If you go to any photo trade show, the number of LED makers far exceeds the number of strobe and flash makers. We’ve had brands like Bowens fold in recent years, even though their mount is the de facto standard for lighting modifiers. Even small flash makers aren’t immune to this, with Cactus, one of the first to get a trigger and flash combo that worked across a huge range of camera makers. This triggers the question, is flash, be it studio strobes or hotshoe flashguns, dead?
Well, it might be for some photographers. When working with flash, you can’t see the results before you shoot. Even in a controlled studio environment, where you have the modelling lights mimic the flash power, it’s still an approximation. You also need to communicate between the camera and the strobe, meaning expensive wireless triggers, or awkward cables. Not to mention learning how to use the flash, set groups and channels, turn on and off beeps – it’s kind of a steep learning curve for a beginner. And at high power you have to wait patiently for the recycle time.
With LED, you just turn it on and look through the lens (now that we’re nearly all mirrorless) or live view. What you see is what you get. Need more, or to balance two lights? Just look and use the handy remote to change each one from where you are, no camera connection required. Need them to be different colors? Well, just change that too. If you’re also creating content as well as photographing, you get to use the same light for photos and for video. Sometimes that will mean a tripod and longer exposures, but that's easy. It’s not looking good for flash, really.
But wait, does flash have anything going for it? You mean like really fast duration, over 1/10,000sec bursts to freeze motion? Capturing droplets and splashes? Freezing athletes in mid air? Yes, it can do that. LED not so much.
Flash easily overpowers sunlight, even with modifiers. You’d need hefty and very expensive lights to do that. Cinema does that using 10,000-watt HMIs and large scrims, but at $15,000, you’d be better served with flashes for photography. Speaking of modifiers, these are mature in the flash space and highly engineered. LEDs don’t get as hot as traditional bulbs, but they are half heatsink and do need cooling-not all modifiers are designed for this.
Of course, good flash also has perfect color rendition from shot to shot, whereas that can really vary with LED. Even the same setting on two lights might not be exactly the same colour-it might be subtle, but noticeable. Not all flashes are equal, but most current ones have this consistency.
On the portability front, I get 650 full power flashes from my Godox AD600. I can go shoot after shoot before needing to charge, even shooting all day. An LED? Maybe two hours if I’m lucky. Battery tech is improving, but still hard to touch strobes for battery longevity. A good day in the studio will fix any issues, and another day outside learning to balance flash and ambient and the learning curve is done.
So is flash dead? For video/photo creators working inside, especially at the low end of the market, probably. For those shooting higher end, requiring accurate color and control, indoors and outdoors, flash is still king.
See our guides to the best flashguns, the best LED light panels, and the best lighting kits for photography
