#manfrotto nano bag

[dronesnuture]

Best Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for DJI Phantom in 2022

As we know today the trend of drone videography is increasing very fast. People are now using drones a lot for videography and in the future, it is going to be even more. A good videography drone is very expensive. Also, the equipment used with it is also very valuable.

When we go from one place to another for doing videography, we also have to take the necessary equipment of its many types of drone-like remote control, laptop and other accessories. For this, we need a good drone bag.

Today Manfrotto is a good choice of drone transportation solutions that is complementing this trend with a dedicated range. Manfrotto is especially beneficial for professional and advanced photographers and videographers who have trouble carrying their drone equipment and are looking for an excellent solution for the same. Then the Manfrotto will be a dependable, practical drone backpack for you. Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for DJI Phantom is ideal for carrying your drone and its necessities with ease. 

This bag is made for special adventures and this Manfrotto is perfectly adapted for the day of discovery. This bag has been specially designed for the DJJ Phantom series, which also includes the Phantom 4 Pro. The Manfrotto bag has been designed keeping in mind your needs so that you can easily hold your DLSR even with 1 lens and a tripod. The Manfrotto Backpack keeps all your belongings safe.

The Manfrotto even has separate compartments to securely store your propeller, transmitter and battery, giving you a great portable and handy storage facility. Thanks to those three protective pouches that provide a snug fit around your device.

The Manfrotto is a super-organized drone bag together and you'll feel in control because you can set the drone on the exterior of your bag, we can carry the Manfrotto bag on your shoulder with great ease, and we can use our propeller Can be mounted in a flash by unzipping the front zip. If we need to quickly change our location, we can disassemble our drone's equipment and move quickly.

The Manfrotto bag has a waterproof extra compartment for your 17-inch laptop or tablet that gives you extra space for all those essentials. This flow saves all our equipment from getting damaged in every season. The S-Bag also offers a decent option for attaching your tripod externally.

It is both modular and very easy to use. The built-in divider lets you create the exact sized compartment for your gear so we can custom fit around your gear inside your bag. The batteries fit snugly in this bag.

These compartments keep our laptops safe during transport. Includes a built-in fold-out protector that when installed protects our equipment from wet and dry on the outside of your bag. A special coating is applied to the fabric of this bag which remains resistant to moisture.

As we all know, the DJI Drone Backpack contains our DJI Phantom Drone as well as our DSLR and lens and a tripod. This bag is perfect for travel, this bag allows us to carry the drone in multiple ways. Most users prefer to keep their drones in a backpack for added security.

The best Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for DJI Phantom has enough room to carry a drone, drone accessories, lenses, a full-size DSLR with a controller, camera accessories and much more.

Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for Dji Phantom – First Impressions

From the moment we opened the Manfrotto MB BP-D1 DJI Backpack, the first thing we noticed was that it's much bigger and prettier than we expected.

Even though the drone isn't exactly compact, we never thought the Manfrotto D1 Aviator would be that big.

We think the backpack Manfrotto will be on par with the DJI Backpack. Not a deal-breaker at all, and it's still pretty decent by the carry-on specifications, but it did a little more than we anticipated.

When we picked up the bag, we liked its outer cover which was made of sturdy material. This one was durable and thick - exactly what we've always wanted.

Everything felt comfortable on our backs once inside the S-bag. The weight was evenly distributed and it is also very easy to carry.

This bag will contain the following DJI drones:

Advanced DJI Phantom 3

Vision+ DJI Phantom 3

DJI Phantom 1

DJI Phantom FC40

DJI Phantom 2

Vision DJI Phantom 2

Standard DJI Phantom 3

Professional Technical Specifications of Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for DJI Phantom :

Exterior Dimensions: 22" x 13.4" x 9"

Interior Dimensions: 21.2" x 11.8" x 6.3"

Camera Insert Dimensions : 26 x 15 x 13 cm

Tripod Connection:  Yes

Laptop Compartment Dimensions : 30 x 2.5 x 54 cm

Number Of Lenses: 1

Types Of Gear: Drone, DSLR

Storage For Personal Items : Yes

Remote Case Dimensions : 21 x 12 x 11 cm

Drone Compartment Width : 30 x 16 x 41 cm

Weight  : 1.904 kg

Material : Nylon, RipStop, Synthetic Fabric

Features of Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for DJI Phantom :

Enhanced protection

The top compartment in the manfrotto nano bag our DSLR and the attached lens safe. While its ultra-protective pouch fits snugly around our drones and kits, keeping our belongings safe.

maximum mobility

Secure our quadcopter with a propeller mounted from outside the Manfrotto pack while an external tripod hook secures our Manfrotto tripod outside the pack.

flexible storage

The side compartment in the S Bag securely holds the iPad and 17-inch laptop, plus the large pouches for batteries, cables, chargers, mounts, etc.

Water-repellant cloth

A special coating has been applied to the fabric used to make this bag, which keeps it resistant to moisture.

Rain protector folds out

Manfrotto backpack also include fold-out protectors that when installed create a barrier between the wet and dry inside our bags.

Here's the list of pros and cons for our Manfrotto D1 Aviator

Pros

In the Manfrotto MB BP-D1 DJIbag, we can comfortably store a DJI Phantom 4, 2 spare batteries, battery station, filter, SD card, charging cable and all kinds of other accessories. If you also have a lightweight drone, then you can travel with it very easily, it is great.

Its separate back panel also has enough room for a 15-inch MacBook Pro.

The backpack also comes with a rainproof wrap-on cover to protect it from water.

The top handle and shoulder strap of this bag is sturdy and we absolutely do not feel that they can fall apart with constant wear and carry.

The bag has a flat bottom and stands perfectly even with even the weight distribution. Doesn't fall easily.

This is perfect for carry-on luggage for all the airlines we've used so far.

Its top pocket is also quite secure and can hold a wide variety of items like a small camera, hard drive and extra cables.

The solid zippers of this bag are also of very good quality which you will always appreciate.

Cons

Our main issue with the Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for DJI Phantom is the slight lack of padding on its bottom.

With a DJI Phantom 4, the inside of the two arms extends to the farthest of the bag.

There's a slight lack of protection or cushioning around both these arms and the motors when we zip up our DJI Phantom.

It doesn't take much room to set up its own padding and is prone to falling off. We have to be very careful in keeping the bag down so that there is no damage to the hand or the motor.

It should be good to have a dedicated SD card organizer. These side pockets aren't great for carrying anything other than thin items.

Conclusion for the Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for the DJI Phantom

Overall the manfrotto camera bag is quite a good product and you are going to be happy after buying it.

The Manfrotto D1 is a decent product for decent padding along with portability and ease of use. Obviously, a hard case would be better for protection, but we'd have a little trouble hiking with the Manfrotto D1.

As far as we know, this is one of the best Manfrotto Aviator Drone Backpack for DJI Phantom. And this is going to be the best drone backpack in the market for you to take your DJI Phantom 4 outside.

Manfrotto has definitely done a great job creating something that covers most of our bases with ease, and we're always ready to use it on our next big adventure.

The Manfrotto D1 Aviator Bag is perfect, but it works great for what it's designed for. and also profitable.

Source link 

https://www.dronesnuture.com/2022/01/Best-Manfrotto-Aviator-Drone-Backpack-for-DJI-Phantom.html

[avinmotion]

2019 IBC Show

The IBC Show (2019) is home to Europe’s largest collection of vendors driving the future of media and entertainment. After visiting this years show I’ve made an personal list for the top twenty most innovative and important introductions and announcements.

Top 20

Mk2 Camera Bar (with Intel RealSense) by Ncam

HD-TX 2.4Ghz Transmitter/Recorder by Deity

The Ones W371 Adaptive Woofer by Genelec

TouchMonitor with support for Ravenna AoIP and native AES67 by RTW

Sync Track E Audio Recorder by Tentacle

E2-F8 Full Frame 8K Cinema Camera by Z CAM

PXW-FX9 Full-Frame Camera by Sony

IntelliMix 2 Pro by YellowTec

DIVINE Intelligent Network Audio Monitor (PoE Dante) by Glensound

Orbiter LED Fixture by ARRI

Fleet Quantum Smart Quad Charger by Core SWX

Pocket Cinema Camera 6K (EF) by Blackmagic Design

Blink500 Wireless Audio System by Saramonic

Vison & Cine Series 4K Field Monitors by SmallHD

Prism 4K HEVC Encoder/Decoder Solution (Rack-mount) by Teradek

BM-U173NDI 17.3” 4K NDI Monitor by SWIT

Titan X2 LED Fixture by Rotolight

SX-M2D2 Adaptable Audio Interface by Sonosax

Amaran AL-MC RGB Light System by Aputure

Shark Slider Nano by iFootage

What also caught my eye (alphabetical order)

AJA FS-Mini Frame Synchronizer

AJA HDR Image Analyser 12G

AJA KUMO 6464-12G SDI Router

Angelbird AV PRO CFX (XT) CFexpress Cards

Anton Bauer Dionic 26V Series Batteries

Anton Bauer Titon SL Lithium-ion Batteries

Aputure Amaran MC RGB Light System

ARRI Orbiter

Atomos Shogun Studio 2 Rackmount Recorder

Axon Cerebrum 2.0

Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini

Blackmagic Design BRAW plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro

Blackmagic Design Pocket 6K Camera

Blackmagic Design Video Assist 12G HDR 5” and 7” Monitors/Recorders (with BRAW)

Blackmagic Design Videohub Master Control Pro

Bright Tangerine Misfit Kick (Prototype)

Canon DP-V3120 4K Reference Display

Canon EOS C500 Mark II

Cartoni Maxima 50 Heavy Duty Tripod Head

Cartoni Red Lock Tripod (First Look!)

Core SWX Fleet Quantum Intuitive Smart Quad Charger (with Color Touchscreen)

Core SWX Hypercore NEO 98wh Lithium Ion Battery Pack

Deity HD-TX 2.4Ghz Transmitter/Recorder

Deity S-Mic 2S Short Shotgun Microphone (optimised for use indoors)

DZOfilm LingLung MFT 10-24mm Cine Zoom Lens

Freefly Alta X

Genelec The Ones 8351B coaxial three-ways

Genelec The Ones 8361A coaxial three-ways

Genelec The Ones W371 Adaptive Woofer

Glensound Devine PoE Powered Dante Speaker

Grass Valley Technology Alliance (GVTA)

Hollyland 1000T Wireless Intercom

iFootage Shark Sloder Nano

KineMaster 4.11

LaCie Rugged BOSS SSD

LaCie Rugged SSD & SSD Pro

Lowel EGO LED Light

Manfrotto Advanced2 Camera Bag Collection

Manfrotto Carbon Nano Plus Stand

Manfrotto Carbon Nano Pole Stand

NCAM Mk2 Camera Bar

O’Conner Flowtech Tripod

ORCA OR-268 SoundBag for Zoom F6

Panasonic AJ-CX4000 ENG Camera

Pomfort Livegrade Studio

Pomfort Silverstack Cloud

RED Digital Cinema Ranger Gemini

RED Digital Cinema Ranger Helium

Rotologht Titan X2 LED Light

RTW TouchMonitor - ISA Immersive License

Saramonic Blink500 Wireless Audio System

Sigma Classic Art Primes

SmallHD Cine Series - 4K High-Bright Field Monitors

SmallHD Vison Series - 4K HDR Reference-Grade Field Monitors

Sonosax SX-M2D2 Adaptable Audio Interface

Sony Cinema Lens - FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G

Sony PXW-FX9 6K Full-Frame Camera 

Sony PXW-Z750 Camcorder

Sound Devices 833 Mixer/Recorder

Sound Devices MixPre Series II

SWIT BM-U173NDI 17.3” 4K NDI Monitor

Tentacle Sync Track E Audio Recorder

Teradek Bolt 4K MAX

Teradek Orbit PTZ

Teradek Orbit Wireless Video System

Teradek Prism 4K HEVC Encoder/Decoder Solution (rack-mount)

Wooden Camera 26V Sharkfin Power solution

Wooden Camera Power Solution for Small Cameras (Prototype)

XEEN CF Cine Prime Lens Series (Carbon Fiber)

YellowTech IntelliMixer Pro

YellowTech iXm Podcaster

Z CAM E2-S6 (MFT mount and SpeedBooster Support)

Z CAM ZRAW (macOS Workflow in the future)

Zoom F6 Audio Recorder (with Sennheiser AMBEO Support)

SmallHD Cine 7 Camera Control Kit for RED DSCM2

[duylinhtu]

FU, TSA! I’m Never Checking Bags Again.

These days, I’m lugging gear through airports at least once a week. Even with TSA Precheck and Global Entry, airlines continue to be a battlefield for us video folks looking to get to our next gig on time and with all of our equipment in one piece. 

I’ve completely rethought my gear so that it all fits into an airline regulation carry-on roller bag. My camera, laptop, headphones, and accessories go into my backpack. But all my support and lighting gear fit into my main bag -- and with enough room left over for toiletries and three days worth of clothing.

In the good old days, I used to check huge Pelican cases.  But video equipment has gotten so small (and fully functional!) that I can’t be bothered with more than my two bags. Are there better alternatives to the ones on this list? Am I sad I can’t bring along my Miller or Sachtler tripods? Yes. But, in real practical terms, I’m not missing any of my big gear at all. 

Here’s what I use:

Delsey Luggage Helium Sky Carry-On Expandable Trolley Suitcase: Airline regulation, well-built, and very inexpensive. Only downside is that you have to be sure to pack it so that it’s bottom-heavy or it tends to fall over.

Benro Aero 2 Video Tripod: Strong enough to hold my 8-pound camera set up. Small enough to fit perfectly into the carry-on.

Benro Monopod, Benro S6 Video Head (for both my monopod and tripod) Manfrotto Nano Light Stands, Manfrotto Mini Ballhead (for mounting LED lights to the Nano Light Stands): This is the smallest/lightest set up for the lighting I need. The monopod breaks down (feet and head come off) to fit into the carry-on.

Ikan Bi-Color LED lights with Fotodiox Softboxes: Great two-light interview set up. The Bi-Color lights have less throw than the single temperature lights, but they give me a lot of flexibility in mixed-lighting situations. The blue pouch is just an old case I had for my 15-inch Macbook - it provides just another bit of the protection for the lights.

V-Mount Batteries. Each of these batteries give me 4 to 5 hours of continuous run time. Perfect for a full day of interviews.

Extension Battery Cables. I don’t mount the batteries to the lights (they’d be too top-heavy), so these cables allow me to put the batteries on the ground next to the light stands. The plastic bag helps to organize the wires and to keep them moisture free.

Lav Mics and XLR Cables: I carry my wireless lavs with my camera, but I transport my wired lav mics in my carry on. Yes, I always bring two mics just in case one fails!

And that’s it. Yes, I can also fit enough clothes for three days and all my toiletries! This set up will not work for crews who use bigger cameras like the FS7 or need more lights. But for the small-footprint documentarian, it’s perfect.

Happy shooting,

Duy

[thegloober]

A review of the most expensive hot shoe strobe in the world – the Profoto A1

The Profoto A1 is the new on-camera flash. And off-camera flash. And Air remote. You can use it any way you like. For me as a photographer (mainly portraits) working on-location a lot, this is the piece of equipment I have been waiting for a long time.

So, this might not be the most objective review you have read, but hopefully interesting in some way.

The Profoto A1 fits right in beside the Profoto B1 and B2. Or as a stand-alone camera mounted flash for events and simpler lighting (mostly). As soon as I have bought my A1, I will probably sell my old Nikon Speedlight.

I borrowed two A1 from Profoto and used them for testing before writing this review, together with accessories that will be sold separately.

What is Profoto A1?

In short, A1 is a hotshoe speedlight-type of flash that works in the Profoto universe. With a built-in remote.

It is the most lightweight of all lights from Profoto and has a built-in Air Remote TTL. If you want a flash for on-camera work as well as off-camera, I can’t really think of any better alternative. It is the cheapest flash in the Profoto system (although not what most people call really cheap).

I got two A1 from Profoto to test for a few days, and I mostly used them at home, but also on an assignment with an author and an illustrator.

There is still a lot to be learned for me, even if they are easy to use.

Unboxing the Profoto A1

Opening the box, you will find the A1, a smart bag, the battery and charger plus a bounce card with a holder. And, two “filters” that you can put in front of the light with smart magnetic connectors.

One is like the drag-out plastic panel on a Speedlight, it spreads the light wider. The other is more like a small dome and will diffuse the light. You can also stack them on top of each other, but I couldn’t really see much difference in the light when doing so.

The charger for the Profoto A1

About the same size as the battery charger for my Nikon D800 and D750, the usual stuff with cord and all. Will recharge a battery to full in about 80 minutes.

Even if a fully charged battery is good for many many full flashes, I will buy one extra battery per light. Just in case.

Front view of Profoto A1

It looks like this and you can see the detachable battery.

The head can be tilted and turned as you would expect from any on-camera flash. It has a built-in LED modelling light.

Rear view of Profoto A1

It looks very much like a Profoto Air TTL Remote, and maybe because that is what it is. Plus a light on top. Start it by pressing the white on/off button and then turn the dial a bit. The interface is very familiar if you have used the Air Remote or a D1/D2/B1 before.

Profoto A1, top view

A round fresnel lens covering the flash tube, with a magnetic ring when you want to attach things to it. The front ring can also be turned for “zooming” the light.

The diameter is a lot smaller than all the other Profoto heads, so don’t expect to put a Speedring with a softbox there.

Size: Profoto A1 vs Nikon Speedlight

These two flashes are roughly the same size. The Profoto A1 is maybe a tiny bit longer, but I would say that they are very similar holding them together.

The round front glass is maybe what makes A1 stand out among similar speedlight type lights.

Size comparison: Profoto A1, B1 and B2

Packing my bags for any assignment is always the hard question: should I take this, do I need this? A Profoto A1 in its bag is smaller than a B2 with a head, and also smaller than a B1.

If you have room for a B1, then you will have room for at least two A1. Probably more.

The Profoto A1 bag

This deserves mention, having small bags for all of my equipment makes my life a lot easier.

The A1 bag can be put inside a bigger bag or fastened outside my backpack with a cord. Inside the A1 bag there is a small space for the wideangle/diffusion accessories, both of them.

A bag that is easy to use

Even better, you don’t have to remove them to fit everything inside the bag as the small compartment for the diffusion has a flap that will fold away easily.

Not a big thing, but small things can make my work easier.

Small stand included

Also included is a small table-stand for the Profoto A1 (or maybe a floor stand, or just to have it standing on anything?). With a small pocket for this on the bag, you can always have it with you.

I have never use a Speedlight with a stand like this, but it is a lot smarter than just laying it on the ground.

A bigger bounce card

My Nikon Speedlight has a very small built-in bounce card, Profoto A1 has one too, but you will have to mount it by yourself with a small holder (also included).

Wide angle lens

You mount that and other things in front of the glass with these magnets. It might not be as sturdy as velcro, but I think it will work just fine. It is a lot faster to work with at least.

And very silent, compared to velcro.

The diffusion dome

The “dome” also has magnets you use to lock it in place with.

Hard filter gels for A1

If you want to colour your light, for correction or effects, Profoto has accessories for that too.

Buy a Gel Kit separately and you will get a few hard plastic filters (CTO, CTB etc) that you attach with a special magnetic holder. Very easy to work with, a more durable than soft plastic.

The box is round and small, compared to most things in my life. Fits perfectly in your back pocket, or anywhere.

The magnetic holder fits the hard plastic gels and takes no time to attach, and leaves no marks. Just click to attach or pull to detach.

I have not yet used the hard plastic colour gels, but just holding them in my hand makes me a little bit happy. And the round box. Won’t really miss the soft plastic alternative.

If they now could make something similar for Profoto B1 and B2, that would be great. Maybe with magnets as well. And maybe a cutout for the umbrella rod to use it on B2?

Overall feeling

With its round features, very familiar design and interface, it feels like something that is a very natural on-camera part of my lighting equipment. But that is of course because I have been using Profoto for many years. Users of other brands may disagree.

The best bonus

Apart from what I think is a great addition that completes my arsenal of lights working well together, I am in a way most happy about the bag.

The bag for my Nikon SB-910 feels a lot bigger than it needs to be.

The A1 bag is more like a skin. And packing equipment in a bigger backpack or rolling case is simpler and quicker if I can just throw it in after a shoot. Not needing to worry about things scratching and crushing each other.

Soft Bounce for Profoto A1

Another thing you can buy for your Profoto A1 is the Soft Bounce, a larger bounce card, quite a bit larger in fact.

It comes with a nice bag as well, and folds easily. Just unpack it and attach it to the front of your A1 with magnets and you will have a more diffused light source for events or fill light.

For my Speedlights, I have used a whole bunch of different diffusers over the years. The Gary Fong Lightsphere might have been the most extravagant one. And the one I used almost never.

This one I might buy, mostly for the ease of use and the simplicity of having the flat bag hanging on the outside of my backpack in case I need softer light.

Attaching the A1 everywhere

One of the new thing with having a small and lightweight flash that works perfect in my Profoto ecosystem is being able to use “new” attachment methods (again).

Many of the accessories I bought in Strobist fashion for my Speedlights before will be of use again. For instance, this small Gorillapod.

Maybe I will buy the larger version, but the small one actually works if I want to hang the Profoto A1 onto something, or just using it as a floor stand. A clamp with a hotshoe connector can also be very useful when attaching a light to a door or anything it can hold on to.

Using Manfrotto Nano stands more

Since Manfrotto release the Nano stand, I have had at least one in the bag for different purposes. Mostly using it to hold a reflector or sometimes my DIY black flag made of Molton fabric.

Now I can use them as my main lighting stands on smaller assignments. Just add a tilt connector for hotshoe and pack a small umbrella.

That should be enough to use the A1 with my DIY homemade ring flash adapter, I think.

This is the kind of transport tube architects and art students use for stuff, I bought mine in an art store just to try if it could be useful. Now it can.

The weight of this tube bag is nearly nothing, and you can expand it to fit a Profoto A1, a small umbrella and a Nano stand. Maybe the smallest lighting equipment I have ever had?

Profoto A1 – the zoom-able flash

Turning the front ring of the light, you can change the focus of the light through the fresnel lens. From wide (above) to narrow (below).

A small symbol on the top left corner of the display will change as you turn the ring.

With the wide angle filter on, the light cone will spread wider.

Adding the “diffusion dome” will make the shadows less sharp.

Will I buy a Profoto A1?

Yes!

I have already ordered two Profoto A1 in fact.

This is the Profoto light that I have been waiting for a long time now. And finally, it is here. And it fits right into my lighting ecosystem perfectly.

If you have been reading my blog or followed me on Facebook and Instagram, you might have picked up that I love to find solutions that make my life as a photographer easier and the lighting quicker.

I did try the Strobist way quite hard before, but as soon as I had bought a used Profoto AcuteB 600R, there was no turning back. And then came the Profoto B1.

Maybe buying the B2 was more because I liked the idea of a lightweight head so much, not because I really needed it. But now I own one, and I use it quite a lot.

Not as much as my four Profoto B1, but it is not collecting dust. Buying two heads was a bit unnecessary though. One of them I never use.

What will I use it for?

Three things come to mind directly. One is replacing my Speedlights as the on-camera flash for events and stuff like that.

The other is for smaller editorial assignment when I want to travel with as little equipment as possible. Two Speedlight type lights will make lighting most editorial portrait something I can do quickly and painlessly.

The third, but not the least, is always having at least one A1 in the bag as an addition to a B1 or B2. Sometimes as fill light, but maybe more often as hair/rim light.

Will Profoto A1 replace my B1 or B2?

Not really.

The scenario that I find most probable is having a lot more lighting options but not necessarily a lot more lighting equipment in the bag. Adding just one A1 in my backpack takes up the same amount of volume as a normal zoom lens.

Maybe it will be enough to just bring two A1s to a quick assignment, but I will probably still use at least one B1/B2 for the wider range of lighting modifiers.

What is Profoto A1 not? This new product was unfortunately leaked on the internet, so before writing this review I have read a few comments about it. Comments that in many ways looked much like the comments when Profoto released the B2. Very much focus on Watt-seconds. And the price tag.

This is not a light you bring to a beach in the middle of a sunny day and place it ten meters away from a swimsuit model and hope to overpower the sun. For that purpose, I would rent a Pro-10. Or a B1 with a Magnum Reflector at least?

And this is not a light that will give you the best specification per dollar either. If you just want to save money, there are other brands that aim for that part of the market.

Sadly, this is not a light that will be compatible with all your OCF lighting modifiers. It might not be so hard to build an adapter to get the A1 to work with a Beauty Dish, just cut out a piece of foam with a hole in it.

Building a speedlight type of light restricts you a bit to the strength of the hotshoe, so it is probably wise not to put too much weight on that part of a camera or flash. But it would, of course, be nice if I could use this in the OCF system in some way.

Maybe this will be a revival for the Profoto Speedlight Speedring adapter/bracket? I bought one, many years ago, and never used it very much. It took forever just to attach the Speedlights in the right position with all the screws and brackets. But, with that on a stand, you could use a Profoto A1 together with any softbox you would like.

Why I might like the Profoto A1?

I am a portrait photographer in Stockholm, Sweden. Right now, there is sunlight enough to work most of the day. But, a large portion of the year, photographers here can’t rely on natural light. That would be crazy, and very restricting.

For me, to add one or two Profoto A1 to my lighting system makes a lot of sense. I like to pack enough equipment to manage most situations in portraits, from smaller group shots to editorial portraits on-location and individual portraits in a studio-like environment.

But, I really dislike carrying too much.

One large backpack and one Manfrotto padded bags for my lighting stands is more than enough. Maybe a third if I bring more than one Profoto B1.

I did just recently buy the ThinkTank Logistics Manager 30, and it is the perfect rolling bag for me. One or two Profoto B1 or B2 inside, together with cameras and lenses. Plus small or medium sized stands with a softbox or umbrella on the outside. With Profoto A1, I can easily add two more lights that can expand the choices in lighting I can work with a lot.

Event photography is something I do, and packing one B1 plus at least one A1 would make those assignments very much more fun. Place a B1 somewhere for a portrait setup, and have an A1 on the camera for everything else. Use the A1 as a remote and/or fill in the setup.

Profoto A1 for wedding photographers

I don’t do weddings anymore, but they are a bit like events. Therefore the A1 would be a perfect match for those who want a Speedlight but also an off-camera flash.

Profoto A1 for studio photographers

It might seem a very expensive small light, but on the other hand, why not buy a versatile flash that you easily can place almost anywhere? I am sure that I will use my A1’s in the studio, probably not as main lights but maybe as hair light sometimes? Or anything.

Profoto A1 for beginners

Buying a Profoto A1 as your first flash might seem a bit expensive, but it could be a really good investment. First, use it on-camera as you would with a Speedlight, and learn how it works. Buy a Remote or another Profoto flash to expand your possibilities. I could almost guarantee that starting with a Profoto light lets you explore portrait lighting quicker than with the complicated menus of a Speedlight.

The price

Yes, this is an expensive product.

But, for me, working full-time as a freelance photographer, it doesn’t really matter that much. I could, of course, buy at least two Godox AD200 (or maybe three, or four?) that at a glance should fulfil the same needs for a photographer.

If I would just need a small inexpensive light, a Godox would be more than ok. But I like parts in a system that works painlessly together, and mixing Profoto with Speedlights or other stuff is not painless.

I will probably use this product almost every day and on all assignments in the coming years. Having paid 300 or 995 dollars is not of much impact compared to the time and frustration I can save.

And it is really nothing compared to the total sum I have invested in cameras, lenses or lights over the years.

I have, as I said, already ordered two.

Profoto A1 Specifications

76 Watt seconds

9 stops of power adjustment

0.05-1.2 second recycle time

2.75? round tiltable, rotating, zoomable flash head

Auto-zoom from 32-150mm

Wide lens attachment for 14-24mm coverage

350 full power flashes on a single battery charge

Removable Lithium Ion Battery

80 minute charge time

Flash sync up to 1/250th of a second

High Speed Sync mode

Front & rear curtain sync modes

LED Modelling light

Will you buy one, or two? Or not?

About the Author

Stefan Tell is a commercial portrait photographer based in Stockholm, Sweden. You can find out more about Stefan on his website and follow him on Instagram or Facebook. This article was also published here and shared with permission.

Source: https://bloghyped.com/a-review-of-the-most-expensive-hot-shoe-strobe-in-the-world-the-profoto-a1/

[gridfitigear]

Todays featured camera gear shot is by photographer @sung.photo. 📷 “My stripped down kit for a few weeks in Cuba 😅 most of which will be crammed into my crumpler 8mil bag. Camera-wise I’m bringing a 5D4, 24-70 f2.8 L II, 50 f1.2 L, Sony A6500, 10-18, sigma 30 f1.4, 50 f1.8, 55-210, and assorted memory cards and chargers. Lighting kit is a couple Godox AD200s and X1T triggers, Canon 580 speedlite, westcottlighting 24” collapsible beauty dish, paulcbuff 51” PLM umbrella, manfrotto nano light stand, a cheap tripod that will double as a second light stand when needed, the indispensable rocketblower, and assorted anker gadgets like a bluetooth speaker, flashlight and powerbank” — view on Instagram http://ift.tt/2kZ0fMc

[joya34blanco]

Top Gear Related Articles of 2016

Yesterday I shared 15 of the most popular landscape photography articles of 2016, here on dPS.

Continuing on with the best of the last year, this one is all about the gear. Many photographers and teachers will advise you on learning the craft of photography before going nuts buying everything you can get your hands on (and possibly not afford even). But sometimes you just need new gear. So here are some related articles that might help you out in that are:

The 12 top gear related articles of the year

How to Clean Your Photography Gear and Keep it in Good Shape – by Ivo Guimaraes

Brand Name Versus Third-Party Photography Gear: Which is better? by Suzi Pratt

More Ways to Create Better Images Without Buying More Gear by Barry J Brady

How to Buy Camera Gear Wisely and Save Money by Erinna Ford

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Buying New Camera Gear by Destin Sparks

How to Decide What Gear to Pack for a Wilderness Trip by David Shaw

How to Travel Safely with Your Camera Gear by Tim Sullivan

Must-Have Gear for Travel Photography Newbies by Kav Dadfar

What’s In My Bag: A Look at the Camera Gear of a Nature Photographer – Curtis Cunningham

5 Camera Bag Hacks to Help You Curb the Temptation of Buying More by Sarah Hipwell

Does the Camera Matter? SLR versus Mirrorless versus Smartphone by Andrew Gibson

Do This Before You Upgrade a Lens for Your New Camera by Meredith Clark

Readers choice

The 37 Most Popular DSLR Lenses with our Readers

The 19 Most Popular DSLRs Among our Readers

The 19 Most Popular Compact System and Mirrorless Cameras with Our Readers

Bonus – Top articles on mirrorless cameras

Mirrorless cameras made a real push this year, with more photographers than ever making the leap over. I personally have noticed a higher percentage of students in my classes and on my photography tours now shooting with mirrorless cameras. Here are some of the most popular articles we published on this topic this year:

3 Reasons Why Mirrorless Cameras are Better than Digital SLRs for Focusing by Andrew Gibson

DSLR or Mirrorless Cameras Which is Right for You?

Reviews and field tests

Our dPS writers also did quite a few gear reviews and field tests. Here are a few of them:

Review of the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens Plus TC-1401 Teleconverter Bundle

Review of The MIOPS Smart Trigger

Review: Fujifilm X-Pro2 Mirrorless Camera

Lens Review: Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM Art Lens

Review: Light Painting Brushes – Tools for Creativity

Review of the Tamron 85mm F1.8 Di VC USD Lens

Review: Manfrotto 5001B Nano Light Stand

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art Lens Review

Review of the MindShift BackLight 26L Backpack

Review: Lastolite 6×4 Foot Panelite Collapsible Reflector with Translucent Diffuser

Review of the Vü Professional Filter System

Sony a6300 Mirrorless Camera – Thoughts and Field Test

First Look and Field Test of the Canon 80D

Review and Field Tests of the new Canon 5D Mark IV; Is it Worth Upgrading?

Double bonus – gadgets and money saving tips

10 Photography Accessories You Can Buy at the Supermarket

DIY Photography Hacks and Accessories You Can Make at Home

dPS Writer’s Favorite Photography Gadgets

How to Make DIY Reflectors for Tabletop Photography

Watch for another 2016 round-up of the best of the best tomorrow.

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The post Top Gear Related Articles of 2016 by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

from Digital Photography School http://digital-photography-school.com/top-gear-related-articles-of-2016/