Profoto is busy developing their A-series flash. Just look at the recent focus the company has put on Clic modifiers, notably the Clic softbox launch, we watched some time ago. Some users commented that the flash of the A1 series would be too weak to be used in certain settings with the Clic softbox, which makes me wonder if a more powerful flash is coming. . Yes: Profoto A2.
Introduce
The Profoto A2 is a small 100 W light, made for the travel photographer. Packing the best that Profoto has to offer currently, the A2 is a comfortable alternative for those who find B10x too big. It does almost everything its bigger brother, the B10X, does. The difference is the amount of power it brings, the size and the ability to customize the light temperature. The A2 is really small, no bigger than a cup of coffee or a Swedish Glögg. This comes with a premium. As with all things Profoto, you need to be prepared to cover a decent amount.
Build quality
The Profoto A2 has a solid traditional construction. It feels and handles like an expensive lamp. At 27.3 oz or 773 g, it’s not too heavy to hold in the hand for long periods of time. Honestly, compared to B10, I would choose A2 every day if I was running and shooting. Profoto advertises that the light is the size of a soda can, which is true. It will fit into small camera bags, even sling bags made for a single camera body with one or two lenses. In the absolute worst case scenario, you could throw the A2 in the water bottle holder on your camera bag. A2 will be preserved. The lamp body is covered with a rubber-like material, making it easy to hold the lamp. Compared to the B10, which is thicker and made of plastic and can be slippery, the A2 wins. 
The Profoto A2 comes with a tilting stand, which you can use to mount the light on the light stand, as well as place umbrellas on it. Some users complained about the knob being difficult to operate on the B10 series; However, that problem is gone on the new A2, and I don’t see any issues with tightening the light in place. 
Featured
Profoto is working hard to make the connection between lights easier and better. This can be seen in their new Connect Pro releases, perhaps overdue, as well as new features. The ability to control the A2 from your phone makes it even easier for photographers who want to carry fewer kits. For example, a photographer is using A1 / A10 on their camera combined with a range of A2 lights will make it easier to simply open the app on your phone and set up the lights. The app itself is being continuously improved, and now you can control nearly any feature of the A2 remotely.
New connections in the new Profoto lamps allow for an absolute power value. Previously, users could not see what wattage their lights were set to without going through and checking on the device itself. Now, you can simply check the screen of your remote and know. And yes, this is probably the reason why many users don’t use Profoto lights. Connections are important. 
Personally, I love using AirX and I secretly wish I owned more lights that support this technology as my current flash inventory is mostly Air-TTL. It’s funny, I’m looking for a Pro-7a from 1998. But, when I used the AirX on demo units Profoto very kindly lends itself to, the experience is second to none. I work faster and focus more on the creative side of the process. Profoto has really put a lot of effort into improving connectivity in their ecosystem, which is where the future of light could be.
Light quality
The A2 delivers 100 W at 5800K, which is slightly warmer than other Profoto lamps. However, flash duration is excellent, with a t.1 value of 1/350s at full power that freezes motion very well. The t0.5 value is even better: 1/1,200 second, which is already reminiscent of D2s performance. Remember that the A2 is a small light for travel photographers. It won’t disappoint those filming dynamic sports or freezing motion during events. However, the recycle time is nothing out of the ordinary: 1.6 seconds at full power. That’s not too bad, but could be better as it’s mostly used during run and gun operations where the photographer may not have a 1.6 second to wait for the action. The perfect moment only lasts so long.
Who is it for?
It stands in the middle A10made primarily for use on cameras, and the B10, made primarily for OCF scope modifier. In a way, the A2 is simply a more powerful, but smaller, A10 without the hot shoe. So basically, if you rely on a few A10s in your setup, such as a high-light wedding setup, you can slowly start to phase them out and invest in A2. A2 is smaller while slightly more powerful than A1. It is a perfect companion for photographers who have to travel to shoot and often cover events or weddings. That’s not to say you can’t shoot portraits or other works with the A2. While it’s not enough to tame the sun, it’s still enough for you to add a bit of light to your images. So the Profoto A2 is primarily intended for the travel photographer who owns an A1/A10 and wants to add additional lights so as not to take up too much space in the camera bag while being compatible with the Clic range of imaging tools. the light. I recommend using two lights A2 and A10 as the main lights on your flash. That way, you’ll have a great triple-light setup that you can take with you. But be careful, because there are not too many Press accessories is available now, so it would be great to see more softboxes and modifiers made for the A series flash. For now, there are grids, gels and Click Softbox.
this is a Click Adapter made for A2, allows you to place OCF dimers on small lights. However, it is the opposite of what A2 strives to be: portable and small. I can’t imagine too many photographers spending $299 on such an adapter. I hope that this is similar to the OCF adapter originally made for the A10 lamp: a temporary solution to the much larger problem of the lack of Clic softbox and reflector. 
What I like
- Dimensions and weight
- Light quality
- Future AirX Technology
What can be improved
- Price
- Variable Temperature LED
- Range of accessories and modifiers
Stop thinking
Priced at $1,000 A2 is a light brought above A1 / A10but below B10x. It would be a great companion for wedding, street and outdoor projects, but wouldn’t be too useful in the studio because of its low power. In the end, the A2 is a great and fast run. Contests, such as Elinchrom One, which delivers more light than 30 W, but it won’t be as compact. Godox has a similar 100W lamp, AD100. However, it will be less consistent and the build quality will not be good. With that in mind, you can buy a three-lamp AD100 set instead of an A2 set.
Finally, the A2 is a lightweight portable light that fits well into the existing Profoto ecosystem and is reasonably priced for a Profoto product.
What do you think of the new A2? Will you add it to your setup? Let us know in the comments section!
