Profoto D30 combines high power and blistering speed into the only monolight you may ever need

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With a super-bright 500Ws lamp, variable color temperature, 11-stop range and duration as quick as 1/21,100 sec, the Profoto D30 is one super-flashy studio flash

Profoto D30 monolight
(Image credit: Profoto)

Swedish studio light manufacturer Profoto has launched a powerful new monolight, the Profoto D30. The mains-powered light combines fast recycling times and a bi-color LED modeling light with a flash power of 500Ws over an 11-f-stop range, providing professional photographers with precise control over the light at their disposal, even with the largest modifiers fronting the light. All this should help it cement its place as one of the best photography lighting options on the market.

The D30 has three selectable flash modes, depending on the subject you're shooting. Eco mode gives the most accurate color consistency while having the benefit of increasing the lifetime of the equipment. If you need extra power, Boost provides the highest flash output. And for the briefest possible flash duration, use Freeze mode to eliminate motion blur. All this makes the D30 capable of lighting everything from action portraits to product photography where color-accuracy is essential.

The Profoto D30 has an 11-stop range, from a 0.5 Ws blip to a blinding 500 Ws full-power flash (Image credit: Profoto)

In addition to the flash tube, the 35W LED modeling light doubles as a continuous light with a dimmable range of 100-10% and color temperature range of 2,800-7,000K, with a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of greater than 94.

The D30 can be fired via a wired sync socket or built-in wireless connectivity, using the company's Profoto AirX tech over the 2.4GHz frequency, with functions including Sync, TTL, HSS, and Remote Control (Air 1 and Air 2) supported. You have 100 Air channels to choose between, with up to six groups per channel. The monolight is also compatible with the Profoto Camera and Profoto Control apps via Bluetooth.

“With Profoto D30, we wanted to reshape professional studio lighting. Could a strobe with this speed, consistency, robustness, and capabilities really be this compact, lightweight, and simple to set up? Yes, it can!” commented Göran Marén, Product Manager.

The Profoto D30 features a sturdy, compact, and lightweight design, measuring 11x25.5x11cm (4.33x10x4.3in) and weighing 1.85kg (4.1lb), ensuring easy setup and portability. It is available for $1,995/£1,895.

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Adam Waring
Adam Waring
News Editor

Prior to joining digitalcameraworld.com as News Editor, Adam was the editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine for seven years, and as such is one of Digital Camera World's leading experts when it comes to all things Nikon-related.

Whether it’s reviews and hands-on tests of the latest Nikon cameras and lenses, sharing his skills using filters, tripods, lighting, L brackets and other photography equipment, or trading tips and techniques on shooting landscapes, wildlife and almost any genre of photography, Adam is always on hand to provide his insights.

Prior to his tenure on N-Photo, Adam was also a veteran of publications such as PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, so his wealth of photographic knowledge isn’t solely limited to the Big N.