Photography News Issue 59

Photography News | Issue 59 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Thepower of small byProfoto Swedish lighting brand Profoto has enjoyed a string of successes with its innovative products, and that looks set to continue with the just announced B10.

you can fit it in your bag with the rest of your gear and because it’s cordless and lightweight, it’s easy to bring and set up anywhere. That said, this is in every way a Profoto light, so the power and quality of light is essential. “Every part of the B10 has been designed to help the photographer to be more creative with light on location. We felt that the more flexibility we built in, the more an image creator can adapt to any issues or opportunities that a location might offer.” The B10 is more than an advanced flash unit and it incorporates a continuous LED light that has brightness and colour temperature controls for maximum flexibility. And speaking of flexibility, the B10’s mount can be taken off so the unit can be attached on a standard camera tripod, and the light can continue to be used while the battery is being charged. Smart connectivity is also on offer with the Profoto app and you can control settings remotely. Finally, prices. One B10 head costs £1410 and the Duo kit is £2820 while a spare B10 li-ion battery costs £180. We’ll be testing the B10 soon.

To give the B10 some context, the existing B2 system features really small 250Ws flashheads powered via cables and a separate battery pack, while the B1X is similar in size to a typical monobloc, offers 500Ws output and is powered by an on- board rechargeable battery. The B10 offers the benefits of the B2 and B1X systems. It is a very compact 250Ws lighting unit that has an on-board rechargeable li- ion battery so has the attributes of power, portability and is cable free. Furthermore, the B10 is a fully- featured light head that meshes with existing Profoto accessories. So, the vast range of light shapers fit without the need for any adapters and you get through-the-lens flash and manual control using the AirTTL radio triggers with a 300m working range. Triggers are available for Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus and Sony camera systems. “We designed the B10 to be small,” said Göran Maren, product manager at Profoto. “Just a little bigger than a medium-sized zoom lens. That means

profoto.com

Evenmore fromNikon

Tamron’swide flagship

Tamron’s ongoing programme of updating its core lenses continues and here is the latest variant of its popular ultra-wide zoom, the SP15-30mm f/2.8 DI VC USD G2. The G2 (Generation 2) features Tamron’s new AX (Anti-reflection eXpand) coating which is designed to control light rays from the lens’s peripheral areas which can have a negative impact on image quality. Optical design has also been updated. An XGM (eXpanded Glass Molded Aspherical)

element and multiple low dispersion (LD) elements aim to limit distortion and lateral chromatic aberrations. Finally, a Dual MPU system and enhanced AF control algorithm improve AF speed and accuracy. No price for this G2 lens is available yet – the first version is currently around £910. The Nikon version is on sale from 21 September and the Canon fit option from 12 October.

Not content with launching an entirely new system this month, Nikon has also introduced an APS format DSLR, the D3500. As with its usual camera-naming protocols, the more digits in the product name the more consumer- level the product so you know by definition that the D3500 is aimed at the entry-level DSLR user.

It is 24.2-megapixel with an ISO range of 100-25,600 and the ability to shoot Full HD movies. It has a continuous shooting rate of 5fps and has good connectivity too with Snapbridge. “The D3500 is the perfect entry into the world of photography,” says Tim Carter, head of product management, Nikon Northern

Europe. “Its comfortable design and helpful shooting modes make it easy to capture images to be proud of. Plus you can connect a world of Nikon lenses to it. The D3500 with the AF-P DX 18- 55mmVR lens costs £499, and £479 with the non VR lens.

intro2020.co.uk

nikon.co.uk