Profoto B1 user opinions

It seems the profoto B1 is being well received by users, but at the same time there are quite a few being put up for sale on various sites. Why is this?

Looking for users thoughts of this product and how it fits or does not fit into your specific program. Any downsides to this unit besides the obvious price point and did you go another route after owning it?

I don't own it but I've used it a dozen times. I have had nothing but great results with it. Some may find it expensive.

My Air TTL-C suddenly refused to communicate with the camera. Purchased in Jan/15 with a location kit. One trigger is left in the country. I'll have to drive 3 hours to Toronto to get the last available one while Profoto decides what to do with my broken one. I need it for my next wedding. What a pain in the @$$ to get warranty service.

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Update: I sent the trigger to Calgary (the only repair centre in the country) and I have to pay return shipping for warranty service ($80). Great product... amazing product really, but support sucks.

I have a pair of B1's, which I've owned for not too long. I haven't got to see it used at its maximum potential, but it's apparent they're truly lightings for professionals. I don't think I'm at that level yet though, as I'm still considering myself a beginner/amateur, maybe I should have just got myself a pair of Bowens and just sell the B1's until my skills improve.

rejay14 wrote in post #17661723
Update: I sent the trigger to Calgary (the only repair centre in the country) and I have to pay return shipping for warranty service ($80). Great product... amazing product really, but support sucks.

Profoto response is pretty awesome. It only sucks because they are in the east coast. I wish they have a branch here in the west coast.

silvermesa1 wrote in post #17558398
It seems the profoto B1 is being well received by users, but at the same time there are quite a few being put up for sale on various sites. Why is this?

Looking for users thoughts of this product and how it fits or does not fit into your specific program. Any downsides to this unit besides the obvious price point and did you go another route after owning it?

Profoto B1 500 AirTTL strobes and accessories are great pieces of engineering. And most of my colleagues that own them really love them for their reliability, convenience & ease, quality of build & durability, quality of light, and the way the system parts work together.

But every piece of gear has its down-side, too, depending upon your needs. The B1 is no exception. For example:
1. The B1 is expensive.
2. The B1 is relatively heavy, weighing in at approximately 6.6 lbs. (incl. battery)
3. "Only" 220 full-power pops per battery.
4. The weight of the light means it's top-heavy on your light stand. You may, therefore, need heavier-duty stands.
5. The Air Remote is nice, by most accounts. But some feel its readout for power levels is rather non-standard.
6. Cost of light modifiers is also up there. You need to be prepared for that.

Many non-pros who buy a light like this have fallen victim to the marketing that these are "the best" (which is not to say that they are not — however, these may not be "the best" for a given photographer, whether pro or non-pro), only to find out that they're not really putting them to use. So they'll try to recoup some of that loss by selling them and buying other lights, if they buy lights at all. There are now several players in this space of quality TTL / HSS strobes, particularly in the 300-500 Ws range. And that field is still growing.

So definitely check out the B1 if you really feel you need it and/or you simply want to spend that sort of $$$$. But do research some of the other options available now and coming out in the near future.

EDITED: Interesting gear review below, looking at strobes of a few different price points:

Here's a good suggestion
Use low end equipment .... learn from it.... get good at it ... start making money to upgrade
UGRADE
Use medium end equipment .... learn from it .... get good at it .... make more money to upgrade
UPGRADE
Use high end equipment .... learn from it .... get good at it..... make good money and continue learning.

No need to take the short cut and use high end equipment and don't know how to use it.... unless you can afford it.

socialjames wrote in post #17784943
I have a pair of B1's, which I've owned for not too long. I haven't got to see it used at its maximum potential, but it's apparent they're truly lightings for professionals. I don't think I'm at that level yet though, as I'm still considering myself a beginner/amateur, maybe I should have just got myself a pair of Bowens and just sell the B1's until my skills improve.

Profoto like Broncolor is priced for the professional, if you're not well off or making a living from this stuff then it's probably not a good use of your money.

I doubt you'll get good value from selling them and buying something else, certainly you won't save a great deal if you need something that's portable (a Bowens Travelpak would be $600 on its own).