The Profoto Studio Kit: Battery Protection & Smarter Tethered Shooting
Profoto makes some of the best, and most expensive, lights and batteries in photography, but those batteries ship without dedicated terminal covers, so they ride loose in your bag with the contacts exposed. A simple snap-on cover protects against short circuits, dust and wear, and it costs a fraction of a replacement battery. This guide covers the right cover for each Profoto battery, how to store and carry them, and two studio tools that make a tethered Profoto workflow faster and safer: a tether cable lock plate and a unique camera holster.
In this article
- Why do Profoto batteries need terminal protection?
- Which Profoto battery cover do I need?
- How do I store and carry A-Series batteries?
- Tethered shooting: how do I stop cable strain at the camera?
- Where do I safely rest my camera between shots?
- The Profoto studio kit at a glance
- Frequently asked questions
Why do Profoto batteries need terminal protection?
Profoto batteries are a serious investment, and their metal contacts sit exposed on the outside of the battery. Tossed into a bag or a pocket with keys, coins or other batteries, those exposed terminals can short against anything metal, which at best drains the cell and at worst is a genuine safety risk with lithium batteries. Even without a short, loose terminals collect dust, grit and scuffs that degrade the connection over time.
The frustrating part is that Profoto does not include a dedicated terminal cover with its batteries, so out of the box they travel unprotected. A purpose-made snap-on cover closes that gap: it shields the contacts, keeps dust out, and stops batteries knocking against each other in transit. At around $20, it is cheap insurance on gear that costs many times more to replace.
Which Profoto battery cover do I need?
We make covers shaped to fit each Profoto battery body, so pick the one that matches your kit. Each snaps on securely and comes off fast when you need to charge or shoot.
A pair of snap-on covers for B10 and B10 Plus batteries, so both your batteries travel with the terminals protected.
A snug terminal cover for A-Series batteries (A1, A1X, A10 and similar). Colour options make it easy to tell charged from flat at a glance.
A snap-on terminal cover shaped for the Profoto B3 battery, keeping the contacts shielded between shoots.
How do I store and carry A-Series batteries?
If you run several A-Series batteries, a cover protects each one, but a dedicated holder keeps the whole set organised. The Profoto A-Series Battery 4 Bay Storage holds four batteries together in one tidy block, so you always know how many you have, which are charged, and where they are, instead of digging through a bag.
Holds four A-Series batteries in one compact block. Keeps your set together, organised and easy to grab on a shoot.
See how the A-Series batteries load in.
Tethered shooting: how do I stop cable strain at the camera?
Most Profoto shooters work in the studio, and a lot of studio work is tethered. The weak point in any tether setup is the cable connection at the camera: one tug on the cable and you risk the port, the cable, or a dropped connection mid-shoot. If you mount your camera on a Manfrotto 410PL plate with an RC4 quick release, the Tether Cable Lock Plate for RC4 solves exactly that.
It clamps your tether cable to the plate so any strain is taken by the plate, not the camera's USB port. It is made from rigid ABS glass fibre, has six embedded anti-twist silicone pads for grip, ships with a 1/4"-20 screw and grommet, and comes in white, matte black or orange. A small part that protects an expensive camera port and saves the heart-stopping moment of a yanked tether.
Locks your tether cable to the plate so strain never reaches the camera port. Rigid ABS glass fibre, anti-twist silicone pads, three colours.
Where do I safely rest my camera between shots?
The other constant in a studio session is the in-between: those moments when you put the camera down to adjust a light, check a frame or reset a set. Laid on a table or hung off a strap, an expensive body is one knock away from damage. The Camera Nest Studio Camera Holster gives it a dedicated parking spot, and it is genuinely unique: it mounts to any standard Super Clamp, so it adapts to a light stand, a C-stand or a film cart, wherever you are working.
The camera rests on a 7.5mm soft foam top that protects the body from scratches, while a large 120mm open centre lets the lens pass straight through, so it suits most DSLR and mirrorless setups. Built from ABS carbon fibre, it is light but tough. For a tethered Profoto shooter, it keeps the camera secure, off the floor and always within reach between frames.
A foam-lined parking station for your camera that clamps to any Super Clamp on a stand or cart. 120mm lens pass-through, fits most DSLR and mirrorless bodies.
The Profoto studio kit at a glance
From protecting your batteries to upgrading your tethered workflow, here is the quick reference.
| Product | Use it for | Price (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| B10 Series Battery Cover (Pair) | Protecting B10 / B10 Plus terminals | $20 |
| A-Series Battery Cover | Protecting A-Series terminals | from $20 |
| B3 Battery Cover | Protecting B3 terminals | $20 |
| A-Series 4 Bay Storage | Organising a set of A-Series batteries | $40 |
| Tether Cable Lock Plate (RC4) | Protecting the camera port when tethered | $45 |
| Camera Nest Studio Holster | Resting the camera safely between shots | $89 |
Frequently asked questions
Does Profoto make battery terminal covers?
Profoto batteries do not come with dedicated terminal covers, so out of the box the contacts are exposed. Purpose-made snap-on covers fill that gap, shielding the terminals from short circuits, dust and wear in your bag.
Why should I cover my Profoto battery terminals?
Exposed lithium battery contacts can short against keys, coins or other batteries in a bag, which can drain or damage the cell and is a safety risk. A cover prevents accidental shorting and keeps dust and grit off the contacts, protecting an expensive battery for around $20.
Which Profoto battery cover fits my battery?
Choose by battery family: the B10 Series cover (sold as a pair) suits B10 and B10 Plus, the A-Series cover suits A-Series batteries such as the A1, A1X and A10, and the B3 cover is shaped for the B3 battery. Match the cover to the battery you own.
What is a tether cable lock plate and do I need one?
It is a plate that clamps your tether cable so any pull on the cable is taken by the plate rather than the camera's port. If you shoot tethered on a Manfrotto 410PL plate with an RC4 quick release, it protects your camera's port and prevents dropped connections mid-shoot.
What can the Camera Nest holster mount to?
It mounts to any standard Super Clamp, so you can attach it to a light stand, a C-stand or a film cart. The foam-lined top and 120mm lens pass-through hold most DSLR and mirrorless cameras securely between shots.
Protect your Profoto kit and shoot smarter
Affordable, 3D printed battery covers, storage and studio tools designed for Profoto photographers.
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