Elinchrom’s New EL-Skyport Plus HS Feels the Need for Speed! [Tech Tuesday]

Just out from Elinchrom is a new transmitter called the EL-Skyport Transmitter Plus HS that not only delivers control over power settings for all of your lights but a Hi-Sync mode with speeds up to 1/8000s. Whether you’re photographing blazingly fast action or trying to fight the bright daylight, this transmitter is there to make it happen.

Photo © Michael Clark

Available for Canon and Nikon DSLRs (a Sony model is in the works), the transmitter was designed in collaboration with Phottix and features a visual reference detailing the power of each light currently in use. You can control each unit’s power level and modeling lamp directly from the transmitter.

The new ODS (Overdrive Sync) can be tweaked to gain up to two additional f-stops of light when shooting at high shutter speeds. The Skyport Plus HS features 20 channels with 4 groups for normal and speed sync modes and is capable of controlling up to 10 Elinchrom flash units with built-in receivers. Distance range has been extended to 656 feet outdoors and 196 feet indoors.

Photo © Michael Clark

The device, which measures 3.3 x 2.7 x 2.3 inches and weighs 0.27 pounds (without batteries), is attached via hotshoe and is powered by two AA batteries. It also features an integrated AF Illuminator and a USB port to enable future firmware updates but is compatible with the three most recent generations of flash units, essentially any flash unit with EL-Skyport capability, including both built-in and external units such as Transceiver RX for Style RX, Digital RX and Ranger RX series. It’s also compatible with the new Quadra HS Head for the ELB 400 and Quadra series.

Just announced on Monday, we don’t have a shipping date yet but the street price is an affordable $250.