Got to see the Profoto B1's in action today!

[Derrel]

If this device were made by Profoto, it would be priced at only $789.99. Great value,right?

 

[MOREGONE]

It seems like the TTL is intended to be used almost like a flash meter? Which begs the question -- why not use a flash meter?

I guess Flash Meters are for Novices. Cool old schoolers only need their eyes and extra time. Plus its easier to walk around to each light then to change it on the fly.

 

[amolitor]

The main use seems to be that you don't have to do any tests at all to get close, right? You set up, and you shoot, and starting from the word go your exposures are pretty much in the ballpark.

It's a narrow use case, but it's probably a real one. Maybe you're shooting exceedingly rich people at a charity event, and they're going to give you 30 seconds. You and your assistants roll up, place the lights, POP POP POP, done, you've got three probably usable exposures. It's a weird case, because you're working run-and-gun with a bunch of monolights, but if you're in that situation nothing else much is going to do.

I think a strong argument can be made that this is what speedlights are for, but I think a decent counter argument can be made that if you're shoo... err, photographing presidents, you should be getting the very best possible pictures, and a few thousand bucks is chump change.

 

[tirediron]

It seems like the TTL is intended to be used almost like a flash meter? Which begs the question -- why not use a flash meter?

I guess Flash Meters are for Novices. Cool old schoolers only need their eyes and extra time. Plus its easier to walk around to each light then to change it on the fly.

Being able to control all your lights from one point is definitely a plus, but that's not the point. Most photographers that I know that use lights of this calibre have very specific end-results in mind and would NOT want the light making a decision for them. It does indeed seem more like a marketing ploy than anything. Goooooooooo Speedotron!

 

[MOREGONE]

I think a strong argument can be made that this is what speedlights are for, but I think a decent counter argument can be made that if you're shoo... err, photographing presidents, you should be getting the very best possible pictures, and a few thousand bucks is chump change.

These could be used in place of speedlights in most cases. But the kicker is they're 500ws, that's like 10 Speedlights. You can get 50,000 flashes on the lowest power setting with each battery that you can easily swap. No, that is not a typo. 50,000.


One of the uses someone talked about yesterday was photographing cyclists at the end of a marathon. The photographer explained that light changes across the day as the athletes come in and his lights are mounted out of reach. He was very interested in power, mobility and ease of use.

Sure, they're not for everyone, but nobody said it was.

 

[amolitor]

You can run speedlights on battery packs too, though. I think the use cases for the TTL feature are genuinely very narrow. You really have to need monolight-specific features combined with speedlight features.

 

[runnah]

You can run speedlights on battery packs too, though. I think the use cases for the TTL feature are genuinely very narrow. You really have to need monolight-specific features combined with speedlight features.

TTL is great for on camera run and gun type events. I used it today when I had to shoot an event in changing light where I had maybe 10 seconds with each person. In every instance where I have taken the time to setup speedlights or strobes I have also had the time to dial in the proper settings. Personally I see no benefit for me to have TTL on my remotes.

 

[Derrel]

Somebody seems to be mixing in the ability to remotely control flash power via remote control, with TTL flash decision-making: the first technology has been around for a looooong time. The second ability, allowing the TTL sensor to make the exposure decisions on a $2,500 studio type flash...well, that's a BRAND NEW technology.

I can see a pair of these being popular with really wealthy MWAC-type shooters who want to buy monolights, and have a status symbol that can make the exposure decisions for them in simple baby- and child-photography scenarios.

 

[runnah]

Somebody seems to be mixing in the ability to remotely control flash power via remote control, with TTL flash decision-making: the first technology has been around for a looooong time. The second ability, allowing the TTL sensor to make the exposure decisions on a $2,500 studio type flash...well, that's a BRAND NEW technology.

I can see a pair of these being popular with really wealthy MWAC-type shooters who want to buy monolights, and have a status symbol that can make the exposure decisions for them in simple baby- and child-photography scenarios.

Is it me?

 

[amolitor]

Well, if you really want a full on three light setup with modifiers and stuff, and you really want to set up in 30 seconds, and you have enough assistants to make actually do that, then:

1) this is probably a good choice
2) you certainly don't care about a few grand for lights and stuff
3) you're probably one of about 10 guys on the planet

Much more likely to be bought because it's expensive than useful, but that doesn't mean it's not useful to some people. Most Deagles are not sold to serious target shooters, despite the fact that this is the only thing they're really good for. Doesn't mean it's not a good target pistol.