> KELBY ONE.COM
[ 89 ]› › REVIEWS“...the modeling light gets a
power boost, going from an
effective output of 75 Watts
with the B1 to 130 Watts
with the B1X. That’s 70%
brighter—I’ll take it.”
Starting with all-important battery life, the B1X boasts an
impressive 325 full-power flash pops compared to 220 for the
B1—50% more battery power, that’s nice! Next up, the model-
ing light gets a power boost, going from an effective output of
75 Watts with the B1 to 130 Watts with the B1X. That’s 70%
brighter—I’ll take it.
HSS also gets a major upgrade in the B1X by breaking the 4-stop
HSS barrier of the older B1. The B1X 500 AirTTL allows High-Speed
Sync to be used across all 9 stops of its power range. Now, that’s
cool! (Thanks to Profoto, B1 users have been gifted this feature via
an available firmware update.)
Rounding out the B1X is a new, all-black exterior finish, and an
improved tensioning knob that allows you to tighten down heavier
modifiers. Also, TTL compatibility via Profoto’s optional Air Remote
TTL ($419) is now available for Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus.
All in all, Profoto’s new B1X 500 AirTTL is a sexy beast inside and
out. I want 1...or 3! n