Press Release

Stockholm, March 15th 2010 – Profoto, leading manufacturer of professional quality electronic fl ash lighting systems and light shapers, introduces a revolutionary new battery pack called the Pro-B3 AirS.

With the Pro-B3 AirS, Profoto implements the New Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate battery technology. This battery has higher stored energy and gives faster recycling time with less weight. It’s the state-of-the-art battery technology that extends the amount of fl ashes to 300 flashes on maximum power and more than 30,000 at min power. Profoto uses special, dedicated LiFePO4 batteries with integrated electronics that ensure an optimal performance. Battery life is prolonged 4 times compared to the former Lead Acid version. The Profoto Pro-B3 AirS is the fastest 1200Ws pack on the market, with a recycling time between 0.06 to 1.8 sec, giving up to 16 fl ashes/sec. Plus, the very short fl ash durations of the Pro-B3 make it easy to freeze movement. The Pro-B3 AirS can be used while recharging.

Pro-B3 AirS is one of the smallest and lightest 1200Ws battery generators on the market and measures only (w) 17 x (d) 24 x (h) 28 cm (6.7 x 9.4 x 11 in) incl. handle. The weight of the complete unit with battery is down to only 8,8 kg (19,4 lb).

The battery is licensed to travel and has been tested and certified according to UN manual of Test & Criteria, Part III, Sub-section 38,3. Depending on country regulations, you’re allowed to take the generator with you on the plane. The Pro-B3 AirS, has been implemented with the reliable radio slave system: Profoto Air Sync. The generator can be triggered from a distance up to 300 m (1000 ft). Ultra-short delay makes it possible to use the fastest sync times. Air Sync uses the same frequency all over the world, covering 8 separate channels.

Flexibility of the world’s best Light Shaping System

At the heart of Profoto lies the Light Shaping System. Over 120 light modifiers allow unprecedented creative control. The ProHead, Pro-B head and ProRing2 are fully compatible with the Profoto Pro-B3 generator and give access to all Profoto light shaping tools.

Technical data

Energy: 1200 Ws f-stop at 2 m with Magnum 50º reflector 90.3
Energy Control: Over an eight f-stop range (down to 9 Ws), in 1/10 or 1/2 step adjustments
Energy distribution: Symmetric or Asymmetric (2:1 ratio)
Recycling time: 0.06-1.8 s @ full (0,9 s at 600 Ws)
Flash duration: 1/2200 – 1/7400 s (with standard Pro-Head and Pro-B Head)
NOTE: ProTwin and two Pro-B3 generators on the same equivalent power
give half the recycling time and shorter flash duration.
No. of flashes per charge: 300 @ full > 30 000 @ min
Number of Lamp Head Sockets: 2
Modeling light: Up to 250W continuous or time controlled (max 60 s)
Auto Dumping Yes
Battery type: 13.2 V, 11.5 Ah, LiFePo4
Battery charging time: 5 h with Profoto Charger 2A
2.5 h with Profoto Universal Power Adapter UPA
Battery status indicator: Yes
Battery life: 1 200 charge cycles 80% capacity left
Battery operating temperature range: -20 ºC to +50 ºC (-4 ºF to +120 ºF)
Battery storage temperature range: -30 ºC to +60 ºC (-20 ºF to +140 ºF)
Radio Sync Profoto Air: range: up to 300 m, channel selector on generator
Pocket Wizard: range up to 100 m, channel selector learn mode
Radio remote control:  No
Size: (w) 17 x (d) 24 x (h) 28 cm (6.7 x 9.4 x 11 in) incl. handle
Weight: 6.4 kg (14.1 lbs), exclusive of battery
8.8 kg (19.0 lbs), including battery
Others: Built in photocell, 2 sync sockets
Product Numbers:  900980 Pro-B3 1200 AirS LiFe
900996 Pro-B3 1200 AirS (344MHz) LiFe (integrated Pocket Wizard)
900997 Pro-B3 1200 AirS (433MHz) LiFe (integrated Pocket Wizard)
 
 
About Profoto
Profoto is a Swedish company manufacturing flash equipment for the professional photo market. Established in 1968, Profoto is the leading flash manufacturer in the world and counts among it’s customers a great many of the leading photographers and rental houses. Profoto headquarters is located south of Stockholm.
For more information, please visit www.profoto.com