Profoto has now officially updated its “World’s Smallest Studio Light” (speedlight) from the A1X to the new Profoto A10. It’s essentially the same speedlight as the Profoto A1X, except that this one now has Bluetooth. So that you can… well, you can use it with your iPhone and Profoto’s recently released AirX Bluetooth protocols. Other than that, the new Profoto A10 seems essentially identical to its predecessor and at the same $1,095 price, too. Although, the price of the A1X looks like it’s dropped $200 since the announcement, so if you’re solidly into Profoto and don’t need Bluetooth, you’re probably better going for one of those.
The A10, like its A1X predecessor has a 32-105mm zoomable head range with a 14mm spread using the wide-angle adapter and it autozooms when used on the hotshoe. It has flash durations from 1/800 to 1/20,000 of a second with a recycle time of around 1 second and a “flicker-free” LED modelling light. Also like the A1X, there are A10 models for Nikon. Canon, Sony and Fuji, offering all of the usual i-TTL/E-TTL/etc. support for TTL, high speed sync and power control from full power all the way down to 1/256th (in auto mode) and +/-3 EV exposure compensation. Like I said, it’s literally the same exact light, but with added Bluetooth. It does and is compatible with everything that the A1X could do and was compatible with. But, due to the addition of Bluetooth, it’s also designed for use with the Profoto app on the iPhone using AirX so you can have flash with your smartphone photos. There’s still no word on when or if it’ll ever get any kind of Android support. If you’re interested in getting one, though, it’s available to pre-order now for $1.095 and comes in Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fuji flavours. If you’re dead set on getting a Profoto speedlight, don’t need Bluetooth and want to save a couple of hundred bucks, though, get the Profoto A1X. It’s all a bit underwhelming, really. Profoto shooters, were you hoping for more?
