About a week ago, I had written up about how Profoto had dropped a teaser for a new light and there was some MASSIVE speculation as to what it could be online. At time I had about as much information as you did…probably less in fact. The Profoto team had the tag-line “On September the 18th, 2019, we change photography forever.” Well now that the day has come it’s time to find out if what they’ve been saying is true. For some of you, this will be game changing, for others, i’m sure you’ll be left wanting. Regardless, the team at Profoto has built something genuinely impressive and we’re ready to share with you all the details (That we have!).
The best light is the one that you have with you. With the incredible portability of the new Profoto C1 product family, you’ll never have to worry about leaving your light at home. It’s small, super-portable, and incredibly easy to use together with our new and intuitive Profoto Camera app.
Keep in mind, I haven’t actually been hands on personally with these guys yet so I can only tell you what i’ve been told and seen in the promotional materials, but that being said, these guys do look pretty cool! And with two models (The C1 & C1 Plus) priced at $299 & $499 respectively, it’s a pretty impressive setup.
Naturally there’s gonna be some pretty polarizing views on this, but it does make sense from both a technology and market/business standpoint. Given the recent CIPA information on the market trends for both DSLR and Smartphone sales, it’s pretty easy to see that mobile photography is becoming more than just a fad. It’s an emerging and fast growing professional business market. I mean look at all the “influencers” out there who are making insane amounts of money with just their phones? It’s natural progression for one of the best Light Shaping companies on the market to make a tool that’ll help a mobile photographer to create perfectly lit images with their smartphone.
So, instead of me rambling on for the whole post, lets dive right into the press release and details from Profoto on the new C1 and C1 Plus Product family!
Profoto C1, C1 Plus and the Profoto Camera.
These lights, together with the Profoto Camera, will change smartphone photography forever.
The new lights are every bit a Profoto product, just smaller and meant to be paired with your smartphone instead of a DSLR.
So What Are They Exactly?
The new C1 and C1 Plus are high quality, handheld flash and continuous light units that sync perfectly with your smartphone! This new flash can create professional images with a cell phone in just a click. Not only can you trigger the light from your iPhone but you can trigger your iPhone camera from the C1 or C1 Plus.
Bring the C1 or C1 Plus anywhere, as it is lightweight and designed to fit in the palm of your hand or pocket. Need to go hands-free? Put it on a stand or arm with the built-in thread mount.
The round shape, mimicking the sun, creates a soft fall-off. Built in reflectors and diffusers create natural shadows.
Be as creative as you can be! The color temperature is adjustable inside the Profoto Camera app, allowing you to either match the light conditions from dusk to dawn or play creatively with contrasting temperatures. Within the app, you can choose between a natural or dramatic look. Then it’s just point and shoot. Unsure how the light and shadows work together? Use the continuous light!
The C1 and C1 Plus delivers beautiful light on the go – anywhere, anytime.
Profoto C1 Profoto C1 Plus Details
Profoto C1 & C1 Plus Features:
- Pocket-sized and designed for your palm
- Trigger flash from Profoto Camera app
- Trigger iPhone camera from built-in button
- Over 2000 full power flashes per full charge
- Round shape with a soft fall-off gives a beautiful light
- Inner reflectors placed under two levels of diffusing glass evenly mix the light to create natural shadows
- Choose between automatic mode for point-and-shoot and manual mode for full freedom
- Adjustable power levels from natural to dramatic effect
- Choose between flash and flicker-free continuous light
Technical Specifications
- With a color rendering index >90, it produces colors very close to daylight
- Multiple LEDs mixing seamlessly to mimic daylight color temperatures from 3000K –
6500K - Standard 1/4” – 20 thread for stand mount
- Built-in rechargeable Li-Polymer battery pack
- USB-C charging – 2 hours to full power
- Compatible with iPhone 7 or later
Differences between the Profoto C1 and C1 Plus
The Profoto C1 – $299
- 4 warm and 3 cool LEDs
- Max 1000 lumens continuous light
- >30 minutes of continuous light at full power in one charge
Profoto C1 Plus – $499
- 10 warm and 10 cool LEDs
- Max 4300 lumens
- >40 minutes of continuous light at full power in one charge
- Compatible with light shaping tools like Clic Gels, Grids and Domes
- Compatible with all Profoto AirTTL Remotes
The Profoto Camera App
Profoto Camera is a professional smartphone camera app. Used together with Profoto’s smartphone enabled studio lights, it creates professional images with just a simple click. With auto mode switched on, It’s basically point-and-shoot strobe. Automatic exposure and flash power is calculated for you based on the surrounding conditions (TTL). For even more creative alternatives you can easily go between natural and dramatic images with a swipe of your finger.
Switch it over to manual mode and get full control and freedom over power, exposure and color temperature.
Check out this BTS video from Brandon Woelfel to see the Lights and App in action
Video Tutorials
Watch short smartphone photography tutorials right inside Profoto Camera to learn even more about playing with light. Tutorials cover a range of topics, including portrait, selfie, and flat-lay lighting.
Easy updates and Smart remote control
Update your Profoto smartphoto enabled studio light over the air with Profoto Camera, to always be ready to shoot with the latest improved firmware. From the app, you can even control your light remotely when shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
[Related Reading: What’s the Big Difference Between the Profoto B1X, B10, and B10 Plus?]
Features:
- Point and shoot with automatic exposure and flash power based on the surrounding conditions
- Go between natural and dramatic images with a swipe of your finger
- Manual mode for full control over power and exposure
- Adjust color temperature from warm to cool (3000-6500K)
- Portrait mode to add bokeh to the background
- Use your wide angle, zoom, or selfie lens
- Use up to 3 lights at the same time
- Tutorials accessible right inside the app
- View your images in the iPhone library and instantly share them to social media apps
- Control your light remotely when shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera
- Wireless updates of your Profoto devices
Specifications
- Operating systems: iPhone 7 or later running on iOS 11 or later
- Supported products: Profoto C1 Plus, C1, B10 Plus, B10
- Updates and remote control functions also support Profoto Connect.
- Connection: Bluetooth
The Profoto Clic Light Shaping Tools.
Light shaping is the key to creating amazing images. Profoto Clic light shaping tools add great creative possibilities to:
Each Light shaping tool has its own distinct effect on light and Profoto will be offering three different types of light shaping tools in the Clic series:
Clic Gels
- Play and create with 7 different colors
- Color correct with 5 different colors
- Easy click-on magnetic mount
- Stackable with other compatible light shaping tools.
Clic Grids
- Available in 10 or 20 degree grid
- Reduces light spread and controls stray light
- Adds contrast and drama
- Easy click-on magnetic mount
- Stackable with other compatible light shaping tools.
Clic Dome
- Diffuses the light for a soft effect
- Creates a smooth and natural fall-off
- Easy click-on magnetic mount
- Stackable with other compatible light shaping tools.
Along with the single units, they will be offering two different kits:
Kit 1 – Clic Creative Gel kit:
- Rose Pink
- Yellow
- Peacock Blue
Kit 2 – Clic Gel & Grid Kit
- Grid 20 degree
- Gel Full CTO
- Gel Half CTO
Check Out This Gallery Of Images Shot With The Profoto C1 Plus by Brandon Woelfel To See A Variety of These Tools In Action
Final Thoughts
So there you have it! This is Profoto’s new photography-changing light shaping tools! Available for purchase as of, well, now! What do you think of these? Will you be ordering a set? Will you be renting to test them out? Me personally, i’m not sure how much i’d use these with _just_ my phone…..yet. But that’s not to say i’m not convinced. I’m definitely interested in these for use in more “hard-to-reach” spots for creative lighting on set for photos and film, and the fact that the C1 Plus is compatible with the Air TTL remotes from Profoto also means I can use these in conjunction with my existing strobe setup without any problems is pretty exciting to me.
For more information on the C1 Product line, visit the official Profoto Product page here. Be sure to stay tuned to SLR Lounge for our full review coming soon and until then, please let us know what you think, and show us what you shoot with them in the comments below!
Check Pricing & Availability of the Profoto C1 Products Here:
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