Photography News Issue 61

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Photography News | Issue 61 | photographynews.co.uk

Profoto B10 review Good things come in small packages

In some ways, the latest battery-powered TTL flash from the light shapers at Profoto is a perfect demonstration of how to combine power, functionality and portability. The ProfotoB10 takes the compact nature of the B2 and combines it with the monobloc design of themore powerful B1X. The result is a battery- powered flash that offers TTL exposure control, high-speed sync (HSS) and 250Ws of flash power – in a compact shell that’s smaller thanmany telephoto zoom lenses. The B10 is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery that clips to the side of the unit. It can also run off mains power when plugged into the supplied charger. On the rear of the unit is a white-on-black LCD display that will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s used a recent Profoto light. It’s navigated using a pair of buttons and a rotate-and-push dial, which all feel superbly built. You can also control the B10 using the free Profoto smartphone app. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION The compact nature of the B10 makes it very attractive to photographers shooting on location. Applications range from editorial portraiture to high-end fashion and even interiors photography. B10 units are so small they can be hidden behind furniture to light up dark corners, or held by a colleague or assistant. Of course, you can put them on a standard lighting stand, too. The B10’s TTL exposure system makes shootingwithflashsimple.Justslipadedicated AirTTL trigger (available for Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus and Sony) into your camera’s hotshoe, power up your B10 and you’re ready to go. Exposures are accurate and consistent every time, and the technology even makes it easy to blend together flash and ambient light. HSS allows shutter speeds well beyond your camera’s usual flash sync speed to be used, so you don’t have to compromise on aperture, shutter speed and ISO combinations just because you’re shooting with flash. Freeze mode shortens flash duration from 1/3300sec at power level 2 in normal mode to 1/15,000sec at the same power output level.

Keyspecification

Maximum flash energy 250Ws Energy range 10 f/stops in 0.1EV steps Recycling time 0.05-2secs Energy stability 0.2 f/stops TTL Yes HSS Yes Modelling light brightness 2500 lumens Sync and remote control range Up to 300m (flash triggering), up to 100m with HSS and TTL Bluetooth Yes, allows flash control with free Profoto app Battery capacity Up to 400 full power flashes/75 min of continuous light Battery charging time 90 min Dimensions 17.5x15x11cm (with stand adapter) Weight 1.5kg with battery and stand adapter

When using more than one B10, it’s easy to change the relative power of each unit from the AirTTL unit – simply allocate each B10 to one of three groups (A, B or C) then change the ratio of these groups with the easy-to-use controls. You can also control the flash-to- ambient lighting ratio in this way. A VERSATILE SOLUTION The B10 is compatible with over 120 Profoto lighting shapers, including the full Off Camera Flash (OCF) range, which gives location photographers the same kind of

creative power they are used to in the studio. Umbrellas, softboxes and beauty dishes can all be used, each one giving the B10’s output a different look and feel. The B10 hasn’t only been designed for photographers; its adjustable LED modelling lamp can be used for videowork, too. Even the colour temperature of its light can be adjusted between 3000-6500K, helping you blend together artificial and ambient light. When you look at the Profoto B10, it’s hard to see how so much technology can be packed into this diminutive little unit. It’s perfectly possible to pack the flash alongside other lenses in the same bag in which you carry your camera, with a lighting stand and folded up brolly strapped to the side. Everythingyouneedtoshoot aprofessional editorial portrait is contained in a single bag – that’s a degree of freedom that opens up a world of creative possibilities for photographers, wherever they find themselves shooting.