Manfrotto includes three gels that slip easily in front of the 84 LED array: a 1/4 amber warming gel, a clear white diffusion gel and a daylight/interior correction filter.  With the gels, you can easily and professionally add what used to require expensive warming filters.
 

The image below shows what the light looks like: 1) without a gel, 2) with the clear white softening gel, 3) with the slight amber warming gel, and  4) with the full amber warming gel.

FIELD TESTING

The company has been making lighting and camera supports for 40 years and their experience shows with design, such as the 3 diffusion gels that slide easily in front of the 84 LED array. There was no holder for the gels, so including one would have been a good idea, since in my experience plastic gels can get scratched with use.

While ball head tripod foot on the unit did not appear sturdy at first, in practice it worked well, slid easily into the flash hot shoe and allowed for portrait and landscape orientation.

The Flash

Triggering at 1/1000^th of second, the ML 840 H flash worked consistently through all testing when connected to my camera with the sync cable.  Notably, the unit stayed cool with no heat issues.  The flash increases the video output by 2 stops.  The light is most useful in low light and for fill flash.  Its presence in the scene, as a fill light in bright sun for example, is not overpowering.  Manfrotto designed a flash “ready light” on the back of the MH 840, where it is easy to see.  I would have preferred having the power indicator light on the back as well as it was difficult to see in daylight due to its placement on the bottom of the unit.  The unit connects to the camera with a standard sync cable.

Since it is lightweight, hand holding the unit off-camera lets you put a touch of warm side light on your photo subject.  It is dimmable from 1% to 100%.  

The unit compliments your strobes, but will probably not replace them.  Its touch of soft amber toned light for video interview work is a strong point.  I noted consistent color on all exposures.  The spread of the LED's light is directed to a medium size focused beam, so the light appears more natural when you are using a portrait lens.  With a wide angle lens, the light does not look as natural, at least when the unit is mounted on the camera hot shoe.

This new lightweight unit with its LED and flash lighting will open up new possibilities for videography and still photography.

You can view an edgy video of night shooting with Manfrotto's LED lights here: http://vimeo.com/23044318.   

Add this to your Holiday Photographer’s Toolkit list for $279.00.

Jimages Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ««««
 

Visit the Manfrotto Hybrid ML 840 H LED Light webpage to order yours.

Visit Manfrotto Distribution to choose from a wide array of camera gear and accessories.
 

Text and photos: © 2012 Jim Austin.  All Rights Reserved.
 

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