p.1 #1 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
Okay I’m a working a Pro with over 40 years as a commercial photographer. I know a ton about lighting. That’s not the issue
Bottom line I’m not a rookie just trying to go back to Profoto. I know makes zero financial sense so it’s NOT about saving money.
Okay I said that so you know I’m no rookie here but a experienced Pro.
I have two scenarios I’d like to do. First I have 2 AD 400 Pro units but I’d really like to sell them and get 2 B10 units. From what I can tell there basic all equal with power and Godox rated at 400 and B10 at 250 watts. Now before we go further this same crap has been going on for decades. Extremely bad OEM info marketing slant. Seems to always over rate these power settings. Anyway was watching a test and they are equal at power. Problem here is 2 units are about 3400 in B2 and 1500 in a Godox. I like the AD 400 but I like the Profotos better from what I can tell.
I’m heading to NY next week for several weeks so I’ll go into BH and visually check everything out and such.
This idea has not sunk in yet if I should do it
But here is more my dilemma. Right now I have 2 AD200 with every acessories they make round heads, bare tube , fresnel so the works.
Now I bought a Profoto A1x as the Godox 860 was just okay but I love this A1x. Now I’m thinking of selling all my AD200 stuff and getting another A1x instead. That give me two A1x and I can use them together like I do with the AD200.
Okay sell everything I still got to add money . Basically sell 2 for 1 and add money. Sounds stupid I know
Here is my biggest issue here the Godox says 200 watts and the Profoto says 76 watts. Now I’ve been around long enough and owned many of Profoto gear. I’m one of those guys that will use 25 lights to shoot a commercial jet in a hangar. Or 14 lights to light a motorcycle. But I know profoto always seems to be accurate on power ratings. Godox who knows. I have both here so I could compare them. But let’s say it is 200 minus 76 equals in my brain about 1.3 stops more power.
Question is has any one actually tested a Ad200 against a A1.
My other dilemma is remotes. I figure when at least for now with 2 AD400 and 2 A1x units I see the A1x has IR in the menu and I’m sure the AD 400 I can set for optical slave. So I might be able to use either my Godox transmitter or my A1x transmitter for now.
Okay need some thoughts. Yes financially makes little sense but this is not about the money.
p.1 #2 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
It gets tiring when people criticize Profoto in regards to price in comparison to Godox when the companies are coming from very different situations and business models, but if you want to compare specs alone it is something of an uphill battle for Profoto in many regards now.
I think you're quite a bit off on your output comparisons though, the A1 is nothing special in output, its advantage is that it will fire continuously longer than a Godox speedlite.
The new B10 Plus is very likely a better comparison with the AD400 Pro for output.
p.1 #3 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
No I think you missed that I do want to sell my Godox AD400 and get the B10 units to replace they are actually the same power output. I replaced my AD200with the A1x though. Just bought a second one
So for now I will run 2 Ad400pros and 2 Profoto A1x. The godox has optical slave built in so when I need all 4 units I can just trigger the A1x . Mostly headshots I would use the Godox for main and fill and A1x for hair and background lights . At least until I get enough money to get the B10 units I can get by for a little bit
p.1 #4 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
A1X should work fine as a hair/rim light assuming you’re just zooming the head or gridding. In a softbox or umbrella you’re losing 1-2 stops and it gets hard to compete with your key and typical studio exposure settings (assuming you’re at around 1/250 SS, f5.6, iso 100).
Have used/owned the ad200, b10 and a1, and the a1 is about 1-1.5 stops less powerful at full power in real world situations than the ad200. The B10 bare bulb (not exactly true as it has a built in reflector) for whatever reason is more powerful than the ad200 in bare bulb with mini reflector than the 50ws difference would suggest, perhaps because the reflector plus omega shaped bulb is more efficient.
After picking up a few b10s I quickly realized how superior they are to the ad200s in almost every way and have since sold all but one trigger of my old Godox kit, and am all profoto now (3 b10s, 1 b2, 2 b1s) and plan on adding 1-2 a1x speedlites at some point but not in a hurry as I don’t do a ton of event work anymore. The modeling lights in the b10 are far stronger than the ones in the b1 and b2, and make them much easier to position for more precise lighting. My only real gripes about the b10 are: 1) the tightening knob on the stand bracket can be a little fiddly and sometimes I think I’ve tightened it enough but it’s just a notch too loose 2) charger ac cord is laughably short - have replaced with 15 ft ones from amazon that work perfectly especially when boomed high and 3) you can’t turn them on with the trigger or app - which to be fair no strobe is capable of (to be clear I don’t mean putting the strobes in standby), but when you just had your assistant run a light boomed high on a 12 ft stand on the other side of the studio you have to bring it all down to turn it on (def advantage of the pack and head b2, which is why I decided to keep one.
If I didn’t occasionally need more power, I’d get rid of the b1s but if you’re ok with 250 ws the B10/A1X combo is a dream for photographers that travel or do a lot of location work.
As for triggers, I generally travel with one air ttl trigger and one air trigger. The air ttl triggers are nicer but eat batteries much faster. The older air triggers last a lot longer battery wise, and can be used as receivers as well, which is a nice backup.
p.1 #5 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
GMPhotography wrote:
No I think you missed that I do want to sell my Godox AD400 and get the B10 units to replace they are actually the same power output. I replaced my AD200with the A1x though. Just bought a second one
So for now I will run 2 Ad400pros and 2 Profoto A1x. The godox has optical slave built in so when I need all 4 units I can just trigger the A1x . Mostly headshots I would use the Godox for main and fill and A1x for hair and background lights . At least until I get enough money to get the B10 units I can get by for a little bit ...Show more →
Sorry no I didn't miss what you're looking to do, I'm just saying I think your output expectations are off.
The Godox speedlites are pretty much the same output as the A1. The round head V1 is almost identical.
And from what I have seen the B10 does not match the AD400 Pro.
There is a new B10 Plus model though (500Ws) which should almost certainly beat the AD400, with size and weight thats not too far out of line.
So the speedlites are comparable, but the AD200 vs B10, and AD400 vs B10 Plus are not quite matching categories to compare so directly.
It sounds like you want to downsize to A1 & B10 though. If output is really a concern though the B10 plus may be worth considering.
p.1 #6 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
GMPhotography wrote:
Okay I’m a working a Pro with over 40 years as a commercial photographer. I know a ton about lighting. That’s not the issue
Bottom line I’m not a rookie just trying to go back to Profoto. I know makes zero financial sense so it’s NOT about saving money.
To the contrary, it makes complete financial sense. You get what you pay for and the A1 / A1X and B10 /B10 plus are absolutely worth the money.
Like you I've been shooting for 40+ years professionally and I still enjoy it every day. Why would I want to buy anything less than the lights that make my job easy, my images look good and I know I can depend on ?
I've been shooting Profoto since the Pro 5 packs and heads. I sold those to buy the Pro 6 Freeze packs and Pro 7 heads. They're used every week in my studio and they've never failed, misfired or did anything but let me work. I have D1s I got in 2012 when they were introduced and I bought the big old Profoto BatPack when it came out to haul them around and shoot off the grid. All still working great.
Now I have the A1Xs and a couple of B10s and they're awesome. They are a very good investment and fun lights to use !
p.1 #9 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
GMPhotography wrote:
I am in need of a adapter for my pop up softboxes from a Bowen’s S mount to Profoto
I've tried one of the ubiquitous ones found on amazon and B&H, and they're ok in a pinch but I wouldn't want to rely on them longer term. Best to get profoto speedring type softboxes and sell on the ones with integrated bowens mount if you're planning on switching over to profoto completely. I'd always stress that I brought the brought speedring in the carry case when I was running both Godox and Profoto.
The main issue with the adapters functionally is they typically don't allow full travel of the flash tube head into the modifier, so you're not getting the full advantage of profoto which is being able to adjust the position of the flash tube within the modifier.
p.1 #10 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
GMPhotography wrote:
... Basically they are equal
Yeah but they're not. Flash duration, color temp consistency from image to image, reliable remote control in an environment where there's interference, the list goes on.
The problem with the FS guys is...well, you decide which review to trust.
p.1 #12 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
Yea I might be better off just selling my softboxes and repurchase in Profoto it’s only two units anyway.
So little dilemma sort of. I decided to buy another A1x so that’s on its way . So 2 A1x units replace my 2 AD 200 and 860 units. I never used the 860 with the AD 200 anyway. So now I have a off camera flash and either a off or on camera flash with 2 units.
I also decided as this a Profoto Connect trigger as I’m just not so sure about if it can run a total of 4 lights down the road easily . So I bought the normal Profoto TTL transmitter.so now I have both units
Than I leave for NY next week for a big show which involves a red carpet. I have 3 shooters to handle this, plus I rent some gear anyway so I just rented the B10 for the week. So now I can actually test it myself against my Godox AD 400 units. This is good before I dump a lot of money any further into replacing my bigger strobes like the AD 400
BTW I appreciate everyone’s help. One more question. Outside of a Profoto brand I was looking to replace my SMDV 70 speed box. It’s a 28 inch instant pop up . I’ll get a link
p.1 #13 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
GMPhotography wrote:
so I just rented the B10 for the week. So now I can actually test it myself against my Godox AD 400 units. This is good before I dump a lot of money any further into replacing my bigger strobes like the AD 400
Fstoppers are often all over the place with their claims. But they were using the Profoto mount on the AD400 which is likely not all that efficient, so I wouldn't be surprised if what they are saying is very true in that case.
And the SMDV Speedbox you mention are actually really efficient with a bare bulb style strobe, so I wouldn't be surprised if there is a solid stop of difference with those between an AD400 with S-type mount and with the Profoto mount attaches instead.
p.1 #14 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
Not to start a knife fight over lighting brands or anything, but Robert Hall also did a test on YouTube in response to the fstoppers video and concluded differently. In case you want another data point.
Just avoid reading the comments...which probably could have gone without saying.
GMPhotography wrote:
So here is where I found in a review on the power output of the Godox AD 400 vs the B10 and not the plus. Basically they are equal
p.1 #16 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
Btw I was able to connect two A1x units to the Profoto Connect. Now I can’t really control power on the second one per say . I have to hit the A or B group than do it on the flash itself. That way I can control the power on both units separately. Honestly glad I bought the real trigger. Going to be far easier to deal with
p.1 #17 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
wittyphrase wrote:
Not to start a knife fight over lighting brands or anything, but Robert Hall also did a test on YouTube in response to the fstoppers video and concluded differently. In case you want another data point.
Just avoid reading the comments...which probably could have gone without saying.
I wouldn't recommend a B10 over the AD400 if price and light output is primarily their main deciding factors.
The power comparison videos kind of miss the point of why people use Profotos in my opinion.
p.1 #18 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
GMPhotography wrote:
Yea I might be better off just selling my softboxes and repurchase in Profoto it’s only two units anyway.
So little dilemma sort of. I decided to buy another A1x so that’s on its way . So 2 A1x units replace my 2 AD 200 and 860 units. I never used the 860 with the AD 200 anyway. So now I have a off camera flash and either a off or on camera flash with 2 units.
I also decided as this a Profoto Connect trigger as I’m just not so sure about if it can run a total of 4 lights down the road easily . So I bought the normal Profoto TTL transmitter.so now I have both units
Than I leave for NY next week for a big show which involves a red carpet. I have 3 shooters to handle this, plus I rent some gear anyway so I just rented the B10 for the week. So now I can actually test it myself against my Godox AD 400 units. This is good before I dump a lot of money any further into replacing my bigger strobes like the AD 400
BTW I appreciate everyone’s help. One more question. Outside of a Profoto brand I was looking to replace my SMDV 70 speed box. It’s a 28 inch instant pop up . I’ll get a link
In terms of boxes, it's kind of a goldilocks situations and highly up to personal preferences, but I've been generally leaning more towards Elinchrom and Profoto boxes and phasing out a lot of my westcott and other brands. The 27" elinchrom deep octa is a great modifier, and my fave all rounder is the 39" elinchrom deep octa. Issue with the elinchrom boxes is they don't have factory grids, so I had a custom one made for my 39" that works pretty well but I'm planning on adding more velcro strips to make the attachment less fiddly. They don't get much love but the Profoto OCF line, specifically the 2 ft octa is what I'd steer you towards if you want something specifically for the B10 and events as it does have a reasonably priced grid. That plus a medium deep umbrella and diffuser, and you pretty much have swiss army knife kit to handle many situations between the A1X and B10.
p.1 #19 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
Well I went to my local dealer and they happen to sell Profoto. As soon as I laid my eyes on the B10 it was over and done.
But I got lucky too besides taking 50 bucks off for me . They have a Bowens S to Profoto Aspter for 67 dollars each and I jumped on them. The Glow boxes I was looking at are identical to my SMDV units so selling them and buying the others I would have lost more money. So i grabbed two of them for the second unit Ilwill get next month.
So im really stoked I have MY B10 setup plus my 2 A1X units, One Profoto Connect Trigger and one new Bigger TTL trigger. Than I have the B10 rental which given this Red Carpet part of the Gig with three shooters. I have to buy another Trigger. Maybe I will buy another Connect. It seems to work good just not as robust option wise
Here what's nice is it takes up little space once its on the head. S0000 my Godox AD 400 are listed on the B&S at a great price too
p.1 #20 · Profoto A1x over my AD200.trying to figure out game plan
GMPhotography wrote:
Well I went to my local dealer and they happen to sell Profoto. As soon as I laid my eyes on the B10 it was over and done.
But I got lucky too besides taking 50 bucks off for me . They have a Bowens S to Profoto Aspter for 67 dollars each and I jumped on them. The Glow boxes I was looking at are identical to my SMDV units so selling them and buying the others I would have lost more money. So i grabbed two of them for the second unit Ilwill get next month.
So im really stoked I have MY B10 setup plus my 2 A1X units, One Profoto Connect Trigger and one new Bigger TTL trigger. Than I have the B10 rental which given this Red Carpet part of the Gig with three shooters. I have to buy another Trigger. Maybe I will buy another Connect. It seems to work good just not as robust option wise
Here what's nice is it takes up little space once its on the head. S0000 my Godox AD 400 are listed on the B&S at a great price too...Show more →
Nice that's I think the same adapter I have (which is gathering dust in my closet) - I think it's the same design made by a few different chinese companies. And I felt the same way the first time I used the B10. They're so nice to use, it's hard to use anything else. The modeling light strength alone is a selling point, as it's much stronger than the one on my B1s and such, though not as strong as the modeling lights in the D1. Nice that they double as video lights as well.
