On almost every photo assignment I do, I pack my ThinkTank Logistics Manager 30 full of lighting equipment and cameras. Most of the time, I use maybe a fraction of the stuff in the rolling case, but having a lot of options and backup for many situations is nice.

In short, there is enough room in my modified “BigWheels” rolling case for two camera bodies, three normal sized lenses, two larger light sources and two smaller, plus an assortment of batteries, clamps, chargers, filters and much much more.

Cameras, lights and stuff

In the large compartment, divided into smaller spaces, I have found a good interior design that has room for everything I need. Almost.

• Nikon D5 body + 85 mm lens
• 2 x Profoto A1
• 2 x Profoto B10 (or Profoto B1)
• Nikon D750 + 50mm lens
• Sigma ART 28mm lens
• 2 x Profoto AirTTL remote
• Camera batteries
• Profoto B10/B1 batteries
• Gaffer Tape
• Blotting/rice paper for shiny foreheads
• Clamps, spigots, umbrella holder plus hotshoe
• Lighting filter gels, straps
• DIY Disco Prism for Profoto A1

If I choose to bring two Profoto B10 instead of two Profoto B1, I have room for a MacBook Pro, a spraycan of smoke, a collapsible RoundFlash “ringflash” softbox, a collapsible reflector plus something for my models to sit on if I shoot outside in the cold (or on dirty surfaces).

The inside of the top can be used for smaller things, depending on how much you pack in the larger compartment. I use that space mostly for slim stuff such as batteries, filters and memory cards.

Here is what I have there all the time:

• Extra Memory Cards (XQD and SD)
• Pens and pencils
• AA and AAA batteries
• Profoto A1 batteries
• XQD Memory Card Reader (USB)
• Notebook
• Smaller tools (Swiss Army knife etc.)
• Profoto A1 Clic colour filters and grid
• X-rite ColorChecker
• Profoto A1 battery charger
• Profoto B10 battery charger

Other interior designs

Above is a collage of different setups from ThinkTank that shows a few ways how you can use the dividers. You can of course use the outside pockets for storing stuff as well.

Transporting light stands

I really like to have just one thing to transport, that is why I “invented” this Piggyback stand basket for rolling cases [DIY]. It is based on a laundry basket and holds quite a few Manfrotto stands as well as my Gitzo camera tripod. The legs fits in the largest outside pocket and hangs there ready to be unmounted when I need to start setting up.

Larger Wheels FTW

My best modification on any equipment I use must be this: Large Wheels for Think Tank Logistics Manager [DIY].

Stuffing a rolling case full of equipment is one thing, but getting it to roll smoothly on almost any surface will make your back and shoulders smile. I like to think that all the sensitive electronics I depend on will survive better if I can shield it a bit from bumps all day long.

ThinkTank Logistics Manager is the best equipment bag/case I have ever used, with a piggyback stand case plus larger wheels, it has become my mobile portrait studio on-location.

Sometimes I add a camera backpack, just to divide the equipment a bit, but most of the time I only bring this rolling case.

Very much recommended, especially if you add the big wheels.

/Stefan

Profoto C1 Plus is the new LED light and flash from Swedish lighting company Profoto, with variable colour temperature (even for the flash this time), and a built-in battery that will last forever. Almost.

This super small LED based light source will come in two versions, I have tested the Plus but there is one just named C1 as well. The main difference is that the basic version will not be modular and work with grids and gel etc, plus it has a weaker flash. But is a lot smaller in size.

App & Air controlled LED light/flash for Profoto

It was maybe not that surprising that Profoto would eventually make a light source based on LED technology? The market for this model might not primarily be their old target group of studio photographers or location photographers with battery powered lights, big or small.

Profoto C1 and Profoto C1 Plus is more of a thing for image creators working more with iPhones rather than DSLRs, but I wouldn’t say that the C1 is not useful for others as well.

Profoto B10 can be controlled via Bluetooth and the Profoto app, and the same goes for C1. But you can also control it with Profoto Air, and that is what interests me the most.

Why a Profoto C1 Plus?

When I borrowed a C1 from Profoto I wouldn’t really know where to begin testing it. I am not a big fan of iPhone photography even if I use it daily for family photos and social media for my business.

Or rather, I almost never light my cellphone photos. At least not in a professional way. The Profoto C1 might change that, even if I still will use my Nikon for assignments.

I always look for simple ways to make my equipment more lightweight and versatile. The Profoto B10 helped a lot, as well as Profoto A1, and for me I think Profoto C1 will continue to make it easier to bring a couple of light sources without adding a lot of weight.

Profoto C1 Plus as rim light

Take the “portrait” above as an example, the main light is a Profoto A1 camera left and the rim light is a gelled Profoto C1 Plus. ISO200, 1/1000s shutter speed and aperture f/2.8 shows that this lightweight setup can work. Maybe not outside in bright sun, but at least in the shade or indoors for portraits.

C1 Plus as background light

This is arguments for me, having an additional light source that maybe not will work as main light for portraits, but could add a little extra without adding to my overall equipment that much.

A splash of light and/or colour can always be useful in portraits, and with a battery that lasts a long time, having that extra light source with me is that cumbersome.

Profoto C1 for light patterns

As luck would have it, Profoto C1 uses the same diameter for the front glass as Profoto A1, so my brilliant DIY prism from a disco bulb fits perfectly.

You can either use it on the background for a nice effect, or on the portrait for something else.

Profoto C1 Plus with gobos

Using anything inbetween your light source and the model can also add something to your portraits. I think time and Instagram will tell soon how much simple solutions can create light that is interesting and easy to achieve.

Size Comparison C1 Plus & A1

Profoto C1 Plus is small, but I would’t say that it will fit in any pocket, a jacket maybe? The impressive thing is that these two light sources was all I needed to create the “portraits” above, plus light stands, of course. A total weight of nearly nothing compared to what I usually drag around.

I wouldn’t use Profoto C1 Plus as my only light source, or probably not my main light even. But having one extra light source that won’t take up more space than a 50mm lens is quite impressive. One that works with my Air system, that is.

Smart stuff for Profoto C1

Having a lightweight light source handheld is not really how I will probably use it. Adding a Nano clamp makes it more useful if I want it on a stand or attach it to something else.

You will probably have something like a Gorillapod flexible stand laying around, and just screw it to the Profoto C1 Plus to make it possible to attach it both here and there.

Gels & grid for Profoto C1 Plus

Clic Creative Gel Kit and Click Grid & Gel Kit are the two kits available for the Profoto C1 Plus from the start. I would say that the creative kit is the most interesting for how I would use the C1 most of the time.

Another good thing is that these accessories have a lot stronger magnets than the ones for Profoto A1, and they will fit that light so you can use it not only for C1. If you own the A1, that is.

Light Painting cheating…

The above image I created from three exposures and combined them in Photoshop. I have never really played around with light painting before that much, but having a bright light source like the C1 plus colour gels made me want to try it.

Battery, charging etc.

Profoto C1 Plus has a built-in battery you will have to charge with USB-C. Two hours of charging of the 1500 mAh battery will get you 2000 LED flashes on full effect, or 40 minutes of bright light from the lamp.

Using the Profoto app with C1

The Profoto app (for iPhone) is easy to start working with, just active Bluetooth and the unit will show up. I think you can control up to three light sources with the app (B10/B10 Plus and C1/C1 Plus).

You can either put the camera app on full Auto or adjust exposure, flash settings and colour temperature as you wish. They have a scale for the flash that goes from “Natural” to “Dramatic” if you want to blend flash/light to your liking.

The white button on the Profoto C1/Plus is the On/off button as well as the trigger for the light. And the iPhone camera in the app as well. That little trick is in fact quite handy, I thought is was easier to hold my cellphone still when I triggered the camera from the light than the other way around.

Know your iPhone camera

I usually use the camera on my iPhone based on its limits, it can sometimes create really good photos but sometimes it is really stupid and hard to work with.

Using a light source like the Profoto C1 together with the iPhone camera will probably follow the same logic. Try to find settings that works well with the camera, and add a splash of artificial light for effect. That is probably how I will use is most of the times, not trying to battle the sun or stuff like that.

Will I buy a Profoto C1?

No, not the Profoto C1 but the Profoto C1 Plus sooner or later. The basic version feels a bit too restricted for me. I would miss the extra light from the Plus version, as well as the colour gels that might come in handy for my Profoto A1 too.

I might not be the primary target group for this product, but quite often I would love to add the extra splash of light or colour to portraits. If I can have a lightweight light source that makes that possible, why not.

It is not the cheapest way of adding some LED lighting to my arsenal of lights working on-location, but it works with my system based on the Air Remote, so it might be worth it.

Will you buy one?

/Stefan

Profoto B10 Plus is the latest battery powered light from Profoto, a few inches longer than the Profoto B10 and slightly heavier. And you will get twice the light output (500Ws compared to 250Ws) but half the number of flashes at full effect (it uses the same battery as B10).

That was the short version of my review. Scroll on to read the rest, and see a size comparison between Profoto B1, B10 and B10 Plus.

A longer and stronger Profoto B10

Profoto B10 is really small and neat, Profoto B10 Plus feels like that, plus a few inches. The added length and weight doesn’t really make it heavy or bulky. Place it beside a Profoto B1 and you will see (I did, of course).

Here is my review of the Profoto B10 if you would want more details and start from the ground with how it works.

Comparison: B10, B10 Plus & B1

You can see that Profoto B10 is a slim and relatively small studio light, compared to my old Profoto B1.

Works well with lightweight stands

If you are a photographer like me and work almost exclusively on-location, the weight of the light stands you will need to bring adds a very large portion of the total equipment in kilos.

Profoto B10 doesn’t need a heavy duty light stand to feel safe up there, unless it is a windy day of course. Profoto B10 Plus feels like that, and that saves me a lot of weight every day.

Add a Profoto A1 (or A1X) on a Nano stand and you will get a lot of light sources to work with, but not too heavy equipment bags to carry.

Same battery as Profoto B10

And the same charger as well. The result is that the Profoto B10 Plus will give you (only) 200 flashes at full effect, compared to the B10 that will manage around 400. The upside is of course that you can use B10 and B10 Plus without having to invest in yet another type of battery, or charger. But a spare battery is always something to include in the equation.

Same modeling light and variable color temperature

Profoto B10 Plus has the same modeling light as B10 with a maximum light output of 2500 lumens, adjustable from 10 to 100%. And you can change the color temperature in the same way as with B10.

Same stand adapter as Profoto B10

When I reviewed the Profoto B10, I wasn’t really impressed with the smooth and totally round piece you work with to lock the light in a certain position. Especially in cold weather with gloves.

I can still feel the same way about it, but now I have gotten an explanation to why Profoto chose to design it like this. The inner workings of this construction is different from the larger lights, for example D2 or B1X where you had to apply enough force to lock it.

Profoto B10 and B10 Plus uses a different approach and has “teeth” inside so you only have to align them right and the light will hold its angle. Everything to make it smaller and easier to use (I still would want something else than this super smooth and round construction, but now I know why it is like it is).

Perfect for on-location portraits

Since Profoto B10 was launched, I have almost never used my old Profoto B1 anymore. But, now with sunny days, I can feel a need for a little more light in my portraits. Here the Plus will be a great addition to my Profoto B10 and A1. One more stop of light can make a big difference.

My On-Location Photography Rolling Case with large wheels (DIY)

The Think Tank Logistics Manager 30 is the most useful equipment bag I have ever owned. Add large wheels to the rolling case (as I did in this blog post) and I can bring anything I need without breaking my back.

Add my DIY Piggyback stand case addon and the large wheels will carry even your light stands, umbrellas and other stuff.

In the photo above of my LM30 I can fit these things and still have a bit of room for other special equipment:

• Two cameras (Nikon D5 + D750)
• Three lenses (50, 85 and 24-70mm)
• Two Profoto B10
• One Profoto B10 Plus
• Two Profoto A1
• Reflector
• Barn Doors
• Two Air/TTL Remotes
• Extra batteries of every kind
• Duct tape and a lot of small stuff

Which Profoto light should you buy?

Good question, it depends.

I would say that the most economic alternative today is to pick up a used Profoto B1 or B2 if you want to try OCF Lighting. Or buy a Profoto B10 right away. One you can fit in the backpack, the Plus model takes a bit more space and you might need a camera in there.

If you already own a Profoto light, the B10 Plus would be a good choice if you need the extra power. The B10 series has its limitations though, Profoto recommends not to use heavier softboxes than the 4-foot Octa and such. With larger modifiers, a Profoto B1/B1X is better suited for that.

If you have a Profoto A1/A1X and want to use more lighting modifiers plus have more light output at your disposal, a B10 or B1 is a good choice. A B10 Plus would be a good addition as well.

The main questions are:

• Will you use heavy light shapers?
• Will you mostly use small/medium sized OCF products?
• Do you need fast recycling times?
• Is weight an issue?

Will I buy a Profoto B10 Plus?

One, please.

I already own two Profoto B10, plus two Profoto A1. The reason for me to add a Profoto B10 plus to my arsenal is to get that extra f-stop of light for my main light. It will give me a bit more room for my lighting setups, and I can work without having to always place the main light so extremely close when using High Speed Sync on a sunny day for portraits.

If it would take too much space in my rolling case, I wouldn’t be so sure. But now it fits perfectly in the same space a regular B10 needs.

That is everything I can say about this for now, hope this can help you in chosing the right light for you.

Please let me know if there is anything missing from this review or if you have any questions I might be able to answer.

/Stefan

Since I upgraded my ThinkTank Logistics Manager 30 with bigger wheels (link in post), my next thing to improve was how I transport tripods, stands and lighting modifiers such as umbrellas and softboxes.

When I only bring two lighting stands and two umbrellas, I can stick them in the pocket on the front. But for larger assignments with more equipment, I need a separate bag. And together with a backpack, that is not making my back happy.

Base: a plastic laundry basket

Instead of building a frame from scratch, I looked around for products that could be easily modified into what I needed. And that was something that could hold my stands and lighting modifiers, but nothing too heavy, yet still a bit rigid.

Make it fit outside the case

A plastic laundry basket is lightweight, quite cheap and would fit perfect if it wasn’t too big. So I cut it into two halves, and removed a bit in the middle that I didn’t need.

With the two halves, I had the parts for a basket wide enough to hold my equipment, but not too big for my rolling case.

Tape the parts together

Some duct tape, or textile tape, was strong enough to hold the two pieces together, and now I had a slimmer version of the laundry basket with the right measurements.

Just to be sure not to make it too fragile, I strenghtened the holes I had to drill with additional tape. This kind of plastic can crack, and I didn’t want that to happen.

Build foldable legs

The thing above is a hanger for clothes that you can put on a wall and lock in different positions. It is unnecessarily heavy, but I went with it anyway as it gave me the foldable legs I wanted my basket/case/bag to have.

Two legs plus two tubular parts from a broom gave me both a foldable leg thing plus something that would act as the thing to attach it to the rolling case with.

My plastic laundry basket was too fragile to screw things onto it without something that gave it a bit of support. Two parts from a wooden shelf made it more durable.

The reason for the ruler in the photo above was to make it a perfect fit into the large pocket of my Logistics Manager 30. When I use them together, I stick the legs down the pocket and the width holds it stable outside of my rolling case

The final product

It is not the prettiest rolling case attachment, but it is mine. And it works perfectly well for what I need it for.

I might call it: Piggyrollin’

How I use the Piggyrollin’

A lot of my assignments as a freelance photographer in Stockholm, Sweden, are quick ones. But I try to give my clients as much variation in the portraits I deliver as I can in the time I have. That has proven to be something many appreciate, and more portraits sold for me.

If I can trim my workflow on-location, so I spend as little time as possible on setting up and breaking down my lighting setup, there is much to win.

Having a rolling case with larger wheels (my DIY project) has made transporting lights and other equipment much easier. With this I also have a good way of using my rolling case to carry all the lighting modifiers and stands as well.

It is much easier to have the heavy stuff on (large) wheels, plus a backpack sometimes, than to carry multiple bags.

When I get to a location, I take my piggyback thing, fold out the legs and can have it standing there while I set up the lights. If I need to move to another location, I can either put everything together, or carry this thing to where I need it while I roll the rolling case with my other hand.

I hope that the companies that make transport equipment for photographer will soon adapt a more modular thinking. Until then I will continue to build stuff that I miss, even if they are not as pretty as the bags they sell in the stores.

Total cost for this project, my time not included, might be somewhere around 400 SEK (40 EURO or USD).

If you have a smarter way of transporting all your photographic equipment and lights, please let me know.

/Stefan

Bringing lighting equipment on family holidays is not something I do all the time, but once a year it happens. My oldest son is kind enough to model for me, and this time in front of a Profoto B10. Last year it was with the then new A1.

One of the days on the ski resort gave us fantastic weather, the same harsh sun as last year with the same deep blue sky. But working against the sun without flash tends to wash out almost everything, and I really wanted some lens flare again.

Overpower the sun = HSS

What I wanted to get out of our brief but good photo session at the top of the mountain was about the same as last year. Lots of deep blue sky and lots of snow, with my son in the middle of it. Plus the sun.

I really like sometimes to have the sun in my frame, even if that means that I need a lot of light. Or rather, being able to work with a quick shutter. Profoto B10 can do High-Speed Sync in the same way as B1/B2/A1 etc. and that is very useful in a situation like this.

Behind The Scenes

With me this day I had one Profoto B10 (plus one A1 as backup), a Manfrotto Nano light stand and camera. All this including radio transmitter, batteries etc. fit perfectly in my LowePro ProTactic 450AW with the Nano strapped on the outside.

Test without flash

This time I worked a little backwards, but started as usual with the standard test shot without the B10 turned on. Not so fun, yet.

Testing different exposures, I settled on 1/4000s and aperture f/2.8 on ISO200. Then turning the light on, I directly set the B10 on full effect, that is 10 on the display.

It was a bit windy that day, so I left my Deep Umbrella on the ground and worked with just the built-in reflector. Instead of fiddling with my large gloves on the small buttons of my Air Remote, I just moved the B10 closer until I got the flash exposure right.

Freezing snow with HSS

I knew that my schedule was tight, any moment my son could have said that enough is enough, so I saved some snow throwing until last. It is fascinating how hard it can be to instruct someone to throw snow in exactly the way you want it. But it worked reasonably well.

And working with HSS and a very short shutter speed, I can, if I want, count the snow flakes in the air.

Same scene with Profoto A1

Last year at the same time, I didn’t have a B10 (nobody did, I think), so I used a Profoto A1 in the same way. Which makes it interesting as a comparison, even if the settings differed slightly.

Here is my blog post about using Profoto A1 for winter portraits.

In short, Profoto B10, compared to A1, allowed me to have a greater distance between the model and the light with the exact same camera settings. Sure, the A1 is a really lightweight solution, but the B10 is just about twice as heavy. And that is still around 1,5 kg (3 lb -ish?).

But it is interesting that I can do stuff like this with small and lightweight flashes that fits in my backpack (with a tiny stand on the outside).

/Stefan

If I as a photographer can let my clients chose from more different portraits with more different backgrounds and styles, chances are big that they will buy more.

That has been my sales pitch the last few years, and it works. The more choices I give to my clients, the more portraits they will buy. And the best part is that they will pay me more money but at the same time they will be more satisfied.

Truth be told, if you are in need of a professional portrait, two or three will be a lot more useful than just one. In the long run, at least. Why buy just one carton of milk when you have walked all the way to the store? Especially if you could use two in a near future.

Two different portraits at the same time

This is from an assignment at a Swedish company I shot portraits for recently. They needed new business portraits of their management group, mostly for intranet and contact pages.

As I like to deliver more, I suggested that they might need publicity portraits as well. Something that is not just head and shoulders on white background, something that the press would want to use in an article if they would be featured there.

Lighting Setup for two different portraits

This was before I had the Profoto B10 (here is my review, by the way), so I packed two Profoto B1 and two A1, plus a couple of stands.

As we were indoors, I could use my most lightweight stands for this. The Profoto B1 needed something heavier, though.

Scouting their office, I found a white wall next to a curtain outside a conference room. Setting up my first, clean portrait to the right with one B1 plus Deep Umbrella Large White and diffusion as main light, I used a A1 as background light.

So close to the wall, it was hard to cover it all with light. But I think that if at least the background behind the hair is blown out, the rest is easy to fix in Lightroom or Photoshop.

Assign channels for easy workflow

That setup became my Channel 1. The two other lights, set up in a similar fashion, I put in Channel 2.

For a slightly different style, aside the background, I switched side for my main light and chose a Medium umbrella plus diffusion.

Duct tape all over the floor

I could have been slightly easier, I could have found a spot at the office where I didn’t need to move my camera. But not this time.

To make sure that I took all the portraits from the same position and angle, I marked the spots on the floor with small pieces of tape. Not just where the camera tripod should be, but also my light stands.

Plus two additional markings for where the models would stand. That way I could be sure that even if I moved the camera from station 1 to 2, all the portraits would have the same settings.

Each time a new person stepped into my makeshift photo studio, I started by switching to channel 1. Satisfied with the results, I asked them to move on to station 2 and changed channels on my remote.

Show more – sell more

Sometimes, the clients are very firm in their beliefs that they only need just one portrait per person. But more often, when suggested, they think that it is a great idea to make use of the time I am there better. And maybe more importantly, make better use of the small amount of time that the important persons have for things like a portrait session.

This is not something I do all the time, with two separate portrait stations and all. But I try to always suggest that maybe some of the people in key positions would really need more than on portrait.

And they often do.

If you have enough lights, I would very much recommend that you try this method. Or at least make a habit of asking if the client has a bit more time for a couple of more shots at a different location. Very often, just setting up your lights nearby will create something different enough for them to buy more.

And probably feel more satisfied that they got more for their money, as well as for their time spent.

/Stefan

Controlling and modifying light is a lot of what photography with studio lights and battery powered strobes are about. Especially when it comes to portraits, I like to work with my lighting setups so they add something that is not perfect or flat.

Twisting and turning your lights to make use of the edges is one very effective way of doing that. Breaking up the light with a scrim, gobo or something else is also very rewarding.

This DIY project is all about a cheap prisma from a LED Disco Party Bulb that I found for under 10 EUR/USD.

A cheap Disco Light bulb

When looking through a store in Stockholm for fun things to modify, I found this disco light that fits in a regular lamp socket.

A quick ocular inspection showed me that the plastic prisma on top felt like it would fit perfectly on a Profoto A1 with its round head.

Remove the bottom, keep the top

It was a perfect fit on my Profoto A1, just inside the outer ring. But removing it completely from the original mount on the LED lamp was not that easy. Pinch and pull and wiggle, and the top will come lose.

I think it might be the same as this I found on Amazon. $9.99

When you have removed the plastic prisma, there will be a rod left inside, screwed to the top that was a lot harder to remove.

A not-so-elegant solution

To remove that rod (if you don’t, it will be long enough to make it hard to have the prisma on your A1), I had to drill a few small holes around the screw to be able to wiggle it free.

But then it fit perfectly outside the fresnel lens of the A1. To make it easy, I just attached it with tape. A more elegant solution would of course be some kind of magnet, but that I save for version 2.

Nice Light Patterns

When you have it attached to your Profoto A1 (it might fit on the new Godox with the same round head, maybe?) it opens up all kinds of possibilities to light a background.

Put it close to a wall from the side, or aim it straight at something for one kind of light effect. Have it further away for something else.

Use the Zoom Function on Profoto A1

You can create a lot of different patterns and effects from the same angle and position just by zooming the head of your A1.

Cool lighting effects with filters

Do you have a roll of color gel laying around? Cut it in small pieces and tape it inside of the prisma, maybe more that one color?

No rainbow prism effect

The only downside with this combination of a Profoto A1 and a cheap plastic prisma from a disco bulb is that you will probably not get any rainbow patterns.

I never went so far as to remove the fresnel lens of my A1, so the light source is a bit to big and filtered for that effect to happen.

Good for smoke effects, I guess

I have not tried this in combination with smoke yet, but I guess that it will be useful that way.

A cheap way of getting fun light

Every solution to make my lighting more fun is always welcome, and I found this to be exactly that. 10 Euro or Dollar for a piece of plastic that might not produce perfect prismatic effects, but good enough.

If you want to modify your light in a cheap and easy way, I can recommend buying something like this.

With a simple mask, it should fit any flash head, speedlight or studio light. This one might also fit without modification on the new Godox, I guess. Please let me know.

/Stefan

As a full-time freelance photographer, many of my assignments are more rewarding if I can squeeze a little bit extra out of them. That often means that I like to travel without too much equipment, or at least make the transporting part as easy as I can.

When I wrote my review of Profoto B10 recently, I got the chance to test if it would fit in my favorite lighting stand bag. And yes, it did. It even fit mounted on a few of the Manfrotto lighting stands I use on most of my assigments. Which can save me some time.

All-in-one light and stand bag

Above you can see how the 120 cm long Manfrotto MBAG120PN padded bag looks on a ten year old. Inside is a Profoto B10 on a 1005BAC stand plus the Profoto Deep Umbrella.

Everything you need for quick portraits on location.

Inside the bag

The Manfrotto MBAG120PN is padded which is very good for many reasons, but the shoulder strap would need some padding as well.

When carrying it filled with lighting stands, it tend to cut in a bit in my shoulders. My next mission is to find some good padding, if you know any brand that makes accessories like that, please let me know.

Usually I bring along a couple of stands. If I need something rigid and heavy, a Manfrotto 1004BAC is often enough. Or the 420B boom stand. For indoor work, the Manfrotto 1052BAC is much lighter.

Both the 1004 and the 1052 fits inside the tripod bag with a Profoto B10 mounted, which is very convenient when shooting on location where I often change place a lot. Just fold the stand and put it in the bag together with the lighting modifier. A lot easier to transport one unit than two or three.

It is a nice development that everything I need for portraits on location can fit inside a backpack plus a lighting stand bag.

The first photo is using a two light setup with a Profoto B10 camera right with a small Deep Umbrella Silver plus a Profoto A1 on camera for fill. I think that you could fit another stand with a second B10 inside the bag, but then you would need some sort of protection for at least one of the monoblocs so they don’t grind against each other.

If you have any smart solution for transporting and working with photo equipment on location in a lightweight manner, please write a comment. I am constantly working on this to make my work easier.

/Stefan

Profoto B10 is a Profoto B2 reborn in a smaller Profoto B1 jumpsuit, which means there is now an option for photographers between Profoto A1 and the significantly heavier B1.

Läs på svenska istället: Profoto B10 – test och recension

I borrowed two Profoto B10 for a week to test how the new studio flash / battery light / on-location flash works (call it whatever you want, but not a speedlight).

Here is my review. In short (but you will be wiser to read the entire review, plus see all the fine example photos), this is precisely the battery powered light that I was missing in Profoto’s ecosystem. Perhaps the one many had wished A1 had been?

Half as long as Profoto B1, half as ”strong” (250Ws compared to 500Ws), less than half as heavy but with very modern technology and features that can be useful.

Then there are of course some small things I would like to fix, but otherwise it’s made for me.

Profoto B10 = one half B1

When photographers ask me which Profoto flash to choose, based on my experience, it’s usually about Profoto B1 or B2. In recent years, Profoto A1 has certainly been a good option for some, or many. For others, a good complement, and for some not an option at all.

My default response has often been:

• “Do you need a little more light, bigger light modifiers, want everything without a cord in one device and will use heavier stands? Choose Profoto B1.

• “On the other hand, do you think it would be nice with a lightweight flash head, usually using lightweight modifiers and lightweight stands, and can work with a little less light? Choose Profoto B2.

Profoto B10 now fits the second sentence best, with the big difference that it is a more modern device and now cordless as Profoto B1.

Plus LED adjustable light with variable color temperature (bi-color) plus the ability to control the flash via an app and Bluetooth.

Lightweight, small and easy to use

It may be the easiest way to describe the new battery-powered compact flash Profoto B10 with three words.

At the same time it feels very sturdy and well-built, especially unlike the B2 head, which is plastic and has a slightly weak and wiggly stand mount, in my opinion.

A small but big miss

My first impression of the Profoto B10 when I got it in my hands was somthing like: “very neat but at the same time sturdy”.

My second was: “Why the slippery knob on the light stand? Maybe not optimal trying to work with in the winter using gloves or with cold hands?”.

I am a bit disappointed that the one thing you will work with on the Profoto B10 the first thing you start setting up your lights, not to mention all the small adjustments I do during a shoot, is so badly designed for its use.

It’s a bit of a shame that design has gone before user-friendliness here to make it look as slick as possible. Hopefully, this may improve with a new part that you can change (my wish, nothing more than that).

I’d rather see something grip-friendly like the one on Profoto B1 that can be twisted with large gloves on without problems.

A removable stand adapter is smart

This solution I think was really successful, being able to detach the stand adapter, where the umbrella mount is built-in. If you want to put your Profoto B10 in a bag, it’s easier to make it fit without having things sticking out outside the cylindrical shape.

Apart from the slippery knob, it is really well built. Based on this, Profoto could easily produce a smart and lightweight variant of the old Profoto Speedlight Speedring Adapter to use Profoto A1 with a softbox.

Maybe something for the future?

Size Comparison: Profoto B10 and A1

If you have space for a Profoto A1 in your camera bag, it doesn’t require many more cubic centimeters to get a Profoto B10 to fit. It’s actually a bit shorter in length, but like the B2 head in height.

Perfect minibag for B10

I bought earlier two ThinkTank lens bags that can be expanded to fit tele lenses if you want (within reasonable limits of course). I have occasionally attached them to my photo bag to have room for two Profoto A1, which at the same time become more easily accessible hanging outside the backpack.

The fun thing is that these bags are a perfect fit for Profoto B10. I think you can have them in a strap on your shoulders, or maybe attached to your belt, but I have never tried that.

Two B10 instead of one B1

In my rolling case, a DIY terrain version of ThinkTank Logistics Manager 30, I have room for lots of photo equipment. But every little thing makes it heavier to transport, of course.

With Profoto B10, I can fit two smaller battery monolights in the same space as one Profoto B1 requires, and it will be about the same total weight (about 3 kg).

Size Comparison: Profoto B10 and B2

If you already own a Profoto B2, it can be replaced by a Profoto B10, which weighs less in total and takes less space, plus it has some features and new features not in the B2. I guess B10 will replace B2, but I actually have no real idea, never asked Profoto about this.

Either way, the second hand market for a B2 will soon become the buyer’s market, since B10 is better than B2 on basically every point.

The only thing that really speaks for B2 is that the head weighs half of what a B10 weighs, but the difference is not that big.

I hope that Profoto will make a ring flash that works with the B2 pack, but I have not heard any rumors about it. Maybe a tiny market, but I would love one.

Size Comparison: Profoto B10, B1 & A1

This is what the current Profoto family of portable battery powered lights looks like together. Do you want the most lightweight, choose the A1. If you want the most light, choose a B1. Can you live with one step less light but get half the weight of a B1, buy a B10.

Now I might say that one of these does not rule out the other. If you can afford it, I think most photographers who use Profoto will benefit most from a mix.

For many assignments to me, a B10 and one or two A1 will be very good. Should I set up a temporary mobile photo studio, maybe I bet on my B1: or anyway, maybe with B10 or A1 like edge lights or backlight?

Would I need a lot of light, it is possible to hire larger units that can blind most people where I live.

LED for photographers (& movie makers)

The modeling light on my battery lights (B1 / B2 / A1) is something I used very sparingly in photo sessions. Some time I can turn it on to see roughly how the light and shadows works, but never for the lighting the scene or portrait itself.

Bicolor modeling light

Profoto B10 have a super easy way to either change the brightness of the LED light but just as easily changing the color temperature from CTO to “neutral white” to CTB is something interesting.

Suddenly you can easily mix LED light and flash light if you want, and be able to adjust the color temperature to fit the existing light. Without having to use color filter gels.

Modeling light centered on the color temperature scale.

Profoto B10 modeling light with the most cold / blue setting (CTB)

Profoto B10 modeling light with the most warm/orange setting (CTO)

As a portrait photographer only working with non-moving images I can not comment on how useful this is for filmmakers. But I guess it’s certainly useful for many occasions.

Or you could use it as an alternative to flash, indoors and outdoors, when you prefer to work with light you can see directly?  Maybe something for the mirrorless crowd?

Shoot and charge simultaneously

A smart thing with Profoto B2 was the possibility of having the charger connected while taking photos. Why this was not possible with B1 I can not answer. Perhaps the charger would not charge a battery fast enough for a more powerful flash, or maybe they didn’t want it to compete with Profoto D1 / D2 and others?

Either way, you can have the slim charger for the Profoto B10 plugged into a power outlet and shooting while charging the battery. Maybe that’s not an feature I’ll use super often, but nice to have.

Another smart thing is the Velcro strap on the charger so that you can attach it to the light stand rather than hanging free.

How long does the B10 battery last?

According to Profoto, the battery for the B10 can handle up to 400 flashes at full power. I can not say how accurate this is, since I have not tested. Their numbers for B1 was correct, so I trust the facts.

Or 75 minutes with the LED modeling light on full power. That sounds very good in many ways, I think the modeling light on B1 has drained the battery considerably faster.

The charger that is on 3A will be able to charge one empty B10 battery to full in 90 minutes. Buying a spare battery is always a good idea, and they are really small so you will have no problem finding space for an extra in your bag, I think.

Too bad they never listen to my desires of having a small protective cap for the batteries they do. It would be easy with such batteries for the B1, A1 and B10 batteries to make sure they do not let go or do anything else stupidly in the camera bag. Can Nikon have it for its big batteries can well Profoto?

More light options – less weight

That is almost exactly the same I wrote in my review of Profoto A1 when it was launched. Now I’m writing again, but without the limitations of lighting with A1 have (a lot fewer light modifiers to use as opposed to what fits B1 / B2 / B10).

There is a huge difference between 3 kg and one light that weighs half of that when comparing B1 and B10. Then, of course, every light you bring need a stand, but the B10 can work well with a lot smaller and more lightweight stand..

Which does not make it a particularly big problem if you want to bring an extra light source, or two. The medium-sized Manfrotto stands in the Stacker series does not take up much space and is not particularly heavy either.

If you are indoors, it can work with a Nano stand for your B10 if you make sure nobody overturns it.

A big light that fits in the camera bag

If you have a normal sized photo bag, the Profoto B10 will not require more space in the bag than a DSLR with lens (roughly simplified).

The backpack on the pictures is, by the way, a new product from Profoto, which comes with the purchase of their B10 pack of two flashes. It has space for two Profoto B10s, two chargers and a bunch of batteries plus Remote.

If you want, you could be able to fit four B10 if you want, without a problem, just by moving the separators inside, but maybe not having room for much more equipment than that.

The backpack is nice but not very far the one I use today, a Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW. There is also room for a laptop and small things in other compartments and pockets.

B10 controls, settings and menus

Using a Profoto B10 is as simple as it has always been with products from that company. The white button is the test button and starts the flash with a little longer press (but a small ON / OFF text had not been in the way).

The button / knob to the left with the small lamp symbol is the for adjusting the modeling light. Press it to turn on the LED light. Turn it to change the brightness, click and rotate to change the color temperature of the setting light, from 3000 to 6500 Kelvin.

The bigger center knob controls the effect, from 2.0 to 10 where 10 equals 250Ws. Click it (push in) to access the menu system.

There you can easily scroll up and down and right down into menus and submenus. At the first level, you set up the channel and the group for the Air system so that it works with your Air Remote.

Here you can also turn off the Air if you want to, and also enable Bluetooth needed to control the flash with an app in your phone. I have only had it demonstrated for me, so I can not tell you much more.

If you scroll down the main menu, you can enable or disable IR SLAVE if you want the flash to be activated by light or IR transmitter. Here you can also change from NORMAL flash mode to FREEZE if you want shorter flash duration and freeze movements (with the expense of color stability, if I understand it correctly).

Then you can set how you want the modeling light to behave, should it be relative to the flash strength, PROP, or free?

Under ADVANCED, you can change if you want a beep or other signal when the flash is fully charged and ready to use, if it’s to make clicking sounds when you touch controls and spin on steering wheel and a bit more. For example, how long it should wait before it goes into sleep mode or how bright the rear display should be.

It’s not much harder to understand than that.  If you have used a Profoto light in recent years, you will be an instant expert on how to use the Profoto B10.

Profoto B10: my final verdict

If you have read some of my previous blog posts here might probably know how I will rate the new Profoto B10.

In short, Profoto B10 is the product I really wished for when Profoto A1 was presented. Now, my two camera lights (or tiny studio lights) with the name A1 have been incredibly useful complement to my other lighting equipment. I have no complaints there.

But with the Profoto B10 I finally got a battery light that is exactly what I’m looking for. Enough power, perfect size, and perfect weight.

I rarely need to set my Profoto B1 to full power. A few times a year, the brightness is 10, but usually between 5 and 8. Therefore, a B10 of 250Ws will be just right for 95% of my assignments.

Profoto B10: pros and cons

In the column of plus and good things with the new battery powered light are the following things:

• Small
• Lightweight
• Enough power
• Good usability
• Suitable for all Profoto light shapers (almost)
• Modeling light with variable color temperature
• Smart to be able to detach the stand adapter
• Very good battery capacity (almost twice compared to B1, but not B1X with the new battery)

Of course, nothing can be completely perfect, but it’s really no big things I have on my list.

• The knob to the stand adapter, why so smooth?
• The surface of the entire flash could be less sensitive
• Come on, a cover for the batteries, please?

Will I buy a Profoto B10?

No. I will buy two as soon as it goes.

(I wrote and did exactly the same thing with the Profoto A1).

The problem for me is that my Profoto B2 with two heads becomes a bit redundant. I really like it, but it’s hard to see how I’ll use it very often when I have two B10 that are better in most ways.

I need a smaller rolling case

For my part, I will soon add a normal-sized rolling case/bag to my collection, maybe a Thinktank Airport-something. With cameras, lenses and two Profoto B10, my Logistics Manager 30 becomes unnecessarily large for some assignments. The big advantage my big rolling case has, besides being fitted with my beloved DIY-GiantWheels, is that you can bring light stands and umbrellas on a single rollable device.

My conclusion is this, the money I spend on smarter and more lightweight equipment allows me to be more flexible as a photographer. And happier.

Avoiding breaking your back is worth a lot too.

/Stefan

Shooting portraits on location is something I do a lot, and think a lot how to do in the most effective way. Of course, I want it to be as good as possible, but I also want to work faster and carry less equipment (those two things are very connected).

For most lighting setups on location I have a standard list of lights and stands that I bring along. Most of the times, I only use about half of all the things I pack.

Since I bought my two Profoto A1, there is now a mini-kit available as a good choice when I do quick assignments. If I know that the portraits are to be taken indoors, two lightweight lighting stands (Manfrotto Nano or similar) plus the lights and umbrella will suffice.

Use the environment

Sometimes, a white wall can be made into something more interesting, and sometimes you are in luck. On this assignment, the client had some kind of plastic decor made of blue plexi glass on the wall.

One Profoto A1 camera left as main light with a small umbrella (white inside) and the other laying on the floor to create a blue pattern on the wall. Very quick and very simple.

TTL first, then Manual

For portraits like these I usually start with just having the main light on, TTL activated for a rough reading of everything. Often this will put me quite close to the exposure, but a little adjustment will still be needed before everything is as I want it.

Being satisfied will the main light, I turn the second light on (a simple thing to do from my Remote on the camera). This changes the portrait a lot, so most of the times I end up making more changes to the lighting ratios to balance the light and shadows nicely.

Use the same relative placement

One smart little trick to work faster on location is to remember the distance from the light to the model’s face. If you will get that right, not much is needed in terms of adjusting the exposure or light settings. Maybe just a little, but you will end up pretty close on your first try.

Think copyspace

When I work for magazines, I always try to deliver a few portraits with large areas left “empty” for text and headlines. As with covers, the layout people always like low contrast and clean space for this.

In this case, it was very easy to do portraits like that. Stairs made of dark stone, a person dressed almost only in grey or black, and a face in the middle. To make it just a bit more interesting, I had my second light act as rim light and also light the stairs just a bit.

The white wall camera right provided the fill I needed for the shadows on his head not turning completely black.

15 minutes later

I had the portraits I needed for the article and it was time to pack up my mini-kit and get on to the next assignment.

My back is grateful that not every portrait job involves large bags, heavy lighting stands and big battery lights.

/Stefan