New Profoto D30 monobloc flash: Comparison with B10X Plus and Pro-D3

Profoto has just announced its latest monobloc flash, the Profoto D30. Presented as a compact, lightweight flash, it is designed for product, fashion and portrait photography, whether in the studio or on location.

Featuring a 500 Ws flash and powerful continuous light, this new Profoto flash easily meets the varied requirements of any professional photographer.

Find out in this article our full review of the new Profoto D30, its technical specifications and how it compares to the brand’s other monobloc flashes, the B10X Plus and Pro-D3.

The new Profoto D30

The Profoto D30 mains-powered monobloc flash is presented as ideal for a variety of photographic projects. It is part of Profoto’s OCF flash range, which already includes, for example, the B10X Plus . One of the main differences between the B10X Plus and the new D30 is that the B10X Plus is battery-powered, while the D30 is mains-powered.

The D30‘s compact, lightweight design, combined with excellent flash coherence and a two-tone modelling light, make it a reliable one-piece unit, capable of adapting to a variety of photo shoots.

The new D30 is primarily designed for professional photographers who need reliable equipment, both in the studio and on location. It offers ample power in a compact, portable design.

Profoto presents its new D30 as a flash designed to last. Thanks to its interchangeable flash tubes, sync port and new ECO mode, which prolongs the life of the unit, it is a flash to keep for the long term.

1. Flash power

The new Profoto D30 monobloc flash delivers 500 Ws and offers a wide range of energy settings, with a flash range of 11 stops. By comparison, the B10X Plus also offers 500 Ws, but with a flash range of 10 stops.

This makes it a versatile flash for every situation, whether for product, fashion or portrait photography, in the studio or on location.

It also benefits from Profoto’s fast recycling time of up to 0.01 seconds.

2. New ECO mode

The D30 offers 3 modes: Boost, Freeze and the new ECO mode. In contrast, the B10X Plus has just two modes: Normal and Freeze.

The new ECO mode is designed to ensure constant color and prolong the life of your equipment, Boost mode is ideal for those moments when you need extra power, and Freeze mode eliminates motion blur thanks to the shortest flash duration.

3. Flash or continuous light

Like Profoto’s other OCF flash units, the Profoto D30 is equipped with a bi-color 35 W LED modelling lamp, in addition to its flash function.

The continuous light lamp offers an adjustable color temperature, from 2800 K to 7000 K (with a variation of ±500 K), and video-quality color rendition, according to Profoto.

It can be used as a continuous light source in certain situations where subtle lighting is required. Its adjustable color temperature makes it easy to adapt to ambient light.

4. Design and connectivity

The D30 has been designed to be mobile and adapt to the real needs of professional photographers who are often on the move. It is light and compact, with dimensions of 11 cm x 25 cm x 11 cm and a weight of 1.85 kg (without the stand adapter).

A little extra: the new D30 is now equipped with an interchangeable flash tube.

As far as connectivity is concerned, the D30 features Profoto AirX connectivity, allowing full control of the flash directly from your camera’s remote control or via Profoto applications.

It also features the Profoto interface, known for its simplicity and efficiency, facilitating fast, intuitive use.

5. Profoto D30 and light modifiers

The D30 is compatible with Profoto’s wide range of 100mm light modifiers, and thanks to its robust construction, it can handle even the largest light modifiers.

From softboxes (like the new Profoto softboxes) to hard reflectors (like the Magnum Reflector Silver or Zoom Reflector), the D30 adapts to a wide range of light modifiers, allowing you to explore and exploit your creativity to the full.

6. New Profoto D30 or Pro-D3: What’s the difference?

The new Profoto D30, successor to the Profoto D2 500 Ws, has been designed with professional photographers in mind. It’s ideal for situations where reliable equipment is needed, whether in the studio or in the field.

The Profoto D30 is one of the best mains-powered monoblocks in the professional photographer segment. Whether for portraits, fashion shoots or product photography, the D30 combines robust design, fast recycling times and consistent light quality, making it a preferred choice for demanding photographers.

However, the Profoto D30 is not suitable for high-volume studios that require equipment capable of withstanding 24/7 intensive use. In such situations, the Pro-D3 is more appropriate.

The Pro-D3, another one-piece flash recently introduced by Profoto, has been designed for high-volume productions. It offers powerful, fast and reliable light, especially suited to production environments where shooting intensity is high.

The Pro-D3 features robust components to guarantee maximum availability, making it ideal for full-time production use with few possibilities for relocating equipment.

7. D30 Technical features

8. Price and availability

The package includes the Profoto D30 monobloc flash, a flash tube, an OCF stand adapter, an OCF mounting plate and a carrying case for the D30.

Note that there is no handle included in the basic accessories, but this can be purchased separately. Profoto has chosen not to include the handle as standard, as they believe these new OCF lights are designed to balance portability and power.

The Profoto D30 is available at a price of 2195€. This is a price within the usual range of Profoto monoblocks, for example, the B10X is1995€ and the B10X Plus, 2395€.

Order it now from 50.8 Shop or come and test it in store.