The Impact EX100 was added to my lighting arsenal when I was looking for a portable lightweight flash for simple tasks inside the studio ("go fetch me the grey backdrop from the storage room!") and for event photography. As I was going through the list of available items, I was captured by that attractively priced kit offered for $140-$150 including a stand and a softbox on B&H (links are available down at the bottom).
The official specifications are nothing more then ok… Mediocre recycle time, fair guide number, low weight and some additional characteristics that are required from a flash that is meant to be used for studio photography. Bottom line, it looked like a flash worth the shot mainly because of its low price. I decided to examine it and find out whether this is actually a flash or a toy. Lets take a look at the official specifications, and then move on to my findings:
| Maximum Watt/Seconds | 100 |
| Guide Number | f/8 @ 10' @ ISO 100, with reflector (GN 57/80) |
| Recycle Time | 3 sec @ full power |
| Flash Duration | 1/1500 sec @ min power 1/1000 sec @ full power |
| Flash Variability | Full to 1/8 power |
| User Replaceable Flashtube | No |
| Changeable Reflector | Yes |
| Modeling Light Wattage | 60 |
| Voltage Stabilization | No |
| Flash Ready Indicator | LED and Beep |
| Operating Voltage | 120VAC or 220VAC (separately sold) |
| Built-in Slave Cell | Yes |
| Circuit Protection | Fuse |
| Fan Cooled | No |
| Auto Dump | No |
| Dimensions | 9.5 x 7.75 x 5" LxHxW (without reflector) |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
| Kit Weight | ~5 lbs (2.3 kg) |
The Kit
Impact managed to squeeze a commendable set of accessories into the modest price. The following photo shows the kit right out of the box:
1. Flash
2. Reflector
3. Softbox 24"
4. Sync cable
5. Two spare fuses (I have not fried a single one yet)
6. Modeling light bulb
7. Power cord
8. Eight foot lighting stand
Unfortunately as I was writing this review I realized that I left the protective cap of the flash out of the kit-shot, so here is another photo showing the flash covered and ready to travel with the supplied cap.
The softbox is properly made, coated from the inside with a reflective material and has two layers of diffusing sheets. Its relatively small size is an advantage when shooting small products and is great for food photography. When shooting portraits, it can be used as a fill light for the stronger main light, or as a main light in a setup based on a kit of two or more Impact monolights.
The stand is lightweight and convenient to use. It has a standard studio mount and also a useful 1/4" bolt. It's good enough for supporting the flash with a softbox or umbrella and other easy tasks in the studio like supporting light reflectors or other small strobes, however, it is not heavy and massive enough to stand windy conditions when used outdoor. Anyway I strongly recommend using sandbags to fix the stand in position and prevent an unpleasant collapse.
The Flash
It's hard, if not impossible to find studio flashes in the price range of the Impact. A typical monolight with a medium power output costs three times the EX100 or much more. Take a look at the Profoto D1 250ws Monolight for example. It's much, much better then the Impact, but many photographers can't afford to pay around $1000 for a single monolight, especially when wanting to build a multi lights setup.Therefore when comparing the economical novice Impact with a professional studio flash you will naturally notice some significant differences, but it's important to distinguish those that effect functionality from those that relate to the general strength and built of the item.
The Impact EX100 is made of plastic as expected, which makes it very light, yet somewhat delicate if treated aggressively. However I was prepossessed by the quality of the plastic. It features a nice mat finish that makes it look like metal, and it seems to be flexible enough to absorb some fair shocks without cracking or braking. Inside the studio it will feel great but if you plan to travel with it to different locations you better use a padded hard case to protect it. Practically I carry all of my flashes in custom protective cases so the EX100 is no exception. If you care about the impression your equipment makes, don't worry; The Impact deserves its name… it looks good enough to be considered as one of 'the big guys'. No one needs to know you paid only $150 for the whole kit…
Together with the flash comes a protective cap that covers and protects the flash tube when travelling with the unit. You must remove the modeling light bulb in order to put on that cap and lock it in place. If impact had lengthened that cap an inch more, it could have been attached without removing the modeling bulb first. What a pity.
The modeling bulb is a standard household tungsten bulb that's available everywhere; a welcomed feature.
On the back of the flash there's a functional and simple to use control panel. The switches are of good quality, however I don't like the sync mini-plug plastic socket Impact chose to use. That may be the weak spot of the flash as it ages. I personally replaced it with a standard 1/4" socket that's more durable.
1. On/off switch
2. Modeling light switch, featuring two levels of output; full power, or dimmed
3. Flash power adjustment, featuring a step less selection from 1/8 power to full power
4. Ready light that turns on when flash recycle is done and the next shot can be taken
5. Optical slave cell
6. Sync socket (accepting mini plug)
7. Test button to fire the flash manually
8. Power socket with an embedded fuse socket
What's missing in that control panel is an on/off switch to control the beep that is issued when the flash is ready for the next shot after it's been fully recharged. I don't understand Impact on this one. They were generous enough to include that (important) buzzer, which is not that common on cheap flashes and for that I give them credit, but the lack of possibility to turn it off disqualifies the EX100 from being used on situations that require silent operation. For example you cannot use this flash in ceremonies because the flash will draw attention and disturb the guests every time you fire it. For a studio photographer, this may not make a difference, but in general I consider the lack of buzzer-switch to be the biggest disadvantage of the EX100. Come on Impact, spend one more dollar, charge me two more and provide an on-off switch to boost up your product's functionality. Never mind, besides being a photographer, I'm also an AMS (amateur monolight surgeon), I'll transplant the switch by myself...
One more thing that's missing on the back panel is the "short espresso" / "long espresso" selector and in fact I still haven't yet found that switch in any of my cameras and flashes and for that I protest. Join my facebook "We want our photo gear to serve us espresso" group. Seriously, I'm not kidding you, follow the link 
Back to the flash… The front features a socket for changing reflectors and softboxes. Attachment and removal is done easily by a slight turn of the locking ring. Like many other studio flashes, the Impact has its own socket that will not necessarily fit other light modifiers you may already own, unless they are the exact size like the Impact, or use adjustable screws to match various sockets. If you're a DIYer and like making your own custom light modifiers, you will find the protective cap useful as a template for making new mounts.
At the bottom of the EX100 there's a socket that fits standard lighting stands. It is well designed, and includes an umbrella socket with a locking screw. Securing the flash to the stand is done by turning the secure knob, and locking the flash angle is done with a quick and convenient handle that functions well and prevent the flash from obeying gravitation. Keep in mind you are using a plastic product after all, so don't apply too much pressure on that handle.
Performance
The three most important criterions that I examined are:
- light intensity
- recycle time (recharge between shots)
- heating
The intensity of the EX100 was as expected from a product of that category.
ISO 100, 1 meter (3 feet), maximum power: The light meter reads F/32 (without softbox)
ISO 100, 1 meter (3 feet), low power: The light meter reads F7.1 (without softbox)
The measures were taken with the reflector attached. Keep in mind that other light modifiers (i.e. softbox, umbrella…) decrease the output intensity and that means using smaller apertures or higher ISO on your camera.
I also like to test my flashes for event photography conditions, so I check it for longer distances and higher ISO:
ISO 800, 10 meter (33 feet) maximum power: The light meter reads F/11
ISO 800, 10 meter (33 feet) ~half power: The light meter reads F/6.3
When using flashes in events, I prefer to use the lower levels on my flashes to get a faster recycle and prevent over heating of the flash unit. I've found out that the Impact is very effective inside a typical wedding venue even on minimum power, and it also does well on the dance floor as an effect light (Tip: use colored gels and get stunning results).
A pleasant surprise! Fast recycle.
The official specifications state a recycle time of 3 seconds in full power. This is no problem at all when shooting products, but can be an annoying limitation when shooting people inside the studio or when shooting events. I was quite (and happily) surprised, measuring a significantly shorter recycle time. On low (1/8) power the EX100 was charged and ready to fire only 1.15 seconds after the previous shot, and on full power the recycle time was around 1.3 seconds only. Very surprising. I have an assumption that the difference between the 120v American version and my 220v Europea version which I own is the cause of this imparity between the official specifications and the actual measures, however I accepted that improved recycle without asking too many questions… (Who knows, they might take away my shorter recycle and give me the longer one instead…). Anyway, I definitely added the fast recycle of the EX100 to the 'pros' column. Keep in mind that when comparing flashes of the lowest price category the typical recycle time is significantly longer, influencing the usability of the flash for various tasks.
Heating...
In general, the Impact does not tend to overheat easily (a bad thing for an espresso machine, a good one for a flash). It only makes sense, because we're talking about a relatively low intensity flash. However, the Impact plastic shell is a poor thermal conductor, a thing to keep in mind if you plan to use it on maximum power over a long session. Being a compact and inexpensive product, the EX100 is not fan cooled. You can't complain, because it's not a heavy duty flash after all but you need to remember that the flash may not cool fast enough to maintain a high shooting rate on max power. Out of the studio, I use the Impact for event photography on low to medium power throughout the event, without any problems.
Low intensity? Turn a disadvantage to an advantage.
Sometimes you want to take a photo of a close subject, using a small aperture. For that task, powerful studio flashes are sometimes simply too strong, even on lowest power. The impact on the other hand allowed me to use F/2.8 and even smaller apertures for food shots. That is why I was happy to add it to my lighting arsenal, and it easily integrated with the lights gang I use in the studio and on location. When you build your own lighting arsenal, try to create a wide variety of flashes/modifiers/reflectors that will enable you to be creative with your setups and make the best of every light you own. The impact has proven itself useful due to its seemingly weakness. I like using it for food and product photography, and when shooting portraits I find it helpful as a fill light or hair light, while the stronger flashes act as main and background lights.
The natural target audience of the Impact is amateur photographers and home/small studio owners needing an inexpensive flash without giving up the ability to use professional modifiers such as softboxes, in the same way they are used in the high end lights. However, being a photographer that has no mercy on his gear, I challenged the Impact on field tasks (on-location studio and event photography) and while understanding its limitations, I managed to derive a benefit out of it even on those challenging assignments. It still hasn't made me an espresso but we're working on it…
Flash Synchronization
Indoor, the built in optical slave cell of the Impact functions very well. From a 10 meters distance it consistently responded to a faint 1/128 flash shot from a Canon 580EX, bounced from the wall (no direct eye contact between the slave cell and the flash beam), Impressive. However, when you want to shoot out of the studio, over longer distances, or on dark rooms using complex lighting setups, the built in optical slave functionality will decrease significantly, making it unusable. You can use a direct sync cable (supplied with the flash) or, as I prefer, use a radio slave to trigger your flash wirelessly. Impact offers an inexpensive radio trigger system that can do that. High end radios like Pocket wizard or Quantum cost at least $350, while the Impact radio slave costs around $90 for a transmitter-receiver kit; A fair choice for a flash of the lower price range. More about radio slaves in another post...
Using the Impact EX100 off the grid
Portability and ease of use are a must when it comes to location and event photography. Unlike my bigger, ever hungry monolights, the Impact is easy to operate using a small, inexpensive and highly efficient DIY power pack I put together. You can read all about the off-grid monolight battery power pack here.
Summary
Pros:
- Shorter recycle time comparing to similar flashes.
- A generous kit including a stand, softbox, reflector, protective cover and accessories.
- Compatibility with standard lighting stands and a generic umbrella socket.
- Modeling light, utilizing a common household bulb.
- Stepless flash intensity selector starting at 1/8 power.
- Light weight.
- Can be operated off-grid easily with a simple DIY power supply.
- Low price.
Cons:
- Inability to turn off the 'ready' buzzer.
- Lack of fan cooling may cause over heating.
- Plastic shell.
- Protective cap too short to be attached when modeling bulb is in place.
- A plastic mini plug sync socket = a weak spot.
I found the Impact EX100 very easy to use and efficient inside and out of the studio. Amateur photographers that want to upgrade their studio capabilities and small home studio owners will be happy toknow that for $150 they can purchase a complete set of studio flash, softbox and a stand, good enough to facilitate studio techniques and setups in the similar way to using the much more expensive studio flashes. The Impact surprised me with the quality of built and performance, and proved itself efficient and functional even in its unnatural surroundings, outside the studio, on events. At first I thought I'd take it as a backup flash for my robust professional monolights, but I actually reversed the roles and now my 800WS monolights are spending more time resting in their cases while I use the 100WS monolights instead. The reason for that is not only the ease of use and improved mobility, but also the significantly lower power consumption that makes it easy to operate the Impact off the grid, using my custom built power pack.
If you are looking for a flash strong enough for daylight outdoor sessions, the Impact is not the right flash for you. In order to compete with the sunlight, you'll need much stronger flashes that are also respectively more expensive. But, if you're looking for an inexpensive flash for event photography, product, food, portrait photography, or even small groups, the Impact package is worthwhile.
The EX100 can be added to your existing arsenal, but if you're a beginner with no lighting equipment at all you better consider a two moonlight kit, that costs $200-$270 and offers two lights, two softboxes, stands and even an umbrella.
Overall, the Impact EX100 performance overcomes its low price, and beats other flashes in that price range. I'm glad I gave it a shot because I found a cheap flash that is very useful in and out ofthe studio.Therefore,I highly recommend it.
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