As we can see from the back view, The New HS-500 is well-stocked with controls and comes with all the extras already built-in.
The HS-500 is a "Monolight," which means that all the required components are included in the one package (as opposed to other strobes which may have the flash head in one segment, and then need an additional and separate power supply in order to get it to work; at an additional cost, too). With these units, everything is included; just plug them in, and rock and roll!

<- Click to enlarge

BTW, a "Modeling Light" is a separate, additional, light (in addition to the strobe's "Flash Tube") that's built into the strobe and throws continuous light over the same area as the strobe's flash tube will (see the picture below for a close-up). You turn on the modeling light (before your shot), so the photographer can see what the modeling will look like, as s/he adjusts the lights before he takes the shot and fires the strobe ("Modeling" is PhotoSpeak for the highlights (light areas) and shadows (dark areas) that fall upon the subject, giving it the depth and texture necessary for professional results). This great feature (modeling light) is usually only found on much more expensive lights.

This unit can be activated by the PC Cord (included, of course), the Test Button, or the Slave Sensor (which means that any other flash, even your camera's little built-in flash, can automatically fire this unit by it's light alone, so you don't even need to use a sync (PC) cord unless you want to). BTW, a "PC Cord" (Push Contact), also called a "Sync Cord" is a wire that connects the strobe to your camera, and fires the strobe when you press the camera's shutter button.

We can see the difference between the Modeling Light Bulb and the Flash Tube (the circular tube surrounding the modeling bulb) in this close-up shot of the HS-500's business end (with the reflector removed, of course).

The modeling light is especially valuable to the amateur, because it let's us "see" exactly where the light will fall when the strobe flashes. This feature alone is worth at least a hundred rolls of ruined film (which you'll save by having a modeling light)! One of the major questions (and hesitations) I had when I was beginning to learn photography, was "If you use strobes, how do you know what the subject will look like, or how and where the light will illuminate the subject, if you don't have continuous lighting to judge by?"

The answer was really simple: You don't. UNLESS your strobes also have MODELING LIGHTS! With modeling lights, you can see exactly where the strobe's flash will illuminate the subject, because the modeling light falls on the subject the same as the strobe's light will fall on the subject (less intensely, of course)! And this is why the pros pay lotsa money for good strobes that come with modeling lights. That's why the professional photographer's pictures look so much better than ours do: they have the right equipment for the job! They can CONTROL THE LIGHT! And now, so can you. The HS-500 comes with a powerful 150 watt halogen modeling light (it's rated at 1,000 hours; the flash tube is rated for 10,000 flashes! And, yes, replacements are always available - but you'll probably grow old before you'll need to replace one of these flash tubes).

Complete: Each of these HS-500s comes complete with umbrella-capable reflector, sync cord, AC cord, Flash Tube, Modeling Light, built-in umbrella holder, and standard light stand connector; it's ready to plug in and fire away! Since all the strobes in this package are A.C. units, they're ready to rock! No batteries or powerpacks or light heads or connector cords are needed; just plug 'em in, and (just like Elvis) you're ready to rock and roll. As with all quality strobes, these are capable of using many additional custom accessories, of course (e.g., snoots, barn doors, softboxes, stands, unbrellas, honeycombs, gel holders, etc.). BTW, pros use umbrellas to "bounce" the strobe's light off of (or sometimes through) to make the light softer, reduce or eliminate shadows, and "mellow-out" the picture. Softboxes (and SoftCases) and umbrellas are specifically designed for this purpose (and yes, these are able to use custom-fitted softboxes & softcases).

These are brand new, 100% guaranteed, with the manufacturer's full one year warrantee . These are NOT seconds, blemishes, or anything other than brand new, absolutely perfect, current 2000 models! Just 'cause the price is great, doesn't mean these are in any way less than perfect! Questions? Requests? just e-mail any questions or requests, to me at wryter@usa.net or check out-my web site HERE.-These strobes and other photographic equipment also come with an "extra" that's not available anywhere else, at any price whatsoever: FREE photographic education, advice and training from MyPhotoHome.com (coming soon to a computer near you)! MPH Members also get FREE web space (to post your own pictures), and much, much more (when MyPhotoHome.com comes online, shortly).

Point of Information: Why, you might be asking yourself, have virtually all photographers switched to using strobes, when "regular" continuous lights (photographers call them "hot" lights) are everywhere, and it's easier for us to see how the lighting will look with them? Well, the continuous lights, like the ones in our houses (tungsten lights), or halogen (and similar) are called "hot lights" for a reason: they get hot. Really hot! And the special photographic hot lights get twice as hot as household bulbs! This tends to make certain things, like flowers, foods, animals, and those darn pesky models, wilt. Especially models. They get very, very, unhappy when they wilt. Whine, gripe, groan; you'd think a little melting makeup, and running mascara, limp hair, and sticky lipstick, and beads of sweat running down their lovely curvaceous (umm, let's say noses) was a big deal or something, the way they complain! ;-)

Next, there's a little problem with the "color temperature" being way off with hot lights, so we have to use special films (3200K or 3400K) or filters, or special photographic bulbs, when using them (strobes are perfectly balanced at 5500K to simulate sunlight, so we can use all the regular daylight films we've come to love/hate over the years). You'll notice that most of your pictures taken indoors without using a flash turn out with a yellowish color cast; that's because household lights are loaded with yellow light. The solution is to either use special films, or special filters. But why create more problems for yourself? Using strobes eliminates all these headaches (and heat!). Also, with continuous lights, they're always shining; usually right in our subject's eyes, causing squinting and annoyance (and ugly looking pictures). With strobes, nothing is shining in their eyes, and the flash is too short to cause any of this discomfort to our beloved subjects (until AFTER the flash, when they might be chasing all those little light blips around the room:). Additionally, with strobes, we can control the light much better! We can adjust the power output with the flick of a switch. We can modify the light with umbrellas, softboxes, softcases, filters, scrims and gobos, doo-dahs, and thingamajigs, etc., etc. We can direct the light with barn doors, snoots, honeycombs, and many other accessories. In short, with strobes, we can play God with our photography; WE CAN CONTROL THE LIGHT! And we can do it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whenever we want, no matter what the weather is, and without regard to daylight or night. There are yet other, more esoteric, as well as mundane reasons why strobes are the preferred means of photographic lighting in the modern world, but we'll pass on those things for now. You've probably had enough information shoved down your throat already (sorry).

Here's a brief explanation (using, for this example, your new HS-500 strobe (well, it might be yours soon:) , which has a power level of 180WS, and a GN of 150):

The "180WS" (or the 80WS, or 20WS, etc.) is the output power of your strobe and a watt second is equal to the electrical term "joules," a high-falutin term for a high power level. The Guide Number (GN) of these HS-500 units is 150 (for ASA/ISO 100 film), with a standard reflector. What good is knowing the guide number? Well, the GN gives us a method of calculating exposure (for any strobe and any film) in this way: to calculate the correct approximate exposure for any subject at any distance, simply divide the distance (in feet) that the subject is from the strobe, into the strobe's GN (guide number); the result is our approximate "F" stop.

For example, (presuming you're using ISO/ASA 100 film), our GN is 180, and the subject is 12 feet away, then: 180 (GN) divided by 12 (feet away from the subject) = 15, so we'd use an exposure setting of about F16. If our subject is 20 feet away, then: 180 divided by 20 = 9 which would give us an approximate F stop of about F 8 (bracketing is always a good idea, too). See? Umm, if you don't understand it, don't worry about it (it took me years to fully comprehend). Suggestion: If you're serious about improving your photography, you might consider getting a handheld flash/ambient light meter (sorry, I don't carry any at this time; if you want recommendations, just check this out).

Back up to the HS-500 description from whence you came

Specifications: HS-500 Pro Studio Monolight