CITI300 PRO (AD300 PRO) vs the Profoto B10

In this blog we will take a look at the CITI300 PRO (Godox AD300 PRO) vs the Profoto B10 flash, comparing build quality, usability and the differences between the two.

Build quality

Both PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) and PROFOTO B10 have a solid build quality and should give you a reliable long lasting solution to your lighting needs.

Size and Weight

PIXAPRO CITI300PRO measures in at 19cm long, and 10cm in diameter, and weighs just 1.25kg. PROFOTO B10 has total weight 1.5kg with 17.5cm in length and 10cm diameter. PIXAPRO CITI300PRO is about 250g lighter than PROFOTO B10 whilst the PROFOTO B10 is 1.5cm shorter.

Fitting

PIXAPRO CITI300PRO comes with a Godox fitting. However, also offers a number of adapters for mounting lighting modifiers from Bowens S fit, Broncolor, Elinchrom and Profoto. This offers more flexibility and value added especially to those who that already have PIXAPRO/Godox flashes which can be used alongside due to The One System without having great investment in lighting modifiers. The PIXAPRO CITI300 PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) is the most versatile light we have ever tested when it comes to accessories. 

When using the Smart bracket 2 (M-020030) on the CITI300 PRO, you will be able to move your flash closer or further away from the modifier to create different lighting effect like the Profoto system.

The Profoto B10 comes with standard PROFOTO fitting. However, it offers less flexibility for other lighting system users to get into PROFOTO lighting system. This means they will need to get the PROFOTO modifier while ordering PROFOTO B10 which can be a large initial investment

PROFOTO B10 has three buttons on it, and anyone could pick up the light and figure out how it works without reading a manual. However, PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) has many buttons and a much more complex menu system.

Battery Power Capacity

The CITI300 PRO battery is smaller, however it still offers an impressive 320 max-power flashes on a single charge. Whilst PROFOTO B10 can produce 400 flashes at full power.

It is difficult to compare the two as the PROFOTO B10 is 250Ws power output at max and PIXAPRO CITI300 PRO has 300Ws maximum power output so it will drain more power in comparison.

Power output

CITI300 PRO offers 300Ws of power with 10 stops of control. This is similar to the PROFOTO B10 which offers 250Ws of power with 10 stops of control. Due to the lower power output the Profoto B10 can goes down to a lower power compared to the CITI300 PRO, which can be useful in low-light and high ISO situation. 

Flash duration

Flash duration is useful for determining how well the flash can freeze motion at a given power setting.

As you can see from the table below, the Profoto B10 flash is faster than the CITI300 PRO at full power, when the B10 was placed into Freeze mode. This does not mean CITI300PRO do not have the ability to capture motion. The CITI300PRO can still give beautiful results in motion capture such as dancing or sports, but PROFOTO B10 has a faster flash duration

Recycling time

Fast recycling time is important to ensure even exposure when you are shooting fast-moving sports. The PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) has a recycle time between 0.01 and 1.5s depending on the power level and the PROFOTO B10 has a recycling time between 0.05-2s.

PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) has about a 25% faster recycle time at full power and has in general a faster recycle time than PROFOTO B10.

Modelling bulb

Both the PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) feature a bi-colour LED modelling light, which is useful to create different lighting effect for video production. They are not very strong but can be used as a fill light for video etc.

Masking function

The mask function is very useful in high-volume product photography and to cut down production times. The mask function is available in PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) features while this function is not available for PROFOTO B10.

Price

Price is a very important deciding factor when picking between the two, the Profoto B10 retails for around £1499 which is 3 times more than the price of the PIXAPRO CITI300 PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) which retails at around £464.99. The PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) is more cost effective for a fraction of the cost of PROFOTO B10.

 Conclusion

The Profoto B10 has a slightly faster flash duration with a more user-friendly interface BUT PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300) has better recycling time and offers you unique features like the masking function. It is more flexible and extremely versatile to onboard from other lighting systems which can be outfitted to accept modifiers from many different brands. Pricing would also be a main factor in decision making.  You can get 3 units of PIXAPRO CITI300PRO (GODOX AD300 PRO) for a full price of PROFOT B10. Overall, both are great lights and it will depend on your budget and preference.

Why shop with PIXAPRO/EssentialPhoto?

PIXAPRO flashes and GODOX flashes are cross compatible. We do also pride ourselves on great customer service both before and after your purchase so if you did have any questions regarding the product then you could contact our team who would be more than happy to help assist with any queries you may have. In addition, for PIXAPRO we handle all the warranties and repairs ourselves in the UK, this means a much faster turn around and better point of contact as you will deal with a UK customer service team.