Westcott recently announced their new affordable FJ400 battery-powered strobe and universal wireless trigger, the FJ-X2M. Within the last few years, Godox has been the go-to brand when it comes to bargain deals on lighting equipment, especially when it comes to their strobes. The Godox AD400 Pro is their most popular monolight and costs only $649 but with the new Westcott FJ400, it gives Godox a run for its money.
The Wescott FJ400 vs. Godox AD400 Pro
Although the AD400 Pro and the FJ400 are very similar, for example, they both have the 400 Ws, can work on battery or AC power and offer TTL and HSS, there are a couple of major differences between the two. One, for instance, is battery life. The Westcott FJ400 was made slightly larger than the AD400 Pro simply because Westcott wanted a higher-capacity battery that needed a larger encasing. The battery can take 480+ full power flashes and can triple charge while the AD400 Pro can only take 390.
Westcott also considered customer feedback when it came to a user-friendly interface. The controls on the side of the strobe are extremely intuitive and the large LCD screen displays product information clearly. Plus, if you ever need to send your product in for repair, Westcott can typically repair a unit within 24 hours of receiving the damaged product. Which is remarkable considering Godox can take weeks or even months. Not to mention, if you have any questions or issues, you know you’ll be in good hands with their U.S. based customer service.
The FJ400 not only competes with Godox but also with Profoto in terms of color accuracy. With the FJ400, it doesn’t need to be set to a color-accurate mode and at full power, there is only a 150 Kelvin shift. The FJ400 also offers a daylight balance while most other lights offer tungsten and has a quick recycle time at 0.05 to 0.9 seconds. Here’s what every FJ400 unit comes with below:
- AC/DC Lithium Polymer Battery
- Diffusion Dome
- AC Power Adapter and cord
- Magnetic Reflector (Bowens, 5.5”)
- Magnetic Gel Set
- USB-C to USB-A Cable
- Travel Case
- Rapid Box Switch Insert (Bowens)
Each unit is priced at only $569.90, about $80 cheaper than the AD400 Pro. Westcott also has a kit that includes everything already mentioned, plus the FJ-X2m universal wireless trigger, Rapid Box Octa-S and Lite Traveler Backpack for only $850.
The FJ-X2M Universal Remote
The FJ-X2M has changed the game when it comes to wireless remotes. Buying a different remote for each camera brand is a thing of the past. Wescott’s remote will work with every brand including Canon, Canon RT, Nikon, Sony (with adapter), Fujifilm, Panasonic Lumix and Olympus. Westcott will continue to add more and more cameras with firmware updates as time goes on. The latest cameras added were the GFX 50 and the GFX 50-S. It features a large display and has a user-friendly interface, comparable to the Godox trigger. The FJ-X2M by itself is $99.
Both the Westcott FJ400 and the FJ-X2M make an incredible pair and for a bargain price. We were all very impressed with the quality of light it put out and the intuitive design Westcott incorporated. With everything accounted for, this new strobe and the wireless trigger are sure to make waves in the market. The FJ400 is expected to be available on October 24th.