Elinchrom ELC 125 TTL / ELC 500 TTL review

Elinchrom unleashes top-flight, fully featured studio flash at affordable prices with the ELC 125 TTL & ELC 500 TTL heads

5 Star Rating
Elinchrom ELC 125 TTL / ELC 500 TTL review
(Image: © Elinchrom)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Elinchrom made big news a couple of years ago with the launch of its ELB 500 TTL battery-powered location flash, but things have been relatively quiet on the studio flash front. That’s all changed with the advent of the new ELC 125 TTL and ELC 500 TTL heads and kits. Putting Elinchrom’s traditional magic into IGBT technology, the new heads deliver consistent, reliable flash that combines a generous power range with virtually no compromise in colour temperature. Additional benefits include automatic TTL flash metering, high-speed ‘action’ flash modes, high-speed sync and more besides.

Pros

  • +

    + A wealth of advanced flash modes

  • +

    + Intuitive, streamlined interface and menu system

  • +

    + Built-in transceiver for Skyport Pro triggering

  • +

    + Pro-grade build quality and handling

Cons

  • -

    Pricier than Elinchrom’s D-Lite kits (understandably)

  • -

    No battery power option

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Elinchrom has built a strong reputation in studio and location flash systems, for robust build quality, top-drawer performance, reliability and ease of use. Mains-powered D-Lite monobloc heads and kits have long been a favorite of discerning photographers, thanks to their compact portability, simplicity and superb lighting quality, especially when combined with Elinchrom’s excellent range of softboxes and other light modifiers. However, based on conventional rather than IGBT (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor) technology, D-Lite heads lack advanced modes like TTL flash metering and an ‘Action’ option, which fires a short-duration flash for freezing action. The new Elinchrom ELC 125 and ELC 500 heads add these as well as many other upgrades. 

Key features

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Elinchrom ELC 125 TTL & ELC 500 TTL specifications
Header Cell - Column 0 ELC 125 TTLELC 500 TTL
Energy: 131Ws 522Ws
Power range: 7-131Ws (5 f/stops) 7-522Ws (7 f/stops)
Best flash duration: 1/7750s 1/9430s
Color stability:+/-200K +/-150K
Recycling time (230V): 0.06-0.45s 0.06-1.1s
Recycling time (120V): 0.1-0.8s 0.09-1.9s
Modelling lamp: 20W 92 CRI LED 20W 92 CRI LED
Dimensions (L x W x H): 23 x 16.7 x 26.3cm 28 x 16.7 x 26.3cm
Weight: 2.0kg 2.5kg
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Elinchrom ELC 125: Tested output through power range (Gn, metres ISO 100)
Power settingStandard ActionHSS
0.16.3 7.1 4
0.37.1 8 4.5
1.31011 5.6
2.314 14 8
3.320 20 11
4.129 29 18
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Elinchrom ELC 500: Tested output through power range (Gn, metres ISO 100)
Power settingStandard ActionHSS
0.16.3 7.1 3.6
0.37.1 8 4
1.310 10 4.5
2.314 14 7.1
3.320 2010
4.329 2914
5.340 4020
6.351 5129
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Elinchrom ELC 125: Tested recycling speed through power range (in seconds)
Power settingEco Fast
0.100
0.300
1.300
2.300
3.30.2 0.1
4.30.7 0.45
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Elinchrom ELC 500: Tested recycling speed through power range (in seconds)
Power settingEco Fast
0.100
0.300
1.300
2.300
3.30 0
4.30.2 0.2
5.310.8
6.31.7 1.2

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.