Profoto targets smartphone photographers

Posted on Sep 18, 2019

Leading lighting brand Profoto launches the C1 range to support image creators – regardless of what cameras they’re using.

Profoto is a world-renowned brand among experienced and professional photographers, famous for producing innovative, reliable and great-quality lighting kit. Recently, Profoto launched the powerful B10 Plus battery powered light and the A1X, the world’s smallest studio light, both tested in Photography News.

Profoto will continue to bring the best lighting products to photographers. “But what has changed,” says Anders Hedebark, CEO of Profoto, “is that from today forward, Profoto is committed to supporting all image creators, regardless of what camera they are using, smartphone or other cameras. Great light is the key to creating great images.”

The C1 ranges feature two models, the C1 and C1 Plus, and in addition there’s the Profoto Camera app for iPhone 7 and later, running iOS 11 and later. The app lets you adjust colour temperature wirelessly via Bluetooth, and in auto mode can calculate exposure and power based on the lighting conditions, making the C1 and C1 Plus very easy to use.

The lights themselves are small and compact, and their round shape gives a natural-looking light with soft, gentle fall-off for great modelling.

The C1 has four warm and three cool LEDs, giving a controllable colour temperature range of 3000-6500K; power can be adjusted up to its maximum 1600 lumens in flash mode and 280 lumens in continuous mode. It also features low energy Bluetooth and the integral rechargeable battery gives up to 2000 full-power flash bursts or 30 minutes of continuous light.

The C1 Plus is like the C1 in that it is palm-sized but offers greater output, with ten warm and ten cool LEDs giving an output of up to 4300 lumens in flash mode and 280 in continuous light, and an adjustable colour temperature range of 3000-6500K. A click-on magnetic feature enables you to attach Clic lighting shaping tools such as Profoto’s gels, grids and dome, and there’s a 1/4in screw thread to allow for stand mounting. Low energy Bluetooth gives connectivity with the Camera app, but the C1 Plus also features Profoto Air 2.4 GHZ, so can be used up to 300m with a Profoto Air Remote trigger. Its rechargeable battery gives up to 2000 full-power flash bursts or 40 minutes of continuous light.