There have been a few big announcements made by Profoto as of late. All have been exciting, but they may appeal to different photographers because of how they might be used, and their difference in price. The most recent addition is the Pro-B3, the battery powerhouse, but I want to turn back the clock a bit and talk about the Pro-D3 and the D30.
First the new D30 because it was announced in October. The D30 could be seen as the replacement to the D2, with some new features and a lower, more affordable price, but with the Pro-D3 announced even earlier this year, I feel Profoto has decided to split the replacement of the D2 into two different models, the D30 to best fit the needs of most photographers and the Pro-D3 to better meet the demands of larger studios and rental houses.
So, who is the D30 designed for?
Well, it’s probably for most photographers, especially those who work where there is access to AC power. That is, individual photographers and small to medium studios that do not have the same heavy, daily demands of large studios that crank out 1000’s of photos day after day. The D30 is smaller, lighter and less expensive than the D2 when it was first announced. The compact design allows for easier transport in smaller carry bags. There is the option of a carry handle if you feel you need that extra security to not drop it. The look of the D30 is simplified compared to the D2, more like the B10X series. Also, like the B10X series, the D30 has a bi-colour LED modeling light, just a bit brighter than the battery powered B10X series. What is different though is that the D30 now has a sync port, which was not available on the D2 or the B10X models. There are a few cool features that the D30 has inherited from the Pro-D3, like an auto rotating display so the rear display rotates and you do not have to read it upside down when the head is mounted in a reverse position, and an ECO mode to extend the life of the D30 components. You can find more about the finer details here: https://www.beauphoto.com/product/profoto-d30/
So, now we turn the clock even further back to May when the Pro-D3 was announced. This strobe is designed for the high-volume studio. It also comes in two power outputs – 750w/s and 1250w/s. These photographers and studios had pushed the D2 500 and D2 1000 to the very limit, not only in the volume of shots, but with their handling of the heads – to put it politely – a bit roughly. Cracked frames, cracked handles, smashed front covers, the repair depots have seen it all. So Profoto decided to design a head, not only to stand up to daily high-volume use, but the rough handling as well. The frame was made more robust, the capacitors were redesigned to extend their life, and the flashtube was reinforced. The handle and stand adapter are now user replaceable, so if they get damaged when (mis)handled, the units don’t have to go to the repair depot. You just order the part and install it yourself. They also moved away from a tungsten modeling light to a 6300 lum. output, daylight balanced LED. No more modeling bulbs to replace and one less thing to heat up the head. These redesigned features added more weight and a bump-up in price, which is certainly offset by the increased longevity of the strobe and its components.
More in depth details here : https://www.beauphoto.com/product/profoto-pro-d3/
Here is a quick comparison of weights and costs and a few pictures to show you some size differences
Profoto D30 – Weight 2.2 KG – Cost $2699.00
Profoto D2 500 – Weight 3.0 KG – Original cost $3095.00 Now $2159.00
* at the moment we still have a couple of D2 500 heads at this special price *
Profoto Pro-D3 – Weight 3.7 KG – Cost $3999.00
