The new Profoto C1 Plus & C1 are LED flash & remote triggers for your iPhone photography

Posted on September 18, 2019

Profoto C1 Plus and C1 are lights designed specifically for smartphone photography. They provide flicker free continuous light and flash capabilities with your iPhone 7 or above and utilise the Profoto camera app. Their design create beautiful looking light from a really small package.

Shooting with the C1 & C1 Plus

Using the Profoto camera app on your iPhone, it is easy to sync up with the C1 or C1 Plus.

Point-and-shoot with automatic exposure and flash power based on the surrounding conditions. Go between natural and dramatic images with a swipe of your finger. In manual mode, get full control and freedom over power, exposure, and colour temperature.

Shooting with the C1 comes surprisingly naturally, and actually makes phone photography a whole lot more enjoyable. Concentrate on framing up your shot with the phone in one hand, and fire the shutter with your finger on the C1 trigger in the other hand!

Differences between the C1 & C1 Plus

The C1 Plus has some features that the C1 does not:

  • a removable Clic Dome
  • accepts other light shapers like Clic Grids and Clic Gels
  • a 1/4” thread for attaching to stands
  • adjustable power levels up to 4300 lumens (1600 lumens on C1)
  • 10 warm and 10 cool LEDs mixing seamlessly to mimic daylight colour temperatures from 3000-6500K (the C1 has 4 warm and 3 cool LEDs for colour temperatures from 3000-6500K)
  • connects with Profoto AirTTL Remotes that are used with DSLR cameras

Of course the C1 is slightly smaller and lighter, but if you already have Profoto lights and you might want to mix them into the shot the C1 Plus is what you need.

The C1 Plus takes a new range of accessories called "Clic" modifiers. This includes a light shaping dome, grids and a huge range of coloured gels.

You can really expand your creativity on the go, and all the Clic light shapers are stackable so you can mix and match to achieve exactly the look you want.

The Profoto Clic light shaping tools are compatible with the C1 Plus, the A1X, and the A1.

Profoto Clic Light Shapers for A-Series Flash Heads (A1, A1X, A10 and A2)

Shop the range

More details about the C1 & C1 Plus

Which light shaping tools are compatible with the Profoto C1 Plus and C1?
Profoto C1 Plus is compatible with the Profoto Clic light shaping tools. It is not compatible with the Profoto Soft Bounce and the Profoto Bounce Card.
Profoto C1 has a built-in dome diffuser. It is not compatible with other light shaping tools.

Do the Profoto C1 Plus and C1 have auto power off in case I forget to turn it off?
Yes, they will shut off after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Are there any requirements on battery banks for USB-C charging?
No.

Can I use the Profoto C1 Plus or C1 while charging it?
No.

Can the Profoto C1 Plus and C1 be mounted to a light stand?
Profoto C1 Plus has a built-in standard 1/4"-20 thread which makes it easy to mount on a lightstand or arm.

Profoto C1 is primarily intended to be handheld or placed on a flat surface.

How do I know when there is a new firmware available for my Profoto C1 Plus or C1? How do I update its firmware?
When there is a new firmware available, an information box appears in the Profoto Camera. Press the information box and follow the instructions to update your device.

The Profoto C1 Plus and C1 don't have a screen. How do I know their power level?
When creating images with the Profoto Camera, you will see the power level of your Profoto C1 Plus or C1 directly in the camera interface. When creating images with a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, you will see the power level of your Profoto C1 Plus or C1 in the remote control / devices section of the Profoto Camera. When changing power with the +/- buttons on the C1 Plus (not applicable for the C1), the continuous light will be used to illustrate the increasing or decreasing of power.

The Profoto C1 Plus and C1 don't have a screen. How do I know their remaining battery life?
The Profoto C1 Plus and C1 have a status indicator which indicates the battery level when the device is turned on and off. Green indicates that the battery is charged. Yellow indicates that the battery is low (or that the device is being charged). Red indicates that the battery is critically low.

I want more power output from my Profoto C1 Plus or C1. What can I do?
Make sure your Profoto C1 Plus or C1 is at maximum power (10) and directed at your subject. If you need more power still, try to move closer to your subject. If you prioritize power output, avoid using Clic Grids and Clic Gels, since they will reduce the power output.

Using Profoto C1 Plus and C1 with the Profoto Camera

Can I use the Profoto C1 Plus and C1 with the native iPhone camera app?
No. For a great user experience, a deep level of integration between camera and light is necessary, which is why the Profoto C1 Plus and C1 require the Profoto Camera.

What iPhone models and iOS versions are supported on the Profoto Camera?
iPhone 7 or later running on iOS 11 or later.

If I have Portrait mode on my iPhone, will I have it also in the Profoto Camera?
Profoto Camera has Portrait mode on all iPhone cameras that support it natively, except for the rear camera of the iPhone XR (as per July 2019).

In Auto, the Profoto Camera has a Natural to Dramatic slider - what does it do?
When sliding towards Dramatic, the camera exposure is decreased and the flash power increased, resulting in an image with darker ambient light (the light that does not come from your Profoto C1 Plus or C1, e.g a lamp, a window, the sky, etc.). The subject will still be correctly exposed. When sliding towards Natural, the camera exposure is increased and the flash power decreased, resulting in an image with brighter ambient light. The subject will still be correctly exposed.

How many Profoto C1 Plus or C1 can connected and sync simultaneously with the Profoto Camera?
Up to 3 Profoto C1 Plus/C1 (any combination).

My Profoto C1 Plus or C1 flashes more than once per image captured. Why?
When shooting in Auto, the Profoto Camera analyses one or more pre-flashes from the Profoto C1 Plus or C1 in order to determine the exposure for a correctly exposed subject. If you prefer a faster workflow, you can capture the first image in Auto and then switch to Manual. You then keep the exposure and flash power from the image captured in Auto, and the C1 Plus or C1 will only flash once per image. In Manual, you can also finetune the exposure or flash power if needed.

Why haven't you developed a version of the Profoto Camera for Android?
Profoto decided to prioritise iOS for the first release. Profoto cannot comment on future support for other operating systems or smartphone brands.

How do I know if the Profoto C1 Plus and C1 is connected to the Profoto Camera?
When the Profoto Camera connects to a Profoto device, the status indicator on the device turns blue momentarily. When the Profoto Camera disconnects from a Profoto device, the status indicator blinks blue. In the Profoto Camera, you can see in the camera interface as well as in the remote control/device section if your device is connected.

How do I know which app version I am using?
In the remote control/devices section, you will be able to read which app version you are using.

Using Profoto C1 Plus with a Profoto Air TTL Remote

Can the Profoto C1 Plus or C1 be used with a DSLR or Mirrorless camera? If yes, can it also be used with other Profoto lights?
Profoto C1 Plus can be used with DSLR and Mirrorless cameras using any Profoto AirTTL Remote, i.e. Profoto Connect, Profoto Air Remote TTL, Profoto A1X and Profoto A1. It can then also be used with other Profoto lights, such as the A1X, B10 or even larger lights.

Profoto C1 is a dedicated smartphone studio light and cannot be used with Profoto AirTTL Remotes.

When using a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, how many Profoto C1 Plus can I sync and remote control simultaneously?
As many as you wish.

Can I use the Profoto C1 Plus with my DSLR or Mirrorless camera at any shutter speed? (In other words, is HSS supported?)
Yes, you can use your DSLR or Mirrorless camera at any shutter speed, and HSS is supported. Since Profoto C1 Plus is based on LED technology instead of xenon, the flash power when using it with DSLR/Mirrorless is regulated by adjusting the length of the flash. That means that the slower the shutter speed, the more flash light can hit the camera sensor, and vice versa.

Can the colour temperature of the Profoto C1 Plus be adjusted when using it with a DSLR or Mirrorless camera?
Yes, the colour temperature of the Profoto C1 Plus can be adjusted on the device itself by either long-pressing the continuous light button while pressing +/-. or in the remote control / devices section of the Profoto Camera.

What is the recycling time of the Profoto C1 Plus when shooting with a DSLR or Mirrorless camera?
The recycling time at full power of Profoto C1 Plus when shooting with a DSLR or Mirrorless camera is 1 second.

How do I control the Profoto C1 Plus when using it with a Profoto AirTTL Remote?
When using Profoto C1 Plus with a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, you can change flash power, colour temperature and turn continuous light on/off with the buttons on the device itself. You can do the same settings, and more, in the remote control/devices section of the Profoto Camera. Depending on the Profoto AirTTL Remote you use, you might also be able to change settings from the remote.

Can I capture an image with my DSLR or Mirrorless camera by pressing the white capture button on the Profoto C1 Plus?
No, that feature is only supported when the smartphone is your capturing device.

Which cameras can I use with the Profoto C1 Plus?
The camera compatibility depends on the Profoto Air TTL Remote that you use. Check the camera compatibility under the Technical specifications tab on the product page of your Profoto AirTTL Remote.

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