New Profoto Fresnel and Spot Modifiers

[Justin Berman]

I know this is the medium/large format forum, but it seems way more likely someone here will know about these than in any of the other forums on the site:

Hey guys, I am hoping someone here has experience with these bad boys. I can't find any info on these two:

Profoto Small Fresnel - US$874


Profoto Small Spot - US$1325


Both mount directly onto the heads but I can't find info about them other than that.

It seems like the current alternative is the Profoto Multispot (much more expensive at US$3013).


If anyone knows anything about the first two I would really appreciate it. A fresnel lens modifier is *MUCH* more attractive to me than buying a specialized head just for fresnel.

[avelpavel]

Hi, I don't know if these spot are new but I'm using Bowens types and found them useful. The big one can be used with good control as it has a iris diaphragm inside so you can adjust the beam.

http://www.bowens.co.uk/content/pages/fresnel.html

The smaller one has the front lens which moves inside and out, fixed by the screw you can see in your image. It has also some metal gobos to put in between the light beam and create special and somewhat kitsch effects (I rarely use them, only the small grid sometimes)

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-Bowens...ot%20Attachment



http://www.adorama.com/BZUSAS.html

I have never used a multispot.


Hope I have helped you!

Have a nice day

Roberto

_________________________
www.robertopastrovicchio.com

[vertigoestudio]

I have this one 315€, work fantastic.

Walimex fresnel

[neil snape]

The Fresnel attachment is an easy and less expensive route than a true Fresnel.
The light though is more accurate as the flash tube sits in the right place in the true Fresnel , behind a dish mirror.

I had the huge Broncolor Flooter 25lbs  or 10 Kg that uses the Pulso heads.
It had nice edge fall off but not that much better than the normal reflectors and grids.
In the end it was too heavy to be mounted on a boom, and top heavy for high placement.

I don't know that Profoto's mount is good for a heavy adapter due to the leverage but nothing you can do about that.

The other spot attachment is very useful for narrow beams, and or focused lighting with effects placed within the spot.

These are accessories that are seldom used for some  so renting is an option.
I can see still life photographers having them for large sets, especially furniture lighting etc.

For fashion though I wouldn't use them again.

[archivue]

the bowens is so similar to the profoto... ?

[GregShapps]

it appears that Profoto licensed the Compact Fresnel and Universal Spot attachment from Bowens.  

Calumet has been selling these two for years - I purchased the Compact Fresnel over 15 years ago.

[geesbert]

I am a big fan of fresnels, I own the profoto profresnel, which is a rip off of the bron flooter, but it is not as nicely done as you move the head and not the fresnel lens. that means focusing the beam is not as effective as the bron.

I also bought the walimex and it is terrific value for the money, you can buy four of these for the price of one profesnel and I think it's better. the attachement and focussing is a bit clunky, but once adjusted it makes a great light. at that price the barn doors are even included, which at profoto or bron cost the amount of a walimex.

I often rent the multispot, but I think it is too small to show the goodness of a fresnel, a parallel beam of light from a wide source. the multispot is made by Bacht and can be bought for half the profoto cost for any other generator. profoto just adds a logo-sticker to it and charges double. check out their site, you'll find a few more familiar items:  www.bacht.net

it is not too difficult to modify an Arri light to accept a flash-tube, seen that, used that, liked it.

a fresnell with a lens less than 20cm is pretty useless, in my opinion. a tight grid costs a bit more power, but a lot less money.

I bought way too much profoto gear, I love their stuff to death, but everytime I feel ripped off. I don't expect beautiful blond swedish girls assembling those modifiers, but at least they should sell this stuff exclusively. next time they take the walimex fresnel and sell it as their own for loads of swedish crowns.

stefan

[vduault]

I tried and bought the spot small, this is a very efficient device for small objects, very affordable when you see what it can do...

pro : nicely built,
        quite inexpensive
        features a gobo filter holder,
        focusable,
        you can put it as well on a prohead than a compact D1 air

cons : you cannot put accessories on it (just filters...)
          doesn't features an iris (don't understand why, from my point of view an iris on this device looked so logical)
          optically the multi-spot crush it (i tried it too)
         
I bought it because I'm actually on a budget, but frankly when I get the money I buy the complete multi-spot (you have a fresnel, barndoors,a nicely built iris and his front dedolight lens is outstanding!)

Today Profoto makes more affordable devices but they are not as versatile as the high-end ones, look at the multi-spot it both replaces those new spot small and small fresnel.

(sorry for bad english!)

[UlfKrentz]

I know this is the medium/large format forum, but it seems way more likely someone here will know about these than in any of the other forums on the site:

Hey guys, I am hoping someone here has experience with these bad boys. I can't find any info on these two:

Profoto Small Fresnel - US$874


Profoto Small Spot - US$1325


Both mount directly onto the heads but I can't find info about them other than that.

It seems like the current alternative is the Profoto Multispot (much more expensive at US$3013).


If anyone knows anything about the first two I would really appreciate it. A fresnel lens modifier is *MUCH* more attractive to me than buying a specialized head just for fresnel.

I don´t know for what you plan to use them. There are some things to consider:

Fresnels consume A LOT of energy, be prepared to use max energy of your pack if you want to use it for fashion with MFDB (you might not be able to freeze motion).
Because the flashtubes cannot be build as small as modelling lamps they won´t focus that much as they pretend to do.
The way they render the light fall off is very special and can definitly not be compared with reflektors or grids.

That small spot is something complete different, it produces a very hard light with strong, sharp shadows and usually has a hard cutoff as well (imagine the light from something like a slide-projektor), very special thing, we rarely use this kind of light, but if you need it there is no other way to handle it that easy.

The small fresnel is the "budget" version of the true (with the back mirror) fresnel, may be good enough for most things.

I agree, the profoto stuff is very expensive, taking a look at bacht or something custom made is a good idea.
I love fresnel lighting in combination with butterflies, love them for stills, love them for faces, too.
Try to rent these things first, take a look what they can do for you before buying.

Cheers

Ulf

[BJNY]

Does anyone know if there are generic versions of these Boxlites popularized by Broncolor?
I wouldn't mind having a couple if they were less expensive:

Profoto version:

[neil snape]

Does anyone know if there are generic versions of these Boxlites popularized by Broncolor?
I wouldn't mind having a couple if they were less expensive:

Profoto version:

Broncolor have the same type but they have linear flash tubes , not a light modifier for a flash head.

[mattlap2]

Broncolor have the same type but they have linear flash tubes , not a light modifier for a flash head.

Not completely true.   The boxlite does have linear flashtubes in the head, but the Pico box is a reflector mount.

[BJNY]

Thank you, Neil.

I know about and referenced the Broncolor, but it's normally $2,560

while Profoto's ProBox is $887......both are too expensive.

Edit: PicoBox is $995