Interfit, the well known maker of studio flash units and flash accessories, has announced today the release of their new battery powered strobe the Badger Unleashed.
The Badger Unleashed is Interfit's follow up to their highly successful Honey Badger flash. The new strobe carries a whole slew of impressive updates inside its incredible compact form. The features that really jump of the page are that this new flash unit includes HSS and TTL capabilities, something relatively unheard of in a sub-$400 strobe. Interfit says that the integrated 2900maH Li-Ion battery can provide up to 430 full-power flashed on a single charge, and full-power recycle time of 1.5 seconds.
The 250Ws strobe also includes a 15W daylight balanced LED modeling lamp, as well as an integrated radio receiver that is compatible with all Interfit TTL and manual flash triggers. The unit also utilizes a frosted glass dome diffuser over the flash tube to help provide even distribution of light within your modifiers.
The Badger Unleashed comes with the popular Bowens S-Type modifier mount, meaning finding light modifiers and accessories for this strobe will be incredibly easy. In addition, the flash includes a pop-up softbox ring to further increase its modifier compatibility.
See the Badger Unleashed's full specifications below:
Built-In Battery Power:
The namesake feature of the Badger Unleashed is an entirely DC powered system, offering full portability in a compact body with 250Ws of light in up to 430 full-power flashes. Out of juice? The Badger Unleashed can recharge its battery to full in just 90 minutes, and extra battery packs can be swapped mid-shoot so you'll never miss that golden hour at the end of your shoot again!
Compact Form Factor:
The ability to travel with lighting is crucial for a mobile photographer, and size and weight matter. The Badger Unleashed weighs less than 5lbs, measures 5” wide (6” including the outer ring), and 7” deep from the back panel to the edge of the protective cap, making it one of the most compact self-contained studio flash heads on the market. The robust and compact housing paired with its on-board battery power make the Badger Unleashed the ideal solution for photographers on the move.
Extended Power Range:
The Badger Unleashed has an incredible 9-stop power range, two more stops than our Honey Badger sister strobe, and four more than traditional studio flash heads. Power can be adjusted from 250Ws down to 1Ws in 1/10th of a stop increments for precise exposure.
Best-In-Class Recycle Time:
At full power, the Badger Unleashed recycles in an impressive 1.5 seconds at full power. Plus, recycle times only get shorter and shorter as you decrease the flash power!
High Speed Sync and Through-The-Lens Metering Modes:
Short flash durations give us the ability to freeze motion beyond the capabilities of our shutter sync speed. In HSS mode, the Badger Unleashed has a t.1 flash duration of 1/8000th of a second. With TTL metering, the new Badger is even capable of automatically adjusting flash power for you with +/- 3 stops of exposure compensation as the lighting around your subject changes from shot to shot - simply keep shooting with your viewfinder and the Badger Unleashed takes care of the rest!
15W LED Modeling Lamp:
The Badger Unleashed is equipped with a 15W LED modeling lamp that produces 1250 Lumens. This flicker-free LED can be used as a continuous light source for both photo and video purposes. The modeling lamp can be set to adjust proportionately to the flash power, or to full power. For the most accurate light tone portrayal, we balanced the color temperature to 5500K - giving you nice daylight balanced color tones in every scene.
Built-in Radio Receiver:
The Badger Unleashed features a built-in radio receiver that is compatible with all Interfit TTL and manual remotes. This allows full control over the light’s power range, flash mode, modeling lamp, and beep function. When using the Interfit manual remote, the Badger Unleashed can be adjusted individually via 8 different control groups (A-H), across 15 different channels (1-15). This allows for intricate multi-light setups and negates interference from neighboring photographers.
Versatile Modifier Mount:
The most unique feature of the Badger Unleashed is the versatile modifier mount. The Badger Unleashed utilizes the popular Bowens® S-Type modifier mount, making it compatible with all of the same modifiers as the S1, Honey Badger, and any other Interfit or S-Type mount light system. In addition, the Badger Unleashed features the built-in pop-up softbox ring made popular by the original Honey Badger for use with pop-up style softboxes that are popular with speedlight shooters. The idea behind this feature is to allow photographers to grow into their studio lights by allowing them to use some of the existing modifiers they may already have purchased for speedlights.
Glass Dome Diffuser:
The Badger Unleashed includes a frosted glass dome diffuser. This protects the flash tube and helps to spread light evenly throughout the modifier.
The Badger Unleashed is currently available for pre-order from Interfit and costs and incredibly reasonable $349. If this little strobe can live up to the potential of its specs, it could prove to be an excellent choice for both photographers just getting into studio lighting, and for the working pro in need of a solid, lightweight, on-the-go unit. Interfit will be sending us a unit to review and we will be sure to share our thoughts with you soon.
I have had interfit lights for years. They are solid lights that have stood up through a few falls. I have seen alien bees hit the ground and shatter. Maybe there wouldn't be much a market for these lights if bowens, broncolor, profoto, and elinchrom kept up with the tech and didn't price gouge. Maybe these companies should look at what they did to create such a need for a more affordable alternative and stop blaming the competition. Just look at the fact that this light comes with a built in battery. No need to spend a few hundred on that vagabond. It took Profoto years to integrate HSS.
I have never had any issues with color consistency on my interfit lights or my new flashpoint lights. Have you worked with these lights before to justify your issue with them or are you just assuming they will have an issue due to the affordable price. "Cost less so it must be inferior."
Aren’t they out of Atlanta?
Interfit does have an office Atlanta but they are originally from te UK .
Awesome. Thanks!
That leak is just for marketing purposes . PCB has great sevice and the Einstein is reliable, but you have to admit they are not even trying to keep up with the times . Interfit is a UK company and they have a service center in the US . THey problably had these units made in China , but they offer good value . Compare them to the digibees which still has the crappy PCB Mount .
I agree, they are not trying to compete. When Alien Bees announced a new strobe I was excited thinking they have a strobe with integrated battery and radio (never mind HSS and TTL). Well, no, they did not.
I was already with Godox but having Buff Eisteins and a couple B400's and loving them, I would have bought their strobes. However, when you need to carry (large and heavy) strobes plus (large and heavy) batteries and cables, receivers and triggers it becomes just too much.
I carry 2 AD200's a couple of Godox sped lights and a couple of folded 2' sofboxes, all fit in two manageable bags. Light stands are also getting smaller and the Manfrotto large stands are staying behind.
When working with the Einsteins I had to bring a dolly with me.
People havent used Lumedyne or Speedotron in years lol.
No, all high end studios use Profoto. When was the last time you even shot in a high end studio? Milk, Smashbox, Quixote, Pier 49, EVERYONE uses Profoto. Studios stopped using speedotron packs years ago. This is coming from the guy who says Profoto is a "rip off artist". Theres a reason they are the number one flash company on the market.
Not to be rude, but judging by your portfolio, you have never shot in a high end studio..
Dude you can cry all you want, bottom line is Interfit did what PCB could not do (add ttl, hss and sell outside of the USA). Good thing is i now use Godox. If godox wasn't around and i couldn't afford profoto and the only option i have is to buy this Badger or order PCB to the UK, which would you advise me to go for. Interfit will sell a lot of this lights as they sell all across the world while PCB can always sell to you Americans only.
But there are so many photographers in the USA that really NEED ttl, hss and an all in one system which PCB isn't giving them, would you say they should remain pariotic still despite interfit having something that meets their need?
I'd agree their original light was a pretty shameless rip-off but this new addition leapfrogs anything PCB offers by quite a bit. Internal battery and HSS in a $350 strobe is a really compelling offering that PCB doesn't compete against. The reason I ditched PCB lights years ago was the lack of these two features and here we are many years later and as far as I know, PCB hasn't made any attempt to close that gap. If they refuse to continue to innovate, they deserve for a competitor to take their market share.
Jonathon Rusnak, it's true that production contracts with China for everything--from electron flash to wide-bodied jets--must include provisions that give the Chinese eventual ownership of the patents.
"Bowens, Broncolor, Profoto and Elinchrom will most likely be ran out of the mono block market. With only Broncolor left standing." How does someone get run out of the market and still be left standing?
Bowens is out already, i think Elinchrom is next
①Ⓐ When the Bowen mount was invented, patents typically lasted for only ten years. Even if one was to go with the current US patent laws which state 14 years with one option to renew, totalling 28 years, the patent is still expired, which is one of several reasons most brands go with the Bowen mount, and NONE pay royalties.
①Ⓑ Bowen no longer exists, so their is no one to pay.
② All modern electronics are from China, because all modern electronics require rare earth minerals, and only two countries in the world produce those; China and India. India only recently entered the market, and is, so far, of little consequence. All your “American-made” products are actually American-assembled products of Chinese-made parts.
③ Trump is only hurting American manufacturers (assemblers) with tariff wars, since China makes things American need, while America makes things Chinese want.
④ Taking all the politics out of the thread, the be-all and end-all is that the Honey Badgers are great, the competition has nothing like them, and this UK company, Interfit, has nothing to do with China, Trump, tariff wars, patent wars, nor are they ripping off anyone, especially not their customers.
⑤ You can still go on your, “Buy American” rant as long as you understand, Ⓐ that this is the Internet and not everyone here is an American, and may want to buy Indian, Australian, Canadian, British, Irish, Greek, Italian, or something else, (even Chinese), and Ⓑ that, electronic parts origin not withstanding, not everything which is not American is Chinese.
«At the end, Bowen’s wasn’t….»
At the end, Bowen's isn't. …but irrelevant as to whether they once did or did not. The fact are that Interfit is a UK company, and that all modern strobes are in one way or another dependent on China for the fundamental parts at the very least, regardless of where they are designed, or assembled.
«Rare earth minerals are plentiful in many parts of the world, but there is an environmental cost….»
The issue is NOT environmental. …And yes, rare earth minerals are plentiful all over the earth, in every country on earth. It just is not produced in any country save for two.
«…And if forced do you think we Americans won’t figure out how to get them?»
Thank Ronald Reagan for that. It is not that it is not available in America, and it is not an environmental issue; it is regulations against the production, storage, and disposal of Thorium, which is the issue in America.
Thorium is quite heavily regulated in America, and so it makes it cost prohibitive for any American company to produce rare earth minerals, as the process almost always results in the production of thorium, or of thorium waste to be disposed.
«…I for one will never abandon my country. Buy American and buy local, was taught when I was younger.»
Not an issue at all. Totally irrelevant. I was taught to buy Jamaican. Also irrelevant. What my point is, is that currently, the production of modern electronics is absolutely dependent on rare earth minerals, and currently, China has a monopoly on that. Therefore, The entire world, (with a minor exception to a small number of Indian companies), is absolutely dependent on China with regards to modern electronics, communications, etc., including the US military.
«And every citizen of their respective countries should do the same.»
Every citizen must THINK GLOBALLY, but ACT LOCALLY. What you do there, affects the entire world. What they do there, affects you.
«Your dislike and disdain for America….»
What are you talking about?!?!?!? I have NO IDEA where you got that. I said nothing which even remotely implies that.
Didn't read any further. Your disdain for normal non-political conversation is worrying.
[EDIT] Decided to read the first link.
«…since Molycorp, once North America’s only producer of rare earths, filed for bankruptcy in 2015….»
…Because, as I said, production in America is cost prohibitive.
Also, the second biggest producer produces less than 7% of the total world production, and the third biggest, produces less than 1% of the total world production.
That being said, I am glad that there are others than just India.
Decided to read the second article. Very poorly written but….
«To top it off, the whole process produces any number of nasty chemical byproducts and is radioactive.»
…Here, he is speaking of Thorium, which is not that “nasty” at all, just heavily regulated. (Yes, it is radioactive, but very harmless. It is all over the Fort Lauderdale beaches).
Decided to read the third article.
«The U.S. Geological Survey reports that America is now 100 percent import-reliant for 21 minerals, and at least 50 percent import-reliant for another 29. Most troubling is that the U.S. is now 100 percent import-dependent for all of the 17 minerals that constitute the rare-earth minerals group. And China, which controls more than 95 percent of global rare-earth minerals production, has a monopoly.»
…What I said.
« In Canada or Australia ― nations with comparable environmental safeguards ― mine permitting takes just two to three years.»
…As I said, not an environmental issue but….
«…the common thread across our growing minerals-import dependence is a regulatory approach to mining that has seen investment flee despite world-class resources.»
…So thanks for the links which support what I said.
[/EDIT]
if you buy from adorama they will service it. They have great service and if you're a VIP member, i believe they double or triple the warranty.
Nice. I have a couple honey badgers already in studio. Will add one or two of these to my kit perhaps.
I like my Einsteins but when I see similar lights with HSS I'm about ready to move on from the Buff lights. Buff needs to modernize or be left behind. When the Honey Badger has a flash of 600Ws with HSS I'll be very interested.
Well tell that to captain America aka William Howell who thinks you have to be patriotic no matter what. Even in the next 20yrs when technology has advance to a whole different level and PCB still sticks to 70s tech, he will never jump ship 🤣
I'm a PCB enthusiast, but I have no idea what they are waiting on. Flashpoint/Godox is going to destroy them. How hard is it to create something similar to this Honeybadger? I don't want to drop 1k+ on Profoto gear and their accessories. PCB, give your loyal customers what they want!
Mark, I feel the same way. I've been very happy with my PCB but I need HSS in a powerful strobe that doesn't cost $1,000+ per light.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL6CDFn2i3I