What’s better than a Photo Basics StrobeLite? A StrobeLite Plus of course! With more and more companies trying to attract the beginner to semi-pro market Westcott is pushing hard with the Photo Basics line to get good quality components into the marketplace. The difference with the Photo Basics line is that they are complete educational packages complete with floor mats to help with placement and instructional DVD’s.

Overview
If you haven’t read it already you should probably start with our original review of the Photo Basics StrobeLites as that will bring you up to speed on the kit and the associated accessories. This article is going to focus on the StrobeLite Plus and the differences between it and the original StrobeLite series.

Both versions are complete mono-lite heads meaning they are self-contained units with the power supply and flash bulb in a single unit. The basic controls are an adjustment that takes the unit from full power down to 1/4 power, an on/off switch, and switch for the modeling light for off/full power/variable power. Both models feature flash ready lights and optical slave sensors. The StrobeLite Plus goes a step further and has switches to disable the audio ready beep and the optical sensor.

Features
The following table outlines the difference between the two models:

So what’s it all mean?

The most obvious difference is that the StrobeLite Plus head takes the output from 150ws to 200ws, while this isn’t a massive difference more power is always better, especially when using super large soft boxes or octagons. With the option to turn off the audible ready beep they are less obnoxious when used in situations like weddings. The other switch on the Plus series enables you to turn off the optical sensor, this also is very useful in situations like weddings so all the point-and-shoots aren’t making your strobes go off.

While the extra power and controls are nice, one of the nicest features is the tilting bracket on the StrobeLite Plus is made of metal instead. With the plastic bracket on the lower-end version the light cannot hold up heavier softboxes like the 36″ x 48″ softbox, within a few seconds the light will start to sag over. With the metal bracket on the Plus, even the heaviest modifiers should be nice and secure now.

The Bottom Line
Looking online, the StrobeLite is available for around $140 while the StrobeLite Plus goes for $210. Is the upgraded Plus heads really worth an additional $70? For me, the ability to use super large softboxes without sagging is is a huge plus, adding a little extra power cinches the deal for me. I don’t personally need the ability to turn off the optical slave or the audible ready tone but those may be important features for some people.

While there are other similar products coming to market from other companies, what we like the most is the education approach the Westcott is using with the Photo Basics product to not only bring affordable, quality products to the market, but to also provide comprehensive tutorials and training tools. The complete kits even come with a floor mat to show you exactly where to place the lights, the camera, and the subject. We simply can’t recommend the Photo Basics products enough.

Website: http://photobasics.net

Original review article: http://cameradojo.com/2008/07/09/photo-basics-strobelite-review/