Regulating the Broncolor Scoro A4s's controls is easy thanks to its highly usable interface.

Though digital cameras large and small seem to grab all the headlines these days, what's been happening in the world of studio lighting in the last few years has, arguably, been just as exciting.

Take the lowly flash generator, for example. Once a hulking brick of a device that looked more like it belonged under the hood of an 18-wheeler than in a fancy photo studio, the typical battery pack has slimmed down while amping up speed, power and features. Back in the April 2009 issue of PDN, we looked at one of the slimmest and fastest flash generators on the market, the Profoto Pro-8a Air, which was so quick on the draw—recycle time of 0.9 seconds at a full 2400 watt-seconds of power—the focusing systems of our digital SLRs had trouble keeping up. Or as my co-tester Jason Groupp put it at the time: "It's almost like shooting in natural light."

And now here's the Broncolor Scoro A4S, another high-end power pack that promises as much as the Profoto and just a little bit more. Cost-conscious photographers out there might feel some understandable sticker shock when they see the price tags on these deluxe generators, however. Both the Pro-8a Air and Scoro sell for just a hair under $11,000 which is a major investment, especially for those of us struggling to make ends meet in this scary recession era.

Having said that—and I seem to say things relating to the faltering economy in this column every month now—both the Profoto and, in particular, the new Broncolor pack offer an abundance of control, very easy-to-use interfaces, and the ability to pulse out gorgeous bursts of light that will make your studio work look splendid, especially if you shoot any kind of movement.

So while 11 grand could certainly help pay down your personal and/or business debt, there are other options out there that'll help you get your hands on these packs including either renting a Pro-8a Air or Scoro, or trying a lease-to-own deal.

But enough of the financials; let's take a look at the Scoro, one of the more daring flash generators out there right now.


KEEPING SCORO

Though it sells for roughly the same price as the Pro-8a, the Scoro offers 3200 watt-seconds (joules) of power vs. the Profoto's 2400 watt-seconds. At 27.5 pounds, the Scoro weighs about half a pound more than the Pro-8a, but the difference is not really noticeable.

What is noticeable is the design distinctions of the two models. While the Pro-8a is all black, sleek and full of pleasing curved lines, the Scoro is more of a straight up-and-down affair, with one handle in the center of the top of the pack compared to two on either side of the Pro-8a.

One interesting note about that aqua-colored handle on top of the Scoro A4S: it actually discretely houses the pack's RFS antenna, which is a great design choice.

Photographer Jason Groupp, who co-tested the Scoro with me in and around his studio in New York, remarked that the Broncolor seemed "bulkier" than the Pro-8a we had tested earlier this year. And where the Pro-8a had a solid, almost-rubberized finish and a tough overall build, the Scoro felt a little more "plasticky" though there are rubber bumpers on the sides.

While Profoto's packs seem to be better known in the U.S., Broncolor is everywhere in Europe, so some of the other differences might just be a personal preference based on where you're from and what you've used in the past.

One thing that jumped out at both Jason and me are Broncolor's odd, long and narrow head attachments, rather than the more common circular outlets as found on the Profoto. Again this is mostly a personal preference because while we thought that they took up too much space on the top of the pack, Jason's assistant, Lindsey, liked the design since they helped lock in the plugs with a satisfying "click."

Another important note about those head outlets on the Scoro: there are three of them, not just two as on the Pro-8a, and that's a big deal. The obvious benefit is that it allows you to do a three light set-up with just one pack. Even better, those outlets are completely asymmetrical across all three channels through the entire range, which means that each one can be dialed up completely or down in any combination. For instance, you could have #1 at 2000-watt seconds, #2 at 1000 and #3 at 200. (These power settings have been updated from the original review to reflect an editing error.)

That's a lot of power and a lot of control and a big plus if you're someone who needs a ton of light on your shoots and total control in the studio. We could think of many delicate lighting set-ups where having the ability to independently dial down each head to add drama or subtlety would come in very handy.

And since more and more photographers are shooting wide open in the studio, we saw less need for turning all three heads up to 3200 then varying them at lower levels. Either way, the options are there if you need them.

Though the Pro-8a had a lot going for it, it can't match the Scoro A4S in being able to behave like three packs in one.