Quick Guide
This Quick Guide refers to the User’s Guide and helps you to quickly get started using the Pro-8a system.
If you in any way are unsure of how to use the system, read and follow the safety instructions in the User’s Guide carefully to avoid injuries or damages!
Operating instructions
Lamp head connections
1.If only one lamp head is used, connect the lamp to the Lamp Head Connector A [4].
2.When connecting the lamp head plug, align the white dots on the plug with the white dot to the upper left of the Lamp Head Connector. Secure by turning the ring on the plug clockwise.
Power connection
1.Use the included power cable to connect the generator to the Power Supply (AC) Connector [11].
2.The Power Supply Indicator [12] will be red,indicating that the generator is receiving power but is in standby mode.
3.Press the On switch [13].
4.The Power Supply Indicator [12] will now be green and theTest Button [10] will be illuminated.
5.View power in W/s or Relative F-Stops. Press & release Ws button [1] for 5 sec, to toggle flash energy setting. 2 beeps confirm change.
6.1/10th f-stop flash adjustment. Rotate corresponding control dial clockwise to raise power or counter clockwise to lower.Each click represents 1/10th f-stop.Three quick beeps indicate power can not be raiser or lowered further.
7.Full F-Stop Flash Adjustment. Press down while rotating correspondence control dial clockwise to raise power or counter clockwise to lower. Each click represents 1 f-stop. Three quick beeps indicate power can not be raiser or lowered further.
Settings
1.Use the Modeling Light Control [7] to select MAX PROP, MAX, PROP or ½ PROP. Press the Modeling Light switch [9] to turn on the modeling light.
2.Use Flash Light Energy Control A [8] and B [19] to set the energy levels.
3.Use the Ready Control [16] to select BEEP-DIM,BEEP,DIM or OFF.
4.Use the Speed Control [18] to select MAX,75 %,50 % or 25 %.
Sync via cable
1.Connect a sync cord from the camera to one of the Sync Connectors [2] on the generator.
Sync via cable + flash meter
1.Connect a sync cord from the camera to one of the Sync Connectors [2] on the generator.
2.Connect another sync cable from the flash meter to the free Sync Connector [2].
Sync via Photocell / IR-slave
1.Connect an IR transmitter to the camera.
2.Turn the Sync Control [5] to SLAVE.
Sync via radio (Profoto Air)
1.Connect an Air Remote or Air Sync unit to the camera.
2.Turn the Sync Control [5] to RADIO.
3.Pro-8a is now ready to flash, with the selected radio Channel.
Wireless remote control
For Air Remote control, both radio channel and group have to be set. The group can be set individually for each lamp head. For wireless use with Profoto Studio 2 and AIR USB, only radio channel has to be set.
Changing radio channel and group settings:
1.Turn the Sync Control [5] to SET.
2.The radio channel and group setting for the individual lamp head is shown separately in Flash Light Energy Display A [6] or B [17] as a radio channel number (1–8) followed by a group letter (A–F).
3.Turn Flash Light Energy Control A [8] or B [19] clockwise/ counterclockwise to increase/decrease the radio channel number.
4.Push and turn Flash Light Energy Control A [8] clockwise/ counterclockwise to increase/decrease the group setting for lamp head A [4].
5.Push and turn Flash Light Energy Control B [19] clockwise/ counterclockwise to increase/decrease the group setting for lamp head B [15].
6.Turn the Sync Control [5] to RADIO.
Turn off generator
1.The modeling light, energy level, radio channel and group settings are automatically saved as soon as they are changed and will be available at start up.
2.Press the On switch [13] to turn off the power.
3.The Power Supply Indicator [12] will be red,indicating that the generator is receiving power but is in standby mode.
4.Remove the Power cable.
Lamp Heads
Pro-8a is designed for all of the present state-of-the-art ProHeads and light shaping tools.For selected previous models of Profotos lamp heads there is a simple update for compatible fan cooling on 100–120 V markets.
ProHead
The standard heavy-duty head is the Profoto ProHead, built for producing flashes with Pro-8a, up to 2400 Ws over and over again,hour after hour.It has an integrated high efficient,long life halogen lamp with a switch and a fuse. A thermally controlled 2-speed efficient fan provide silent cooling. For safety reasons thermal protection is built-in.
The flash tube and halogen lamp are protected by a diffusing glass cover also serving as a light source corresponding filter and color correction filter.Optional glass cover versions are available. The optimized flash tube is made by high grade UV-free filtered quarts glass and heavy duty electrodes to maximize lifetime.
ProTwin
When demands are even tougher,the Profoto ProTwin is available with two flash tubes that effectively double the performance. Used with a single generator, it can produce shorter fl ash durations by splitting half of the power to two fl ash tubes. Used with two Pro-8a 2400 Air, it can half the recycling speed or double the light energy, up to 4800 Ws. Powered from one of the two connected cables ProTwin has an integrated high efficient halogen lamp with a switch and a fuse. A thermally controlled 2-speed efficient fan provides silent cooling. For safety reasons thermal protection is built-in. The flashtube and halogen lamp are protected by a diffusing glass cover also serving as a light source corresponding filter and color correction filter. Optional glass cover versions are available. The optimized flash tube is made by high grade UV-free filtered quarts glass and heavy duty electrodes to maximize lifetime.
ProRing
If you look for a more lightweight ring flash without modeling light, there’s the Profoto ProRing, with the capacity of up to four 2400 Ws flashes per minute. An entirely mobile source of light, the ring flash fits all Pro-7 generators. The adjustable tripod mount bracket and the wide interior (100 mm diameter) makes the ProRing compatible with all types of cameras as well as most lenses. Optional accessory reflectors expand the ring flash’s capabilities further.
ProRing 2
For fashion or macro photography, when you want a direct and very prominent light, the Profoto ProRing 2 provides a ring flash capable of unlimited flash repetition rate due to built-in thermally controlled silent and efficient fan cooling. The optimized flash tube is made by high grade UV-free filtered quarts glass and heavy duty electrodes to maximize lifetime. 200 W of powerful halogen modeling light are built-in with switch and fuse.
