This week the Swedish brand Profoto has released their new, more powerful and more expensive location flash – the $6,490 750W Pro-B3.
Profoto monolights have earned their reputation as the go-to choice for pro photographers who demand both precision and creativity in their lighting tools. Renowned for their beautiful design, durability, reliability, and versatility, these all-in-one lights can work well for studio setups, though are mostly employed for location work (you can buy a 'mains only' version called the Profoto D2).
However, Profoto is also known for its premium price tag, which has led many photographers to explore more affordable alternatives, such as Godox. With brands like Godox, photographers can often purchase three monoblock lights with similar power for the cost of just one Profoto. In the case of the Pro-B3, the difference is even more striking—you could purchase five $1,240 Godox AD600W Pro lights for the same price.
The original battery-powered Profoto "B" series began with the 500W Profoto B1, introduced in 2013. In 2017, it was upgraded to the 500W Profoto B1X, ($4,550) which offered 50% more flashes per charge and a brighter modelling light. Now the new Pro-B3 doesn’t just deliver increased flash power—it also more than doubles the output of the modelling light, boosting it from 24W to an impressive 56W.
Photographer: "Don't worry – just 5 more hours to go!"
While the move to 56W is a step forward, the industry eagerly awaits a game-changing 100W or ideally 200W daylight-balanced modelling light that can also serve video lighting needs. This upgrade would deliver the ultimate 'hybrid shooter’s dream light,' combining strobe and video lighting in one. Oh, and did we mention we'd love the option for both mains and battery power in the same light?
It's to be noted that while the Pro-B3 may have an extra 250W over the B1's 500W, it doesn't really equate to that much extra power (half a stop), though it still has some other advantages over the original, such as the ability to:
• Freeze motion or use very shallow depth of field (or both) with High Speed Sync (HSS) in bright daylight – with modifiers.
• Use larger softboxes.
• Faster recycling times.
• Shoot at lower ISOs.
• Place your light further away – more power equals the ability to throw that light further.
• Shortened flash duration – at lower output in a more powerful strobe (750W), you have a shortened flash duration – which will be shorter than the equivalent full-power output of a less powerful strobe (500W).
Features
- Massive 750Ws flash power that gives you great outdoor capability to overpower the sun.
Many photographers like the minimalist design. - Fast flash recycling from 0.01 to 2.2 seconds.
- Extremely short flash duration down to 1/75,000s so you can easily capture crisp action shots without motion blur.
- Optional flash modes, HSS and TTL so no need for ND filters or manual settings.
- Robust rubberized housing and extremely durable key components such as capacitors and the user exchangeable quartz flash tube.
- High-capacity Li-Ion battery with option to charge during use.
- AirX connectivity inside for full featured wireless control from all Profoto remote or App.
- Simple, intuitive user interface with large, high-resolution display.
- Powerful daylight balanced LED light that is equally useful as modelling, video, or photography light. The daylight color balance makes it easy to blend with flash or natural outdoor light.
- Compatible with Profoto's extensive light shaping system.
- Battery charging time from near empty – 90 minutes.
- Up to 250 full-power flashes.
- Up to 60 minutes of continuous light.
- Weight: 4kg with battery.
- Size: (L) 34.5cm (H) 20cm (W) 14cm.
The Profoto Pro-B3 750W is available for order in Australia and you can find out more on the Profoto website.