I’ve been using strobes for about 3 years. As a photography student at BYU, I was lucky to have access to Profoto strobes and power packs to use. When I graduated, I knew I needed good quality lights to continue my career as a photographer. Although I can rent equipment as needed from camera shops such as Allen’s Camera and Pictureline, I knew having a basic lighting kit would help me better serve my clients, and would make my life WAY easier. I did plenty of research, and found the profoto b10 fit my needs just about perfectly.
Why Profoto?
I’ve used several different lighting brands – from alien bees, to broncolor, and more – and Profoto is by far my favorite brand. Although they are more expensive than other brands, I find the quality, consistency, and ease of use by far makes up for the price point. They are extremely durable and will last for years and years, and emit high quality, consistent light that’s crucial when working as a commercial photographer.
What I Love about the Profoto B10
Size
Compared to other lights I’ve used, this strobe is tiny! I was surprised when I opened up the package and picked it up. It’s about the same size as a 70-200 mm lens, which makes it incredibly easy to pack into my camera bag. It’s small, light, and a breeze to carry on location.
Ease of Use
The lights are so simple and easy to use. The screen display is sleek and intuitive. When the strobe is high up on a C stand, there is also an app you can use on your phone to change the settings on your light. You can easily increase or decrease the power straight from your phone – no hassling with lowering and raising the light again.
The app also has a neat setting where you can take a photo on your phone and it will trigger the light. This makes behind the scenes photos really fun!
Battery Power
The battery power lasts a decent amount of time – around 400 full power flashes, which for me can be a couple hour photoshoot. The deal maker for me was being able to charge the battery while you’re using the lights. I do a lot of work in studio, which can sometimes be 8 or 10 hour days. I never have to worry about running out of battery indoors again – I can simply plug in the light while I’m using it, and continue using it for hours. The charger cord isn’t very long, but I bought a large extension cord for my gear pack, and it’s worked great.
Continuous Light
Another feature I love is the ability to use a decently strong continuous light. I can adjust the temperature of the modeling light, making it very warm or very cool. I can also adjust the brightness, making it lighter or darker as needed. This is helpful in making small videos and being able to see how the light is interacting with my subject in live view.
Overall, I love using my B10. Profoto is a fantastic brand, and I look forward to many years of use with my lights. Have questions? Feel free to contact me here!
Here are some images I’ve taken with the B10:
