If you can’t beat ’em, copy ’em – Yongnuo announces YN200 portable strobe
Jul 4, 2019
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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Yongnuo has just announced their new YN200 “Speedlite”. Following their tradition of making products that are highly “inspired” by other products made by other companies, this one looks almost exactly like the Godox AD200 – although with some slight differences.
The two main external differences are that the bare bulb appears to be fixed, rather than an interchangeable head like the AD200, and it has a very different looking battery pack which looks like it takes up almost half of the whole rear of the unit.
There are no specs listed on the Yongnuo website yet, although there is a placeholder page. But given the name and the design, we can hope that it’s a 200Ws strobe. FlashHavoc reports that it will have radio modes for Canon, Nikon and Sony with full TTL and High Speed Sync capabilities. Beyond that, we don’t know anything for sure with regard to its output or performance.
As for triggers, it’s expected to be compatible with existing YN622 or YN560 based Yongnuo transmitters and speedlights. But Yongnuo has also a new trigger on the way. The YN560-TX Pro. An update to what was once the very popular YN560-TX for the YN560 series of speedlights. The Pro version of the YN560-TX appears to be based on the same body design as their YN-E3-RT trigger, which was “inspired by” the Canon ST E3 RT design.
Again, the website just has a placeholder page, although FlashHavoc says that it will provide full GR mode, TTL, HSS, remote manual, “multi mode” (I’m guessing this is stroboscopic/repeat flash) with remote zoom control on supported lights.
They also say it will auto-sense receiver modes for Canon, Nikon and Sony, and that YN-622/II triggers and YN685, YN968, etc. flashes will require a firmware update to be compatible. The RF603, YN560III/IV, YN660 and YN860 series (and presumably the RF602 as well) can already receive a signal from it. Obviously, this doesn’t add TTL or HSS capabilities to lights that don’t already have it, even if the trigger supports it.
It’s been a while since we last really spoke about Yongnuo on here with regard to flash. Sure, they’ve released a few nice low budget lenses for beginners to start shooting at a minimal cost. And they’ve even announced a couple of slightly odd, but interesting, cameras.
With the currently reported compatibility of the new trigger, and potentially the YN200, it seems that Yongnuo might finally be starting to unify their flash systems. But, it still feels like we’re going back to Yongnuo being a pale imitation of other manufacturers than finally stepping up to the plate on their own with something innovative.
Regardless, this is Yongnuo saying that they’re still in the game, but I think they face extremely tough competition from Godox, who now covers all budgets from the basic cheap manual speedlight (that also does HSS!) to 600 Watt strobes that compete with the likes of Profoto and Broncolor.
[via FlashHavoc]
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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20 responses to “If you can’t beat ’em, copy ’em – Yongnuo announces YN200 portable strobe”
Fuck it…I’ll buy some!
If it’s cheap and works it’s gonna be an option for me.
Had one of thier cheap flashguns for about 4 years never let me down better performance than one I’ve got that’s was three times the price.
Since already have flashpoint
Its too late for me
For people who still gotta get lights they are game but gotta thing about warranties. Adorama carries and warranties flashpoint so my money is on them comes in handy when something stops working and they replace it
Yongnuo they’re the heroes of photography,
Is it cheaper than godox?
Are you serious?
Great info :D I’ve been waiting for something like this and also a 600W version compatible with my YN triggers :D
I was a solid Yongnuo customer, but the latest round of crap
speedlights and wireless triggers, plus incredibly poor service has me fleeing to other options. I just can’t rely on them anymore. I’m eyeing the Godox AD200 from Strobepro, and this doesn’t move my thinking an inch. At least with Strobepro I’m going to get stellar customer service if I have a problem or a question.
Way too late. Godox /Quadralite is all you need.
I’ll stick with my Godox gear
Too late since I have a Godox AD600
That made me laugh. But honestly, if the price is right, I don’t think it’d be a bad choice
If flash works with canon rt protocol I will get one so I can mix it with canon 600ex-rt flashes
Never had a problem with yongnuo products!!
I did for a few photoshoots and finally ditched them for Godox
Leandro Ipas ???
I have several yn560iiis and the 560tx, I started with the rf602’s and they work with the others so I can add other lights. If the new version adds functionality and is backward compatible, they will sell a bunch. Its much easier to add a light or two into a system than start over.
if they come out with these… im buying 3 of them on the spot… if anything my 560s have been work horses that have never failed me from dropping them to getting wet and everything in between they have never failed… LOVE this brand.
Hello! What type of softbox or beauty dish can we use for yongnuo yn200? Can anyone help me?