Profoto has introduced two new battery-powered monolights, the B20 and B30, updating the B10 series. But as Anders Hedebark, Profoto’s CEO explains, “the Profoto B20 and B30 are not just improved successors to the B10X and B10X Plus. It’s a totally new product platform that can carry several generations of future products for years to come.” “We always focus on keeping our promise to our customers, which is to provide tools for visual image creators that make their job easier, more efficient, and profitable. And with all the improvements that B20 and B30 brings that is exactly what we have done.”

Firstly, the Swedish company’s new products cater to different users: the B20 is aimed at photographers who prioritize mobility and speed, making it suitable for hybrid creators and outdoor work, while the B30, with its higher power and more substantial build, is intended for controlled environments such as studio setups or commercial shoots where precision and output consistency are crucial.

Technically, the lights include bi-color continuous LED lighting with an output of up to 5,000 lumens, a color temperature range of 2800 to 7000 Kelvin and a color rendering index (CRI) above 94. Power output differs, with the B20 maintaining 250 watt-seconds while the B30 doubling it to 500 watt-seconds.

Both lights feature Eco, Boost and Freeze modes: Eco mode prioritizes extended use and reduced thermal stress, Boost mode delivers additional power while Freeze mode minimizes flash duration to freeze fast-moving subjects. Flash durations on the B20 can reach as short as 1/38,100 of a second, while the B30 can achieve 1/21,100 of a second. Recycling speeds have been improved compared to their predecessors, making them up to 13% faster than previous generations. At full power indeed, the B20 recycles in 1.1 seconds in Eco mode and 1.2 seconds in Boost and Freeze modes. The B30 has slower recycling times, at 1.8 seconds in Eco mode and 2.1 seconds in the other two modes.