaches to the camera hotshoe to fire the flash when used off camera in strobist set-ups.

The Wireless Pro Kit comes with a pair of Modus 600RT Mark II speedlights and the Viper TTL trigger.

Read more:
• Best flashguns in 2018
• How to use off-camera flash