Is a broncolor Verso pack a battery pack or a studio pack…? Or is it both?
Print This Post
Here are some reasons why the Verso is a better option than many other power packs out in the market.
1. Verso works as an AC powerpack first and foremost with no additional accessories needed. The Pro7B-2 by Profoto needs the additional Universal Power Adapter to allow it to be anywhere usable as a studio pack. “Technically, this is a trickle charger that allows tapping in of the AC power being used to recharge the battery.”
2. Verso Powerdock has a much more accurate power level indicator. It shows power in 10% intervals and it gives off a loud audible warning that indicates when the battery has reached half power. It also sounds again when it has reached only 10% left and again when shutting down. The Pro7B-2 has no such indicators and the only way of knowing when it fails is when it no longer will shoot.
3. Verso Powerdock battery temperature is fan cooled and regulated. This allows for stable battery life throughout the shoot. There is no difference in performance from the battery during it’s life cycle. The Pro7 B-2 has no cooling fan and as the battery heats up, the performance could vary drastically. The recharging will slow down making the user think the battery is running out of charge and the power level lights will indicate this. The real reason for the slowing down is the heat build-up in the battery. When it has cooled, the power indicator will rise again to where it should be and the battery will perform properly.
4. Since the Verso battery does not heat up can shoot in one session without needing to swap batteries to let them cool down.
5. Ease of use. The Pro7 B-2 has 2 dials on the top. One controls full stops and the other tenths. This means that in order to turn a pack down or up by more than 1 full f-stop you need to change both dials. To compound this, at some point you also need to remove the head from “A” and plug into “B” before continuing to turn the dials.
With the Verso you can change the pack without lifting your finger off the one button all the way from full power to minimum power. The learning curve on thePro7B-2 is steeper as in order to understand the power setting you need to read the manual.
Photo by August Bradley
6. Verso can accept any broncolor head from approx 1972 onwards. All our heads and packs are compatible. Pro7 B-2 will only work with B heads or Pro Heads.
7. Verso features 300w halogen modeling lamps. Pro7 B-2 can have only up to 200w tungsten modeling lamp and this is with the new B2 head. All other B heads or Pro heads are restricted to a 100w modeling lamp. This is true even in the studio running via the Universal Power Adapter. The tungsten modeling lamps are much duller and warmer than the halogen lamps. This makes focusing harder especially in a studio with the lamp inside a large softbox etc. So for example, even with the Profoto twin lamp head which has a 500w modeling lamp, it will only run at 100w.
8. Verso features 3 lamphead outlets and a full asymmetry of up to 7 stops. The B-2 only supports 2 stops of asymetry and only supports 2 heads
9. Verso A4 RFS has as power range of 18ws to 2400ws. This is the only battery operated pack with 2400ws.
10. When using the built-in broncolor RFS the power can be changed remotely in full stop or one tenth stop increments from the small trigger mounted on the camera hot shoe.
11. Verso also features flash sequences, where multiple flash exposure can be set for stroboscopic effects.
12. Changing the battery is very easy on the Verso. The power pack has latches on the side that are released and the pack lifts of the battery.
13. The Verso is available in 1200 ws and 2400 ws versions. The B-2 is only available in 1200 watt seconds. In fact, the Verso is the only 2400 watt second commercial pro battery pack.
14. The B-2 1200 ws is rated for 200 flashes at full power. The Verso A2 1200 ws is rated at 350 flashes at full power with regular recycle speed 450 flashes at full power using the slow recycle setting.