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Sep 20, 2023

Profoto's New App Lets You Control Your Lights From an Apple Computer

Profoto has announced the Control Desktop App for macOS that gives Apple

Profoto has announced the Control Desktop App for macOS that gives Apple computers Bluetooth control of up to 100 Air 2 compatible light and trigger channels.

According to the company, the new Desktop App for macOS devices is designed to be the "ultimate solution for creative professionals looking to streamline their lighting setup and enhance their creative process." The app is designed to make lighting control effortless for users, giving them easy access to every flash setting with the click of a button.

The company says the Desktop App for Profoto Control is meant for commercial photographers working on busy and fast-paced sets with multiple lights that live in hard to reach locations. It allows assistants, creative or art directors, and digital techs the ability to change or fine-tune individual light settings without having to interrupt the flow of the shoot by walking through the space and, therefore, slowing things down.

Instead, they can adjust each light or group from the comfort of the desk they are working from. Photo assistants can see the light (when shot tethered) that needs adjustments and can make those changes in real-time without moving, giving the production an improved pace and preventing any momentum loss that would otherwise happen.

The company says the Control Desktop app for macOS fits neatly side-by-side to tethering software such as Capture One Pro or Adobe Lightroom Classic, but can also be used as a standalone solution for enhanced control giving creatives an additional way to control their lights on set giving them more freedom and flexibility.

The updated Control App also gives users the ability to "fine-tune" their lighting setups quickly and easily by creating presets of frequently used custom lighting setups. These presets will let users quickly change between looks without having to manually making individual light adjustments. Simply put the lights in their proper position and click the preset to enable.

Profoto Control will also notify users about and install firmware updates that are available for their devices directly from the desktop, ensuring users will always have the most up-to-date tools available with an easy to use interface for complete lighting control and flexibility.

The new Profoto Control Desktop works on any Mac computer running macOS 11 or later and is available for free now through the Apple Mac App Store.

Image credits: Profoto and David Crewe for PetaPixel