Even with “Pro” built into its brand identity, Profoto still takes care to explicitly define certain lights as professional products designed for commercial, industrial, and other demanding scenarios by giving them the “Pro” moniker. Right now, the pinnacle of Profoto’s flash line is the Pro-11—a power pack that is as impressive as it is expensive—and unfortunately out of reach of many photographers. Enter the Profoto Pro-D3 Monolight. This strobe takes the convenience of a monolight and imbues it with the durability and reliability of a professional power pack.
An Industrial-Grade Monolight
While professionals have been very satisfied with the B10 series of battery-powered flashes and the D series of monolights, some use cases still demand more. That is why the Pro-D3 is designed for high-volume industrial uses. Immediately after picking up the D3 you can tell that it is built at a higher level than the existing units.
The Pro-D3 boasts dramatic improvements in durability. This is done with capacitors that are rated to run for 2.5x longer and for 5x the total number of flashes as previous Profoto monolights. The flash tube electrodes have been reinforced and a software ECO-mode improves the light’s lifetime by up to 100%. This all adds up to a light that is going to maximize shooting times, requires fewer repairs, and is more affordable to fix.
Having a light that has longer runtimes means that you don’t have to worry about downtime and wasted productivity when you work. Many of the parts are user replaceable, such as the flashtube and handle.
The new Pro-D3 also comes equipped with a COB LED modeling light. This 56W LED has a CRI of over 92 and outputs the same amount of light as a 400W halogen lamp. This provides a bright preview of your lighting and is much more efficient than halogen.
This flash isn’t meant for everyone. Many photographers, especially those looking for a more mobile kit, will still be better served by the B10X or even the compact A series. Many studio photographers who aren’t churning out hundreds of images a day may not even need to go up to the Pro-D3. However, professionals working in demanding fields may find the added durability of the Pro-D3 to be a game changer—one they can have for a fraction of the cost of the Pro-11.
Stellar Light Quality
As for being a flash, the Pro-D3 brings the same light quality and intuitive controls as the rest of the series. It also works with Profoto’s existing line of light shaping tools, including Profoto’s newest set of quick-open softboxes.
The Pro-D3 comes in 750Ws and 1250Ws versions, each with an 11-stop range with 0.1 stop increments. The light is AC powered only and will provide very fast recycle times from 0.1-1 sec for 750Ws and 0.1-1.5 sec for 1250Ws, depending on your power source. Eco, Boost, and Freeze modes can be selected to ensure maximum longevity, maximum power, and faster flash durations. Selection of each depends on the use case. Eco is your standard mode that prioritizes longevity along with color consistency. Boost adds power and Freeze speeds up the flash duration though at some expense to color consistency.
The back of the light is where you will find all of the options and controls. The light is compatible with Profoto’s wireless AirX system and all available remotes. This allows for remote control and triggering of the strobes from the camera trigger. There is a 3.5mm sync port for wired configurations and a USB-C port for firmware updates. The Profoto Camera and Profoto Control smartphone apps can connect to the Pro-D3 via Bluetooth for yet another control option.
The Pro-D3 is an impressive light and the next step up for professional work environments. This is a monolight designed to handle the demanding needs of commercial and industrial uses similar to what might’ve required a pack like the Pro-11 in the past.
Profoto Cinema Lights Are on the Way
In other news, Profoto has recently revealed that they are headed to Hollywood with a series of new LED lights. Profoto has long been known for making premium flashes, but has not had a high-end continuous light in its catalog for some time. Hopefully these new high-end cinema LEDs will change that.
Expect to hear more at CineGear in June.
What do you think about the Pro-D3? What about the news about Profoto entering the cinema LED lighting space? Drop us a line below and share your thoughts.
