Bigger, Better, B1
When the B1 arrived in our studio, the team immediately gave it the nickname, “The Bazooka,” and for good reason. It’s big, shaped like a cannon, and packs a punch. I’ve used the B1 on over 30 shoots, and now it’s become a staple in my lighting kit. If you don’t have the patience to watch the video or read the article below, then I’ll tell you right now that the B1 is worth the investment.
Profoto B1 500 AirTTL Review Video
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Price
Profoto B1 500 AirTTL Battery-Powered Flash: $2095
Profoto Lithium-ion Battery for B1 500 AirTTL: $261
Profoto RFi Speedring for Profoto Flash Heads: $128
Profoto OCF Octa Softbox (2′): $149
Benro A38FD Series 3 Aluminum Monopod with 3-Leg Locking Base: $76
Profoto B1 Performance
The Profoto B1 has everything you would expect from an investment quality strobe. If power is what you desire, then the B1 will not leave you in want. The B1 performs with a quick 1/1 recycle time at 500 Watt-seconds, which is about ten times more powerful than a pocket strobe, at just under 2 seconds. The Profoto B1 also has excellent flash to flash consistency, which means if you’re shutter-happy, with the B1 you won’t have to worry about Kelvin discrepancies in your images. The only reason we don’t give it a solid 5/5 stars is because in high-speed sync modes, we are losing a bit of power, but that’s to be expected from any flash in similar modes.
Profoto B1 Features
The Profoto B1 system just makes my life easier. The system has TTL, high-speed sync, rear curtain sync, user-friendly speed ring system, a self-contained battery, a fleet of light modifiers, and many more. I literally only have one request when it comes to features, and that’s to be able to directly power the flash from the wall for studio shoots. You have to use the Profoto B1 battery because there’s no AC input, but that’s not a deal breaker because the batteries charge quickly.
Profoto B1 Design
I’ve used many flash systems before and I always rate the design based on the ease of use (if I can get things working without the use of the manual). With the Profoto B1 system, I was literally able to unbox it and get everything set up without reading a word. Whether you’re using the remote system or setting up a modifier, everything is intuitive, straightforward, and easy to use, which is why we gave it 5/5 stars.
Profoto B1 Quality
Quality doesn’t get any better than the Profoto B1. It’s sturdy, durable, and exactly what you would want from an investment quality strobe. I’ve taken this system to the desert, beach, and fields and the Profoto B1 has performed flawlessly. The overall build quality in the strobe, remote, speed ring, and modifiers all get 5/5 stars.
[REWIND: Lumopro LP180 Flash Review]
Profoto B1 Value
When you’re investing into the Profoto B1 system, you’ll be getting exactly what you expected, and then some. Simply put, it has made my life easier, and now I have a powerful location strobe that’s reliable and durable.
Profoto B1 Overall
This is a must have product for any photographer who’s looking for a high quality, portable, studio strobe. The Profoto B1 is a capable system that can make your shooting workflow easier, as well as open up new shooting techniques that weren’t previously possible with pocket strobes.
I hope you enjoyed this review. Is there another product you would like us to review? Let us know in the comments!
Images Shot With The Profoto B1
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