High-End Lighting

ARRI continues to broaden their LED line and reaffirm their commitment to accurate color rendering with the introduction of the SkyPanel S60-C LED Softlight.

Supported by a steel yoke, the panel surface area measures 25.4 x 11.8" and employs interchangeable thermoplastic diffusers that range from Lite to Heavy to soften the light and wrap its output around your subject. The SkyPort outputs the equivalent of a 2000W tungsten soft light while drawing a maximum of only 450W.

The ARRI Orbiter LED Light is a tunable color light system with a powerful color engine and versatile, changeable optics.

Sporting a processor four times faster than the SkyPanel, ARRI's 190-LED Spectra system features a wide range of color features allowing you to create an enormous range of colors with its six-color light engine including red, green, blue, amber, cyan, and lime LEDs. Featuring a high CRI of 98 and a TLCI of 95, it offers a 2000 to 20,000K color temperature range to match just about any lighting situation, and it also features 100 to 0% dimming with smooth, continuous adjustment.

The light also features multiple sensors, including a smart color sensor mode to sense the surrounding light and adjust its output for fine color accuracy, a 3-axis accelerometer that senses pan, tilt, and roll movements, an ambient light sensor to keep your display readable, heat sensors to keep the light cool, and even a magnetometer to orient your light within its geography.

The smallest and lightest fixture in the M-Series, the M8 HMI Lamp Head from ARRI uses lensless MAX technology to combine the characteristics of a Fresnel and PAR source.

With a focus range of 15-62°, normally only achieved with supplementary lenses, the M8's output more closely resembles that of a 1000W or 1200W HMI Fresnel but with a far more compact form factor. That translates to more light output with less physical labor and heavy breakable glass. Innovations include CCL, which compensates for power loss when using long cables and Cross Cooling which separates the electronics from the lamp housing and allows safe tilting of the head up to 90 degrees.

The ARRI L7-C LE2 Color LED Fresnel is part of ARRI's continuing effort to replace traditional Fresnels with powerful LED versions that offer unprecedented color control.

The L7-C LE2 shares many characteristics with its predecessor, but the most obvious improvement is a 25% boost in power, increasing the light's tungsten equivalency from 750W to 1000W. This stand/manual mount version has a yoke with a 1-1/8" Junior pin.

This Set of 8 Titan Tubes with Charging Case from Astera is a formidable setup destined for the road.

The set includes eight Titan Tube LED lights and a hard, shippable charging case with a DMX-compatible PowerBox that can actually charge the tubes with them inside. Astera has provided a full array of mounting options including sixteen holders with cotter pins for truss mounting, and sixteen spigots for joining tubes together and to be used as mounting studs for the eight included floor stands. With a wide 120° beam spread, the Astera TitanTube RGB LED Light is ideal for creating a soft direct light on your subject for use as an accent light or design element on location or on set.

Suitable for cine, theatrical, and event productions, the wireless tube is powered by an integrated LG Chem Li-ion battery that will give you 20 hours of runtime on a three-hour charge. The light features 16 LED emitters in a 40.7" long tube that you can mount onto a set or on a stand, hang from a grid, or even hold in your bare hand. The TitanTube has an impressive CRI/TLCI rating of 96/96 indicating high accuracy in the rendition of color. The TitanTube uses RGB, mint, and amber LEDs as well as hue, saturation, and intensity control to access millions of custom colors.

We have enjoyed watching NANLUX and their partner company NANLITE continually listen to feedback from the filmmaking community and adapt their designs to be more on-set friendly.

Shipping this fixture with bare ends, a switch that toggles between 15A/20A, every imaginable connectivity option (including a little remote), and +/- tint 80 adjustment just guarantees the Evoke 2400B won’t sit on the truck or in the SUV collecting dust on your shoot day.

The cost of the Evoke 2400B, while pricey on a watt/dollar basis at $6,990 is actually more affordable than at first glance, and we’ll argue that it makes sense as a years-long investment in an industry where there is constantly a new, shiny piece of gear hitting the market.

Should you buy the 1200d Pro and ignore the rest of the Aputure Light Storm lineup? Our advice would be not to do that. The best lighting packages have a variety of tools for different circumstances. As for us, the 1200d Pro will find a home on our productions alongside the rest of the Aputure Light Storm lineup – especially the 600d Pro, 300d MK II, and the Nova series.

Given the weight, the Light Storm 1200d Pro might not be your every-situation lighting fixture, but hey, that fixture doesn’t exist anyway. The Light Storm 1200d Pro is best used as a key light in a setup where you have some time to pre-light and really choose the perfect reflector and placement for the light. It wouldn’t be our go-to for run & gun documentary shooting due to the travel footprint required for the rolling case plus separately packed reflectors.

The original NANLUX Evoke 1200 daylight-only version isn’t going away, and it isn’t obsolete, either (there is even a Tungsten-only Evoke 1200 available now).

During testing on several shoots, the Evoke 1200B and 1200 played well together. We much prefer the newer fresnel with its angled yoke design that isn’t mounted to the metal base, and we would 100% suggest going that route if you have a choice between the older front-leaning fresnel (the FL-35) and the newer FL-35YK.

We are impressed by the Evoke 1200B and, in particular, the amount of output NANLUX was able to squeeze out of the fixture while still keeping it bi-color. You would typically see a big hit to lumens with bi-color because LED chips are asked to do more as they mix different Kelvin temperatures. We are not sure what engineering’s magic sauce is here, but the result is a versatile light that will find a place on most of our productions where a bi-color punch is required.

The Evoke 1200 can play well from small to larger scripted sets.

Because of the size, the Evoke 1200 wouldn’t be our go-to for documentary run & gun projects, and that’s absolutely fine. Indie scripted filmmakers (with a small van or SUV) will find lots to love about the Evoke 1200, and rental houses will welcome this high output light that can take a beating and keep on kicking in the rough and tumble world of production.

We didn’t expect to like the Evoke 1200 as much as we did. Despite the few drawbacks Graham mention in this review article, we are left with a very positive impression of this fixture. We would love to see Nanlux expand the already great Evoke ecosystem into Bi-Color offerings and beyond. 

For the moment, Nanlux’s Evoke 900C is certainly turning heads with its RGBACL color mixed with impressive output and more streamlined power supply design.

It can’t compete yet with the output of the daylight-only Evoke 1200 or 1200B (B=Bi-Color), and that means those fixtures will still have a place on your sets along with the 900C. We can’t help but think other companies with names like ARRI, Aputure, and Prolycht will eventually have their answer to the Evoke 900C, but for now, Nanlux is leading the hard LED light pack, and their Evoke line keeps getting better and better.

Color comes to the Light Storm line from Aputure with the 600C Pro. If you’ve used the LS 600X or LS 600D, this light will feel familiar, but now you have the added flexibility of full tunable RGB color, hundreds of selectable gel presets, and a wide selectable kelvin range from 2300K-10,000K – just to name a few features.

In situations where you have control over ambient light, the LS 600C Pro would be one of our go-to lights – it’s just that flexible. You can audition a variety of options quickly over Sidus or Wireless DMX and then add other less flexible lights to the scene based on results.

We aren’t quite at the point where a color-capable light with a similar power draw is as punchy as a Bi-Color or Daylight version and that will be the real moment we cross the horizon into the one-light-for-all-situations territory, but until then, our advice remains the same: keep a variety of lighting options in your kit and you’ll never be surprised.

The LS 600d Pro Light Storm Daylight LED Light from Aputure is a powerful COB LED fixture with expansive power, control options, and output comparable to a 1200W HMI, augmented by its 55° Hyper Reflector.

The precision fixture has a solid 5600K color temperature with a high CRI/TLCI rating of 96 that is great for location shooting outdoors, or in areas dominated by other daylight-balanced fixtures such as HMIs. Besides power, control is a driving force in the design of the 600d Pro. The light also has a myriad of wireless control methods, such as the included 2.4 GHz remote, the Sidus Link mobile app, and the built-in wireless DMX control.

It has four dimming curves: Linear, Exponential, Log, and S-Curve, to ensure accuracy regardless of your chosen brightness level. While you can make adjustments locally on the fixture, you can also make them wirelessly at a distance up to 328' via these methods - a real attribute for lights mounted overhead or in hard to reach places.

The LS 600x Pro does an excellent job filling out the Light Storm line. It brings high output Bi-Color capabilities to the niche between the 300x and the expected LS 1200D Pro. If looking only at pure output numbers, you’ll be most interested in the LS 600D Pro and the need for gels that comes along with it. For a faster-moving setup, the LS 600x might be the way to go.

Budget allowing, having both the LS 600D Pro and the LS 600x Pro makes the most sense in that they offer the most flexibility. Need to move faster or work on lots of travel shoots? Then I’d point you in the direction of the LS 300x/300d combo or suggest renting locally in different markets

The NOVA P300c RGBWW LED Panel with Pelican Case Kit from Aputure is built around the versatile 15.8 x 10.6 x 6" P300c panel.

The fixture has a wide white light color temperature range of 2000-10,000K to seamlessly integrate into any ambient light situation, match other fixtures, or just for creative expression. It also has an RGB mode that allows full "tuning" of the light from a 360° color wheel, giving you access to literally millions of colors. Designed to be a separate component of the system to reduce weight and offer placement options, the control box (the "brain" of the light) permits light intensity and color selection. It can be mounted to the light or used at a distance via optional extension cables.

Aladdin’s MOSAIC line is an impressive large-format soft-light source that is flexible enough to mount in various places or bend to fit an existing location. It sports a premium price tag and may be a rental-only item for some, but there are few competitors when comparing watt to watt, flexibility, and dimensions.

The bungee ball design takes some getting used to, the Kelvin accuracy isn’t perfect, and we wish the frame mounting solution were a bit more versatile. However, the overall setup time is low, and transport is easy in the wheeled hard case. If we’re talking quality of light, this is a bi-color fixture that will remain a go-to for us as a gorgeous soft key light in a variety of situations. Plus, Gaffers will appreciate the multitude of DMX options available over the 5-pin port or built-in. We know we’ll be using the All In App on smaller shoots where Bluetooth works as a perfectly acceptable option in a pinch.

There’s much to love here about the MOSAIC series, and we look forward to seeing how Aladdin continues to help expand the line with additional fixtures and new 1st and 3rd party accessories.

A classic HMI fixture.The Mole-Richardson 800 Watt DayLite PAR is designed for cinema, TV and other media events where high output and daylight color balance are required to meet the challenge of ambient conditions.

Fabricated from solid cast aluminum, it benefits from improved ventilation and features a Brytal Aluminum parabolic reflector which boasts 95% reflectivity. The fixture has been fitted with a swing out door for quick access to safety and igniter switches.

The Joker2 400W Kit from K 5600 Lighting is built around a Joker2 400W Head with a 400W HMI lamp.

The included optical beamer mounts on the front of your Joker2 and gives you the ability to use the provided medium, wide, super wide, and frosted Fresnel lenses to get a soft source with varying degree patterns. The head is powered by the included fully dimmable ballast. The ballast is high-speed with 300 and 1000 Hz frequencies, and offers built-in wireless DMX control via LumenRadio, allowing for control using a smartphone or tablet.

We want a fixture that can do everything and anything anytime we need it.

The Orion 300 FS comes close, with one exception. More output is required to deliver results where ambient daylight is a factor. If you work primarily in controlled environments like a stage or studio or have a great grip team to help control ambient, the Orion 300 FS will be perfect for your needs.

We are impressed by the stylish Prolycht Orion 300 FS with its fair price point, gorgeous saturated colors, and excellent wireless control. Once you have worked with a fixture like this with every conceivable color at your fingertips, going back to daylight or bi-color only lighting will be tough. Two thumbs up.

The Nanlite Forza 720B is, without doubt, a thoroughly professional lighting fixture. We wouldn’t have any qualms about throwing it on smaller to large sets over the coming months and years while keeping the lack of waterproofing and built-in wireless DMX in mind.

You can’t compete with the California sun at noon with the level of output you’re getting with the Forza 720B alone, but if you’re in the shade or inside, this fixture has plenty of punch to do the job. And Bi-Color means you’ll be taking it out on more shoots.

With a 13.4 x 11.8" illuminated surface, and a design that makes control of color, light intensity, power options, and remote adjustment paramount, the Titan X1 RGBWW LED Light Panel from Rotolight is equipped to meet your diverse lighting needs.

This version of the panel has a standard yoke with a 1-1/8" pin that can be stand mounted or hung using a clamp with a 1-1/8" receiver.

The MAXI MIX Light Panel Kit from DMG Lumiere is a system built around a design that aims for total control of color via its proprietary blend of Red, Lime, Green, Blue, Amber, and White LEDs.

Ideal for lighting in constrained spaces or for ganging together to create a wall of light, the kit contains a 47 x 14 x 3.3" MAXI MIX Panel, a power supply, a single yoke, an AC cable, and a DC cable.

An impact-resistant light that can take a beating during the normal production course, the Nova P600c turns out to be an easy future-proof purchase decision for individual owner/operators and rental houses alike.

We think the biggest hurdle for the Aputure Nova P600c in the larger production markets will be perception. Producers, rental companies, gaffers, and DPs may add Skypanels or Geminis to their rental lists for no other reason than out of habit. But Aputure makes a strong case that the Nova P600c can play well on small and large productions.