A little less than two years ago, Profoto announced the A1 — an on-camera flash made by a company with one of the strongest reputations for professional studio lighting. With much fanfare, the highly-reviewed product immediately made a splash in the creator community.
Fast forward a couple years, and we see Profoto A1s in so many photographers’ kits. It’s almost like the A1 has always had a place in our professional gear list.
And now, to continue on its legacy of the A1, Profoto has announced the next step in their on-camera flash line: the A1X.
Following the same naming structure as the B1 and the B1X, Profoto has upgraded the features of the A1, and in my testing (more on that below), the A1X works seamlessly with the A1 and, of course, all the other Profoto lighting instruments. The primary changes and upgrades are as follows:
- New battery with 450 full power flashes (previously 350)
- Faster recycle time — 1.0s (previously 1.2s)
- 20 channels (previously 8)
- Interface similar to the one of the B10
- Available for Canon, Nikon, and now (newly!) Sony systems
Now, what do all of those new upgrades mean in practical use? The A1X is for the image creators who want and need to always get that shot they imagine, essentially giving them the power to make any location a studio. Cameras with clean and high ISO can make a shot anywhere, but with a small, precise lighting tool like the A1X, photographers can create the shot they want anywhere. It is this distinction that elevates us from shooters to creators.
I got to get my hands on this powerful tool, and as we stood outside my studio, I made this simple headshot of Allison with the A1X and the new Profoto Connect set to TTL (-2 stops). With only a few frames, we nailed the exact light and expression we wanted. This simplicity and accuracy are priceless for event and wedding shooters who want to have a natural looking fill flash in any condition.
The new battery looks identical to the previous one and uses the same charger, which means if you are a current A1 user, adding a unit or two will be a simple process, and getting 450 versus 350 full power shots per charge will allow more content to be produced with less gear and weight. For one-person crews or traveling creatives, this is certainly an added bonus.
A .2-second improvement in recycle time might seem very minor on paper, but in practical use I found the difference to be noticeable when I mixed the A1X with my current A1 in these portraits of Allison. Mounting the A1X in a 3’ RFi Octa, I was able to shoot quickly and accurately using TTL to base my exposure, then switching the Profoto Connect to manual while bouncing my A1 into a Dedolight Effect for the painted background look (check it out below).
For my third set-up, I placed Allison in front of a black V-Flat and using the 3’ RFi Octa and Grid, I created this dramatic studio-lit portrait in about eight feet of space. Mounted on my camera was my A1, fitted with a Dome Diffuser for a subtle fill.
With the launch of the B10, Profoto introduced a new and simple menu system, as well as a phone app. The A1X uses a very similar interface and through the Profoto Connect, you can access your A1Xs with the Profoto app. All of this keeps your package small and simple but still allows for setting controls remotely when working with the A1X off-camera, as I’m sure many of us often do.
As the A1X becomes the flash of choice for so many, you won’t have to worry about crossing channels as Profoto has increased the number from eight to 20. As a working photographer in New York City, where photographers are everywhere, this is a significant boost.
Like the A1, the A1X incorporates a round focusable head with a modeling light to help understand your lighting patterns. The head is magnetic to facilitate quick mounting of the A1 light shapers. The body offers AF focus assist, a switch for quick swapping between TTL and Manual, and a Large Hi-Res Display. Another noticeable change is that the head tilt and swivel on the A1X I tried was tighter and will likely be able to hold larger modifiers in place.
The Profoto A1X is capable of High-Speed Sync (HSS), can be used on-camera as a Profoto Air remote, and off-camera, controlled with any of the Profoto air remotes.
It’s no secret I am a fan of the Profoto A1 and now the A1X. These units will be a perfect addition to a Profoto shooter’s kit, or with the Connect, it serves as a great entry point for photographers who want to stop taking pictures and begin creating images.
In addition to the A1X launch, Profoto has also announced new firmware for its other Air System units, including the A1, B10, D2, and Connect. The update will bring 20 available channels when using any of these lighting systems with a Connect, helping to cut down on interference when shooting. The firmware can be downloaded via the My Profoto account, or in the mobile app.
The A1X is available for for Canon, Nikon and now, notably, Sony mounts. It will be sold as a single unit or as an Off-Camera Kit with a Profoto Connect, also for Canon, Nikon, and Sony, all with free overnight shipping.
