Comparison Yongnuo YN-300 AIR vs Yongnuo YN-160 III

The standard brightness of the on-camera light (see "Type"). Usually, most of these models have the ability to adjust the brightness, so the maximum value is given in the specifications.

When shooting at a short distance, devices that are too bright can “overexpose” the scene, degrading the quality of the shooting (and it can be much more difficult to compensate for excessive brightness in post-processing than the lack of light). So when choosing for this indicator, it is worth proceeding from the specific conditions of use.

The number of light-emitting diodes (LED) provided in the on-camera light system (see "Type").

The abundance of LEDs allows you to achieve good brightness at a relatively low cost of the entire device — there are many light sources themselves, but they are relatively cheap. However, these models can be inconvenient to carry on camera and work in tight spaces. In turn, compact lamps with a small number of LEDs are more convenient, portable and "manoeuvrable", however, they are either inferior to more "multiply charged" models in terms of brightness, or are noticeably more expensive.

The ability to manually change the power of the light flux emitted by the flash (with the pulse duration unchanged, see above). This feature is present in most modern models; it allows you to set the optimal parameters for shooting, so as not to "overexpose" the frame.

The characteristics of models with power control usually indicate the levels to which it can be set. Traditionally, each subsequent (in descending order) level corresponds to half the power of the previous one, and they are designated by fractional numbers: 1/1 (full power), 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc. The features of flash power control depending on the shooting parameters are described in detail in special sources, but in any case, the more settings levels, the more opportunities you have to set the optimal parameters. This is especially true for shooting at short distances, where the risk of excessive "exposure" increases.

The angle of illumination provided by the on-camera light source (see "Type").

A large illumination angle, on the one hand, allows you to simultaneously cover a larger area, which is especially important when shooting long shots (at short focal lengths). On the other hand, to achieve sufficient brightness, this requires a large power of light sources, which accordingly affects the price and power consumption of the device. A small coverage angle, in turn, gives a small spot size of the light, but it allows you to achieve good brightness at a relatively low power.

The colour temperature of the light emitted by the device. Most of the classic flashes have a standard colour temperature of 5500-5600 K, so this parameter is usually not given for such lamps. But on-camera light sources (see "Type") can differ markedly in this indicator, and we will talk about them.

Colour temperature characterizes the overall shade of the glow emitted by the device. At the same time, an interesting nuance is that low values \u200b\u200bcorrespond to colours that a person perceives as warm; and as the colour temperature rises, the hue shifts more and more towards cool colours. For example, for a 60 W incandescent lamp, the light of which has a pronounced yellowish colour, this parameter is approximately 2700 K, and for a fluorescent lamp that produces “daylight” light with a bluish tint, this parameter is about 7000 K.

In general, the colour temperature of lighting is one of the most important parameters when shooting: it determines the colour balance of the image "seen" by the camera. In camera settings, this indicator is called "white balance". It can also be determined automatically, however, for the most reliable colour reproduction, it is still desirable to set its values according to the known colour temperature of the lighting.

Specifically, in on-camera light sources, the colour temperature can be either constant or adjustable. In non-adjustable models, the value of this parameter is the same as in most flash units...— 5500 K, which corresponds approximately to neutral white. Adjustment also provides the possibility of at least lowering the colour temperature — usually up to 3200 K, which approximately corresponds to warm white light. In addition, occasionally there are models in which the maximum colour temperature exceeds 5500 K, reaching 6000 K and even more.

The ability to change the colour temperature can be useful not only for shooting as such, but also for “matching” the lamp with other light sources. The fact is that if several simultaneously used light sources have different colour temperatures, the colour rendition on the scene being shot will be unreliable — to the point that a monochromatic object illuminated by different lamps from different sides may look like a two-colour one. One way to avoid this is to set the colour temperature of the on-camera light to match the ambient light. However, it is worth noting here that the methods of adjusting the shades and the accuracy of such adjustment may be different. The most advanced option is to use two sets of LEDs, with a warm and cold shade of glow; By changing the brightness ratio between these sets, you can also change the overall colour temperature — and quite smoothly and accurately. Another way is to use coloured diffusers (see below), but here the adjustment is stepped, with fixed values (with and without a diffuser). In some devices, both of these methods are combined.

The color of the diffuser included with the on-camera light source. The color can be: orange, white, pink or yellow.

A diffuser is a special filter designed to scatter light from individual LEDs, and in some cases, to give it a certain color and change the color temperature.

The flash has its own built-in display. This feature greatly simplifies management and even provides a number of additional features. Various service information can be displayed on the display — from a simple display of various parameters (pulse duration, scattering angles, etc.) and ending with data from special calculators that provide the calculation of optimal shooting parameters.

Additional items included with your flash or on-camera light.

— 1/4" mount. A special adapter with a standard 1/4" thread. Such mounts ensure compatibility of lighting equipment with universal accessories (for example, tripods), providing greater freedom in setting up the filming process.

— Diffuser. A diffuser, or in other words a softbox, is an accessory that diffuses and softens the light emitted by an on-camera lighting device. Its use allows you to achieve a uniform nature of scene lighting, avoiding harsh shadows, glare and "overexposure". In the video light category, a diffuser can play a visual effect - change the color temperature or the color of the glow. Note that several different colored diffusers are often supplied in the kit.

— Curtains. Adjustable plates in the form of characteristic petals that are attached to the on-camera light source and allow for flexible adjustment of light accents. Curtains are used to change the direction and distribution of the light flow — wide-open plates provide full coverage of the scene, while closed petals narrow the light flow and direct it “in the right direction” (i.e. to a specific part of the scene). Most often, curtains are used to adjust backlighting and background lighting.

— Battery. The presence of a battery in the delivery set of battery-powered lighting equipment. Elim...inates the need to purchase a battery separately. This item refers to a removable battery (see "Power source"), but may also indicate the absence of a battery in the standard package - in this case, you will need to purchase it additionally.

— Power supply. A device for connecting a lighting device to the mains. This connection can be used for two main purposes — operating the light source from a socket (see "Power supply from the mains") and charging the battery directly in the device itself. Modern models of on-camera lighting can support either one of these functions or both at once — the details should be clarified additionally. It should also be noted that not all devices with the ability to operate from the mains are initially equipped with power supplies — in some cases, such an accessory must be purchased separately.

— Charger. A device for charging the standard battery of a lighting device. Chargers are supplied with models that operate from specialized batteries of a removable design (see "Power source"). And if such a model allows charging the battery directly in the device, and the set includes an adapter for connecting to a socket, it is no longer considered a charger, but a power supply (see above).

— Remote control. As a rule, individual on-camera lights and lightsabers (see "Type") are equipped with a remote control. It allows remote control of the lighting device settings: turning it on and off, adjusting the brightness, changing the color temperature, activating various lighting effects, controlling several light sources combined into a group, etc. The actual set of remote control functions may differ depending on the specific implementation.

— Case/bag. The presence of a bag or case in the standard configuration of the lighting device. Bags are often equipped with handles or a strap for easy carrying, a case is somewhat simpler - it does not have handles and is designed to be carried in a bag for photographic equipment, a backpack, etc. A bag or case covers the device from dust and other contaminants, to some extent protects the contents from damage from impacts and falls.