Product Review / Profoto Acute B 600R by Ken Chan

Big pop in a small package

As the chill of winter thaws, we begin looking outdoors. We start planning for shoots on location in the sun. Except there isn't always sun when you want it, or where you want it. This is where battery powered lights such as the Profoto Acute B 600R comes in. There are a wide variety of battery powered lights, but the Acute B 600R has many features which make it stand out.

The ability to get 600 WS of power combined with Profoto's full range of light shaping tools is an amazing asset. At 11 lbs. for the pack plus battery, it weighs the same as the Profoto B2's battery alone. Size is another feature of this pack, roughly the size of a 6-pack, it is easy to transport in backpacks as well as shoulder bags. You can carry this pack with a shoulder strap and a ringflash attached. This allows you the freedom to be mobile and follow your subject as it's moving. Despite the small size, this is a full featured Profoto pack. The Acute B head which accompanies the pack is also smaller, lighter and easier to transport. You can get up to 160 full power pops with this energy efficient head. Keep in mind that there are many factors which affect how many pops you will get, such as temperature and modeling light usage. Luckily, extra batteries are also small and lightweight coming in at only 5 lbs. The R in the name means it has a built-in Pocket Wizard receiver, meaning 1 less piece of equipment and wire to bring and connect. The ability to go from 9WS to 600WS give you great flexibility as well.

If you need more power or need to use multiple heads you might want to consider the Profoto B2 instead as that gives you 1200WS and two head sockets compared to the Acute B 600R's one head socket. For me, the portability and value makes it a very worthwhile option especially for smaller productions or ones where the ability to move quickly is valued.