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Profoto Flashes, Studio Lighting & Accessories – The Best Buyer’s Guide Online (2019)

Last Updated: February 14th, 2020

Since transitioning to the Profoto flash system a few years ago from cheaper brands, we’ve come to gain a lot of experience with these products. We found ourselves loving what Profoto had to offer for us as professional wedding and portrait photographers.

Like most people interested in Profoto – we of course saw the price tag of their gear to be one of the biggest drawbacks – but took the plunge anyways because, in our minds, if the equipment was reliable and worked as we expected to make our lives easier to produce great images, it would be worth it!

We’d guess that if you’ve made your way to this page – you’re in a similar situation.

You are looking at Profoto’s selection of products and probably already wondering if they will benefit your photography.

The goal of this Profoto Buyer’s Guide is to give you information on all of their available products currently available (last update: August 2019).

Unlike just reading the sales pages on their own website, we will be sharing our personal opinions that come from hands on experience of their products in the real world. We have also collected a lot of extra information including features lists, opinions of others online, and so on to help round out the content you will find here.

With all of this info in hand – we hope you’ll feel comfortable to make a decision on whether or not you want to purchase a particular Profoto product. The goal here isn’t to sell you on things (though: if you buy any product through the links to Amazon included in this post, we do make a commission!) – but provide you with the hard facts, and let you decide if it’s right for you.

Our Guide to ALL Current Profoto Flash Products & Accessories

All of the main Profoto equipment we will be covering in this post include:

  • Profoto AIR Remote
  • Profoto AIR Remote TTL
  • Profoto Connect
  • Profoto A1 Flash
  • Profoto A1X Flash
  • Profoto B1 Flash
  • Profoto B1X Flash
  • Profoto B2 Flash
  • Profoto B10 Flash
  • Profoto B10 Flash Plus
  • Profoto D1 Flash
  • Profoto D2 Flash
  • Profoto Pro 10 Flash
  • Profoto ProHead Plus
  • Profoto ProTwin Head
  • Profoto Pro-B Twin Head
  • Profoto Pro Ring Plus
  • Profoto Pro Ring 2 Plus
  • Profoto StripLight
  • Profoto MultiSpot

One Thing to Know About Profoto Gear Upfront

Profoto equipment is created for professional photographers who need powerful flashes and flash accessories to create stunning photos.

The price of Profoto equipment is given with this in mind – and it often pains us to say that it will make most of these products inaccessible to the average photo hobbyist. Fortunately, a few items like the original Profoto A1 dropped in price to a more reasonable and competitive point more in line with what you would expect to pay for a Canon or Nikon branded flash – but most other products are expensive.

For most people (including ourselves), the big question isn’t so much “Is Profoto equipment good?” but rather “Is Profoto equipment worth the cost?”

While there are a few duds in their lineup, and even a couple products we wonder “why was this ever made in the first place?” – the vast majority of Profotos flash gear and accessories are excellent. We’ve never used more reliable, consistent, and powerful flashes that helped to alleviate the pain points we experienced using other systems.

Who is Profoto Equipment Designed For?

In general – the bulk Profoto’s lighting solutions will be best utilized in studio environments. Studio portrait photographers will absolutely love the range of options available to them.

In addition, with the recent release of the Profoto A1 as their first on camera flash choice and a small selection of off camera monolights – it is entirely possible to have suitable choices for work in the field. Most of our own flash photography is conducted outside and in reception halls on wedding days – and our gear combinations has worked really well in this scenario.

Profoto Gear – Buy or Rent?

If you plan to use a piece of equipment regularly, we highly recommend purchasing as it will end up saving you money in the long run. However – we do understand for some people this may be a large commitment, especially given that much of Profoto’s gear runs for thousands (even tens of thousands) of dollars.

We regularly purchase new gear through Amazon because of their flexible money back guarantee and 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime. In the past, we’ve purchased gear that we ended up not liking, and sending it back for a full refund with no hassle. This is one good option if you want your purchase to be guaranteed until you can see the quality first hand.

Additionally – there is also the option to rent Profoto gear to get a taste for it without needing to shell out a huge amount of money upfront. For this – we highly suggest BorrowLenses – an online retailer for photography equipment rentals.

Included in this post will be links to the Profoto gear we are covering to Amazon and BorrowLenses. These are affiliate links – which means we receive a commission if you place an order – but they are also valuable to check out for more product information, product reviews, and more. If you are considering a purchase or rental, please use our links as it helps to support our continued efforts on this website as posts like these are very time consuming. Thank you! 🙂

For Professional Photographers: How to Buy Profoto Gear the Right Way

If you are a professional photographer with an established business (LLC, Corporation, S-Corp, etc.) looking to purchase a Profoto flash – we have found the best way to do this is online using an Amazon Business Account.

This is how we handled purchasing over $30,000 in photography gear over the past few years. An Amazon Business Account is free to sign up for, and gives you perks of business exclusive pricing on some products and provides comprehensive backups of all your orders so there is no worry come tax time to write off your expenses.

The Best Part About Profoto Flashes: AIR

If you’ve already dabbled with cheaper flash systems like those put out by Yongnuo (even Canon/Nikon), and have wanted to use external flashes for off camera shooting – you’ve likely already been familiarized with the need for a transmitter/receiver setup like the Pocketwizard. While this is all totally workable (and we honestly recommend it for beginner photographers wanting to explore flash) – it was also one of the biggest frustrations we had with the gear we once used.

Aside from it not being totally reliable when being used wirelessly, it also required a lot of AA batteries to keep things up and running. For one off camera speedlite, we would need 8 AA batteries (4 for the transmitters, 4 for the speedlite). On a budget, a photographer can live with this – and getting high quality rechargeable batteries for a speedlight is a helpful solution.

But, even when this type of system is working well, it is cumbersome. It was frustrating at times for us when shooting a wedding reception (as an example) and having to constantly be monitoring battery life (among other things going on).

The introduction of the Profoto AIR system into our workflow was nothing short of incredible.

What is Profoto AIR? In a nutshell, is a radio sync system integrated into Profoto’s products. This allows communication between products via radio waves.

Profoto AIR Remotes

There are several options available for remote controlling your Profoto flash(es). These are the baseline products – but do keep in mind that a product like the Profoto A1 (discussed in the next section) have integrated functionality that allows you to control other products as well – so only pick up what you need.

Profoto Air Sync

profoto-air-sync

Features:

  • The world’s fastest system for remote radio sync, fast enough to match a sync cable and sync up to 1/1600s.
  • Small and handy.
  • Sync any Profoto light that is compatible with Air.
  • Sync any flash brand or use it as remote shutter release for most cameras.
  • Unbeaten operating range of 300 m (1,000 ft).
  • 8 digital channels.
  • Approved for worldwide use.

The Profoto Air Sync is a barebones option for wirelessly triggering Profoto flashes. While it does it’s core job just fine – it lacks any valuable features that come with the next products on this list such as TTL, HSS, and even simple settings for controlling flash power.

We would highly recommend if you’re looking at Profoto AIR remote triggers to consider spending an extra $100 to get something that will benefit you more!

Buying options:

Profoto Air Remote

profoto-air-remote

Features:

  • The world’s fastest system for remote radio sync and control, fast enough to match a sync cable and to sync your flash at shutter speeds up to 1/1,600s (if your camera supports it).
  • Small and handy.
  • Sync and manually control any Profoto light that is compatible with Air.
  • Sync any flash brand or use it as remote shutter release for most cameras.
  • Long operating range of 300 m (1,000 ft).
  • 8 digital channels.
  • Controls up to 6 groups of lights on each channel.
  • Approved for worldwide use.

The Profoto AIR remote is the proper baseline entry (in our opinion) into the world of AIR. It can be attached to your camera’s hotshoe, and from there gives you manual control over your external flash settings.

In our opinion, this is not a preferred solution because of the limitation of only being able to shoot your flash in manual. Very few photographers – even the most experienced professionals – do not won’t total control over their flash settings in 100% of environments. The next product is much more enticing for this reason…

Buying Options:

Profoto Air Remote TTL

profoto-air-remote-ttl

Features:

  • Attach to your camera’s hot shoe to wirelessly connect camera and AirTTL light into one.
  • Shoot in TTL Mode for fully automatic point-and-shoot shots.
  • Shoot in HSS Mode to shape light in broad daylight.
  • Switch from TTL Mode to Manual Mode with the automated TTL settings intact – a huge time saver.
  • Sync and manually control any Profoto light that is compatible with Air.
  • Intuitive and easy to use user interface.
  • Long operating range of up to 300 m (1,000 ft).
  • 8 digital channels.
  • Controls up to 3 groups of lights on each channel.
  • USB port for firmware upgrades.
  • Approved for worldwide use.

The Profoto AIR Remote TTL takes the baseline of the prior option and adds the ability to shoot in TTL and High Speed Sync (HSS) modes. These are both significant improvements – and features that offer really tangible benefits for any shooter.

Much of the time in our hectic shooting days where we may find ourselves moving around from area to area, using Profoto’s TTL technology to allow the flash to automatically set itself is really the best option available to us. This is surprisingly consistent, which is not something we can say for all flash gear brands offering TTL, and is one of the big reasons why we continue to recommend and like Profoto products.

We’d be wrong to not mention the HSS functionality as well. If you are not familar, High Speed Sync allows you to set your shutter speed higher than 200 (on most camera models). Why would you want to do this? Easy – it allows you to fire your flash to illuminate a subject while retaining some of the ambient light in the environment. HSS also allows you to overpower the sun for evenly exposed images taken outside when it’s very bright (like during mid-day).

Buying Options:

Rental options:

Profoto Connect

profoto-connect

Features:

  • Button-free trigger for all Profoto AirTTL lights
  • Attach to your camera’s hot shoe to wirelessly connect camera and light
  • Three settings: Auto, manual and off. Auto mode: Point and shoot with automatic flash power. Manual mode: Fine-tune the flash settings.
  • Small, lightweight and minimalistic design
  • Smart connectivity with the Profoto app (compatible with iPhone 7 or newer)
  • Built-in rechargeable LiPo battery – 30h battery life

The Profoto Connect is an interesting trigger that has been designed for more simplistic flash photography work. Unlike the more traditional Air remotes we’ve covered, this comes equipped with just a few settings on the device itself. Most adjustments you can make will be through a phone application – which might just make it more suitable for impromptu shoots you might have as a travel or street photographer.

Buying Options:

Profoto On Camera Flashes

Despite Profoto being in the flash photography space for quite some time, it was only in 2018 that they release their first on camera flash option. In our opinion, this ended up being a real turning point for the brand – finally making a product ready for more than just big budget professionals. Let’s talk about it!

Profoto A1 Flash

profoto-a1-flash

Features:

  • Round head with soft, smooth and natural fall off.
  • AirTTL and HSS for a beautiful professional image fast.
  • Smart magnetic click-on mount for A1 Light Shaping Tools.
  • Dedicated A1 Light Shaping Tools available.
  • LED modeling light integrated to the head.
  • Air Remote built-in.
  • Rechargeable and exchangeable Li-Ion battery.
  • 1.2s recycling time.
  • TTL/MAN switch.
  • Built in motor-zoom with hand control.
  • Auto focus (AF) assist.
  • Large Hi-Res display.

The Profoto A1 flash was our entry into Profoto’s flash system. Around mid-2017, we found ourselves very frustrated by how our previous flashes were working. This was causing a lot of our stress as we really needed something with a higher level of performance to handle wedding days – which can often be very stressful shooting environments on their own.

After watching an introductory promotional video on the A1 – we were really interested in what it had to offer.

After some reviews started to come out, we ended up shelling out the $1,000 to see how it would work for us. We have been extremely pleased with it’s performance, and continue to use our A1’s regularly for studio, portrait, and wedding work.

Today – the Profoto A1 has dropped in price since the release of the A1X. Now really is a great time to buy this as it’s accessible for serious hobbyists who want to use a great on camera flash, and an excellent choice for professional photographers like ourselves. 

For more on the Profoto A1 – check out our review.

Profoto A1 Accessories:

  • Grid Kit
  • Dome Diffuser
  • Bounce Card
  • Wide Lens
  • Gel Kit
  • Soft Bounce
  • Li-Ion Battery for A1

Buying Options:

Rental options:

Profoto A1X Flash

profoto-a1x

Features:

  • Round head with soft, smooth and natural fall off.
  • AirTTL and HSS for a beautiful professional image fast.
  • Smart magnetic click-on mount (patent pending) for A1X Light Shaping Tools.
  • Dedicated A1X Light Shaping Tools available.
  • LED modeling light integrated to the head.
  • Air Remote built-in.
  • Rechargeable and exchangeable Li-Ion battery.
  • 450 full power flashes per charge.
  • 1.0s recycling time.
  • TTL/MAN switch.
  • Built in motor-zoom with manual control.
  • Auto focus (AF) assist.

We wrote in our comparison of the Profoto A1 vs. Profoto A1X that the Profoto A1X feels like an unnecessary upgrade of the original – and we hold firm to that opinion.

At face value – the A1X is extremely similar to the original A1 with some minor upgrades that end up being fairly inconsequential. If it was a total replacement – it would make sense to us. But – this is being sold as an entirely separate product at about $400 more than the first generation A1 – making it not worth the extra cost in our opinion.

The only area the Profoto A1X flash really shines is that it is usable on Sony cameras, whereas the original Profoto A1 is not. If you shoot on a Sony camera and want to experience the power of the A1 – this is your best (and only) option!

Profoto A1X Accessories:

  • Grid Kit
  • Dome Diffuser
  • Bounce Card
  • Wide Lens
  • Gel Kit
  • Soft Bounce
  • Li-Ion Battery for A1X

 Buying Options:

Rental Options:

For more about the Profoto A1X flash and how it compares to the original A1, read our post – Profoto A1 vs. Profoto A1X.

Profoto Off Camera Flashes

Profoto’s off camera flashes are designed to pack a punch. These are powerful lights that can be used to even overpower the sunlight – allowing for portrait images taken during harsh lighting to expose for both the subject AND the sky. The use of these devices is virtually unlimited – and you can utilize the products together for multi-flash setups.

Profoto B1X Flash

profoto-b1x-flash

Features:

  • Shoot with AirTTL or manual mode and connect wirelessly with other AirTTL flashes.
  • Cordless design and wireless controls allows you to shoot without any restraints.
  • 10 times as powerful as the average speedlight, with 500Ws adjustable in 1/10 f-stop increments over a 9 f-stop power range.
  • Quickly exchangeable and rechargeable Li-Ion battery provides up to 325 full-power flashes and tens of thousands at lowest power.
  • Fires up to 20 flashes per second, with flash durations of up to 1/19,000s and fast recycling times of 0.05-1.9s.
  • Control ambient light with HSS and create crisp images without motion blur at shutter speeds up to 1/8,000s.
  • Can be wirelessly controlled from up to a 300 m range with any optional Air Remote
  • Powerful and dimmable LED modeling light makes the set-up easy and can also be easily blended with natural light in low light situations.
  • Delivers superior control and quality of light with its built-in reflector.
  • Simple, intuitive user interface with large, high-resolution display.
  • Compatible with our compact, lightweight OCF Light Shaping Tools and 120+ of Profoto’s wide range of light shapers.

The Profoto B1X is an incredible off camera flash that can really be used in any situation. It is the replacement for the original (and now discontinued) Profoto B1 model – and simply builds on the original’s quality.

For it’s size, it is surprisingly lightweight and durable – making it a great option if you are consistently on the road or need to shoot on location. We have dropped this thing a few times, and it’s survived!

It comes well secured in a nice carrying bag, and includes a cover for the front glass, which itself serves as a natural diffuser for the light.

Most importantly – the quality of the light outputted is very high. We regularly bounce it off of walls and ceilings to illuminate dark spaces to great effect. Seeing it in action outside, though, is really an amazing thing as it is powerful and capable of overpowering the sun.

No doubt, this is a pricey addition to our photography gear chest, but the value its provided us has been very high. If you need a powerful OCF, this is a great choice for sure.

Buying options:

Rental options:

Profoto B2 Flash

profoto-b2

Features:

  • Shoot with AirTTL or manual mode and connect wirelessly with other AirTTL flashes.
  • 5 times as powerful as the average speedlight, with 250Ws over a 9 f-stop power range.
  • Integrated, rechargeable Li-Ion battery provides up to 215 flashes at full power and tens of thousands at lowest power.
  • Fires up to 20 flashes per second, with flash durations of up to 1/15,000s and fast recycling times of 0.05-1.35s.
  • Control ambient light with HSS and create crisp images without motion blurs at shutter speeds up to 1/8,000s.
  • Can be wirelessly controlled from up to a 300 m range with any optional Air Remote.
  • Delivers superior control and quality of light with its built-in reflector and 9W LED modeling light.
  • The head has a detachable stand mount and the pack has 2 fully asymmetrical outlets.
  • Simple, intuitive user interface with large, high-resolution display.
  • Compatible with our compact, lightweight OCF Light Shaping Tools and 120+ of Profoto’s wide range of light shapers.

The Profoto B2 flash unit is heavily intended for mobile flash photography. At first glimpse, it is actually a little confusing of a product because the actual power is being supplied from this:

profoto-b2-flash-unit

As you can see in the image above, there are two lids that flip open, allowing you to plug-in the Profoto B2 flash heads.

While you can buy the unit and heads separately, any user is really going to want to go with the Profoto B2 “To Go” Kit – which includes the hub unit and a single flash head.

From what we have gathered from reviews posted online, the B2 unit is a solid little flash. One user specifically identified it as being great, even when compared with the B1X, for “impromptu and mobile” applications. For an extremely lightweight and portable choice that still is quite powerful – we see this as being a good option for a very niche group of traveling portrait photographers. In a hurry, we could see this easily being utilized as a flash you can hold in one hand, while holding your camera and shooting with the other in a style reminiscent to 1940’s photographers.

Where we get hung up most is the price point. Coming in at roughly the same cost as the Profoto B1X – we’d expect most photographers considering a purchase of Profoto products in general to want to invest their money in the one that packs more of a punch and is still suitable for most traveling situations – that being the B1X as we’ve already mentioned.

Still – we will let you be the judge. What do you think about the Profoto B2 compared to the Profoto B1X?

Buying options:

Rental Options:

Profoto B10 Flash

profoto-b10-flash

Features:

  • Size and shape of a camera lens
  • Lightweight and cordless
  • Has the flash power of 5 speedlights
  • Continuous light with adjustable brightness and color temperature
  • Flexibility to set up on camera tripods or light stands
  • Compatibility with 120+ Profoto light shaping tools including the OCF range
  • Compatibility with all Profoto Air remotes, including the Profoto A1/A1X
  • Smart connectivity with the Profoto app

The Profoto B10 flash is one of the most recent additions to the Profoto product line. It essentially takes what is great about the Profoto B1X (power, durability) and combines it with the good aspects of the Profoto B2 (mobility, lightweight). The end result is a really rather stunning flash that is extremely portable, yet very powerful.

Some of the modern touches like being able to control settings remotely with the phone app is a cool extra option that may benefit some photographers – especially for more unplanned shoots.

The Profoto B1 is at a very enticing price point as well – coming in as one of the most affordable in-production off camera flashes by this brand available today.

Buying options:

Rental options:

Profoto B10 Flash Plus

profoto-b10-plus-flash

Features:

  • Size and shape of a camera lens
  • Lightweight and cordless
  • Has the flash power of 10 speedlights
  • Continuous light with adjustable brightness and color temperature
  • Flexibility to set up on camera tripods or light stands
  • Compatibility with 120+ Profoto light shaping tools including the OCF range
  • Compatibility with all Profoto Air remotes, including the Profoto A1/A1X
  • Smart connectivity with the Profoto app

The Profoto B10 Plus flash is actually the exact same product as the other B10 option – however it outputs more flash power. According to the product description, the B10 Plus “has the flash power of 10 speedlights” vs. the B10’s “flash power of 5 speedlights.”

If you need a higher powered flash, the B10 Plus will suite your needs. To be honest, though, for most shoots – we’d image that the plain ol’ B10 will work just fine!

Buying options:

Profoto D1 Flash

profoto-d1-flash

Features:

  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Reliable, durable and tough.
  • Delivers 250, 500 and 1000Ws over a 7 f-stop power range adjustable in 1/10 f-stop steps.
  • Short flash duration even on high power settings.
  • Can be wirelessly controlled from up to a 300 m range with any optional Air Remote.
  • Delivers superior control and quality of light with its built-in reflector.
  • Simple, intuitive user interface.
  • Compatible with 120+ Profoto light shaping tools.

The Profoto D1 flash is an excellent off camera flash for work in more controlled environments. The reason for this is because it is not operated by a battery like the Profoto B1X – which will for some be an issue given its spec list is quite comparable. If you are working in a space with access to an outlet, such as a wedding reception hall, this could also be useable – maybe even preferable for some considering it is a powerful machine and a little cheaper than the B1X alternative (by about $500 at the time of this writing).

For sure – we see no glaring problems with the D1. Because we have the B1X ourselves, we see no reason to have it in our kit specifically, but for those who would benefit from this type of light working off a powered wire connection – it’s a great option.

Buying options:

Rental options:

Profoto D2 Flash

profoto-d2-flash

Features:

  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Freeze the moment with flash durations up to 1/63,000s.
  • Capture the action with super quick bursts up to 20 flashes per second.
  • Shoot with AirTTL or manual mode and connect wirelessly with other Profoto Air flashes.
  • Enjoy precision and control over a 10 f-stop power range available in 500Ws and 1000Ws.
  • Control ambient light with HSS and create crisp images without motion blur at shutter speeds up to 1/8,000s.
  • Delivers superior control and quality of light with its built-in reflector and 300W Halogen modeling light.
  • Can be wirelessly controlled from up to a 300 m range with any optional Air Remote.
  • Simple, intuitive user interface with large, high-resolution display.
  • Optional Quartz flashtube for high volume packshot available.
  • Compatible with 120+ Profoto light shaping tools.

The Profoto D2 flash is a specialty product created with the “world’s fastest flash speed” – making it the ultimate solution for taking photos of moving subjects in dark environments requiring the boost of light. With the D2, you are able to take up to 20 flashes per second. Read that again!

Off the top of our heads, a flash like this would be ideal for photographing high intensity sports like MMA, ballet dancing, and so on – all of which tend to take place in less-than-perfect lighting environments yet have a lot of rapid movement. Photographers needing to capture the moment that may be there, then gone in a milli-second, need high performing gear like this.

As you can guess from our description so far – if you don’t need an insanely fast flash (as we expect most photographers won’t), you would certainly do fine with the D1 or B1X options – both of which are more cost effective and have more beneficial features list for the average photographer out there.

Buying options:

Rental options:

Profoto Studio Lights & Flashes

Profoto really got their start by producing high quality flashes meant for indoor studio work. The products in this niche are particularly evolved to keep up with the requirements of professional studio photographers.

If you’re unfamilar with Profoto’s studio light system, the actual lights (called “heads”) are attached into a flash unit (called “packs”) which provide an ability to toggle settings and power the heads. While a little cumbersome compared to most of the flash options we covered in the early sections of this post, it is the only way to produce the seriously high power that photographers of this caliber would be looking for. This extra boost in power allows for things like taking a whole lot of photos in rapid succession, freezing motion, and more.

Profoto Pro 10 Flash Pack

profoto-pro-10-flash

Features:

  • Delivers 2400Ws with precision and control over an 11 f-stop power range in 1/10 f-stop increment on two outlets.
  • Freeze the moment with flash durations up to 1/80,000s.
  • Capture the action with super quick bursts up to 50 flashes per second.
  • Shoot with AirTTL or manual mode and connect wirelessly with other AirTTL flashes.
  • Control ambient light with HSS and get create crisp images without motion blur at shutter speeds up to 1/8,000s.
  • Can be wirelessly controlled from up to a 300 m range with any optional Air Remote.
  • Durable and built to shoot at high volumes with incredible color consistency and reliability.
  • Simple, intuitive user interface with large, high-resolution display.
  • Compatible with 9 different flash heads and 120+ Profoto Light Shaping Tools.

One of our goals with this website is to provide insight into photography gear without overly relying on specs and feature lists, instead exchanging that information for trying to articulate how a piece of gear might benefit you. In the case of the Profoto Pro 10 Flash Pack – it’s very difficult to separate these two things.

The Profoto Pro 10 is the ultimate workhorse designed for elite photographers that need the ability to take large volumes of images in quick succession. The best applications would be in the world of model portraits, runway shows, and fine art photography where having the ability to select the best image out of a bunch taken in micro-seconds worth of time difference. As noted in the features list – this flash has the ability to allow 50 flashes per second, which translates into a rapid burst of images at the same rate.

The incredible power of the Profoto Pro 10 flash is paired with a steep price tag of just under $15,000 for the unit itself – you have to buy the actual flash head separately (we talk about these below). If ever there was a time where Profoto was selling gear specifically to professionals with a niche need – this is it.

We have not had the opportunity to go hands on with the Pro 10 – but after watching a video on it, it looks as incredible as it sounds. Check it out:

[penci_video url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K860a2tDKWE” align=”center” width=”” /]

Buying options:

Profoto ProHead Plus

profoto-prohead-plus

Features:

  • Superior performance in a tough and compact casing
  • “Perfect Arc” flash tube included – a heavy-duty quartz flash tube that guarantees perfect light and maximizes its lifetime.
  • Very safe to use thanks to the extra thick UV reducing glass cover and sealed Arc-proof connector.
  • Temperature controlled fan keeps head and accessories cool even during excessive use.
  • Compatible with 120+ of Profoto light shaping tools.
  • Profoto Zoom Reflector included – a classic and highly versatile tool that has served photographers all over the world for more than four decades.

The Profoto ProHead Plus is the “standard” head to go along with the Profoto studio packs like the Pro 10 we talked about above. This flash includes the Profoto Zoom Reflector – allowing you to take full control of the light shaping capabilities by simply sliding the reflector back-and-forth on the head.

Buying options:

Profoto ProTwin Head

profoto-protwin-head

Features:

  • Superior performance in a tough and compact casing.
  • Dual heavy-duty quartz flashtube delivers up to 9,600Ws of light.
  • Very safe to use thanks to the UV reducing glass cover and Arc-proof connector.
  • Temperature controlled fan keeps head and accessories cool even during excessive use.
  • Compatible with 120+ Profoto light shaping tools.
  • Profoto Magnum Reflector included – a reflector that maximizes the light output while maintaining a smooth light spread.

The Profoto ProTwin Head packs a punch with 9,600 watts of light being outputted. For us with the D4 or Pro 10, this can be plugged in to one unit to halve the flash duration or be plugged into two units to get twice the power and twice the recycling speed.

Profoto Pro-B Twin Head

profoto-pro-b-head-plus

Features:

  • Superior performance in a tough and compact casing.
  • “Perfect Arc” flash tube included – a heavy-duty quartz flash tube that guarantees perfect light and maximizes its lifetime.
  • Very safe to use thanks to the extra thick UV reducing glass cover and sealed arc-proof connector.
  • Compatible with 120+ Profoto light shaping tools.
  • Profoto Disc Reflector or Profoto Zoom Reflector included.

The Profoto Pro-B Twin Head is very similar to the ProHead – but is smaller, more lightweight, and has a less powerful modeling light. This will be suitable for most studio work that could be thrown at you – but is a particularly good option if you need a powerful light while on location.

Profoto Pro Ring Plus

profoto-proring-plus

Features:

  • Can either be mounted on a stand or directly on the camera.
  • Creates a direct light without harshness.
  • Creates an inimitable catch light.
  • UV reduced flashtube and Arc-proof connector.
  • Designed to withstand years of heavy-duty use.
  • Compatible with a number of dedicated light shaping tools.

The Profoto Pro Ring Plus takes the idea of direct light that you may be exposed to from a simple on camera flash and upgrades the technology to a point where you can create direct light without the harshness. This makes it a great choice for fashion photographers who want vivid and well lit shots that still have a certain softness to them to showcase models at their best.

Profoto Pro Ring 2 Plus

profoto-proring-2-plus

Features:

  • Can either be mounted on a stand or directly on the camera.
  • Creates a direct light without harshness.
  • Creates an inimitable catch light.
  • UV reduced flashtube and Arc-proof connector.
  • Powerful 200W modeling light.
  • Temperature controlled fan keeps head and accessories cool during heavy-duty use.
  • Designed to withstand years of heavy-duty use.
  • Compatible with a number of dedicated light shaping tools.

The Profoto Pro Ring 2 Plus is an upgraded model of the Pro Ring. The built in fan and modeling light give another option for in studio photography needing the same great direct lighting without harshness.

Profoto StripLight

profoto-striplight

Features:

  • Provides a long light source.
  • Creates perfectly even highlights with razor sharp outlines.
  • Can be stacked together to create even longer light sources.
  • Built-in fan allows continuous use.
  • Capable of producing large quantities of images at a high rate.
  • Powerful modeling light.
  • Can be used with both Pro and D4 packs.

The Profoto StripLight is a continuous light source similar to what you would find in the light used by videographers and cinematographers. While we actively use continuous lighting in the form of a light wand like this, the fact that it is a steady beam of light is about all it has in common with Profoto’s product. The Profoto Striplight is designed specifically for pro portrait work – and the output at 120V will allow enough light to be cast on the subject so you can take effective and sharp images.

Profoto MultiSpot

profoto-multispot

Features:

  • Small and lightweight.
  • Frosted, removable 80 mm/3” Fresnel lens.
  • The light spread can be adjusted from 10-40°.
  • Optional clear Fresnel lens available for faster light fall-off and more character.
  • Optional Dedolight® attachment available for projecting sharp gobos, patterns and pin spots.
  • Built-in fan allows continuous use.
  • Powerful modeling light.
  • Can be used with both Pro and D4 packs.
  • Integrated support for filters and optional barndoors.

The Profoto Multispot can be used as a simple spotlight, or adjusted in the context of your subject – be it a person, food, fashion, etc. to create some interesting and dynamic light. It is definitely one of the more intriguing studio lights in Profoto’s collection of products that are currently available.

If your unfamiliar with spot lights and how they can influence your shot, check out the video below.

Please note: he does not use this specific light equipment (as we could not find a video with the matching product being used illustrating this well), but it can show you what you could expect from the light!

[penci_video url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07IAdDLnDhw” align=”center” width=”” /]

Off Camera Flash (OFC) Accessories

Profoto has a wide range of accessories that can be used to augment the light being released from their off camera and studio flashes. While Profoto does have an immense selection of accessories – over 120+ based on the details provided on their website – we have selected the most interesting of the bunch to present here.

Most of the OCF accessories here are going to be best suited for studio photography – so portraits, fashion/modeling, food, product, and similar. These accessories work best under the precision of a great photographer who can arrange the lights appropriately to get a really powerful shot.

In some cases, such as the Profoto umbrellas and gel kits, these have a wider range of applications. We regularly use an umbrella with our Profoto B1X to diffuse and disperse light more evenly in dance halls. Gels allow you to match the flash with ambient light in the environment – which makes for a great way to get balanced colors in camera. We regularly use gels when shooting indoor photos where it’s important to have really balanced skin tones.

Please check out any of the accessories below that sound like they may be interesting to you. These links will take you to their respective Amazon product page where you can read more details and see user reviews.

Conclusion

Profoto is a reputable brand name in the photography industry that specializes in producing high quality flashes and studio lighting. Their gear is often associated with some of the best photographers in the industry – covering a range of niches from portraits and weddings to fashion, fine art, and product photography.

We decided to upgrade to Profoto equipment from more inexpensive flash options because we needed something better. We now use Profoto flash gear exclusively – and it has been consistently reliable and high performing even under the constant strain we put it through for portraits and wedding photography.

Chris Romans

Chris Romans is a photographer, educator, and the creator of Formed From Light, a resource for photographers who want to build stronger creative skills, better business systems, and more sustainable photography businesses. With over 10 years of professional experience as a wedding and portrait photographer, Chris brings a practical, real-world perspective to topics like client communication, photography workflows, business strategy, gear, editing, and creative development. He also co-owns Hand and Arrow Photography with his wife, Jes, where they have photographed hundreds of weddings, elopements, and portrait sessions throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and beyond.

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