Does the Profoto B30 Ship Power and Flexibility?

The Profoto B30 is among the firm’s newest battery-powered skilled strobes that supply photographers a strong and “lightweight” resolution. It’s billed as a do-it-all strobe that doesn’t skimp on efficiency. But how a lot of a great factor is an excessive amount of of a great factor? After a month of use, right here’s our tackle the brand new B30.

The Big Picture: Profoto B30 Review Conclusions

During our use, we took the B30 out on a number of shoots, primarily open air in numerous lighting situations. During that point, the most important points with the sunshine grew to become excruciatingly evident—the Canon TTL performance is iffy at greatest, and the burden of the B30 deters me from selecting to make use of this gentle over one thing way more compact—sure, even when which means sacrificing energy. The B30 in all fairness priced at just below $2400, however the added weight for a 500Ws strobe that recycles barely sooner than the B10 or B10X will really feel like a giant compromise for many photographers.

We give the Profoto B30 three out of 5 stars. If you’d prefer to attempt one for your self, test it out on the Profoto web site or on Amazon.

• Pros: 500Ws most energy output is sufficient energy to freeze motion or cancel out harsh daylight
• Pros: A user-replaceable bulb is helpful on the uncommon event you want to take action.
• Pros: Robust battery life – in a single month of standard testing, I didn’t need to cost as soon as.
• Pros: Solid building – this factor is constructed like a tank, and the rubberized physique makes dealing with the strobe really feel safe.
• Pros: The 3.5mm sync cable is a pleasant addition if you wish to hook up with a wired set off and even outdated movie cameras.
• Cons: This factor is constructed like a tank and weighs about as a lot, carrying it round – even when to dwell on a stand – is an absolute chore.  
• Cons: No USB-C PD port, you’ll have to have it charged or someplace to plug within the energy brick.

Experience

For this evaluation, we used the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R3, and the RF70-200mm F2.8, that are on long-term mortgage from Canon. We additionally used the Canon RF50mm F1.2 and Canon TS-E135mm F4 with the Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter, which we personal.

When working with off-camera flash methods, some of the essential “features” it could have for me is the flexibility to shortly set it up and begin making pictures. In that facet, the Profoto B30 makes syncing to the Profoto Wireless Connect (aka the “Hockey Puck”) a breeze. When turning on the sunshine and transmitter, they immediately join with out having to fiddle round with settings. As for the sunshine itself, the controls are a welcome return to the B10’s person interface. Everything on the sunshine might be managed by the one jog wheel button, and all of your essential controls, i.e., energy output and coloration temperature, are accessible from the “home screen.” While the next just isn’t a critique, it’s value mentioning that if you happen to’re working in conditions the place there’s a possible for plenty of radio interference, it’s beneficial you are taking a while to alter the radio settings on each your set off and lightweight. That stated, that is simply finished on the sunshine itself, even when it’s a couple of clicks deep into the settings. However, making the required modifications on the Hockey Puck is a distinct story – you’ll have to obtain the Profoto app to your cellphone. We advocate simply shopping for the older model of the Profoto Air Remote because it retains the flexibility to make the required settings and group assignments in entrance of you – no app required.

By far, the Profoto Wireless Connect was the most important ache level throughout our testing. We encountered a number of points the place the TTL settings wouldn’t be acknowledged, randomly change, or just create what we’re calling a “power dump,” the place the strobe resets to full energy and discharges randomly. Unfortunately, this isn’t a brand new challenge and one which we’ve made Profoto conscious of. The following is from Chris Gampat’s (Editor in Chief) e mail to Profoto:

The TTL points partially need to do with the Profoto Connect, which I’ll name by its nickname, the hockey puck. The hockey puck, because it launched, has brought about nothing however issues I’ve seen for Canon customers. On the facet, I shoot paid gigs nonetheless. And I recall vividly how the hockey puck had TTL issues on one other photographer’s Canon 5D Mk IV. The drawback occurs no matter what Canon digital camera is getting used, and that’s lengthy been a problem for Profoto that I consider I’ve additionally addressed in earlier Profoto evaluations. It works generally, and at different instances, you’re scrambling to determine if you happen to ought to flip the TTL compensation down by way of the transmitter, the digital camera, or the particular speedlight management menu inside the digital camera. But I’ve by no means seen it occur as a lot as I do with the hockey puck.

It’s an ongoing drawback that hasn’t been mounted in these lights till now. That ought to concern working photographers who may be on this gentle, as this TTL glitch generally is a critical detriment whereas working an occasion.

In phrases of construct high quality, I’ll say once more – this factor is constructed like a tank. The rubberized building provides a sure stage of confidence when dealing with the sunshine. Despite the “lightweight” and “compact” claims, the B30 is hefty. Without the rubberized texture across the gentle, it will really feel unwieldy, particularly if used open air. While I wouldn’t say that hand-holding the B30 is unimaginable, it positively isn’t excellent.

Created with the Profoto B30

When I started working with the Profoto B30, I knew that I needed to make portraits with this gentle. As I discussed earlier than, the B30 is a hefty instrument to hold to on-location shoots and isn’t essentially my go-to gentle, however I can’t lie, I loved having the additional energy when wanted, however the errors I encountered utilizing Hockey Puck and TTL on each the Canon our bodies can’t be ignored.

Below are some edited pattern photos taken with the Canon R5 and Canon R3 and the Profoto B30:

Here are some unedited pattern photos:

Power or Flexibility

At the tip of the day, whether or not or not the B30 is a instrument you want largely is dependent upon what you worth: energy or flexibility? As an occasion photographer who prefers to journey gentle, the B30 is just too giant to make it to most of my gigs. While it’d make for a pleasant one or two-light step and repeat setup, I merely don’t make sufficient of those sorts of photos the place the funding would repay. But if you happen to’re a photographer whose work requires the extra energy output and doesn’t thoughts the burden and dimension, then the B30 would possibly simply be a great improve to your lighting workflow.

Featured Specs

• Compact, strong and light-weight
• Profoto ECO mode – For maximized longevity
• Rubberized floor – For simple setup in any places
• Optional deal with – For simpler dealing with
• Sync port – For wired triggering
• Powerful 40W steady LED-light with adjustable brightness and coloration temperature
• User exchangeable flash tubes
• 11-stop energy vary
• Compatibility with 120+ Profoto gentle shaping instruments together with RFi-range
• AirX built-in

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