Godox's NEW Lux Senior - The Modern Retro Speedlite
Godox have recently announced their newest addition to their speedlite family: The Lux Senior! A unique and unexpected design, the Lux Senior is bringing the Retro back into modern and harking back to vintage compact designs and classic controls in this manual speedlite. The announcement was received by many photographers with a chorus of "ooh"s and "aah"s, shortly followed by the question: "Do I really need this?". We're here for a deeper dive into the specs of the Lux Senior to see exactly what this retro flash is perfect for, just to save you the trouble.
The big brother to the previously announced Lux Junior, the Lux Senior is a modern solution to a traditional style. Made to look like the mini-dish reflector seen on film cameras back in the day, this design is commonly associated with journalists and newspaper photographers on the move needing an on-the-go lighting solution. The Lux Senior does a great job of mixing the old with the new, taking a traditional modern speedlite design and giving it that vintage retro feel.
Compatibility
The Lux Senior can be used with a range of camera options, whether you want to use it with your Canon DSLR or if you want to go the full mile and replicate that vintage look with modern equipment and use a traditional film camera, without the hassle and cost of using a real vintage flash! Featuring a Single-Pin hot shoe as well as a Sync port that you can connect to your camera with the supplied cable, it can be used with either option.
How does it work?
Simple to use, the Lux Senior opens up to a small bare-bulb light, with a mini silver reflector around it that unfolds to create the full dish. Once you're done, easily fold it all back down again into it's compact shape for easy transportation and to avoid damage.
Watch Godox's instructions video on YouTube to see how to operate it.
The Lux Senior neatly folded away.
Now for the important part...
The Specs
The Lux Senior has a power range of 7 levels: between 1/1-1/64, and a colour temperature of 6000K ± 200K. It doesn't feature the LCD display that Godox generally use, and instead uses buttons and dials for settings, much like a real retro flash unit.
As previously mentioned, it can also be synced to your camera either via the hotshoe on the bottom of the flash, or can be connected with the provided Sync Cable so it can be held separately from your camera, though this means it can't be used with a trigger, and the battery is built into the unit and easily charged with the provided charging cable. (This is also handy for travelling with as you don't have to worry about misplacing removeable batteries!)
The unit is less powerful than a modern speedlite; comparing it to the Li-ION580 MKIII for example shows a difference of 150 full powered flashes on a full battery compared to the Li-ION's 450 flashes, and twice the recycle time at just over 3 seconds over the Li-ION's 1.5s recycle time. But these aren't design flaws; the Lux has been designed with film cameras in mind, plus for a vintage styled product, you'll need significantly less power then you would if you bought a modern speedlite. It really depends on what you need it for.
View the full specifications under the tab on this page.
Automatic vs Manual Modes
Godox's design team has also taken both beginners and seasoned photographers into mind when designing the Lux Senior. The "A" mode has been designed to help you calculate proper exposure to make your shooting experience easier. For those feeling more adventurous, the "M" mode is trickier, but enables you to unlock more creative possibilities and take photos with classic controls by letting you tailor your settings to your desire.
So... Do you need one?
If you were one of the photographers whose interest was piqued by this eye-catching tribute flash when it was announced, you've probably already thought of a thousand different ways you'd like to use it, right? If you've read up on it's specs and you're still interested, it might just be for you! At the UK price point of £129, you can't really go wrong and it could net you some really interesting photos and take your vintage style photos to the next level. We can see it working amazingly for many portraiture photographers, as well as travel, product, and fashion photographers as a retro flash unit with all the perks of a modern light.
However, if you're looking for something with more power and adaptability, your best option is to have a look at something like the Li-ION580 MKIII or the GIO1 speedlites. At higher price points, they are much more powerful and will be more suitable for every-day photography if you don't need the flair and vintage style that the Lux Senior provides. Or, alternatively, you still have the option of the smaller and less expensive Lux Junior.
Looking for the best place to pre-order? Look no further. The Lux Senior is now available for pre-order on our website. EssentialPhoto are an official UK distributor of Godox equipment, making it easy and stress-free for you to purchase the latest Godox kit in the UK and 70+ other countries around the world!
Need some advice? Drop us an email at info@essentialphoto.co.uk and our Product Team will be able to get back to you with some tips and product recommendations for your situation.
