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This is a well-made true fresnel lens, the glass feels nice and thick and does exactly what it was designed to. The universal bowens mount clicks right into place and the color filters are a clever add on that make for some nice customization. The plastic feels durable, and I expect it to last me a long time. The included soft-carry bag is just another bonus.
Clever addition to the speedlight inventory. Don't forget to get a frame to hold the speedlight or connect to your strobes. Fast delivery - better than predicted. Thanks!
What I like: -Well made and affordable. Feels tough. -Nice and lightweight. -Tons of focus control. Goes into a pretty small spot light. And you get a soft falloff of the brightness as you move away from the center. -Real glass Fresnel with a metal mesh on the front for protection. -No color fringing at the edges like I have seen with every other budget LED fresnel I have used, and even with some barn door/snoot kits. -Nice filter holders and nice carry case included. -Has cooling vents.
(Edited this section of the review) I first thought it was about x10 at full zoom, but testing it again shows me that it's only x5 brightness when set to about the mid point of the focus. (3500 lux with no reflector, 16,000 lux with the bowl-reflector that came with the light and just under 18,000 lux with this Fresnel addon) This may vary depending on the light that you use. Mine was tested with a 100W Pixapro 100D Mark II light and a light meter at 1m away. (My first test was with a different light, maybe that's why my most recent test only gives x5 rather than the x10 I got on the first test) So this does increase brightness, which is what you would expect from a Fresnel lens. When measured in LUX (the amount of light REACHING the subject) the brightness is definitely increased. But, the TOTAL brightness output is obviously reduced because some of the light is hitting the sides of the focusing unit, but this is irrelevant, this product is intended to focus light and give you a brighter spot, and that's exactly what it does.
Could be improved: -The Bowens mount connects well, but is a little too loose. Not a big problem. -The inside of the unit is black, which means it's potentially not as efficient as it could be. I'll try adding some foil tape to the inside and see if it goes any brighter. I expect that it will, but I also think it will diffuse the spot a little.
Conclusion: In my opinion, a must-have for anyone using big bowens-mount lights like Pixapro, DOF, Jinbei, etc. I'm considering getting a second one, because then they could be amazing as back lights from really far away. I don't think I'd bother with a third, because I usually have one light at the front or side with a big softbox.
Was happy to find a 'system' that will let me use color gels with COB lights. The fresnel does a good job making a softer rounded spotlight, but the power multiplications they promise, especially when "zoomed in" are vastly exaggerated.
