Profoto B1 500 AirTTL Battery-Powered Monolight Flash

2023-12-31T12:57:32

??? The Profoto B1 is undoubtedly a powerful lighting tool, and I've owned mine for a decade now. In the early years of my senior portrait photography journey, it served me exceptionally well. However, life took me on a detour, and I put my camera down for a few years. When I returned, the battery had inevitably lost its charge, and I needed a replacement. To my dismay, the replacement battery cost more than a brand-new Godox flash. As someone not in the commercial photography league, it's hard to justify investing on replacement parts, especially when there are more budget-friendly alternatives available. I appreciate the B1's capabilities, but its price point for replacement components makes it less practical for photographers like me who don't have a commercial budget. Thankfully, Godox has since provided more affordable lighting solutions, allowing me to stay within budget without compromising on quality.

DAVID K.

2017-11-10T16:30:46

This is my second B1 light that I've purchased and I love this lights, I was thinking to get the B1X but at the end I didn't see much difference between there two. I saw that it had a discount on it so I decided to with the B1

Edwin G.

2017-10-10T10:49:22

Amazing for weddings portraits sports etc

GO A.

2017-08-15T12:52:35

These lights are fantastic!

CARMEN G.

2017-08-11T08:12:30

Absolutely essential gear. It works like I expect, from the best in professional equipment. And a great add-on to help you build the shot. While I wish profoto made a kit and case that holds three lights, this is a no-brainer to throw in when needed.

Mark F.

2017-06-29T10:01:11

Absolutely awesome!!! My biggest regret is not buying this 3 years ago when it was released.

CHRIS L.

2017-06-06T14:49:04

Super easy set up... great power.

ROBERT H.

2017-05-25T09:32:27

I love shooting on location and I've carried a bag full of speed lights with me for years. It's amazing to have the power of a studio strobe, out in the field...and with high speed sync! I'm still working on getting TTL to give me exactly what I'm looking for but I've had great luck with choosing Manual, then dialing up the power to where I need it to be. You'll love this light!

Angie C.

2017-05-12T08:49:15

I got a recommendation for getting this light by a friend who does food photography for a living. I had a 250w studio light with softbox before and couldn't for the life of me get it to work. I got this light hoping to see some improvements, set it up with the profoto beauty dish white, and just placed the light in a position that I liked. Set my settings on the camera and clicked. That was all that was needed to get a drastic improvement. Love this light, and have been recommending it to others as well. I have not tried any other high end lights, but since this is portable and light I find it hard that there is something that beats it. Attached photos of my before and after, the photos have been white balanced.

Johan M.

2017-05-11T12:35:46

I have five B1s and three AirTTL remotes. For location work, ya can't beat 'em. They're self-contained and VERY portable. They're heavy, but I'd argue that comes with the territory when lugging monolights & batteries. What I don't like about these - nor agree with - are the exorbitant costs for must-have accessories like extra batteries and chargers. Also, the B1s are not as "indestructible" as some claim. One of mine is chipped on the housing where the battery cleat slides in, so the battery no longer clicks into place (I have to gaf tape it every time). This particular light was not dropped, banged, or bumped, to my knowledge, so the damage is surprising - but all the lights are susceptible to that same damage, as the plastic lip in that area is very thin. This seems like a design flaw. Another B1 (and this one is totally on me, but …) fell over in a rain shoot and totally (and literally) blew up. This is something I've done before with speedlights without incident ... ALL my gear, including the B1s, were wrapped & sealed save for one small & undetected slit (about the size of a pea) near the stand adapter. It was on its side for a very short time. Evidently the right drip of water managed to find its way through that slit, into the housing, and onto the circuit board. It blew like a cannon. 'Scared the cr@p out of everyone on the set (lol - but we kept shooting). Profoto, somewhat understandably, refused to service it, citing they could not guarantee its long-term functionality. So now I have a $2k paperweight – and maybe a few spare parts. Like I said, that one's on me. But be warned these lights have ZERO tolerance for moisture. A minor niggle is that the plastic-on-plastic tilt/lock is not fluid, which makes micro adjustments to the head angle difficult. I wish there were metal parts and bearings here. A bigger niggle is that the lights will heat up and cut off. This has happened to me several times on location shooting while in the sun. In my experiences, the thermal cutoff has been more from environmental conditions than shooting. The black housing is a heat sponge. Taking as few as 3 to 5 frames per minute, they've overheated in the sun on several occasions - and just cut off. I've learned to shade mine on location in the sun to keep them cooler, but that’s kind of a PITA. There is also HSS limitation with power only as low as "7". There are many times I'd like to power them down lower than that using HSS. The last firmware update brought that limitation down from “8” so fingers crossed we can get a couple more stops out it down the road. I've also not had as much luck with TTL as others, but I tend to use less traditional lighting treatments so I stick with manual and a light meter. The lights sync very well. I've very few frames per week where the flash(es) did not fire. They recycle quickly and I've found the color temperature to be consistent with burst shooting (there's some debate on the latter). The control panel is intuitive and simple. Thumbs up. The overall ergo design is great. They're easy to grasp & set up. That’s what I like most about these lights. For location work, they’re fast and easy to work with (except on sunny summer Texas days when I have to take measure to shade them). For me, the portability and quick n' easy set up override the aforementioned shortcomings. The batteries charge quickly and hold their charge when not in use. I get more pops at full power than Profoto estimates - probably a little over 300 frames. The cases are nice, but with 5 lights (6 counting my B2), I've abandoned those in favor of one carryall (Tenba Cinelux). Rain photo attached (last frame before the light blew). 3 B1s in this shot, and the AirTTL remote was under plastic.

KAY B.

2017-05-11T12:32:23

I have five B1s and three AirTTL remotes. For location work, ya can't beat 'em. They're self-contained and VERY portable. They're heavy, but I'd argue that comes with the territory when lugging monolights & batteries. What I don't like about these - nor agree with - are the exorbitant costs for must-have accessories like extra batteries and chargers. Also, the B1s are not as "indestructible" as some claim. One of mine is chipped on the housing where the battery cleat slides in, so the battery no longer clicks into place (I have to gaf tape it every time). This particular light was not dropped, banged, or bumped, to my knowledge, so the damage is surprising - but all the lights are susceptible to that same damage, as the plastic lip in that area is very thin. This seems like a design flaw. Another B1 (and this one is totally on me, but …) fell over in a rain shoot and totally (and literally) blew up. This is something I've done before with speedlights without incident ... ALL my gear, including the B1s, were wrapped & sealed save for one small & undetected slit (about the size of a pea) near the stand adapter. It was on its side for a very short time. Evidently the right drip of water managed to find its way through that slit, into the housing, and onto the circuit board. It blew like a cannon. 'Scared the cr@p out of everyone on the set (lol - but we kept shooting). Profoto, somewhat understandably, refused to service it, citing they could not guarantee its long-term functionality. So now I have a $2k paperweight – and maybe a few spare parts. Like I said, that one's on me. But be warned these lights have ZERO tolerance for moisture. A minor niggle is that the plastic-on-plastic tilt/lock is not fluid, which makes micro adjustments to the head angle difficult. I wish there were metal parts and bearings here. A bigger niggle is that the lights will heat up and cut off. This has happened to me several times on location shooting while in the sun. In my experiences, the thermal cutoff has been more from environmental conditions than shooting. The black housing is a heat sponge. Taking as few as 3 to 5 frames per minute, they've overheated in the sun on several occasions - and just cut off. I've learned to shade mine on location in the sun to keep them cooler, but that’s kind of a PITA. There is also HSS limitation with power only as low as "7". There are many times I'd like to power them down lower than that using HSS. The last firmware update brought that limitation down from “8” so fingers crossed we can get a couple more stops out it down the road. I've also not had as much luck with TTL as others, but I tend to use less traditional lighting treatments so I stick with manual and a light meter. The lights sync very well. I've very few frames per week where the flash(es) did not fire. They recycle quickly and I've found the color temperature to be consistent with burst shooting (there's some debate on the latter). The control panel is intuitive and simple. Thumbs up. The overall ergo design is great. They're easy to grasp & set up. That’s what I like most about these lights. For location work, they’re fast and easy to work with (except on sunny summer Texas days when I have to take measure to shade them). For me, the portability and quick n' easy set up override the aforementioned shortcomings. The batteries charge quickly and hold their charge when not in use. I get more pops at full power than Profoto estimates - probably a little over 300 frames. The cases are nice, but with 5 lights (6 counting my B2), I've abandoned those in favor of one carryall (Tenba Cinelux). Rain photo attached (last frame before the light blew). 3 B1s in this shot, and the AirTTL remote was under plastic.

KAY B.

2017-04-25T08:32:42

Ive been eying this setup for a while now and finally decided to pick it up. No regrets at all. The amount of time it takes to get up and start shooting is nothing compared to my old setup of an Einstein + Vagabond. Plus I get access to all of profotos modifiers.

SEAN M.

2017-03-17T12:11:29

Great light. This now gives me three B1's and two TTL-n's. I'm ready for my next wedding.

VICTOR J.

2017-03-14T16:45:57

So far I'm loving this light. Everything that I thought it would be. Definitely would recommend them. Looking to add a second one to my kit soon. The ttl is amazing. The air remote is awesome

JIMMIE C.

2016-12-05T11:09:24

Thought why I didn't acquired this in the first place. This is awesome light tool.

Sundar A.

2016-11-18T12:16:36

I must admit I felt like the B1 was cheating but they don't necessarily require less thought but they do take a lot less labor. A TTL shot is good starting point but you still have to get the lights in the right spots and understand ratios in a multi light set up. These lights have really sped me up, No extra batter packs to lug around, no wires to drape and put away or trip over and the Profoto speeding is genius. My only near complaint is I wish they had a little more power. I came from Einsteins and got use to 640ws but 500 gets it done I just have to change up modifiers here and there. My new D2 1000 is helping with that too.

Keith B.

2016-11-16T10:25:31

I love this kit, I wish they were 1000w each, but they are great otherwise. Very versatile and easy to use.

Ian S.

2016-08-12T15:08:49

fantastic kit, very consistent light, fast, very well done, they are an amazing wireless lights, and on top of that you have some extras like TTL, and HSS, all controlled wireless, I'm super happy

alejandro A.

2016-08-02T18:31:52

I was using speedlights for years then went to elichrom ranger series and recently, last year, switched to the B1 line. WOW, these are such a blessing to photographers. I have 4 units now and they are flawless, wireless, simple to use and just plain work every time. I also bought the B2 location set but Im sending it back as it has to many cords (which are to short and the extensions are $200 bucks), its bulky in my bag, to many pieces to keep up with, to cumbersome to handle in the field for a workflow like mine. The b1 is self contained when the battery is attached and you can just grab the stand and move. Where the B2 you have to handle the battery pack, deal with the cables, and the stand. Just save up for additional B1 units trust me!

Bearded W.

2016-07-13T08:24:21

Profoto killed it per usual. This head is fantastic. Super light weight and very easy to use. I am really happy with this purchase. Thanks adorama and profoto.

CARTER G.

2016-05-24T09:36:07

This is by far the best compact lightning kit I've used. It is reliable and most important consistent. I don't have to worry about misfiring nor looking for power outlets. It is very convenient t to have such a nice light on a portable kit.

Jacobo M.

2016-02-11T08:10:07

First used this light straight out of the box without hardly reading instructions! Definitely a game changer! The light quality is gorgeous and it performs every time. I've worked with other radio signal units, namely, Elinchrom and the Nikon pocket wizards. I've sold them all and exclusively use the Profoto now. I had one B1 go over in the wind and was damaged. Profoto service and repair are excellent as well! My favorite modifiers are the grid and tele zoom reflectors. I mainly shoot interiors and architecture but have trekked the B1 into the woods, on the beach and on the road shooting active lifestyle. Best piece of equipment I have ever purchased.

Patricia B.

2015-06-17T21:00:00

Probably the best piece of Lighting Gear I have ever purchased. The TTL (when combined with the air remote) takes the entire thought process out of the equation but the light also has the ability to run in manual so you get the best of both worlds. Of course the lack of cords running all over the place and the lack of need of a separate battery is just icing on the cake!

NorthWoods B.

2015-04-06T21:00:00

Extremely useful and exceptionaly off camera light. A little heavy and would require an assistent when in the field. However the results are outstanding. The color balance and exposure are right on. I'd suggest having a back up battery and a light tripod. This unit is very expensive, however it would be the equivalent of 10 Nikon SB900 strobes.

DELBERT S.

2015-04-01T21:00:00

I use two of these for location portrait sessions, and just added one as a second light. I was astonished how amazingly fast and easy to set up and start shooting for a last-minute-notice celebrity session at a Denver art museum. Thought about getting a B2 for my second light, but it has just half the light- power, costs more, and requires a wire to connect the battery to the heads. Much of the sleekness and coolness of the B1 is that there are absolutely no wires since the battery snaps on and becomes part of the housing, which I love. These lights are larger and heavier than the the B2 lights, but I've had no trouble getting them to my location sessions, and setting up is so easy and fast. The setup is so fast, easy, and reliable, wow! And, no awkward wires to misplace or short-out. For this recent portrait session with an artist celebrity, I was worried about how difficult it would be to connect two lights to my Profoto Canon transmitter, but I was surprised at how easy and instant the process was. I was up-and-running and photographing confidently in a very short time. The only drawback was that the subject (and people watching) were so intrigued by the lights that they kept admiring them and asking questions about them. Oh, and the battery life is really fantastic; even with the bright led modeling lights, As is the recycle time. I've shot fast-paced long sessions with this light and never missed a single shot. I've used many brands of moonlights, and this light is easily the best I have ever used. The TTL is perfect for subjects in motion that vary in distance from the light from moment to moment, too.

RICHARD P.

2014-04-07T21:00:00

I've used Profoto's D1 lights for years and these really feel like an upgraded version. For location lighting these are a dream. The battery pack has made my life so much easier, no carrying around an external battery pack, worrying if it's going to work, the B1 just works, every time. The TTL isn't something I need, but it's very nice for changing locations very quickly, weddings and fast moving subjects.

BRYAN R.

2014-03-09T21:00:00

Im definitely a location shooter; this product not only makes my job better and professional its also a powerful tool. I was able to quickly move between locations, no cable (at all) to drag around, trip over. The TTL capability its my favorite! Just turn on and set up the TLL with the Air remote and done!! no guessing, not light metering: just begin shooting! not entirely happy with the power output? simply switch to manual and the device remembers the last setting you were using on TTL, so all you have to do it decrease or increase form the last point and done! The modeling light is very helpful during low light situations (for focusing) and the light quality is amazing.

FRANKLIN L.

2014-01-20T19:00:00

Great product, as expected from Profoto. Pretty much all has been said about the B1's. Drawbacks are hefty price and no hi-speed sync. Personally, I would prefer a modelling light closer to daylight vs. the 3200K in the B1. Buttons can be a bit hard to memorize, as some are multi-function, plus hold for n seconds. The D1 monolight buttons are functionally better designed and intuitive. I think the goal was to have as few buttons/dials on the B1 as possible.

RANDALL M.