We are strange creatures, photographers. We chase light with black boxes and produce it artificially from containers of the same shade. Even the manufacturers of the gear that will be used to produce blinding white flashes and record every colour in the spectrum...pack it in black boxes. At least we can be grateful that they make it...and that they have finally shipped it to Camera Electronic.
And I have proof - I saw the boxes. Lordy, I hope there was something in them, or I am going to look mighty foolish...
Well assuming there is, what it will be is the
Profoto B1x - a new and improved version of the Profoto B1 - the battery-powered monolight that takes the Profoto studio light out into the open air - and away from mains power points.
The literature of the
B1x lists the following features:
- TTL or manual flash - and a suitably sophisticated AIR transmitter for your camera to control it all.
- High speed synch up to 1/8000 of a second.
- 1/19,000 second freeze mode.
- 24w LED modelling light - equivalent to 130 w halogen.
- 325 full flashes per battery charge.
- Full Profoto light shaper facility - add on what you use in the studio right now.
- Standardised stand and support connections.
These are the lights that outstanding location photographers aspire to. If they already use any of the Profoto studio monolights or pack units they are well on their way to having the light shapers for this sort of work. What they do in-house can now be done in the open air.
Note: a recent recall of some Profoto batteries should not be a problem - replacements are bound to be on the way.
Click
here to see more information on the Profoto B1X kit.
