Profoto B10 Bicolor Strobe Is Also a Video Light
Profoto has a new strobe light that is more powerful and more compact than any of their previous models. On top of that, this new flash also doubles as a continuous video light. And it’s bi-color.
The Profoto B10 might be the new favorite tool for combo photographers/videographers. As a flash, the B10 has 250Ws of energy, with a 2 second recycle time, and the ability to shoot about 400 maximum power flashes with its built-in battery.
The Profoto B10 is five times as powerful as a speedlight, but in a revolutionary form factor that’s about the size and shape of a lens. It’s about 4-inches wide x 7 inches long, and weighs 3.3 pounds.
As a self contained unit, the Profoto B10 doesn’t need any cables, as its compatible with all of ProFoto’s Air Remotes, and support for AirTTL means it can be paired with many camera manufacturers and third party remotes.
In addition to these pro connections, you can also pair the B10 to a mobile app via Bluetooth. The app allows control of the unit, as well as to pair it as a flash for smartphone photography.
Profoto B10 for Video Lighting
One of the most interesting components of the B10 is that it can be used as a video light, outputting 2500 max lumens, and a selectable color temperature from 3000-6500K.
The B10 isn’t going to replace your video lights anytime soon, especially if you’re shooting through a softbox or any other diffuser, but having the ability to use it for video in a pinch is very useful. Imagine if you’re hired to shoot a portrait session, but also need to shoot a little video profile of your subject. Or the other way around – maybe you’re doing a video, but want to provide your client a professional portrait.
In this video from B&H, the host is lit completely with just the B10, and it looks pretty damn good.
With the B10, you have one less light to carry around, since it can be used in both of those scenarios. Photo/video journalists and multimedia producers will also appreciate having a lighting tool that can be used in a variety of shoots.
For video, the rechargeable lithium battery will provide about 75 minutes of run time at full power. But hooked up to an AC outlet, the B10 can charge the battery while it’s in use. The battery is also swappable, so you can always carry a spare battery.
Combination flash and video lights have existed for a few years, but not with the kind of power and convenience that the B10 has. The Canon Speedlite 430EX III RT is an on-camera flash that has the ability to output continuous lighting, but not enough that you can use it for a subject interview.
The Rotolight Aeos is a versatile video light that can also be used as a flash, and it has more output than the Profoto B10. But it also is a different kind of shape than the B10 – it’s more like a ring light, and is ideally suited to be used by itself rather than with traditional photography diffusers. The AIOS requires V-mount batteries (and a V-mount charger, which can be bulky), so it’s more of an apples to oranges comparison.
The Profoto B10 is nowavailable for pre order at B&H Photo Video