You’ve decided you need to up your photography game, and you’ve come to the conclusion that the best way to achieve the results you’re after is by purchasing a monolight.
Great decision!
Other photography lights can be clumsy and awkward to get set up properly, and taking them on the road can be a nightmare.
Plus the level of professional lighting quality you can get from a monolight is tough to beat!
Here’s the best monolights on the market.
In This Article
Best Monolights for Photography
- Best Monolight: Profoto B10 AirTTL
- Best Monolight Under 700: Godox AD400Pro
- Best Budget Monolight: Godox AD600BM
- Best Cheap Monolight: Neewer Vision 4
- Best Monolight For Beginners: Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash
Best Monolights for Photography
Best Monolight: Profoto B10 AirTTL
If there’s one light that belongs in your portable photography bag, it’s the Profoto B10 AirTTL.
With 250 watts of max energy, and an incredibly high CRI (color rendering index) of 96, this is an excellent little light in a compact package.
More than that, the Profoto B10 AirTTL is the best monolight because a single charge offers a whopping 400 full-power flashes. If that’s not enough for one shoot, then you’ll be happy to know that the battery recharges in less than 90 minutes.
With Bluetooth connectivity, the Profoto B10 AirTTL can be controlled wirelessly using the Profoto A1 or AirTTL remote.
It’s incredibly lightweight, which is super important for you on-the-go photographers, and it even means you can use it as handheld monolight, if that’s your thing. Don’t worry; you can still mount this baby on a camera tripod or lighting stand, leaving your hands free to do the important stuff!
Shooting video? The Profoto B10 Air TTL is not only a professional photography flash. It can also be used as a continuous light for video. In that case, the battery lasts a respectable 75 minutes.
The color temperature range is adjustable too, which means you can dial in a nice warm yellow 3000K, or a bright, daylight-esque white light of 6500K.
Key Features of the Profoto B10 AirTTL:
- Interface: USB Type-C
- Modeling Light: 150 W LED
- Bluetooth: Yes (Profoto app)
- Modeling Light Control: Dimming 10-100% (up to 2500 lumens), Adjustable Color Temperature 3000-6500K (+-500K)
Best Monolight Under 700: Godox AD400Pro
Keeping costs low can be tough when it comes to photography gear, and though you don’t want to go too cheap and risk losing quality, a solid midrange monolight can be bought for around $700.
The Godox AD400Pro is the best monolight under $700 because it’s 2.4G wireless system is compatible with popular camera brands like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, and Fujifilm.
The AD400Pro comes with its own rechargeable lithium-ion battery, but you can also power it from AC power using the included adaptor. You can get a massive 390 full-power flashes from a single charge, but it’s always a good idea to have the power adaptor on hand in case you need a little more juice.
The Godox AD400Pro weighs in at just over 2.1kg, so it’s a super light unit that makes it easy for you to take this monolight on the road and perform remote photography shoots.
The flash tube and reflector weigh slightly more (they’re removable), but even with them attached, the AD400Pro is still incredibly lightweight. The reason the reflector is removable is to allow you to attach any number of Godox accessories!
Want to trigger the Godox AD400Pro from your camera? It’s simple with the AD400Pro, using the 3.5mm sync cord jack.
Key Features of the Godox AD400Pro:
- Flash Duration: 1/240 to 1/12,820 Sec
- Recycle Time: 0.01 to 0.9 Sec (Full Power)
- Power Control: 9 Stops in 1/3-Stop Increments
- Guide Number: 236.22′ / 72 m at ISO100 with Reflector
Best Budget Monolight: Godox AD600BM
The Godox AD600BM is the best budget monolight because, for a little over $500, you get a fully professional monolight with a whopping 8700mAh battery.
That battery offers 500 flashes per charge!
That, and the fact that the AD600BM is super lightweight monolight, means you can comfortably take it out on the road for on-location photo shoots.
If you’re using the Godox AD600BM for photoshoots, you’ll want to be able to sync the two pieces of equipment together. Luckily, the AD600BM fully supports high-speed sync, first-curtain sync, and second-curtain sync.
As you’ve probably gathered from the name of the AD600BM, in full power mode the monolight pumps out a massive 600w. If that’s a bit too bright for your specific purpose, then you’ll be glad to know you can dial the brightness down in nine individual steps.
Whichever power adjustment step you choose, the color temperature output of the AD600BM remains stable at a white 5600K.
The dot-matrix LCD display on the side of the AD600BM gives you a smart, easy to read visual representation of your chosen settings, without distracting at all from the light output itself.
Key Features of the Godox AD600BM:
- Recycle Time: 0.01 to 2.5 Sec
- Guide Number: 285′ / 87 m at ISO100
- Flash Duration: 1/10,000 to 1/220 Sec
- Wireless Range: 262.5′ / 80 m (Radio)
Best Cheap Monolight: Neewer Vision 4
The Neewer Vision 4 is the best cheap monolight because despite coming in at less than 200 bucks, it still offers many of the same features as much more expensive lights.
Features such as a long-lasting lithium-ion battery that delivers up to 700 flashes from a single charge, and a fast recycle time of as low as 0.4 seconds.
The flash duration is adjustable and can be as short as 1/10,000 of a second, as is the power output which is adjustable in six steps. That means you can harness the lights full 300w, or dial it down as far as 1/64th power.
The Neewer Vision 4 even comes with a remote trigger that works over a 2.4G wireless network. Alternatively, you can sync the monolight to your camera via a 3.5mm sync cable, ensuring the flash comes on at exactly the right moment.
Despite being a fairly cheap monolight, the Vision 4 is built to withstand the rigors of on-location shooting, and even the buttons have a nice solid feel to them. Beneath the main light body, you’ll see a neat handle with finger indents, making this monolight an epic portable handheld light that is actually pretty comfortable.
If you’re more interested in mounting this on a lighting stand then you’re in luck also, as the bottom of the handle is threaded for use with such devices.
Key Features of the Neewer Vision 4:
- Sync Type: Radio
- Recycle Time: 0.4 to 2.5 Sec
- Color Temperature: 5600K ± 200K
- Flash Duration: 1/10,000 to 1/1000 Sec
Best Monolight For Beginners: Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash
Getting started as a photographer can be a pretty daunting undertaking. Not only is there a lot to learn, but it also seems like there is an endless amount of gear to buy.
From cameras to lenses to bags to stands to tripods to photo editing software, it all racks up pretty quickly. Then, you realize you need to kit yourself out with some decent photography lighting to make sure you aren’t falling victim to the ever-changing natural light, or to poorly lit rooms.
The good news is, it’s actually possible to get a decent monolight for very little dough.
The Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash is the best monolight for beginners because, at just $50, it’s a good way to dip your toe in the water without investing too much cash.
The 120-watt monolight (there’s also a 160w version) is a fairly robust monolight that can mount directly onto a standard light stand.
It has a fast recycle time (0.5 – 2 seconds) and even has a built-in audio and LED alert. Rather than triggering the flash manually, the Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash allows you to sync with your camera via the sync cable or optical slave, ensuring you get the flash and camera shutter perfectly aligned.
Key Features of the Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash:
- Color temperature: 5600K
- Removable 60W modeling lamp
- Flash intensity: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and full
- Can be triggered via 12 ft. sync cable, firing another flash via built-in photo slave, or with Flashpoint 8 Channel Radio Remote Control Set
Best Portable Monolights
Best Battery Powered Monolight: Broncolor Siros 800 L
This is one classy monolight folks.
The Siros 800 L is an incredibly powerful light, offering up to 800 joules of power which are directed using carefully crafted internal reflectors.
Of course, to be a fully portable monolight, you need to be battery powered; the Broncolor Siros 800 L is just that. The rechargeable battery is incredibly compact and lightweight, making this high-quality monolight even more portable.
Plus, that battery is removable, so if you wanted to have a spare on hand it wouldn’t be a bad idea. That said, the Siros 800 L can pump out 440 flashes on a single charge, so you might not even need a spare!
To trigger this professional battery-powered monolight, you’ll need an RFS 2.2 trigger, which is compatible with Sony, Canon, and Nikon cameras.
The Broncolor Siros 800 L is the best battery-powered monolight because it offers incredibly fast flash times. At its quickest setting, the Siros 800 L is on and off in 1/9000th of a second, faster than the quickest shutter speed on your camera!
It’s ready for the next flash in just 0.03 seconds too, fast than you can even say the word ‘flash’!
Key Features of the Broncolor Siros 800 L:
- Interface: Micro-USB
- Maximum Power: 4 to 800 Ws
- Sync Type: Cable, Optical, Radio
- Power Control: 9 Stops in 1/10-Stop Increments
Best Budget Battery Powered Monolight: Godox AD600BM
The Godox AD600BM is the best budget battery powered monolight because you can get a massive 500 full-power flash from a single charge.
That’s a pretty epic battery range, which is thanks to the built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
One of the hardest parts about using a flash or monolight like this one can be getting it in the perfect position before you start shooting. That’s why the Godox AD600BM has a built-in 10W LED modelling lamp, which you can switch on while you’re lining up the lighting angle.
On the side of the light body is a dot-matrix LCD display and a number of buttons (which feel pretty damn sturdy), which allow you to adjust things like flash duration (which can be as fast as 1/10,000th of a second), and power output.
At max power, the Godox AD600BM puts out a massive 600w, but you can also dial it right down to 1/256th power.
That’s a pretty impressive range of functionality, and to add to that, the built-in lighting stand adaptor also doubles as a handle, so you can use this as a handheld monolight!
Key Features of the Godox AD600BM:
- Recycle Time: 0.01 to 2.5 Sec
- Guide Number: 285′ / 87 m at ISO100
- Flash Duration: 1/10,000 to 1/220 Sec
- Wireless Range: 262.5′ / 80 m (Radio)
Best Cheap Battery-Powered Monolight: Neewer Vision 4
The Neewer Vision 4 is the best cheap battery-powered monolight because it creeps in nicely under the $200 mark.
Two hundred dollars isn’t a whole lot to spend on any kind of equipment, not least photography gear. The thing is, the Neewer Vision 4 somehow manages to pull out all the tricks that more expensive monolights typically offer.
The lithium-ion rechargeable battery inside the Vision 4 has a huge capacity; the Neewer Vision 4 is capable of 700 full-power flashes from a single charge!
You can get even more juice out of that battery by dialling down the power output. You can do that in six steps of adjustment, right down to 1/64th of the full 300w of power. You won’t see any issues with color temperature changes as the Neewer Vision 4 has a stable color temperature of ± 200K from it.s 5600K daylight offering.
In the box you’ll also get a really handy wireless 2.4G remote for triggering the flash, or you can sync it up to your camera using a 3.5mm sync cable.
Or, even better, the Neewer Vision 4 can mount on your DSLR camera via a hot shoe adaptor!
Key Features of the Neewer Vision 4:
- Sync Type: Radio
- Recycle Time: 0.4 to 2.5 Sec
- Color Temperature: 5600K ± 200K
- Flash Duration: 1/10,000 to 1/1000 Sec
Best Monolight Kits
Best Monolight Strobe Kit: Profoto 901056 D1 Studio Kit
If you’re looking to seriously upgrade your photography lighting, you need more than just a single light. You need a full on lighting kit, and you need a quality one at that.
The Profoto 901056 D1 Studio Kit is the best monolight strobe kit because it includes two professional-quality monolights, and soft white umbrellas for both of them.
The monolights that come with the kit are Profoto’s D1 units, which are 500w monolights with consistency in both color temperature and the full 7 f-stop power range. In short, they’re super high quality lights.
The light bodies have internal reflectors for maximum coverage, but you also get two white diffusion umbrellas. These help you to ensure your light is soft and diffuse, and free from any ugly shadows and reflections.
But that’s not all.
You also get two professional-quality lighting stands, and a sturdy carrying bag to store and transport it all in. That makes this an excellent monolight kit, whichever way you look at it.
You can even hook the Profoto 901056 D1 Studio Kit up to your Mac or PC and use the Profoto Studio Air software, which allows you to trigger the flash wirelessly from your laptop!
Key Features of the Profoto 901056 D1 Studio Kit:
- 300W Tungsten Lights
- Power Control 7 Stops
- Maximum Power: 250 Ws
- Color consistency of 40 degrees Kelvin from flash to flash
Best Budget Monolight Kit: Godox E300
It’s pretty hard to believe that you can get an entire lighting kit for only just over $500, but somehow Godox makes it happen.
The Godox E300 is the best budget monolight kit because it’s a full on three-point light kit for just half a ground.
That means you get three professional-quality monolights, three stands for them, and three diffusers.
Two of those diffusion tools are softboxes, with the third being a lighting umbrella. All of this ensures you can create a fully-professional lighting setup that isn’t overly harsh, yet still nicely focused.
You’ll also get a set of colored light filters (red, blue, green, and yellow), for creating interesting lighting effects. All of this packs neatly into a solid carrying case, which even has wheels on the bottom.
This is an understated and underestimated benefit; these lighting kits can be exceptionally heavy, so it’s helpful to be able to cart it all along behind you.
As if all of that wasn’t enough the Godox E300 also comes with a wireless remote control, which allows you to adjust the modelling lamp and buzzer, flash power ratio, and speed. It even has an anti-preflash function which means the E300 kit can be synchronized with cameras that have a one-preflash firing system.
Key Features of the Godox E300:
- Modeling Lamp Level: 9 Levels
- Power Output Control: OFF, 5.0-7.0(1/16-1/1)
- Operating Voltage: AC100-120V/60HZ Or AC200-240V/50HZ
- Triggering Mode: Sync cord, Test button, Slave triggering, Wireless control port
Runner Up Bang for the Buck: GODOX SK400 800W
The Godox SK400 800W is our runner up bang for your buck monolight kit. With two lights, two stands, two softboxes, and a carrying bag for it all, it comes with absolutely everything you’ll need to really amp up your photoshoots.
The two lights are Godox’s SK400 units (obviously), which have a massive 400w output that can be dialed down in nine steps. That means you can achieve the perfect balance of lighting angle and power output.
You also get two softboxes, which at 60x90cm are impressively large. These ensure your light won’t be overly harsh or aggressive, and help you to achieve a nice soft and diffuse light output.
The lighting stands are incredibly sturdy, so you won’t be concerned about the lights falling over and breaking! That’s the last thing you’ll want for your new lighting kit.
Keeping the lights just as safe is the included carrying bag, which makes it simple to transport your lights everywhere!
What’s more, the Godox SK400 800w is controllable remotely, via the included wireless remote control!
Key Features of the Godox SK400 800W:
- Guide Number (ISO 100): 65
- Color Temperature: 5600 ± 200K
- Transmitter Power: 12V 23A lithium-ion battery
- Transmitter Frequency: 433MHZ wireless remote system
Best Cheap Monolight Kit: Neewer 500W
Despite its price point, this is an incredibly powerful and high-quality monolight kit.
The Neewer 500W is the best cheap monolight kit because it comes with two different types of diffusion. This is super important for capturing the perfect shot.
That’s because while diffusion in itself is important, the right kind of diffusion is even more important. With the Neewer 500W kit, you get two softboxes, and two transparent white lighting umbrellas.
The softboxes are an industry classic and ensure you can avoid any harsh shadows, but the umbrellas are even more diffuse. As a result, the lighting is less focused, but it’s more natural, akin to outdoor daylight.
So, it’s ideal to have both options so you can achieve different results.
The lights themselves are excellent as well. They are 250 watts each, are powered via AC power adaptors, and are even remote controllable. Plus, you can sync them up to your DSLR camera via a 3.5mm sync cable.
The recharge time on these lights is incredibly quick, and the flash duration can be as low as 1/2200s!
All in all, this is a seriously effective kit for serious photographers. And it all comes in at under $200!
Key Features of the Neewer 500W:
- Recharging Time: 0.3-1.7
- 1 x RT-16 Wireless Trigger
- 1 x 20×28 inches/50×70 centimeters Softbox
- Recharging Reminder: Sound & LED Indication
Best Studio Monolight Kit: Godox QT400II Kit
If you’re planning on shooting video or photos in a studio, you need a decent monolight kit, like the Godox QT400II Kit.
The QT400II kit comes with so much equipment, you won’t need to buy anything else! Other than a camera, of course.
You get three high-speed studio strobe lights, which have recycle times as low as 0.05 seconds! They’re incredibly powerful, and super versatile.
What makes them even more versatile is the included reflective softboxes.
These can be mounted on the included lighting stands, two of which are straight stands. The third is a larger stand with a boom arm, which allows you to mount the light over and above your subject.
You also get a set of color filters (green, red, blue, and yellow), for creating epic lighting effects, and three different types of light reflectors.
Those light reflectors (white, silver, and gold) means this kit is fantastic for modelling and make up photo shoots!.
Overall, the Godox QT400II Kit is the best studio monolight kit because of everything it comes with, which includes a wireless flash triggering system.
Key Features of the Godox QT400II Kit:
- Flash mode: M/Multi/HSS(high speed sync)
- Guide Number: GN76(m ISO 100, with Standard Reflector)
- Multi flash: Yes (max flash time 99, max flash frequency 30)
- Sync Mode: High Speed sync (up to 1/8000s), first curtain sync, second curtain sync.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if you’re shooting portrait photos of your family, or performing modelling shoots for an endless list of clients, you need a decent lighting setup.
More than that, you need one of the best monolights available. And that’s exactly what you’ve seen here; the 13 best monolights and monolight kits that exist on the market right now!
So, quit procrastinating and hit go on a quality monolight. And get shooting!