#I am very interested in the Bluetooth aspect of someone else controlling it

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Profoto Camera App Review: The Future of iPhone Photography?

Profoto recently announced a revamped version of its Camera App and with ample new features and a new file format, it certainly sounds promising for smartphone photography.

I recently shot a swimwear editorial with it, both in-studio and on-location. Does the app live up to the descriptors? In short: yes.

Phones are among the fastest-evolving technologies to ever exist. Naturally, various accessories tend to evolve with the device too. One of the main improvements that phones seem to have from generation to generation is the new camera, and many people have already asked if iPhones have a future in replacing cameras. Although opinions differ, one thing is for sure: phones are much more popular than traditional cameras.

Most people these days likely start dabbling in photography by using a smartphone. Lighting, being a core aspect of photography, is naturally a focus for many photographers, so Profoto introduced a new technology, AirX, that lets photographers sync flash to their phones directly.

The Profoto Camera app’s new update brings smart TTL as well as Profoto RAW. I took it for a spin in a studio and on-location environments to see how it fairs as an image capturing device that promises to deliver fast results and an uncompromised light-shaping experience.

Features

Features included in the Profoto Camera app include:

Two modes: Smart-TTL and manual mode. The smart mode takes control of everything, all you need to set is how dramatic you want the light to be as well as your desired color temperature. Manual mode, on the other hand, lets you control your phone like it’s a camera. This means full manual control of not only exposure but also flash — it’s pretty much like your phone has a built-in flash remote.

Profoto Raw format. Profoto describes this as a format that uses DNG files. The Profoto RAW (DNG) files are 5-8 times larger than the usual JPEG. On paper, this allows them to capture more detail, therefore offering more post-production possibilities. In essence, this is just a DNG file.

UI Experience

Perhaps one of the things Profoto is famous for is its Swedish simplicity. As renowned photographer Albert Watson put it: you plug it in and it works. Profoto Camera holds to that tradition. Selecting Bluetooth on compatible lights and then connecting to the app is very simple. Pairing requires you to press the test flash button, but after the lights are paired, they will connect automatically to the app. I never experienced any connectivity issues on the app either.

As for the rest of the GUI of the app, it is easy to understand as there are labels and names on everything, making the learning curve very shallow.

Field Performance and Real-Life Experience

To truly test out the app and how well it works with lights, I chose two different settings: studio and on-location. The idea was to shoot a summer swimwear editorial that would encompass these looks very well.

The experience shooting with the Profoto Camera app can be described as slower than I’m normally used to. Having worked with cameras for much of my career, I felt really slow when working with a phone. It took a moment to adjust, a moment to fire, a moment to do everything else. This may work with some photographers’ shooting style, but it could also possibly limit photographers from working faster and more seamlessly.

Look 1

A 1970s-inspired look with a badminton racket. It was shot against a white background which was made blue by a large 2×3 softbox with a blue gel inside. The key light on the model was chosen to be hard to mimic sunlight, which was done with an OCF beauty dish. A CTO gel was added to warm the light up and give it sunlight-like quality.

Using the Smart-TTL mode has shown to be slightly hard here, as it didn’t quite understand the setup I was going for. The key light was overpowering the background gel, so I chose to use manual mode instead.

Syncing lights and setting them up was done, one by one, as usual. Shooting with a phone felt extremely strange, but the app was easy to use and I had the lights set up in manual mode in no time. One drawback was not being able to assign groups, but instead to having guess which light was responsible for what.

Look 2

The second look was designed to show the swimmer about to jump. Here a three-light setup was used. A 2×3 softbox was replaced with a much larger 165 Cm umbrella to allow for more even background light. The key light was chosen to be a 2×3 softbox with the same CTO gel. I wanted much more even illumination, and using a hard reflector would make that more challenging. Lastly, a small A10 was used to light the apple box the model is standing on and create the gradient. Unfortunately, the app didn’t quite recognize this setup, and I once again resorted to manual mode, as the app was trying to light the whole scene without balance between lights.

Look 3

The goal was to create a smooth gradient on the model while keeping the background the same color as in the last images. For that, a bare-bulb light with a 20deg grid was used. The camera app lets me control the lights seamlessly, with the experience being not too different from an actual camera. The app lets me control features such as modeling lamp, intensity, modeling lamp temperature (on B10 and B10+ lights)

Look 4

Using the camera app on location was a different story. With only a handful of things to take, the versatility of the app was quite fantastic. I had to take an A10 starter kit (available in certain regions only), which came with a small softbox, grid, as well as an OCF adapter for the A10 flash. I threw the kit on a light stand and shot away in the auto mode setting the light to soft. This enabled me to not worry about camera settings and focus on getting the shot.

At first, there was little understanding between the crew on when the picture was taken as there were a series of pre-flashes. However, the app was not missing the mark and got all the photos exactly as I imagined. This leads me to believe that the app is geared towards smaller light setups, such as just one softbox or a key with a fill.

General Testing

One feature I was interested to try was the possibility of controlling how dramatic light is. This can be done in Smart-TTL mode just by changing the slider. This is an interesting feature that performed surprisingly well. Usually, one would have to move their light or change the modifier, but the camera app takes multiple exposures combining them into one big one.

A drawback for potential users would be when it comes to shooting moving objects in smart mode. To operate, the smart mode needs to make a series of flashes and exposures, which requires the subject to be more or less still.

Speaking of the Profoto RAW format, there are no options to edit the pictures in the app. If speed is of the essence, there is rarely time to process raw files. There are more options with the DNG files that Profoto Camera captures, but they are nothing extraordinary. When editing, I found that although there is more latitude, it’s nothing like with other raw files, like CR2.

A Gateway Drug to Portrait Lighting

Profoto is perhaps ahead of its time with the Camera App, as many photographers may be puzzled by why exactly it exists in the first place. However, the app allows for much faster image capture and social media publication — something that traditional cameras can’t do.

Those who will probably gravitate towards Profoto’s new camera app pool are photographers who are not new to taking pictures, but perhaps new to lighting. Many iPhone photographers could potentially benefit from the ability to use a familiar device with sophisticated lights.

When it comes to whether the Profoto Camera app should be used in large-scale productions, I doubt it. I believe phones are just never going to reach the quality that a proper camera offers.

That said, I don’t think the Profoto Camera app is competing with high-end cameras — that would be a silly fight to pick. The camera app is simply offering a much more compact solution to allow for the capture of images on the fly. I see event shooters being interested in this, too, as it would allow them to carry much less while letting the camera mix flash and ambient as well as expose the whole image.

Pros

Fast results straight from your phone

Light control in simple situations

More control over light settings when compared to the remote

Ability to shoot with any light shaping tools

Cons

No power setting on the back of the light unit screen

Light names unclear on the app. No ability to assign groups

No ability to process DNG files in the app.

Limited ability to work with fast-moving subjects.

Should You Use It?

Yes. A previous argument against iPhone photography was that syncing lights is impossible, yet now with good light, I am more than happy to take my iPhone photography to next level. A family portrait session or anything of that nature is perfectly suited for the Profoto Camera App. I draw the line there personally, but someone else may prefer to ditch their camera altogether for the iPhone given the functionality here.

Overall, the Profoto camera app is very useful, especially when capturing images on the fly is a priority.

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[lyncnews]

Hello Readers.  Happy New Year and as always, I hope this finds you well. In this post I'll be reviewing the Sennheiser SP 20 ML portable speakerphone for Skype for Business and mobile devices.

Being a regular blogger and product reviewer I am lucky enough to receive some cool toys products to test and review from time to time.  The regular readers among you will have seen several reviews for various headsets, handsets, applications and virtual appliances, all with a focus on my chosen specialized subject which is Microsoft UC.  Sennheiser have been kind enough to let me test out a range of endpoints.  This is the first of four posts on Sennheiser products.  Firstly, I wanted to say that this isn't my first or only portable speakerphone.  I bought one from another vendor from a popular online auction site and had been using that for at least a year.  It is USB only and is useful when a headset plays up or when I just want to quickly answer the phone.  I also use it as my PC speakers since I have a laptop which is closed and in a docking station on my desk.  So it is a useful device for what I need it to do.  The one thing I never used it for was its intended purpose as a portable speakerphone.  This device is simply connected to my laptop and left there.  I never take it anywhere to use it as a portable speakerphone.  I have another device from another vendor that I take with me when I know I need a portable speakerphone.  I don't actually like to carry anything I don't regularly use in order to save weight and space in my bag.  The downside, of course, is that I have occasionally needed a portable speakerphone and not had one to hand.  Maybe I need to get a bigger bag. Anyway, on with the show. 

The review - Sennheiser SP 20 ML

What is it?

The Sennheiser SP 20 ML is a portable speakerphone for PC's and mobile devices which is qualified for Lync and Skype for Business.

Why do you need one?

Whether you're a flexible worker or one that frequently travels and works away from an office, there will come a time when you'll need to attend a conference call.  Of course if it is just you on the call, you could just use a personal audio device such as a headset.  If, however, you want to involve others in the room you need a speakerphone.  This device and devices like it are for those ad-hoc conference calls when the room you're in doesn't have a speakerphone you can use.  It is definitely a better alternative to using the built in mic on your laptop or huddling around your mobile phone.

Now you have one

As I said above, I have a couple of other similar devices.   One is USB Bluetooth only which is great if you need a wireless experience for PC or smartphone audio.   One has a USB cable for PC audio.  It also has a 3.5mm jack for use with a wired headset which moves the speaker output to the headset and continues to use the mic on the device. The Sennheiser is a bit like the latter but with some major differences.  The SP 20 has both a USB cable and a headphone cable with a 3.5mm plug.  Both wind around dedicated cable management channels in the body of the device.

The real difference is that the SP 20 has a built in rechargeable battery for when you want to use it with your smartphone.  The USB cable is used both for PC audio calls and to charge the device for when you want to use it as a speakerphone with your mobile phone or if you don't have a spare USB slot in your laptop.  In 3.5mm mode it works like any headphones with a built in mic. It is built with ease of use in mind.  It is plug and play and has intuitive controls with dedicated buttons for answering and ending a call, mute and volume up and down.  Once plugged in it is available as a speaker phone audio device in Skype for Business.

What else can it do?

It can be used for both PC and mobile audio calls as well as for music/multimedia playback.  The built in rechargeable battery is good for 20 hours of either talk time or music playback.  It charges from flat to full in just 2.5 hours and has 30 hours of standby time. It also has a dedicated music mode for when you want to listen to music between calls.  This works with both USB and headphone connections.  Hold the mute button down for 5 seconds and it supposedly changes the audio profile for music playback.  To be honest, I don't really notice a lot of difference if any.  If anything, there is a little more bass to the music, but that could just be me inventing a difference after I've pushed the button.  I'd probably need to do a proper blind test with someone else driving the experience to test it properly.  All that said, the music playback is actually pretty good.  I deliberately chose something I know to be a good test of all aspects of sound and it performed well.  It isn't as good as some of the high end dedicated portable speakers from the likes of Bose, but decent nonetheless, especially for the size.  I would use it if I needed a portable speaker. One thing I didn't mention above is that since it has both a USB and headphone cable, it can be used for both PC and mobile audio at the same time.  So you can start a call on the PC, using Skype for Business.  Then you can call your colleague on your mobile and plug in the headphone plug and merge the mobile call into the Skype for Business call.  This is an excellent feature with some specific use cases.  Perhaps you are using Skype for Business or maybe Skype for Consumer and you don't have conference dial in/out, so you make the call to a remote participant on your mobile.   The down side is that Apple, in their infinite wisdom, has chosen to ditch the headphone jack in favor of lightning connector.  So to use this feature on your iPhone you will also need the headphone to lightning cable.  Of course there are still plenty of older iPhones and other mobile phone and tablet vendors that haven't been so stupid brave ;0).

Is it any good?

The first thing to mention is that the device is attractive.  My photos don't do it justice so I saved one from the vendor site.

It is finished in a combination of black plastic and brushed stainless steel over the top speaker and around the sides.  Sennheiser call this "discreet design - premium styling for discerning users".  Clearly I am a, so called, discerning user.  I like the way it looks, especially when compared to others' devices. Looks aside, however, the important thing is the audio quality.  The Sennheiser SP 20 ML has superb conference audio quality.  It has so called HD voice, which is another term for wide-band support, important for Skype for Business calls.  It also has echo cancellation which removes the echo and sound reflections when using it in confined or sparsely furnished spaces.  It also has 360 degree microphone coverage to pick up speech from everyone in your room. In the real world, I have used it a fair amount in my home office on customer and internal calls.  I have asked a few people how I sounded and they all said I sounded fine.  Arguably, this isn't a fair test considering that I am at arms length to the speakerphone.  However when I consider the use case of a few people in a meeting room huddled around the device having an ad-hoc call I'm happy with that.   I also tried out the Skype for Business "check your call quality" a few times and had consistently good results.  I tried from close up and as far as I could get from it while still standing in my office which is probably 8 feet and the quality of the audio playback was very good.  I also opened my office door to stand in the hall outside my office and tested it and the playback was loud and clear, but maybe not as warm.  Clearly the open door changed the acoustics, but I would more interested in how far I could get from the device and still have a decent call.  I wanted to see if I could be used with users spread out around a larger board room table.  While I wouldn't recommend one of these as the only device for your meeting rooms, I would say that it will work in a pinch.  The mic's picked me up from 12 feet or more away and the speaker was plenty loud enough to hear my recording. If you need a dedicated device, you should check out the Trio from Polycom.

What's wrong with it?

It does everything I want from such a device and a bit more.  I can't think of anything that is wrong with it.

What would I change?

If there was any way to pack in Bluetooth in addition to USB and headphone audio and not affect the size, weight or performance, that would be cool.  It could always be lighter (that again), but that will have a dependency on the battery size and weight.  It could also probably be smaller if it was just for two or three people at arms length in a small huddle room, although it would probably lose the music playback feature. So really, I wouldn't change anything.

Verdict

If you can't tell already I would say that the verdict is positive.  I've done some comparisons of this device and similar devices from other vendors and this one stands out in all categories.  It also stands apart on a few categories that others perhaps haven't though of.  This one is definitely going in my bag the next time I know I need a device. For more information about their extensive range of endpoint devices for Lync, Skype for Business and other products visit http://sennheiser.com.    Always choose qualified devices for Lync and Skype for Business.  For more information about qualified headsets visit the Solutions Catalog at http://ift.tt/1QkrMUx. Thanks for reading.   If this or any other post has been useful to you please take a moment to share.  Comments are welcome.