Mini test: Profoto L1600D

Posted on Mar 6, 2025 by Pro Moviemaker

We tested Profoto’s L1600D for its unmatched daylight power and precision—1600W of pro-grade LED lighting with seamless control

If the asking price didn’t give away the game that this is a super-high-end LED light built for hardcore professional use, manhandling the Profoto L1600D’s 14kg/30.8lb weight on the top of a gigantic stand should hammer it home. This is a finely built yet rugged IP54-rated daylight LED that’s built to perform, last for decades and bring a huge swathe of new capabilities to filmmaking.

The reason that the monobloc-style head is large is that not only does it pack an incredible 1600W punch but it does so without the use of a separate ballast unit. This trims down the total package, does away with a lead between the head and a separate ballast and means the light simply plugs right into a household socket. Compared to the HMI units that the L1600D can replace, this is a huge bonus. There’s no waiting for the colour temperature to stabilise and no hot restrike issues where you have to wait for it to cool down before turning it back on again. It’s fast and instant – and certainly kinder to your pocket and the planet by running at far less power consumption.

Also in the head are cooling fans that use Profoto’s own liquid-cooling technology. This is called Hydrotech and runs virtually silent. That’s ideal for when recording audio is important.

Profoto has even invested in a swivelling yoke so you can adjust the angle to suit whether you are using large modifiers or not – or to get a higher or lower angle to illuminate your scene. It’s all well-thought-out, professional-quality kit.

And one of the biggest benefits is that it’s so easy to use. At the rear of the L1600D are DMX input and output sockets, plus the locking power lead input. But the controls could not be more simple, something of which we wholeheartedly approve.

There’s an on/off power switch and lamp switch, plus a beautifully tactile rotary knob to set the power setting, which is displayed on a small screen. It’s refreshingly simple and therefore quick to use.

To access more options, the free Profoto Control app is fast to download; just turn the light on and, within seconds, it has linked to the L1600D. And once again, the controls are simple and obvious. One screen is a replica of the control buttons. Dig into the fan menu and you can adjust the fan speed or leave it to auto. A dimming menu lets you change the response from linear to exponential, logarithmic or S-curve. The display menu allows you to change screen brightness and set DMX info. That’s about it: simple, fast and wonderful.

The side of a rectangular lighting device

The back of a lighting device with a couple of buttons

Of course, because the light is daylight only, there are no options for different colours, HSI modes, gel modes, even magenta and tint – or the special effects so many lights boast nowadays. The Profoto is all about incredible quality of daylight-temperature light – and it does that incredibly well.

At the front is an accessory mount which accepts full-size Bowens S accessories or Profoto’s own range of modifiers. In standard form, the unit comes with a Bowens-fit reflector that clicks into place smoothly and is released by a solid catch.

With this in place, the output is focused to a 12° beam and puts out a simply blinding 1.225 million lux up to 1m/3.3ft away at full chat. This sort of insane power means the light could be deployed successfully with the whole range of large modifiers that made Profoto famous.

It finally opens up a variety of top-quality modifiers pro photographers have had for years, but filmmakers – especially those used to HMIs – could only dream of. We tried a large, Bowens-fit reflector that directs the light over large distances. And it was fitted with a honeycomb grid to cut down the spill. For throwing light a really long way, this is an impressive piece of kit.

We also used a 4ft Silver Octa Softbox that mounts to the standard reflector. This Profoto-fit unit slides up and down the standard reflector to allow you to tighten the light beam to dial in the look even more.

The Profoto L1600D fitted with a large reflector

The Octa Softbox opens out and clicks into place speedily and solidly. With a silver interior, it gives a crisp look, but an inner diffuser and full-size outer diffuser soften this. It also comes with a honeycomb grid to cut down spill and make this gloriously soft light more directional.

It’s the control modifiers like this give you that helps fine-tune the output to change the mood or look. And Profoto has a huge range of beauty dishes, fresnels, zoom reflectors, snoots, barn doors, gels, grids and just about any sort of light-modifying kit you could imagine all in the expected high quality.

Of course, one of the issues right at this moment is that this is Profoto’s first and only pro-level LED. If you want colours and special effects, you’re out of luck. But this is the first of what promises to be an extensive range of lights. Profoto is keen to expand from being one of the ultimate lighting manufacturers for photographers to a must-have brand for professional filmmakers too. And if the new L1600D is anything to go by, then it’s going to be an exciting time ahead to see what this Swedish company can dream up.

£8154/$8995

profoto.com