Elinchrom has announced the Elinchrom One, its new portable off-camera battery-powered monolight that the company says has been requested for a long time. It features an integrated battery, 725 full-power flashes per charge, high-speed sync, and 131 watt-seconds (Ws) of power.
Elinchrom says the One is a “rugged and dependable” flash that is also small and lightweight. It weighs 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) and outputs 131 Ws of power from an integrated lithium-ion battery. The strobe is charged by USB-C and features both TTL and HSS capability that is integrated into what the company says is a streamlined touch interface and low-profile housing.
The strobe appears to be Elinchrom’s attempt at mixing the flexibility of a speedlight with the usability of a studio strobe. In that sense, it’s larger than the Profoto A1 but packs almost twice the flash power in return. Considering it the Elinchrom One is priced just $50 higher than the Profoto A1 at about $900, it will give photographers a lot to consider.
Engineered for peak efficiency, its 131 Ws of capacity generates a light output usually seen in 200+ Ws units. At 1 meter (3.3ft) and 100 ISO, the ONE can achieve F-11.9, with the Diffusion Dome attached, and when combined with the HP Reflector, the achievable F-Stop climbs to F-45.2.
The Elinchrom One is controlled by a mix of a dial and a touch interface.
Additionally, the Elinchrom One can recycle in 0.9 seconds at full power and the company claims that it maintains a +/- 150K color temperature over the entire power range. Speaking of color temperature, it is adjustable between 2,700 and 6,500 kelvin with an output of 3,000 lumens and a CRI of 95.
The Elinchrom One can be charged by USB-C when not in use and also actively, which means that the strobe can run on continuous wall power should it be placed in a studio situation. Regardless of the remaining charge on the battery, wall power will operate the strobe at full capacity. Elinchrom says that the lithium-ion battery that is housed inside the strobe is sealed for “enhanced protection” from the elements while on location.
The Elinchrom One uses a standard flash tube that is enclosed in a clear dome that Elinchrom says allows for optimal light spread. The front of the One allows it to be used in tandem with a varity of Elinchrom light shaping tools and is also compatible with “most” Profoto softboxes as well.
The Elinchrom One is currently available for pre-order for $900 and will begin shipping on August 27.