The old adage applies, you pay for what you get. You spend less to get less. While that may be ok for somethings, light is to the image what blood is to your body. If you were going through a transfusion would you say give me grade C blood? Not hardly.
My advice, save for the what works the way it's supposed to instead of throwing away $400 for what is a novelty--especially if you don't need it now. Key word, "need" verses "want." Apply that $400 to a savings until you can afford the "real thing." Again, ask yourself, do you really need it now? Or can you use it later? Don't rush into something you'll regret later. Besides, most beta testers don't pay to beta test, think about that one.
On another note, at the San Antonio workshop someone brought one of those novelty ringflash units to the workshop, they advertise accuracy in F/stops by the tenths--hmm, that's based on your "finger-touch" guessing, no clicks, no digital readouts, just you sliding a lever hoping to be that accurate--and if you're that accurate, you have no business in photography and instead should be a Cardio-Thoracic surgeon.
Is this true advertising or plain marketing hype? That's like effective watt seconds over "true" watt seconds--don't get caught up in the marketing hype to make someone rich. Be careful what you spend your hard earned money on, because it's cheap doesn't make it right. What is cheap is cheap. If it quacks and walks like a duck, chances are it's a duck. Wishing you the best, rg sends!
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