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| Innovatronix releases specifications for upcoming Explorer Mini, XT3 |
| Monday, April 4, 2011 | by Rob Galbraith |
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Innovatronix has now released detailed specifications for its upcoming Tronix Explorer Mini and Tronix Explorer XT3 portable power packs for studio flash, which the company plans to ship starting in May and June, respectively.
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Power Couple: The Tronix Explorer Mini, left, and Tronix Explorer XT3, right. Click photos to enlarge (Photos courtesy Innovatronix) |
The Tronix Explorer Mini utilizes a 400 watt (continuous) pure sine wave inverter and 12VDC/9Ah sealed lead acid (SLA) battery in a flat shoulder bag design; compared to previous products from Innovatronix, the Explorer Mini is considerably smaller and, at 8.8lb/4kg, much lighter as well.
It features twin AC output sockets, a 90-240VAC input socket for charging the battery, a charge time of three to five hours and an always-on cooling fan. It will be available in both 120VAC and 230VAC output versions. The 120VAC version will ship first, in the latter half of May. When purchased direct from Innovatronix in the Philippines it will sell for US$349.
The Tronix Explorer XT3, Innovatronix's new portable power flagship, is comprised of a 650 watt (continuous) pure sine wave
inverter and twin 12VDC/9Ah SLA batteries in a
23lb/10.5kg case. It retains the familiar rectangular box shape of the Tronix Explorer 1200 and Tronix Explorer XT/XT SE, but the XT3's metal shell has been reworked with an improved handle and end pieces.
It has twin AC output sockets, an auxiliary battery connector, both 90-240 VAC and 12-14VDC input sockets for
charging the battery (the latter is for use with the included car charger), a charge time of three to five hours and an always-on cooling fan. It will be
available in both 120VAC and 230VAC output versions.
The 120VAC and 230VAC versions will both be available in the second half of June. When purchased direct from
Innovatronix in the Philippines, the Explorer XT3 is to sell for US$590. As of this writing, this price makes it the least expensive commercially-available portable power pack with a 600 watt or higher pure sine wave inverter.
Both new models, as well as the Tronix Explorer XT SE (which is not discontinued), are designed to power a variety of flash units, including bi-voltage models that are often unable to work properly or at all when plugged into competitors' portable power packs.
Innovatronix has anticipated that some potential customers will question their decision to stick with SLA battery technology, even as others - such as Paul C. Buff - have begun to adopt Lithium in their products (Innovatronix themselves announced a custom Lithium version of their Explorer XT last year). They have posted their reasoning for keeping on with SLA in a FAQ.
Going forward, Innovatronix's portable power lineup will be comprised of three models: the Explorer Mini, Explorer XT SE and Explorer XT3. The table below lists the key specifications for each. To see if your studio flash is expected to work with Tronix models, check the compatibility page on the Innovatronix site.
The Explorer 1200 and Explorer XT (a variant of the Explorer XT SE that is not compatible with bi-voltage flash units) are now discontinued, and have been reduced in price as well.
Revision History
April 5, 2011: Corrected ship date for Explorer XT3
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