The LumoPro LP120 flash

The LumoPro LP120 The Strobist

So, what if someone came to us and asked what we should include — and exclude — on a hot-shoe flash designed for photographers who light?

That’s exactly what happened with the new LumoPro LP120, which was commissioned by Midwest Photo in response to the vintage speedlight availability (or lack thereof) and recent Vivitar quality issues.
If you are not a photographer this post will probably have about as much appeal as a wet weekend in Bognor. If you are a photographer this could be pretty important. It is important to me because I resent shelling out big bucks for flashes that have loads of features that I don’t use but cannot accept the quality loss from the cheap units.

I only use flash occasionally as it is about my third chose of lighting. I prefer, in order, available or so called solid lighting, either construction tungstens or daylight equivalent lamps. This is why I purchased the Nikon SB600 as opposed to the SB800 in spite of the mixed reviews it got from the photographers who measure a photographers ability by the number of dollars spent on kit.

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Nikon SB-600 Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

The SB600 is good but there is some trial and error involved,consequently I don’t use the automated TTL type functions, I guess, fire a test shot or three and adjust accordingly.

This brings up to the The LumoPro LP120 – it has non of these useless functions and only costs $129.95. The rest of the specs sound pretty good to say the least and it really does sound as if the money has been saved only by jettisoning the automatic stuff. Output, operating speeds, inmtegration potential etc all sound really good.

There are reviews of two other budget flashes in the Strobist post but the lumoPro would appear to be the only one that would really get the job done.

Here is a description lifted from the dedicated Flickr page: There are good discussions and user input on both the Strobist and the Flickr pages.

Description and specs:
LumoPro LP120 Manual Flash
Developed in conjunction with the Strobist community, this flash is ideal for professional and amateur photographers alike. The LumoPro LP120 is the most versatile all manual flash in production today. In its one size fits all design, it offers 4 ways of synchronization with your camera through its PC port, miniphone port, optical slave sensor and hotshoe (PC/Miniphone cord included.) This diversity also provides you with backup options should, for example, your existing radio slaves lose power or you forget your sync cord at home. Using your flash off your camera has never been easier. With its 270-degree swivel and 180-degree tilt, you will be able to bounce the light off any wall, ceiling, and most light modifiers (using your forehead is not recommended.) The manual zoom function allows you to focus the beam regardless of your lens focal length. The wide-angle adapter helps disperse the beam to a greater degree. The standard flash head design
insures that almost any light modifier on the market will fit securely. The LP120 is color neutral and offers 6 power variations.

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