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and they use a dedicated, newly designed OCF Speedring. In addition Profoto has produced an OCF Snoot, which reduces light spread to create a crisp light with almost no spill, a beautifully engineered barn door kit that allows the user to attach gels and control light spread and a grid kit comprising 10º, 20º and 30º grids. The grids can be used in combination with the snoot and barn door. The B1 and B2 also accept all the earlier Profoto accessories, and so there is a truly vast system to dip into. Both the B1 and the B2 also have provision to accept Profoto’s Air TTL Remote, and there’s a version of this for both Canon and Nikon users. With this feature the units really comes into their own. At around the same size and weight as the standard Air Remote, the Air TTL Remote works in a new and very special way. Acting as a kind of translator, it ‘talks’ to the camera and to the B1/2, exchanging information and giving the user access to the camera’s TTL flash metering system. The Air Remote TTL provides all the control of the standard Air Remote, but also allows photographers to control any number of B1/B2 heads in three groups from up to 300m away. This gives photographers unprecedented freedom to place their lights wherever they need to. Operating on the worldwide standard 2.4GHz frequency band the units can be set to any one of eight different channels. In practical terms this has two benefits; a number of photographers can shoot in the same space without setting off each other’s lights, while they are also unlikely to suffer interference from any outside sources. The lights in use One of those who has been using the B1 lights since their introduction, and who has now supplemented this kit with a selection of B2 lights, is fashion and beauty photographer Andy Kruczek. He’s found the flexibility of
weight as a standard speedlight. The To-Go kit is probably the option that many will choose. It consists of the B2 Off Camera Flash pack, a single B2 head, one battery and one mains charger packed in its carrying bag and location shoulder bag. For the more ambitious, there is the B2 Location Kit, which in addition to the above includes a second head and battery. A 250W/s fully asymmetric, pack and head system, the B2 is designed to complement the B1 and develops Profoto’s take on Off Camera Flash (OCF), extending the OCF range, to form a true system. The B2 puts the power of five average speedlights in a lightweight package that’s capable of shooting in bursts of up to 20 frames per second and delivering 215 full power 250 Joule flashes from a single charge. Family traits There is a definite family connection between the B1 and the B2. For example, both heads feature LED modelling lamps, which are dimmable and, at full power, the battery pack provides continuous light for up to 90 minutes. Another massive plus point is the fact that the B1 and B2 accept the same lighting modifiers. These OCF light shaping tools are lightweight and extremely fast to set up, offering the ability to easily change the mood and style of light when the pressure is on. Made from the same high-quality materials as the Profoto Umbrella Deep Silver, and each at around a third of the weight of its RFi equivalent, there are now four new softboxes: a square, a strip, a Recta and a 2ft Octa. All have captive (sewn in) front diffusers and a removable inner diffuser. For every softbox, there is also an optional 50º softgrid available, which is a bottle top design that slips over the front edges of the softbox. The new softboxes have been created specifically for the B1 and B2 lights,
being able to use the strengths of either the B1 or the B2 has been ideal for his work, and there are also times when his ideal kit is a combination of both products. “I use the B1s all the time in my day-to-day shoots,” he says. “They are perfect for many lighting situations, as they provide both a ‘mains unit’ level of power plus a versatile, cable-free solution to my lighting needs. With a couple of spare batteries they are my first choice for portrait and fashion shoots. “Meanwhile the B2 kit comes out when I need a small, lightweight and quick set-up. It’s also ideal when I’m shooting in the confined spaces one often encounters on location, or when I need to place the light in an unusual or easily hidden location, but need more power and light shaping than a speedlight can supply. I’m finding recently that using the B1 and B2 in combination gives me the ability to push the boundaries of my technique and to try out new ideas quickly and easily. “Light shaping is at the heart of the system. In addition to allowing me to use all of my existing Profoto light shaping tools, the new OCF range of softboxes and accessories give me more opportunities to easily create the right look on location. This, combined with TTL and HSS, means that I can concentrate on image making and never have to worry about compromising the shot. “Profoto’s mission statement is to make equipment to enable photographers to extend their creativity, take better pictures and turn their ambition into reality. The B1 and B2 OCF systems, together or in combination, provide an ideal first step along that path.” ABOVE They’re called To Go kits for a good reason, as everything packs up neatly for travelling to location shoots.
Profoto’smission statement is tomake equipment to enable photographers to extend their creativity, take better pictures and turn ambition into reality. The B1 andB2 provide an ideal first step along that path
π To find out more about the Profoto B1 & B2, go to www. profoto.com/offcameraflash. And to find out more about Andy Kruczek’s work, go to www.andykruczek.com.
ABOVE When he needs a small, lightweight but powerful location light, Andy Kruczek turns to his B1 and B2 kit.
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Issue 19 | Photography News
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