Profoto D1 Compacts are here

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Archive 2009 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

williamcarter
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p.3 #1 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

Thanks!

Mar 18, 2009 at 08:17 PM

Gareth Walker
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p.3 #2 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

I'm not sure what you guys are seeing in the D1 that makes you think they are such a good light other than the Profoto branding!

How on earth you can consider a product to be so fantastic when the dealer network and Profoto themselves can't answer some simple but very important questions about the design of the light is beyond me. I for one don't consider any product an option that requires the purchase and attachment of additional lenses/diffusers to enable it to work sucsessfully with some of the most widely used and basic of light modifiers available.

From experience, I could put money on these lens/diffusers will be the things that drop off the light or get smashed on location potentially causing difficulty on already stressful shoots.

Really for the money its just unbelievable and there are much better designed lights on the market than these things.

Mar 18, 2009 at 11:16 PM

rudiphoto
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p.3 #3 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

It is a little perplexing how a company like Profoto can get one product completely right (their packs), and a very similar product, like their monoblocs, so completely wrong! A 77-degree built-in reflector? WTF??

Mar 18, 2009 at 11:45 PM

williamcarter
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p.3 #4 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

Putting aside for the moment the issue of the 77 degree spread with the built-in reflector, could someone suggest the advantages of a Profoto powerpack with heads versus the D1 monolights? I don't mean monolights v. packs generally, I'm already familiar with that debate. I'm considering selling my D4 2400R pack and its two heads, keeping all my Profoto modifiers, and replacing the D4 pack with a D1 500 Air monolight system (two or three monolights). I figure that with Air monolights, I'd get both the primary benefit of a pack (the ability to control the lights from a central location rather than by each individual head) and the convenience of monolights (overall lighter weight and portability, ability to use with something like a Vagabond, easier to position in different ways (because I can use extension cords on the monolights rather than the very expensive profoto head extension cables), etc. The recycling time on the D1s may not be as good as on the D4 powerpack, but at less than 1 second to recycle at full power, it's fine for how I'd be using them (portraits and fashion shooting). Overall power isn't really an issue for me -- with my D4 pack, I almost always have the power turned all the way down given where I position th beauty dish and softbox (fairly close to the subject). In fact, even turned all the way down, I still sometimes can't get open to an aperture wider than f8. I'd sometimes like to get a really wide aperture with strobe shooting.

So: what would I be giving up by switching to the D500 Air monolights?

Mar 19, 2009 at 02:31 AM

MSC
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p.3 #5 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

Dang, nice lights!

Mar 19, 2009 at 04:29 AM

Carmen Miranda
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p.3 #6 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

William,

I have been using Elinchrom's RX system, including both packs and monolights, for a number of years. I can confirm what you already suspect; there are some distinct advantages to extending the scalability of your system by incorporating monolights into it. This is especially true if all your lights, packs or monolights, can be controlled from the camera or hand held transmitter. The new Air system looks very similar to the Skyport RX, which delivers very nicely on this functionality. However I'm not sure if the D4 2400R has Air capability. If Air could be incorporated into your current system, I wouldn't hesitate to add a D1 500 Air. If not, then you may have to rethink. It would certainly be a pity if you couldn't.

I think a lot of PF folks are going to wish they had Air instead of PW once they realize how well this functionality works and how nicely it can integrate auxillary monolights into their current state of the art pack systems.

I certainly was one to poo poo it all until I got my first taste.

Good luck.

Warning to all PF users:
If you can't or don't want to upgrade your entire systems, DO NOT use, demo or rent the Air system and repeat after me..... I love my PW's, they've never let me down; I love my PW's, and they trigger my meter too; I love my PW's, but I have so much invested in them, I love my PW's.......really I do.

Mar 19, 2009 at 05:17 AM

OlivChauvignat
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p.3 #7 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

William

You must verify that the lenght of the light (what is the term for french "eclair" ?), the duration of the light, is not too long. Because you will have some problems of "move" on the picture.

I have this problem with my Acute B600/R when I use it as main light. Il I Use my ProB2/R, I don't have this problem.

Maybe you have ths problem with you D4...

I want to buy a Pro8a for frontal and main light. And to do secondary lights with D1.

If you want to see pictures of what I am talking about, I can post some.

Mar 19, 2009 at 09:22 AM

OlivChauvignat
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p.3 #8 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

Another way to trigger an Air System with you meter/PW

- You put your pack (acute, prob2) and de lamp head directed out of the scene, minimal power...
- You put one of the D1 into slave mode

or

- You put a PW Receiver plugged int a D1 unit...

Mar 19, 2009 at 09:28 AM

rico
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p.3 #9 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

The D4 is not Air capable, but direct D4/D1 comparison is tricky. The D4 has a USB port and is designed for studio-wide control from a PC (console software included). A laptop and wireless USB hardware (from third parties) should outmatch Air - with a cost and weight penalty, of course.

Mar 20, 2009 at 03:24 AM

OlivChauvignat
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p.3 #10 · Profoto D1 Compacts are here

you can control D1 with a laptop, Profoto Studio and Air USB wireless device

Mar 20, 2009 at 07:43 AM


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