Profoto B1 revealed as an off-camera flash with TTL support

Profoto has announced a revolutionary wireless off-camera flash with TTL capabilities called B1 which should be released by the end of 2013.

Photographers are pretty much in love with the lighting accessories provided by Profoto. The Swedish company has launched a new product that a lot of photographers have been dreaming about for a long time. It is named B1 and it consists of an off-camera flash with TTL support.

Profoto B1 is a new off-camera flash that combines the features of a Speedlight with the power of a strobe.

Profoto unveils B1, a powerful and cordless off-camera flash

Profoto B1 is a combination of a flash and a strobe. However, it brings the best of both worlds, as it offers the multitude of features found in a Speedlight, such as TTL metering, but also provides a 500 Watt-seconds of light, which is roughly 10 times more powerful than conventional flashes.

The manufacturer has also revealed a new Air Remote TTL for Canon cameras. This product can be mounted on a hot shoe and it helps the B1 determine how much light the camera needs for a correct exposure. The Air Remote TTL will send a signal to the B1 and the user does not have to do anything else while in auto mode.

Profoto B1 shoots 220 flashes at max power, needs less than 2 seconds to recharge

The Profoto B1 off-camera flash is entirely wireless. It is powered by batteries and it does not have to be linked to the camera by cable. The batteries will allow the strobe to fire for 220 shots at maximum power and the Air Remote TTL has a range of up to 1,000 feet.

Another important feature of the B1 is its built-in LED, which is useful for videographers requiring continuous lighting.

Quick Burst adds to the versatility of the off-camera strobe as it provides 20 low-power flashes per second.

Nevertheless, when used at its maximum power, it will require a little under two seconds to recharge.

B1 and Canon remote now available, Nikon version coming in 2014

Profoto has revealed that the B1 has begun shipping to retailers, meaning that it should become available for purchase at the beginning of December.

The Air Remote TTL for Canon E-TTL II cameras needs to be purchased separately, just like the Nikon i-TTL version. The former is coming alongside the off-camera flash, while the latter will be released in early 2014.

B1 will set you back about $2,000, while a remote will cost around $400, the Swedish maker has concluded.