After much research I decided to pull the trigger and pick up this Profoto Studio Kit. The case is perfectly sized to carry around and all of the gear is set safely in cut out foam. The two umbrellas that come with the kit are of decent quality, but for this price tag you'd hope that they gave a convertible umbrella that can be used as a shoot through. Not the case. The 2 strobes are 500w/s and provide extremely quick recycle time, consistent power and very fine tuning with 1/10th step changes. The convenience of having the controls on your camera are the icing on the cake. The only other gripe I have with the kit is the light stands. For the premium price, the stands although light, don't seem to be that sturdy considering you are mounting a decently weighted strobe onto it. I wouldn't be comfortable raising the height without any sandbags as it feels quite top heavy. used outdoors, a softbox would make the perfect sail to catch some wind and topple the whole stand. The good thing about the stands are that they air cushioned so they won't make your strobe crash to the floor when you undo the knobs to lower them.
Another thing I've noticed, unlike traditional strobes, the Profotos have their bulbs flushed. Their reasoning is the angle of projection is optimal at this configuration, but I found with larger softboxes that it actually created hot spots compared to other strobes with the bulb styling. It's not too apparent, but can be seen as a pro in that if there was the rare occasion the unit was to be dropped or knocked, it is less likely to break anything.
Overall, an excellent product for serious hobbyists or professionals alike. If you're starting up and don't want to take the plunge with the price point, I would suggest looking at other brands like alien bees, white lightning etc. Just bear in mind with Profoto you are going to pay a premium but you do get good quality equipment. Also, any accessories will have that premium price tag attached. In closing the 4/5 rating lost a star due to the price point and quality of the stands and umbrella not being a shoot through.
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