Complete NOOB question
It's cooler to own a strobe 
well yes, studio lights have their limitations but so do strobes or 'off camera flash' depends on what you want to do with it. Off camera flash; flashgun et all are portable but still require add ons whether it be diffusers, bounce cards, grids etc .. but probably more creative (lthough studio lighting seems to be entering a new phase of creativity)
snoot or worlds smallest softbox ?
snoot or worlds smallest softbox ?
As I've understood a studio "strobe" has a separate battery pack. Where as a "monolight" is essentially a studio flash with a built-in power supply.
Generally for hand-held devices (off camera flash), I hear the term 'speed light", not necessarily referring to the branded "Speedlite".
I've rarely, if ever, heard the word strobe used for hand-held off camera flash.
Regardless, like much in the word of buzz-words... meaning is often ambiguous and sometimes amorphous.
Generally for hand-held devices (off camera flash), I hear the term 'speed light", not necessarily referring to the branded "Speedlite".
I've rarely, if ever, heard the word strobe used for hand-held off camera flash.
Regardless, like much in the word of buzz-words... meaning is often ambiguous and sometimes amorphous.
I'd agree with parallax and Royboy...."strobe" is just the Americanisation for an electronic flashtube - whether it be a portable shoe-mounted (or not..) flashgun, or a studio type big beast..
just like the disco type "strobe" which is a very fast, bright, powerful discharge tube..
(which a modern flashgun/studio light is based on as opposed to the old "one-off" filament burning bulbs....yes...I know LEDs are on the way...).
just like the disco type "strobe" which is a very fast, bright, powerful discharge tube..
(which a modern flashgun/studio light is based on as opposed to the old "one-off" filament burning bulbs....yes...I know LEDs are on the way...).
Strobe is a derived from 'stroboscopic' which is a fast repeating pulse of light used scientifically for freezing fast movement of something such as a bullet. It's a slightly inaccurate term for a commercial flash gun though they can can perform such an action, if crudely.
I've only ever heard it used to describe professional studio flash lighting in this country for which it is no more accurate but it's widely used in the USA in place of flash gun. Its main use is to exclude ordinary camera users with their 'flash guns' from the elite with their 'strobe units' even if they are the exact same unit.
I've only ever heard it used to describe professional studio flash lighting in this country for which it is no more accurate but it's widely used in the USA in place of flash gun. Its main use is to exclude ordinary camera users with their 'flash guns' from the elite with their 'strobe units' even if they are the exact same unit.
