Zoom Head on a flash ?

[Kolia]

I'm shopping for a flash and I wonder how useful a zoom head actually is ?

What would I use it for ? Is it just for increased range ?

 

[Derrel]

It does increase range when set to the narrower-beam options like say 50mm, or 85mm, or 105mm. Zooming to the tele-settings also gives better long-range bounce flash "throws", when the "throw" must be made to a relatively distant wall or ceiling. The Vivitar 285 manual in fact, suggests zooming the head to TELE when bouncing the flash. Conversely, many zoom head flashes these days incorporate a WIDER-than-normal setting, and some even have a built-in, flip-down panel that S_P_R_E_A_D_S O_U_T the beam, to cover the field of view of lenses as wide as 14mm on full-frame!!!! That aspect of a zoom head flash unit can be useful when one wants to scatter the light quite a bit in a very confined space. Same goes when using larger umbrellas or larger softbopx modifiers; the wider-angle zoom head settings can help "fill" the umbrella's bowl with the flash positioned fairly close to the bowl on the umbrella's shaft. So, in many ways, a zoom flash head system *may be* advantageous.

I grew up with the Vivitar 285 and its WIDE-NORM-TELE 3-setting zoom system, manually activated, + the wide-angle slide-in, slot-loading diffuser panel. Today the zoom systems go MUCH wider, the zoom system is motorized AND never "forgets" to zoom!, and the wide-angle diffusion system is better, built-in, and goes MUCH wider than the old 285 did with its slide-in panel.