The Flashpoint 300 (300) LED is the first on-camera LED light that I’ve tried and I have to say up front that I love it. The 300 is a lightweight, versatile, fully adjustable light source that delivers as much or as little light as you want for a very good price. 300 individual LEDs provide you with strong, even light that you can’t reproduce with a standard flash unit.
Flashpoint 300 LED: On-Camera Light with Audio
The large 300 diode LED gives action videographers and still photographers super bright, high-quality output. With auto light levels, stereo microphones and a signal flash mode, the 300 LED can sense lighting requirements and delivers automatic balance exposure as it passes from one environment to another, making it ideal for run-and-gun shooters looking for the most light on demand. The on-board stereo electret condenser microphones are also invaluable for traveling shooters, minimizing the need to cage-rig a camera for attaching an external microphone. The sensitive mics are distanced from camera sounds on either top corner of the light, delivering clean audio directly to the camera. All fitting comfortably atop a camera’s hot shoe or off-camera via the convenient stand thread, the 300 LED is a comprehensive package in a superior, sleek design.
I like that the unit delivers consistent light at all levels. There’s no flicker or any odd color shifting at full power or at any power setting.
Why it’s Frugal: The Flashpoint 300 LED is frugal because it’s the only light you need for a variety of situations including run-n-gun, still photography, video, and fill lighting. When you only need one light that can fill almost every need, then it’s frugal.
I took the 300 with me to SpiceWorld 2015 in Austin last week and I had a professional photographer ask me all about it. I showed him all the same features that I explained in the video. I’ll bet that he’s already placed an order for one.
If you can only carry one light with you, this should be the one. In its bag, with two extra batteries (sold separately), that I highly recommend that you purchase, the space cost is approximately 9″x7″x1.5″. That small space contains the 300 LED, the audio cable, two batteries, and your filters.
The only reason that the 300 didn’t get the coveted 10/10 is that it drains batteries (sold separately for $22.70) pretty fast. And it drains them even when the unit is off, but the the batteries are connected. So, remove your battery from the unit if it’s going to be off for more than 30 minutes. Buy more than one battery. You get two plus a charger from the link above at Amazon.
Rating: 9.5/10
Recommendation: If you are a photographer or videographer, this light must be in your bag. And the batteries too.