Profoto’s new B1 is arguably the most exciting and successful product release from the company in recent years. Profoto has taken the strong features from the popular D1 series, and advanced to the next step with the wireless B1. The B1 brings so many unique values to the table that it’s not surprising it’s being coined a game changer for professionals and hobbyists alike. If you are a location, lifestyle, or any kind of photographer that travels, you are doing yourself an injustices by not looking into this product.  As always, Capture Integration has these units in our rental and demo stock today; please contact our team if you have any questions or want to get one in your hands.  Here is a quick look at some of the features:

• 500 W/S Lithium-ion Battery Powered Self Contained Strobe Unit
• Profoto AirTTL with Canon and Nikon
• LCD Control
• 9-Stop Power Range with 1/10th precision
• 20 fps Burst Mode
• 220 Flashes at Full-Power
• 6.6 lbs with battery

No wires, No cables and  No packs……..  Does anything else need to be stated?  The B1 shares the same form-factor of the D1 heads, with the obvious exception of wires. Let’s be honest – there’s always going to be something to trip over on set, but here’s the obvious feature that can be removed from the equation. The units fit a small foot print making them very easy to travel with. Profoto also offers a location kit – which fits all of the essentials into a backpack.

• 2 B1 Heads
• 2 Lithium-ion batteries
• 1 Fast charger
• 1 Car charger

Add your choice of an Air Remote or AirTTL Remote and stands and you have an easy to carry cordless setup.

For fast-paced location shooters, the revolutionary, patent pending  AirTTL technology offers a super fast setup. Once you hit the location, the AirTTL technology allows you to set up and shoot quickly. Just point and shoot. The camera will communicate with your Canon camera and adjust the light automatically so that you can focus on creativity. Don’t worry Nikon users, Profoto promises that Nikon TTL capability is coming soon. Not interested in TTL? Not a problem – this unit operates in full manual mode as well. Due to the design of the contacts on the air remote, the TTL-C  remote is compatible with Canon cameras only.  The Profoto Air Remote is the universal solution (non TTL) that adds remote control of any flash with Air built into the equation.

AirTTL-C

Attach this small unit to your Canon camera’s hot shoe to wirelessly integrate your B1 with your camera.  Shoot fully automatic in TTL Mode or switch to Manual Mode for creative adjustments. The B1’s have an operating range of up to 300m (1,000ft) without any cable or cords. Units come with batteries, a hand strap and nylon pouch.

Some things are hard to fake. Laughter, genuine smiles or the defining moment of a sport event, to name just a few examples. So, the best thing you can do is to make sure you are prepared when that perfect moment occurs in front of your lens.

That is why speed is important. The B1 was designed with this in mind. At lower power settings it will easily keep up with your camera, blasting away up to twenty flashes per second. Speed also equals short flash duration. The B1 will provide a much shorter flash duration than a speedlight set to the same output. In “freeze” mode you can achieve flash durations as fast as 1/19,000^th/second.   In other words, you will not only be able to catch the moment but also freeze it in time with absolute sharpness.

Ten times as powerful as the average speedlight, the B1 enables you to overpower the sun on a sunny day as well as light up larger backgrounds and areas. Having that much power also allows you to add Light Shaping Tools to create a beautiful, soft light even in bright conditions.  Capture Integration tests have shown the B1 500 to have the same output as a Norman 2400 and only 1/10th less power than a Speedotron 2400 Blackline.  Yeah thats right…. almost the same power as a Speedotron 2400 w/s pack and head combo.

Photography is all about light – about controlling and shaping light. Shoot the same thing from the same angle with ten different lighting setups and you will create ten entirely different images. Lets remember that Profoto is “The Light Shaping Company”.

This is where Profoto’s Light Shaping Tools enter the picture. The B1’s built-in reflector creates a wide and even light spread that stands well on its own. But you are also free to choose from more than 120 Light Shaping Tools and shape the B1’s already beautiful light into almost any light you can imagine. Pair this with the Beauty Dish Kit or the RFi Softboxes and umbrellas to create stunning portraits on location.

The powerful modeling light takes the guesswork out of light shaping. Move the B1 or change its output and you will see the effect with your own eyes. In addition, Profoto’s unique Zoom Function allows you to shape the light by simply sliding the Light Shaping Tool back and forth along the zoom scale.

50 years as the brand of choice among leading photographers in the tough and demanding fashion industry have proven to Profoto to never leave any detail unattended. That is why the B1 has a built-in reflector that not only maximizes the output but also protects the flash tube. The stand mount is sturdy enough to hold a 7-foot softbox. The LED modeling light is powerful enough to also be used as video light. There is an integrated umbrella mount. Lastly, there is a crystal clear LCD display that’s easy to read and the ergonomic grip handle feels comfortable. The B1 is full of details such as these – details that make a huge difference.

As Profoto improves the functionality of this unit, there is a usb port that enables firmware updates. Recent releases addressed the functionality with the Canon 1DX. Future planned releases will include adding high-speed sync capability. Firmware updates made be made to the remote and head by the user. It’s a helpful option to address this without sending the entire unit back to Profoto’s support team.

Backpack

Grab this handy, high quality backpack and travel with comfort to your on-location shoot. Fits two B1 (or D1) heads plus accessories and two stands.

Extra Battery

Get yourself a spare battery and save yourself the trouble of having to worry about running out of power. Provides up to 220 full-power flashes.

Battery Charger 2.8A

Standard charger that fully recharges the B1’s battery in two hours.

Fast Charger 4.5A

Optional fast charger that fully recharges the B1’s battery in only one hour!

Car Charger 1.8A

Plugs into a standard car cigarette connector and recharges your B1 battery in just two hours.

The LCD control is intuitive and easy to operate on the fly. Quickly adjust power or change the modeling light in seconds. Use the air remotes to adjust flash power at extreme heights or hard to reach positions. The battery and battery chargers also offer level indicators so that you can monitor the quick charging progress.  Even Bill Croskey can use this light without tech support help.  Yeah, its really that easy!  : )

Take full control of your flashes or fire your camera from up to 300 m/1,000 ft away.  Yes, you can control all of your heads from one single remote.  Have 12 heads on a set and want to change them instantly without moving?  Do you have heads mounted in the ceiling and need a way to turn them on/off or just want to boost the light by 6/10ths of a stop?   Shoot without any cords and stay moving. All this is possible thanks to Air – the world’s fastest system for remote radio sync and control, designed to free your eyes and hands so that your mind and heart can focus on the image you set out to create.

Want to control your Profoto lights from your computer? No problem. Download the Profoto Studio software and connect an Air USB transceiver to your computer. You will now have full control of every Profoto unit that is compatible with Air – through Capture One Pro. Excellent solution for fast-paced setups.

We are sold on these units.   Very very quickly they have become an employee favorite.  Come play with one today.