Profoto announces its first light for video

Profoto has been a market leader in lighting products for still photographers for over 50 years. However, the company has now announced its first light for filmmakers, the Profoto L1600D.

Daylight balanced

The Profoto L1600D is a daylight-balanced light, with a fixed color temperature of 5700K. This is a tad cooler than most daylight fixtures which are 5600K. In practice, however, this difference is likely to be visually negligible. The L1600D also has a high level of color accuracy with a CRI and TLCI of 97. This means that the colors of your subjects will be reproduced correctly when lit by the light. In addition, Profoto says that the light is flicker-free at any frame rate.

All-in-one design

The L1600D is a 1600W fixture and is a compact, all-in-one unit without a ballast. Anton Falk, Product Manager for Profoto, said, “We have created an impressively efficient piece of equipment with our Mono-LED technology. 97% of the electricity is harnessed and used from input to output, which is at least 20% more efficient compared to other solutions with ballast and head.” In addition to an intuitive user interface, the L100D also supports wireless DMX and Bluetooth control.

Output power

When you use the built-in wide reflector, the L1600D gives you 3850 lux from around 16 feet away (5 meters). This reflector also features a 60-degree beam angle. However, if you swap to the 12-degree beam Boost Reflector, the output jumps to around 49,000 lux. The modifier mount is also compatible with both Profoto’s own proprietary mount and standard Bowens mount modifiers. In addition, the L1600D has a redesigned yoke with a patent-pending swivel functionality. This gives you even more freedom of movement when setting the lights.  

Build

The L1600D weighs just under 26 pounds (11.7kg) so you will need a sturdy light stand. It also features a new cooling system. Anders Hedebark, Profoto CEO, said, “Our patent-pending water-cooling system, HydroCTech is the heart of this compact Mono-LED. There is no floor unit; no more hauling heavy equipment around. It saves a lot of time on set and is more ergonomic to use”. In addition, the L1600D is rated IP54 so, while not waterproof, it does offer a good level of dust and splash resistance.

What we think

Only a month after announcing it was going to move into lights for filmmakers, Profoto has announced the L1600D. It’s a powerful light aimed at larger productions and high-end users. The compact all-in-one design will also be popular as it removes the need for a separate ballast. This will save space and make setup quicker. Hopefully, Profoto will continue to expand its video lighting range with models for smaller budgets and independent filmmakers.

Availability

Profoto will be premiering the L1600D at CineGear, Warner Bros Studios, Burbank CA on June 7th. At the time of writing, the company hasn’t released the launch date or pricing for the L1600D.

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