First unveiled at Cinegear LA 2023 (very much in prototype form), the Evoke 2400B with a range of 2700K – 6500K, priced at $6,990 with a case, ($6,200 for a limited time at B&H), and with a promised output of a 4K HMI or 10K Tungsten was impressive, but we left that show with tons of questions about how the NANLUX Evoke 2400B would work in practice. Could this fixture work off household power in North America? Would it be a Bates plug only? Would it be backward compatible with other accessories previously released by NANLUX?

Since then, we’ve seen similar 2400-ish wattage draw fixtures announced from the likes of Aputure and Godox. As I haven’t gotten my hands on the Aputure or Godox higher wattage offerings yet, this review will draw on my experience with NANLUX products from a director of photography perspective.

The NANLUX engineering team had a choice. They could have aimed the Evoke 2400B at the pro-only crowd with a Bates plug or left it open to more owners/ops. In my opinion, NANLUX picked a great middle-ground by shipping this unit with both “bare ends” and an Edison plug (for use in the United States) with a switchable 15A/20A plug. More on the switchable plug in a moment, but shipping with “bare ends” gives you maximum flexibility to add whatever plug you want with minimal effort or electrical skills. Career gaffers and best boys will be fine with bare ends and busy owners/ops will appreciate a more turn-key solution.

After receiving the Evoke 2400B for review, I immediately had the opportunity to throw the fixture into use on a Netflix promotional video in Los Angeles for an upcoming series. On that first shoot, the intensity barely rose above 20% – because frankly, I didn’t need it for interiors shooting at 24fps. It’s that bright. Thankfully, I had several more weeks to really put the Evoke 2400B to the test.

First impressions

This lamp head is not meant for a C-Stand. Combo style stands only here, please.

It will come as no surprise that the Evoke 2400B lamp head (33 lbs.) and power supply (25 lbs.) are both larger and heavier than their 1200-watt cousins, but I was surprised by how compact everything still is. You can fit the lamp head, ballast, head cable, and 15A/20A switch power cable into a flight case (not to be confused with a NANLUX trolley case that includes a fresnel with the Evoke 1200). With the flight case that was sent to me, I was not able to fit the 45-degree reflector, but NANLUX is making dedicated flight cases that can fit it all.

Regarding durability, everything is rated IP55, which is defined as “limited protection from dust and low-pressure water jets from any direction.” The flight case feels indestructible with plenty of interior foam protection, and the ballast has protective rubber at either end – this whole kit could take hits and keep on cooking. There is also a handy image on the interior of the lid that helps with packing if you are renting the kit or unfamiliar with how to pack everything.

Like with past Evoke models, the lamp head yoke is rock solid and doesn’t seem prone to slipping in any orientation.

There is fan noise (although it isn’t as much as I would expect given the size of the lamp head). My solution was to keep the fan in “smart” mode for the duration of filming over several shoots, and audio never mentioned an issue. Granted, I never had a reason to move the Evoke 2400B within 3 feet of any lav or boom microphones.

Accessories

NANLUX has decided to go with electronic contact pins (see image above) for their Evoke 2400B accessories. That idea is reminiscent of ARRI’s approach with their Quick Lighting Mount system for the Orbiter fixture. I’ll admit I’m a little wary of proprietary electronic mounts that could be used to exclude 3rd party accessory manufacturers (sometimes brought up as a concern with the RF Mount on the camera side). Still, NANLUX has assuaged these fears by allowing an easy turn-off of the setting in the menu that requires accessories with these pins.

The argument in favor of these pins is to guarantee compatibility and not risk melting or damaging an NL accessory that isn’t specifically designed for the Evoke 2400B heat. There is also the possibility of future electronically controlled accessories, but those have yet to be announced.

The NANLUX team also mentioned they are working to make these pins separately available for NL accessories that users might already own and to Chimera and DoPChoice for their own compatible products. No word yet on how to affix these pins or if they are available at an additional cost.

Power

This part of the review dedicated to power considerations will depend on your particular country, so please keep that in mind. In the United States, you are limited primarily to 15A circuits in homes (sometimes a 20A circuit might pop up in the kitchen or the laundry room). Still, generally, you can expect to run a single ARRI M18 HMI off a household wall outlet drawing roughly 1800 watts without much fuss. Or, again, in the case of a 15A circuit, you could run a Tungsten 1K and a 650 drawing 1650 watts.

The Evoke 2400B with a power draw of 2200W required to reach its full output will not work on a 15A circuit at 100% intensity. For this, NANLUX has created a novel solution that allows this fixture to work off of house 15A power or 20A power where necessary, simply with the flip of a switch. NANLUX could only provide me with a prototype for this switch, but the prototype worked as intended during testing.

Output also scales with the power input, so if you are set to the 15A / 1700W side of the switch, the fixture still lets you select from 0% to 100% when dialing up or down brightness. All of this is to say that with the Evoke 2400B, you have a more flexible fixture that doesn’t require being limited to a soundstage or dragging a 20A generator around. Pretty cool.

NANLUX has done a good job making their past 48V Evoke-line ballasts interchangeable in the case of the 900C/1200 and 1200B, but please note that the 2400B is 96V and won’t work with those other fixtures.

Output & Kelvin handling in CCT mode

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special thank you to Rev Studio in La Jolla, California, for installing a 20A circuit to allow this review to happen in advance of filming. How cool is that?!

The Evoke 2400B has two different output modes: constant (with a lower power draw) and max (top end of the power draw), and thus Max mode is more likely to pop a circuit.

I went ahead and tested the output in Max mode using lux and color handling (in Kelvin) of the Evoke 2400B at a distance of ten feet (3.048 meters) with my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer in the center of the beam (you do lose a bit moving away from the center of the beam with this reflector, but generally it is a very even spread). Here are my results with a target of 5600K with the kit 45-degree reflector attached and the launch firmware installed.

A result of 5733K with a target of 5600K is excellent and the 37000 [lx] / 3430 [fc] value is fantastic. This is a very, very bright light.

And now on to a target of 3200K:

We do see a drop in output here (32900 lx and 3050 fc) when compared to our 5600K results, but the CCT Kelvin accuracy is literally spot on at 3207K. In general, phenomenal test results out of the Evoke 2400B.

Evoke 2400B – control

I have thoroughly covered the Nanlink app (now very much improved with consistent updates) in past NANLUX Evoke reviews, and you can still control the fixture that way through integrated 2.4G/Bluetooth. You also have DMX/RDM, sACN, LumenRadio TimoTwo CRMX, and Art-Net control. In my mind, that covers about 99% of the professional users in the marketplace, but feel free to hop into the comments if you can think of another lighting control protocol the NANLUX team should consider adopting.

If none of the above control options work for you, NANLUX has even included a tiny remote control, which might be best in solo owner/op situations.

Given the price point of this unit and the feature set, I think most users will be primarily taking advantage of some flavor of wireless or wired DMX here. You also obviously have access to physical rear control dials that work in exactly the same way as past Evoke models.

Who is the NANLUX Evoke 2400B meant for?

Considering we are about to see several high-output LED sources hit the market as I’m writing this, we should give some thought to who the perfect user might be for the NANLUX Evoke 2400B. In the United States, the NANLUX brand is slowly becoming more prevalent on the rental side in larger markets like Los Angeles. A quick search of Sharegrid.com shows that smaller shops and owner/ops are also steadily adding more NANLUX fixtures to their inventories.

Why should we care about others adopting NANLUX fixtures? In short, the film industry remains a place where perception and “what is popular” is still considered, for better and for worse. Producers being familiar with NANLUX as a brand means these lights are easier to bring on set (because Producers sign the checks). More NANLUX in larger markets means the fixtures are also easier to service if a unit accidentally gets damaged.

The $6,990 price tag and the size of the Evoke 2400B kit means if you are a smaller to mid-sized production house, you will likely only have the budget and space for one or two of these fixtures in-house at most. As a Freefly Ember high-speed camera owner, I was most interested in the light as a way to get better exposure at 4K 800fps while in the studio.

We went ahead and shot a quick test at 1000fps with a 50-100 SIGMA Cine zoom at T2.8 and the Ember at ISO 100. Big takeaway – no flicker and we only needed to get the light to 25% output in Max mode to get enough exposure for the shot at 5600K. Feel free to check out the video portion of this review if you want to see the slow motion in action.

As an owner of both the daylight-only and Bi-Color 1200W Evoke fixtures, I want to stress that neither of those lights has been made obsolete by the Evoke 2400B. For one, the Evoke 2400B doesn’t have a compatible fresnel accessory yet and those other lights do (along with the 900C). The Evoke 2400B kit is larger and less portable than its 1200W cousins.

In short, consider if you need the output or the +/- 80 Green and Magenta feature of the Evoke 2400B when purchasing. You might be fine with one or several 1200W fixtures instead – it will depend on the type of work you do. If anything, hats off to the manufacturer NANLUX for giving us the ability to use this light on 15A and 20A circuits for maximum flexibility.

Future-proofing the NANLUX Evoke 2400B

As previously mentioned, the Evoke 2400B sports a price tag of $6,990, and that price includes the case. At this price, we should expect this light to be a years-long part of the kit. I understand that Bi-Color isn’t color and full-color fixtures are where we are generally trending as an industry, but there is a case to be made that the majority of our work isn’t shooting colorful Bladerunner sequels and that daylight and tungsten are somehow present in 90% of shots we help create.

I spoke with a Gaffer recently who was trying to move all his fixtures to full color, and I get that, but on a price-per-watt level, you are paying a premium on a color fixture that you might be leaving in CCT mode for the majority of your work.

Your story might be different, but the tradeoff when going for a color fixture is a cut to output. And sometimes you just need a light with a punch. The Evoke 2400B has that, and the ability to dial in green or magenta tint providing added versatility in settings where you can’t control every element in the shot, such as a large mall food court or an exterior with multiple buildings in the distant background beyond your control.

In brief, consider how often you may need color-capable lighting in your work. When the RGB ARRI Orbiter first came to market, it was $10,000 (with needed accessories), and that’s a 500W light with a fraction of the punch of the Evoke 2400B. Food for thought.

Final thoughts

I 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 I’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.

The Evoke 2400B is now shipping and for a limited time only, a fixture kit with a reflector and flight case is even cheaper than the light-only version at B&H.

What do you think? Have you used the Evoke line from NANLUX in the past? Would you consider adding the Evoke 2400B to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

The Mosaic line at Cinegear 2022 drew my attention because of its RGBWW color and large format (available in 3×6′ and 2×4′, alongside the Aladdin 4×4′ version I tested for this review). I’m always looking for large, soft sources that set up quickly and can fit in tight spots (for example, near a ceiling), without the need for complex rigging or expensive equipment like speed rails or menace arms. At first glance, the 140-degree beam angle MOSAIC looks like it might be the ticket. But first, we need to zoom out a bit and talk about where the MOSAIC fits into the overall LED lighting picture in 2023.

You can break down most of the current LED lighting spaces into a few simple segments:

1. Soft Panel Lights
2. Hard Lights
3. Tube/Cube Lights
4. Thin or Flexible Fixtures

Regarding the Thin or Flexible category, Litegear and Intellytech immediately spring to mind as competitors to Aladdin with their Spectrum/LiteMat/Auroris in the case of Litegear, and LiteCloth in the case of Intellytech. Lately, Aputure as amaran and Nanlite have also dipped their toes into the flexible LED fixture space, but with generally smaller overall dimensions, a relative lack of built-in DMX control, and lower price points.

Aladdin’s MOSAIC finds its niche in this space by giving us flexible color-capable lamp heads and larger dimensions. Let’s start by opening the box.

Initial impression

The Aladdin MOSAIC 4×4′ ships in a long, wheeled hard case that will fit perfectly in your compact car, grip truck, or SUV. In fact, I was surprised by how small everything breaks down (the lamp head only takes up about a third of the case). There’s some minimal padding in the case, but nothing about the MOSAIC seems particularly fragile, which adds to its overall appeal. There isn’t a reliance on glass, and where plastic is used, I don’t see it being a common impact point for drops or external bumps.

Aladdin ships the MOSAIC with a few items to get you started:

• Flexible Lamp Head
• Power Supply
• Power Supply Holder
• Extension Cable (16′)
• Basic Head Cable (9.8′)
• Frame
• Diffusion Material with Solid Skirted Sides
• Grid
• 2 x Small Inner Bag
• Hand Controller
• 16 “Bungee Balls”

This all feels like a complete kit; you may never need any other accessories beyond this list.

At first glance, the frame, in particular, looks a little daunting. Still, it all assembles quickly with no need for me to consult any setup materials or manufacturer videos available online. Everything connects quickly and is locked into place by small silver twisting knobs. In the standard configuration, you are essentially building a lightbox with skirted sides. As a DP, I have shot a few episodes of a series called VICE: Informer with a single soft overhead source precisely like this. Maybe this will become my go-to fixture for projects like that.

Upon opening the box, take note. The frame only fits in the case one way. Once you’ve figured it out, putting everything back into place is easy. Rental house owners might want to take a picture of how everything packs away, laminate that photo, and leave it in the case for future renters. It isn’t complicated once you know how, but if you don’t, the hard case doors may not shut.

Connecting the flexible lamp head to the frame requires the use of 16 bungee balls, which are included. If there is a potential weak point in the setup, it’s here. The bungee balls take more weight than you would expect, and you have to use all sixteen to evenly distribute the weight of the lamp head throughout the frame. Connect too few, and the weight of the lamp head will pull a given bungee ball free from the frame if it’s raised off the ground. This means you’ll have to tie them together again using the friction point in the bungee ball itself.

Although I didn’t find any issues with the lamp head breaking free or drooping once everything was up and running, I wonder if there could be another solution other than the bungee balls. Some advice: connect all the bungee balls to the lamp head on the ground first before trying to raise everything off the ground.

Of course, one of the advantages of the Aladdin MOSAIC being a flexible mat design is that you could easily disregard the frame/bungee ball system by connecting the lamp head directly to the ceiling (with a wall spreader) or a grid with sturdy zip ties or safety chains using the grommets that ring the LED mat. Doing so would mean the diffusion accessory wouldn’t be compatible. Still, plenty of other standalone frames on the market provide useful diffusion in a pinch. Lately, I’ve been working with sound stage grids that have weight limits. The MOSAIC 4×4′ is low weight enough that I wouldn’t be concerned mounting one or several over talent with the proper safety chains in place.

Let’s talk about that diffusion for a moment – it’s essentially a full grid, and the sides utilize solid black material to prevent light leaks. The diffusion slides into place, and the frame’s dimensions keep everything taut with the help of cloth bands on the corners. Unfortunately, if you want to use another strength of slip-on diffusion in these dimensions, you’ll have to wait. The Aladdin team mentioned they are in active conversations with DoPChoice (3rd party maker of quality lighting accessories). I hope this will lead to other types of diffusion with the same slip-on design.

You will want to use the included silver baby pin accessory to connect the frame to a stand of your choice. Once everything is put together, the overall weight is impressively low. I could easily carry the whole lamp head + frame around in a way I can’t with Skypanels, for example. Still, I found I preferred to use a rolling combo stand to move the fixture around the set a bit faster, given the larger dimensions. I wish Aladdin had gone for a Kino-style back mount here – I’m just so used to that system, and a lollipop or wing mount style would have been nice and would have led to a bit more flexibility when panning or tilting the fixture. Without a Kino-type mount, use a grip knuckle and tilt up and down as needed.

Another pin adapter that’s included is useful for connecting the power supply to your stand. Still, you won’t find the clicking-in mechanism here that has become popular with brands like Aputure or Nanlux. I highly suggest purchasing a mafer clamp and leaving it in your Aladdin hard case to keep the power supply off the ground and affixed to the stand. A little mechanism to click the controller into place on the power supply would also be nice, as opposed to having to hook it over a stand. These are minor quibbles with the included accessories. Still, every quality-of-life improvement means less time between setups on location.

Competitors

You can learn a lot about where a brand thinks its product will compete based on the chosen price point. All three of the currently available Aladdin MOSAIC flat fixtures (tube versions are shipping soon) sit in a premium place in terms of cost but don’t quite land at the top of the market when compared to the newly announced rigid Litegear Spectrum 8 with its roughly $9000 price point or the more flexible $14K 5×10′ Auroris.

Here’s the current pricing for the Aladdin MOSAIC line:

• MOSAIC 2×4′: $5,464
• MOSAIC 3×6′: $7,701
• MOSAIC 4×4′: $7,483

One of the key differences out of the gate between the Spectrum 8/Auroris and Aladdin’s MOSAIC line is the use of pixels. Litegear’s 5×10′ Auroris features 12 large format programmable pixels, giving the Auroris fixture the ability to do more movement-based effects. Aladdin’s MOSAIC fixture doesn’t have integrated programmable pixels, but for me, this isn’t a deal breaker, as my need to use pixels isn’t great. Your answer might be different if you often work on music videos, stage shows, or flashy product and fashion shoots.

Remember that although the Spectrum series from Litegear has color, it isn’t bendable like the Aladdin MOSAIC line or Litegear’s own Auroris line. The newer Spectrum updates also make their lamp heads a little thicker than previous generations of the Litegear Spectrum. Food for thought!

As I alluded to earlier, Intellytech makes some flexible lighting fixtures. Still, their new LiteCloth 3.0 line currently tops out at 400W, and it likely wouldn’t be able to compete with the 600W MOSAIC 4×4′ in terms of pure output.

Control

The Aladdin MOSAIC is controllable with a hand controller, rear lamp head controller (minimal control options), and over Bluetooth using the All In App, built-in Lumen Radio, or a 5-pin DMX input which provides additional options with your favorite DMX accessory.

In practice, the hand controller is very easy and intuitive to use, and I also found the app to be one of the better mobile applications from a lighting company. It all just works. Plus, the 4×4′ MOSAIC connects quickly to my iOS device with a multitude of options for dialing in any favorite colors or Kelvin temperatures.

The rear lamp head controller doesn’t provide a ton of options for changing settings. Still, it’s a fast solution to audition a different color or Kelvin temperature. As you can see from the image below, you don’t get any indication about exactly which Kelvin temp or color you’re at in a given moment, but it is a fast way to eyeball things on the run by just watching the colors change on your subject.

In general, I’m never going to complain when it comes to more options for controlling a lighting fixture. More is always better.

The All In App also presents you with various effects such as Fireworks, Flicker, Welding, Fire, Police Car, and more. You do have a few pre-set digital filters like Leaf Green, Urban Sodium, Sunset Red, Hi Sodium, and others, but they aren’t locked to well-known and numbered common gel types from the likes of Rosco or Lee.

Output & Kelvin handling in CCT mode

I went ahead and tested the output using lux and Kelvin handling of the Aladdin MOSAIC 4×4′ at a distance of three feet with my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer. Here are my results, starting with a target of 5600K with no accessories or modifiers attached. I recorded an excellent CRI of 95.6 throughout testing.

A result of 6574K is a bit further than I would like from the 5600K target and a so-so overall result when it comes to Kelvin accuracy. Later in testing, I address that on my particular fixture by finding the optimal settings for hitting 5600K daylight.

Now for a target of 3200K:

A result of 2993K is closer to the target of 3200K when compared to the results at the daylight end of the Kelvin range. Output remains about the same.

Finally, I wanted to determine the optimal controller settings for getting the closest to true 5600K as possible, so I kept metering with my Sekonic Spectromaster C-700U until I set the controller to 5030K and got the results below:

As you can see, it is possible to get to a very accurate Kelvin temperature if you use a Spectrometer and don’t necessarily follow the controller menu numbers 1:1. One of the nice things about the Mosaic 4×4′ is that the output remains relatively consistent as we move through the CCT range.

Conclusion

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 I 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 me as a gorgeous soft key light in a variety of situations. Plus, my Gaffers will appreciate the multitude of DMX options available over the 5-pin port or built-in. I know I’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 I look forward to seeing how Aladdin continues to help expand the line with additional fixtures and new 1st and 3rd party accessories.

What do you think? Will you be adding the MOSAIC to your future shoots? Let us know in the comments below!

HMI’s, in all their daylight-only glory, are still the output kings on location. Hefty fixtures (in expense, power draw, and size) like ARRI’s M40 are still in play on mid to large-sized commercial and scripted sets. Hopefully, the Evoke 900C from Nanlux helps continue the steady march towards higher output color-capable LED hard lights with the goal of one day dethroning HMI fixtures. We’re not there yet, but the path forward is starting to become a little clearer. Fingers crossed.

Now to the fixture itself – the Nanlux Evoke 900C. There are a few competitors in this hard-light color-capable LED space, but the Evoke 900C sits alone in several categories of wattage and price, at least for now.

Competitors include the following:

• ARRI Orbiter: 400W to 500W, wide CCT Range from 2000K – 20000K, on the pricier side from $6300 to over $10,000 depending on the kit, limited mostly to ARRI-Only accessories
• Aputure LS 600C: 2300K – 10000K CCT, max power draw of 720W, affordable – $2,490.00, industry-friendly Bowens S-Type mount, huge range of 1st/3rd party accessories
• Litepanels Gemini 1×1 Hard: 46-degree beam angle, 2700K – 10000K CCT range, affordable – $2,517.00
• VelvetLight Kosmos: 400W, 2500K – 1000K CCT range, built-in fresnel (13-56-degree beam angle) mid-range pricing – $5,579.00
• Prolycht Orion 675 FS: 675W, 1800K – 20000K CCT range, includes soft case w/30-degree and 55-degree reflector, Bowens S-Type mount, huge range of 1st/3rd party accessories, price: $3795.00

As you can see from the list, the Evoke 900C, with its 940W power draw and competitive $4,660 price tag for the travel kit, make it somewhat of a disruptive lighting product – at least until other brands can follow suit.

Initial impression

I received the Nanlux Evoke 900C in a semi-rigid wheeled soft case that Nanlux calls a trolley case. Previously, the Daylight and Bi-Color Evoke fixtures were available in large flight cases with or without room for a fresnel accessory. The trolley case is, by far, the most portable of the available Evoke case options, and it is my preferred one of the bunch since the Evoke 900C lamp head isn’t particularly fragile, to begin with. If you have a large grip truck or mid/large-sized rental business, you’ll prefer the flight case.

Nanlux has included the following with the Evoke 900C travel kit:

• Lamp Head
• Yoke
• Power Supply (newly updated for the Evoke 900C)
• 45-degree Reflector
• USB Flash Drive for firmware updates
• Remote
• Quick Release adapter
• DC Cable (24.6′)
• AC Power Cable (19.6′)

Visually the lamp head doesn’t look much different than other Evoke lamp heads. The power supply, however, is dramatically different from both the Daylight and Bi-Color variants of the Evoke. In fact, the power supply design feels more streamlined and akin to the design of the Nanlite Forza 720B power supply. Nanlite is the more prosumer-focused little cousin of the Nanlux pro-oriented brand. You can read my review of the excellent Nanlite Forza 720B here. One of the main differences between Nanlite and Nanlux is that Nanlux introduces a wide range of DMX options in their features. More on that in a moment.

As with the other versions of the Evoke, Nanlux confines users to a proprietary mount system on the 900C with their NL mount. That limits accessory options compared to Bowens S-type’s popularity within the lighting world. Thankfully 3rd party brands like DoPChoice and Chimera are gradually adding more support for the NL mount, and Nanlux themselves have introduced a whole host of accessories that, while perhaps not rugged enough to hold up in a high-volume rental environment over time, are absolutely fine for a dutiful owner/operator or small G&E operation.

Nanlux’s NL-mount accessories are also on the more affordable side in general, and that reduces any grumpiness on my part from being “forced” into a new accessory ecosystem. During prior Evoke shoots, I’ve often gravitated to their $390 Lantern and $442 Parabolic softbox, for example.

Control

Let me know in the comments if you feel like Nanlux could expand their feature set when it comes to control options, but for me, this is a pretty darn complete list. Nanlux Evoke 900C users can expect the following when it comes to controlling the fixture:

• Bluetooth (Nanlink App), 2.4GHz Wireless Control
• Wireless Lumen Radio
• Remote Controller
• Art-Net/sACN Protocol Support
• 5-Pin DMX Input

Gaffers and lighting techs will appreciate the many wired and wireless DMX options. Owner/ops looking to make quick tweaks on smaller shoots will appreciate the Nanlink app over Bluetooth.

For manual control of the fixture, you’ll need to use the buttons and display on the rear of the lamp head. The one tricky part here is that if the lamp head is high up in the air on a stand, you’ll be limited to DMX or Bluetooth (see the available iOS or Android app here) options to change settings. For this reason, I usually prefer the controls to be on the power supply with a long head cable versus the lamp head, but this is a minor quibble on my part.

Over the years, Nanlux has released helpful firmware updates for the Evoke series and their other fixtures. Fortunately, gone are the days when it was a little tough to find a compatible USB stick for those updates. Now, Nanlux has included the correct lower-capacity type of USB stick (formatted in the necessary FAT32) in a small plastic bag with the kit — hang onto that!

Check here for future Evoke 900C firmware updates, and here are detailed instructions on how to update your Nanlite or Nanlux fixture.

Who is the Evoke 900C meant for?

With its $4,660 price tag, this may be a rental-only item for you or a single fixture purchase. For rental houses or G&E truck owners, the Evoke 900C or even a few Evoke 900Cs make a ton of sense as a “standard” item in your inventory. For this review, I used the Evoke 900C with various other fixtures like the popular ARRI Skypanel and a few 1×1 Gemini soft lights from Litepanels. And it fits well into the overall flow of the shoot. In short, the evoke 900C plays well with others.

I have to say I enjoyed the ability to plug in a favorite digital gel in the Evoke 900C and the speed that comes with that. Auditioning different colors, effects, and looks is also obviously faster than swapping out physical gels. Physical diffusion, either in a frame or softbox/lantern, will always have a place, but not changing out CTB or CTO, etc., which undoubtedly saves time on location. The Evoke 900C also displays a base color temp and then the type of digital gel on the right in the menu – this feels intuitive to me because it mimics the action of placing a physical gel on a light with a dialed-in color temp.

There’s also something to be said here about hard light versus soft on a creative level. For years I saw a trend towards more and more soft beauty and fashion lighting being mixed into different genres primarily because of the prevalence of soft LED color panels. The Evoke 900C, and other hard lights for that matter, challenge you to find a place for hard lighting in your work. Of course, it is easier to soften the quality of light coming out of a hard light versus creating hard light from a soft source. The point is not to be afraid of hard lighting in general.

Another favorite use case for the Evoke 900C was taking advantage of the wide 200-point range of +/- green and magenta adjustments available. After receiving the 900C for review, I almost immediately had to film an exterior outside a mall in San Diego, California. The ability to dial the 900C to match existing consumer green shifted lights was a huge time saver. With color-matched LED bulbs like the Nanlite Pavotube 10C, we would have had to change them out individually.

Mobile power

The not insignificant 940W power draw of the Evoke 900C brings it into the block battery and high-capacity space. That is if you aren’t interested in a gas-powered generator solution. GENTREE, based out of South Korea, has an interesting DC power solution called the Penta 1200 that can power lights with up to a 1344W draw. Nanlux was showing off the Penta 1200 at NAB 2023, and it might be a solid solution for powering the Evoke 900C in the field

One of the other benefits of the Penta 1200 is that it uses the same head cable as the Evoke 900C, and thus you can power the fixture with just the Penta 1200 (subtracting the Nanlux power supply) since the brain of the Evoke is in the lamp head itself.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t get access to this battery system for the review, but on paper, it looks like it has a possibility.

Output & Kelvin handling in CCT mode

I went ahead and tested the output using lux and color handling (using Kelvin) of the Nanlux 900C at a distance of three feet (0.91 meters) with my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer. Here are my results with a target of 5600K with the kit 45-degree reflector attached, and the fixture updated to the latest V1.04.06 firmware.

A result of 5463K is very close to the 5600K target and a good overall result. Throughout all my testing at 100% output, I landed at a CRI average of 98 when looking at R1-R8 scores. 82500lx (a measure of overall output) also shows off how punchy the 900C can be in terms of output.

Now for a target of 3200K:

A result of 3232K is even a little closer to the target of 3200K. You do get a bit of an output bump (86200lx) when headed towards using the 900C, closer to the Tungsten side of the range.

I also did a deeper dive into color rendering with the Evoke 900C and I noticed that the R12 Blue performance suffers a bit (68.7) when dimming the light down to 5%. You can see those results below with output set to 5% at a 5600K target:

And, finally for comparison, here is the color rendering chart with a target of 5600K and output set to 100%:

You can see the hit to R12 accuracy when the fixture is dimmed to 5% – not a huge deal, but something that you’ll want to be aware of when using this fixture in general. R12 Blue is an area where many LED fixtures struggle to hit high marks.

Conclusion

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. I 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.

What do you think? Will you be adding the Evoke 900C to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

Let’s start with a quick note about my general perspective: DMX connectivity is mandatory on the projects I work on, so perhaps I haven’t given the amaran line the attention it deserves over the years. What the amaran team does provide in the way of DMX is primarily USB-C to 5-Pin XLR for select fixtures (not the 150c/300c since there is no USB C).

Sidus Link (the Bluetooth-based app commonly used to control amaran and Aputure wirelessly) is also compatible with fixtures using wireless DMX and LumenRadio built-in. So, the dividing line between amaran (no-DMX) and Aputure (yes-DMX) is a bit grayer these days, and that’s fine by me. amaran products also tend to rely more on plastic components than metal in the case of Aputure.

Not everyone needs or cares about DMX connectivity, in which case they will be content with the manual controls on the 150c/300c or Bluetooth Sidus Link control. As the marketing materials note, the amaran series is specifically aimed at “content creators and Vloggers.” The price points (again, $569 for the 300c and $359 for the 150c) imply either of these fixtures would be a great first light set for creators of all stripes working primarily inside because of the overall output.

Here are a few banner features shared by both the amaran 150c and 300c:

• 360° HSI Full Color Control
• 2,500 to 7,500 CCT Range
• +/- Green and Magenta Adjustment
• Nine Effects Options Ranging from Fire to TV
• Built-in Umbrella Holder
• Stepless Dimming from 0-100%

Initial impressions

The amaran team sent a 150c in gray and a 300c in the flashy white exterior configuration that I’m told is a limited edition offering. Cinema equipment is primarily matte black to avoid reflections and to avoid becoming part of the shot itself (here’s a great Buzzfeed list of some examples of in-shot equipment and crew). So the white exterior makes for a particularly flashy on-camera option for interviews or intentional “on-set” production-designed looks. The white paint sure looks snazzy, though and I’m not immune to cool-looking gadgets, which may be one of the reasons I write about cinema technology!

One of my quibbles with past amaran launches was their Styrofoam cases. At this price point, you can’t expect excellent semi-rigid cases from the pricier Aputure line. Still, the Styrofoam cases were so tight with their internal dimensions that returning the light itself was tricky because there wasn’t a lot of flexibility – it fits only one way, and that was that. Now with the cases for the 150c and 300c, it’s easier to pack up. However, if you travel a lot with your lights, I would still suggest changing to a hard case for transport to prevent damage from hits. There are plenty of 3rd party case options on the market from brands like Pelican and HPRC.

The lamp heads have a curved design with stylish handles for panning, tilting, and carrying. Note that most of the electronics and controls are in the lamp head. This is fine if you are using the light close to the ground, but raise this fixture in the air, and you either need to lower the stand again to change settings or use Sidus Link over Bluetooth. The two rear “quick control knobs” serve as an easy way to navigate the settings — a single button press on either knob will either jump between different modes or to presets in the case of classic CCT mode. There’s a smoothness to the controls that is also satisfying, as you don’t feel like you’re jumping past the settings you’re trying to hit.

In general, the buttons and menu navigation are faster and easier than with the amaran 200d S, and I hope amaran continues using this button layout on future fixtures. The dedicated BT Reset button (present on other amaran or Aputure products) is also helpful if you’re handing these fixtures off to friends or colleagues for use, as it makes connecting to Sidus Link just that much faster. I also enjoy the exterior design of the lamp heads over previous amaran COB generations.

Accessories

The 300c includes a 65-degree reflector, or you have a 90-degree beam angle if you remove the kit reflector and go with the “bare bulb.” That same included kit reflector on the 150c creates a 63-degree beam angle or an 83-degree beam angle if a reflector isn’t attached. Both fixtures use the ubiquitous Bowens S-Type mount, the advantage being that the mount opens up a wide range of available 1st and 3rd party accessories. Keep in mind that results may vary as accessory manufacturers have designed different accessories with various lights in mind — they won’t all be compatible despite using the Bowens S-Type.

amaran has created a few accessories designed for the 150c and 300c, specifically the Spotlight SE (with a 19-degree and a 36-degree lens available) and Light Dome Mini SE. We took a look at both of these accessories at NAB 2023, and that video is here.

Having trouble keeping track of what amaran or Aputure accessories will work with your lights? Me too! Thankfully there is a handy chart where you can check compatibility prior to using an accessory on your amaran or Aputure product.

Who are these lights for?

As I mentioned previously, amaran is heavily marketing the 150c and 300c and the amaran line itself towards Vloggers and content creators. The fast setup time, small size, ease of use, and quiet fan all suggest these would be perfect options for a home studio or even a streamer looking to add a pop of color to the background.

If you often stick to CCT mode in your interior work, you’ll likely be fine with the amaran COB 200x S with its $349 price tag. In a hypothetical streaming direct-to-computer situation with the Bowens softbox, I would choose 3200K for my key light color temp and use the amaran 150c/300c for the background intermingled with amaran SM5c strip LED lights. Add an Aputure B7c bulb in a stylish practical lamp and some fill light (maybe a hair light?), and you have a very solid-looking studio setup that is all Sidus Link connected for fun effects or triggered lighting transitions.

I can also envision a standing grid of several dozen amaran 150cs in the background of a shot running effects behind key talent in a game show or music video situation. True, the per-fixture cost makes this an expensive, but hopefully not bank-breaking proposition. That same per-fixture cost plus the reliance on the plastic makes this an unlikely rental inventory item, in my opinion – Aputure 600Cs feel more at home in that environment.

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments if you have another perfect use case for the 150c or 300c.

Other improvements

A few additional design improvements deserve an added mention here — for one, both fixtures feature an improved “silent” active cooling system that I’m happy to report is quieter than the past amaran products I’ve used.

The plastic yoke of past amaran products is gone in favor of a metal yoke (thank you!). The cable locking connectors are another improvement. The head cable and AC cable for the power supply are particularly robust here — especially over the locking barrel connector present in the amaran COB 60x. The power supply of the 150c/300c is held in place by a steel chain that feels like the same material common to most safety chains we use on set. Note that with the 150c/300c, you don’t get the popular $68 Aputure Lightning Clap for connecting the power supply to your stand.

The release latch that holds the Bowens accessory in place also feels more rugged on both fixtures, and a simple slide move unlocks any connected Bowens accessory. I would call all these small but meaningful quality-of-life improvements for the amaran line as a whole.

Output & Kelvin handling in CCT Mode

I went ahead and tested the output using lux and color handling (using Kelvin) at a distance of three feet of both fixtures with my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer. Here are my results for the amaran 300c, starting with a target of 5600K with the kit 65-degree reflector attached. I recorded a fantastic average CRI (R1-R8) of 97.6 for the 300c and 97.7 for the 150c throughout testing.

A result of 5716K is a solid result for the 5600K target and an excellent overall result when it comes to Kelvin accuracy. A lux reading (a measure of output also expressed above in foot candles) of 23200lx at 3ft with the reflector on is also very close to Aputure’s publicized numbers, too — which I appreciate.

Now for a target of 3200K:

A result of 3248K is closer to the target of 3200K when compared to the results at the daylight end of the Kelvin range. Just a minimal drop in output with this target.

Okay, now let’s take a look at the amaran 150c with a target of 5600K and the kit 63.4-degree Hyper Reflector attached:

A result of 5590K is absolutely fantastic for the 150c and more spot-on when compared to the 300c.

Now for a target of 3200K:

Also excellent marks for the 150c with a result of 3183K with a target of 3200K. Again, an output drop here when compared to the daylight end of the CCT range.

Now for a deeper look at the color rendering scores of the amaran 300c in particular. Overall, these are excellent results with the only exception being blue R12. I was hoping for an R12 measurement in the 80s or 90s and it does seem common for R12 blue to be a difficult area for many modern LED COB fixtures when I compare my other test scores over time between a variety of brands.

I asked the Aputure engineering team for comments on R12 Blue and the complexity around the blue light emitter in general and they came back with the following comment:

“At present, most light fixtures use a single blue light emitter to excite the LED phosphor. To significantly improve the R12 value in daylight color temperatures, a multi-blue light emitter is often used. You can see that the R12 of our dual-blue LED lights like the amaran 200x S and Electro Storm CS15 is 92+. You can see this discrepancy across the lighting industry in fixtures with High SSI color technologies vs those that do not. It relates to the blue spike that people often mention about LED’s spectral power distributions. A lot of lights that only use a single blue light emitter will result in similar R12 values in the 70s to low 80s, depending on the color science, combination of chips, and the LED chips used.”

Conclusion

The amaran line, with the 150c and 300c, is getting better and better. So much better that I wonder whether it might take a bit of the sheen away from comparable Aputure products. I’m ready for a few new hard light releases from Aputure that feature color to complement the excellent Light Storm 600C. I hope amaran engineers stick with this design for the buttons and the lamp head exterior and handles.

If you are primarily looking at cost saving and don’t need color in your shots, then you might be best served by previous Bi-Color amaran products like the amaran 200X S. On the other hand, the 150c and 300c are a more versatile pair of lights that will serve you well as your career progresses, particularly as physical color gels become increasingly scarce.

Keep in mind that the 300c doesn’t quite have the punch necessary to compete outside on a sunny day, and it won’t take many impacts like its pricier Aputure cousins that rely on metal construction. Still, it will be excellent in an interior where ambient light can be controlled.

What do you think? Will you be adding the amaran 150c and 300c to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

First impressions

As the name suggests, the Aputure INFINIBAR is more of a bar shape than the popular tube design that we’ve seen from other brands like Astera, Quasar Science, and even Aputure itself (in the form of their amaran tube lights). The INFINIBAR is also infinitely modular in the sense that by using Aputure’s connectors, you can make a variety of shapes. As long as you’re mindful of how the connectors are powered, you can create long lengths by joining different pieces together. More on that later.

For this review, I was sent three INFINIBARS in the currently available lengths of 1ft, 2ft, and 4ft. Lights are named for short: PB3, PB6, or PB12. Each bar comes in a smartly designed semi-rigid travel case that includes:

• DC Power Adapter (9.8′)
• AC Locking Power Cable (4.9′)
• Clamp to Baby Pin Adapter
• Magnetic Spacers x2
• Straight Connector
• Compatible Hex Wrench

As of publishing, I did not have access to the new $99 grid accessory or to the upcoming 8-light kit that includes eight PB12 4′ fixtures in a single hard case.

Previously, there have been attempts in the market to create connectable and modular lengths of LED fixtures. The INFINIBAR design is vaguely reminiscent of the now discontinued Spekular fixtures from Spiffy Gear, but right out of the gate, the INFINIBAR fixes many design quibbles I had with the Spekular line. A few brands also make connectable LED lengths designed primarily for architectural lighting, but they don’t have high enough CRI, TLCI, or SSI scores for me to feel comfortable putting them anywhere near people or camera sensors. Flicker at various shutter speeds is also a common problem for LED lights not designed with filmmakers in mind.

So, for now, the INFINIBAR stands alone as a filmmaker-friendly connectable fixture, and at first glance, there are many good design ideas on display here. A few of my favorites are:

• Multiple Mounting Options (Magnetic, 1/4″-20, Baby Pin)
• Connectors with Passthrough AC Power (the connectors are solid, no gaps between bars)
• Internal Battery with 120 Min of Life (sometimes you can’t hide a cable)
• 24 Individual Pixels (per foot)
• LumenRadio CRMX, Sidus Link, DMX/RDM using USB-C Dongle accessory (not included)

The inclusion of LumenRadio CRMX makes the INFINIBAR an Aputure product and not a more prosumer-focused amaran product. It also seems there is less reliance on plastic with the aluminum housing design of the INFINIBAR when compared to some of the amaran products. If there is a weak point on the bar, it would be the plastic frosted diffusion panel that covers the LEDs, but thankfully that should be a fairly inexpensive piece to replace in case of damage.

A quick word on the baby pin adapter – this adapter mounts from the center and isn’t designed to slide on from either end of the INFINIBAR. This feels a bit counterintuitive when you look at the accessory for the first time, though Aputure tells me this is an added safety layer to prevent the INFINIBAR from accidentally sliding off the accessory.

I don’t see an IP rating mentioned in the Aputure materials, so the INFINIBAR wouldn’t be the fixture to get near water or particles like sand or machine dust.

Who is the INFINIBAR meant for?

As a Director of Photography and CineD contributor, I spend a lot of time thinking about lighting and what’s coming next, and why. That said, I would not have guessed the INFINIBAR series was next on Aputure’s plate. Maybe I just didn’t know I needed an INFINIBAR, and there are several reasons for this.

For one, I’ve had the pleasure of working on a few stage shows like a Ru Paul spinoff for Paramount+ and several CollegeHumor projects like Game Changer S5 and Dimension 20 S15. On those projects, we heavily relied on background accent lighting elements for which the INFINIBAR series would have been useful. The placement of these types of lights tends to be a collaboration between the production designer and the cinematographer. In Dimension 20, we used LED ribbon with frosted plastic coverings in the main table that are almost identical in light quality emitted (but not feature set) to the INFINIBAR LED Pixel bars. On Game Changer, we had LED ribbon ringing the entire top portion of the rear wall of the set.

Should I immediately begin working with the production designer to swap all accent lighting for INFINIBARS on shows like this? It depends. The first consideration has to be price. The INFINIBAR comes in three lengths (1′, 2′, and 4′) and is priced at $299, $479, and $639, respectively. Building a stage set using only INFINIBARS with the necessary dimensions would be prohibitively expensive in most cases. The best solution would be a combination of amaran SM5c light strips (if we’re keeping things within the brand) and using INFINIBARS only in key set elements like, say, the main host table or in an entryway.

Aputure has provided the tools to configure the INFINIBAR into a variety of shapes. The $1390 Multi-Light Shaping Kit with a whole series of connector pieces helps you to do just that. That kit is available HERE.

Linking INFINIBARS together is easy, and the connection (held together by multiple hex screws) is solid enough that I’m not afraid of individual bars breaking free and hurting crew members. You’ll want to use steel safety chains when placing anything above people. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that a single DC Power adapter can only power a certain number of INFINIBARS linked together in a chain, — that part is finite because of electrodynamics/physics.

My mind drifts back again to the fact you’ll need to purchase many, many INFINIBARS to make meaningful shapes to cover the background of a 16×9 frame on a music video. For that reason, the INFINIBAR (especially the 8-light kit) may become a popular rental item in major markets. Still, the cost for a meaningful amount of INFINIBARS could become prohibitive for owners/operators.

Tube versus bar

I found the 1′ INFINIBAR works well as a practical in-shot element on a modern set. For instance, the size fits perfectly above a door frame at the end of a hallway. Wrapped with a bit of diffusion or using the upcoming $69 softbox for the 1′ INFINIBAR, it would even work well as a Steadicam or gimbal-mounted camera top light for long ones. Add the grid accessory to the 2′ or 4′ bar, and you have a capable hair light mounted to a C-Stand using the included baby pin accessory.

Why not a tube for any of the above use cases? Good question.

The real strength of the INFINIBAR is in the clean seamless look you can create by adding many bars together. The other core strength is the smoothness of the transitions between so many pixels when using any of the more flashy built-in effects like Pixel Chase. More pixels just make movement heavy-effects like that look better on camera.

However, if you’ve been in the industry for a while, you’ve likely invested in some type of tube-shaped light already.

If you can tell I’m experiencing a bit of conflict between the tube or bar shape, it’s because I am. Let me know in the comments if you can help sway my mind one way or the other. I, and hopefully other readers, would appreciate it.

The point is — if you’re sitting on several grand tube lights already, is the seamless look of the linked INFINIBARS enough to justify a significant investment in both tube lighting and INFINIBARS? The market will decide on that point, and personally, I’m not sure.

Sidus link

I know I’ve discussed Sidus Link in the past, but with constant updates on Aputure’s light control app, things just keep getting better and better. Pairing for the first time is simple. You can see the INFINIBAR pop up quickly in the app by clicking the Bluetooth reset on the fixture itself.

24 Pixels per square foot is an impressive amount of individually mapped pixels, and the Sidus Link app makes controlling those pixels easily. Picking a color, having each pixel fade in or out, or chasing or flash faster or slower — all are possible with the click of a few buttons in the Bluetooth app available for iOS or Android.

The Sidus Link app allows you to go as in-depth into creating an effect as you want to or have time for. Most of the time, you will simply need to select one of the pre-built effects like “Party II” and edit that effect to fit the feel of the piece you’re making. This can be done in the space of a few minutes.

How many times will you drift away from the more standard “Gel,” “White,” or “Color” modes into the arguably more fun Music FX or Pixel FX modes making full use of the many, many pixels at your disposal? That depends on the type of work you do. If you aren’t often in the position of building complicated lighting effects or if you mostly work in CCT mode between 2000K – 10000K, then there may be cheaper tube-based or pre-baked common industry digital gel solutions.

Despite not being a Gaffer or Lighting Designer, I have worked with a variety of lighting manufacturer apps. After a rocky start, the Sidus app has grown to become one of the best in the business, in my opinion. The barrier is also very low to get started and to begin playing around with the different looks in your spare time. You’ll find all that at-home experimentation a ton of fun.

Conclusion

Aputure’s INFINIBAR series is an impressive design swing for a brand that’s taking more and more big swings these days after building quality “staple” fixtures such as the Light Storm Aputure 1200D Pro or 600C Pro, or the Aputure Nova. The INFINIBAR’S main draw is the “blending design,” and that’s the significant benefit of this fixture series, in my opinion. If you have already invested heavily in another tube light or the amaran T4C, T2C, or have the upcoming amaran PT4c on pre-order, ask yourself if you need that seamless look of the INFINIBAR. It might be a rental-only item for you.

On the other hand, rental houses, stages, LED volume spaces, or turn-key studios would be well served by having an in-house plethora of INFINIBAR options that filmmakers can use on an a la carte basis. I see these fixtures as being very popular in that capacity, and if the majority of your work is in the music or event space, then the INFINIBAR may also make solid purchase sense for you.

What do you think? Will you be adding the INFINIBAR to your kit? What about the debate between Tube versus Bar design? Let us know in the comments below!

ZOLAR moved its first steps in the lighting market back at IBC 2022 when this newborn brand introduced three 1×1 LED panels, namely the Vega 30C RGBAW, the Toliman 30C bi-color and the Toliman 30S bi-color fixtures.

My colleague Graham had the chance to take these lights out for a spin. He summed up his thoughts in a previous article, which is now being complemented by a video review and his independent photometric measurements. So let’s do a quick recap on the new ZOLAR LED panels!

ZOLAR Vega and Toliman 1×1 LED panels – summary

The ZOLAR lighting ecosystem currently consists of three LED panels that are slightly larger than the standard 1×1’ size. In particular:

• the Vega 30C features an RGBAW color engine and offers an extremely wide color temperature range, spanning from 2,000 up to 20,000K (CCT Mode);
• the Toliman 30C is a bi-color fixture with a more standard CCT range of 3,200-5,600K;
• the Toliman 30S is the “entry-level” model. It shares the same CCT range as the Toliman 30C, but mainly lacks DMX control and provides a lower light output.

Despite being a newcomer in this field, ZOLAR is riding on Z CAM’s good reputation and expertise. You can already tell they did a remarkable job in designing their first light series just by looking at the solid matte grey aluminum alloy protecting the LED panels. This also integrates a sort of color-coding convention. Indeed, the two bi-color models feature orange corner plastic parts, that are yellow on the RGBAW variant.

Each lamp weighs less than 4.5kg/10lbs and integrates a convenient diffusion system, called ZOLAR Stylist. This consists of a double-sided panel that can be easily removed and flipped to the other face in order to modify the light’s beam angle. However, it’s not hard to foresee that ZOLAR could expand this solution in the future.

ZOLAR LED panels – power and control

The three lights differ in their power draw. The Toliman 30S is the least power-hungry model (around 120W) and can draw juice from DC power or a single V-mount battery that can be attached directly to the back of the light body. On the other hand, the Vega 30C and Toliman 30C come with a dedicated power supply unit with robust Neutrik power connectors but require two V-mount bricks if you want to rely on battery power.

Overall, the ZOLAR light panels offer a good amount of flexibility when it comes to controlling the fixtures. All models feature onboard controls, come with an included remote controller and can be connected to smart devices via Bluetooth using the ZOLAR App (iOS/Android).

Furthermore, a proprietary ZolarLink protocol allows multiple units to be synced together. And lastly, the “C” models integrate wired and wireless DMX control capabilities with support to Art-Net and sACN protocols, while the Toliman 30S lacks this possibility.

Photometrics and color accuracy

The panels can be dimmed from 0 up to 100% of their intensity in precise 0.1% increments using four different dimming curves. Moreover, the company claims they didn’t notice any significant change in intensity or color after leaving the panels running at full punch for about 1.5 years.

While this is a bold statement, Graham used his Sekonic C-700-U spectrometer to conduct some independent measurements using the Vega 30C. As advertised, the fixture actually scored an overall CRI rating of 97+ (97.6 to be exact) and the measured color temperature was pretty close to the chosen target:

Also, he measured the following light outputs when positioning the spectrometer at a distance of 3 feet from the light source:

What’s in the box soft cases?

While the Toliman 30S model can be stored in a single soft case, the major design drawback of the Vega 30C and Toliman 30C is that their parts come split into two different bags, one for the LED panel and the other for the power supply unit. Nonetheless, here’s a full list of included accessories:

• ZOLAR LED panel
• Yoke mount
• Remote controller
• AC/DC power adapter
• ZOLAR Stylist W panel
• AC power cable
• Remote connector cable

Price and availability

Overall, the ZOLAR Vega 30C, Toliman 30C and Toliman 30S light panels seem to be a great option for small-sized studios or one-man-band scenarios. The lights are available to order from B&H and CVP. The Vega 30C currently retails for $799, the Toliman 30C for $699, and the Tolicam 30S for $499, respectively, while a 32×32 softbox is also available for $49.

For more information, please visit Z CAM’s website here.

What do you think of the new ZOLAR Vega and Toliman LED panels? Do you think they can compete with existing alternatives? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

After thoroughly reviewing it, my overall impression of the NANLUX Evoke 1200 (daylight-only version) was quite positive. Solid accessories mixed with an ever-improving Nanlink Bluetooth app and an IP54 moisture-resistant design (when the ballast is placed fully parallel to the ground and not upright) all made for a great first impression. With the advent of the Evoke 1200B, the engineering team over at NANLUX has pushed the Evoke platform to bi-color with a selectable Kelvin range of 2700K – 6500K.

First, a few clarifying points on what I reviewed.

During several shoots over a month, I tested the complete kit with a” trolley case” and 45-degree reflector that retails for $3,949. The trolley case is perhaps 40% of the size of the “flight case” and has the perfect footprint for an owner/op with a small SUV or van, or even for a Gaffer with a small 1-ton kit. Large rental houses or owners of larger G&E packages will be satisfied with the” flight case” package that has space for the fresnel. Both the trolley case and the flight case have locking industrial-grade metal wheels.

I also had the opportunity to work with the newer NANLUX Fresnel (model number FL-35YK), which retails for $1,075. Previously, I tested the F-35 Fresnel with the original daylight Evoke. That fresnel proved to be front-heavy (even with the Evoke lamp head attached) because of the design’s center of gravity. The yoke design of the FL-35YK model is now mounted to the fresnel itself and not the metal base, and beyond that, everything else seems the same with the same spot and flood range and same shadow character. We’ll touch on this accessory a bit more later.

So, if you’re interested in the older fresnel design or the larger flight case, give my original Evoke 1200 review a peek here.

Please note that the Evoke 1200B ballast is compatible with the Evoke 1200 daylight lamp head, but the original Evoke ballast won’t work with the newer bi-color lamp head.

First Impressions

I was curious whether NANLUX may have made the daylight-only Evoke a bit obsolete after its arrival only a few months ago. If the Evoke 1200B has the same brightness as the original daylight version, then I would suggest everyone go with the bi-color variant for added flexibility. The cost of the bi-color lamp head alone is nearly $900 more than the daylight version. However, at an overall price point of several thousand dollars at minimum for this kit, I would consider this increase to be well worth it. I’ll dig into my reasons more during output and Kelvin testing later in this article.

I like the Evoke 1200B exterior design elements — the ballast is well-protected, and the lamp head is robust enough to take a hit or two. Both the long head cable (available in 7.5 meters, 10 meters, and 12 meters) and power cable are reinforced with extra rubber, which can help make for a long life on location. The head cable also has a metal locking mechanism on both ends that feels very solid — no accidentally yanking a cable out here.

The trolley case is a standout. It’s great for protection, and everything fits neatly inside, including a 45-degree reflector attachment. If you want additional reflectors, you’ll need to buy them separately to the tune of $90-ish each, depending on the degree beam angle you’re looking for. Remember that you’ll need reflectors specifically designed for the NANLUX Evoke series, as this is not a Bowens-mounted fixture.

Does the lack of a Bowens mount bug me? Not yet — 3rd parties like DoPChoice are already supporting the Evoke “NL” mount, and NANLUX has a wide range of compatible accessories that, while not bulletproof, do the job. Plus, the price points of their NL softboxes, in particular, are very reasonable. The only accessory I’m missing for the Evoke 1200B is a compatible Leko-style projection mount. In fact, the market as a whole lacks projection or spotlight accessories designed for 1200-watt LED fixtures.

The exterior look of the Evoke 1200B and accompanying accessories isn’t much different from the daylight version of the Evoke. The onboard menu is especially easy to navigate, and I’m happy to say four different fan modes are available. There’s even one called “smart mode,” which I ended up using most of the time without seeing the need to change over to low mode even once. And believe me, the audio mixer would have let me know.

There are the ever-present effects modes (11 in all) on the 1200B. Everything is dimmable in 0.1% increments, and the features are all accessible on the bright rear 2.8-inch screen on the lamp head itself. The lamp head weighs 17 lbs. and because of this, the whole setup requires a combo stand and not a C-Stand for use, so you’ll want to factor that into your budgeting if you’re building a kit from scratch.

Who is the Evoke 1200B for?

There’s a case to be made that not every filmmaker needs the output that the 1200B provides. I recently reviewed the Nanlite 720B, and that fixture has an excellent cost-to-lumen ratio. Overall, the Nanlite 720B is smaller than the 1200B and without the same robust exterior build. Interested in the Nanlite 720B? You can read my review here.

On my first shoot with the Evoke 1200B, I used it in conjunction with the new fresnel attachment. Set up outside a window casting sunlight onto an interior fireplace in the background of a 2-shot, the fixtures played for hours in direct sun in a California heat wave and never missed a beat. The lamp head had to be raised on a combo stand roughly eight feet in the air, a position that revealed the drawbacks of having all the manual controls on the lamp head itself and not on a ballast/power supply sitting on the ground or mounted to the stand itself. At that height, you can’t access the controls directly on the fixture, forcing you into using the Bluetooth app or another DMX solution – or an apple box paired with a tall crew member…

Being “forced” into using the Nanlink Bluetooth app on my apple iPhone 12 didn’t mean I couldn’t connect instantly and gain almost immediate control over the light. Oddly the four dimming curves – Exponential, Logarithmic, S-Curve, and Gamma 2.2 – are only changeable over DMX. A LumenRadio TimoTwo transceiver is built into the instrument to unlock wireless DMX options.

You can download the Nanlink app for iOS here.

Now to the fresnel. The shadow quality out of the newer fresnel is excellent. However, the big change is the angled yoke. You no longer get that jerk forward as with the previous design. If you haven’t had a chance to experiment with a good fresnel and the natural-feeling, soft-edged shadows one creates, you’re missing out. Out of this new fresnel, you do still get a bit of light leak from the sides, but I never had an issue with that on any of my shoots as the instrument itself was never close enough to my subject where it made a difference. That’s the advantage of higher output fixtures. You can put them further away so that the actors can do what they do best, which is acting — and not be constantly reminded they are on a film set. Over the years, I’ve tried to mount more lighting overhead or outside windows as part of this actor-friendly philosophy, so the Evoke 1200B is right at home on my sets.

For this test period, it didn’t take long for the NANLUX Evoke 1200B to become a vital part of my projects. I used it as a hard key, soft key (with the Nanlux 150cm softbox), background light, and even added a piece of opal in front of it and had it play in direct competition, or I should say harmony with the sun during an exterior. On overcast days, the Evoke 1200B mixed with some negative fill is the perfect light for adding shape to an otherwise flat scene. The bi-color functionality let me play around with warming or cooling up the source and seeing how those changes made the overall scene feel. If you’ve mounted a frame with a gel in it in front of the lamp head, just know these adjustments will take more time.

Before I get a comment about how the 1200B output interacts with the sun, I should say that, of course, this is very dependent on your location. The fixture will be great on a foggy London or Seattle day and perhaps not as great on a beach at noon in Florida. Results may vary, but I found plenty of punch from the Evoke 1200B for exterior uses during filming in Los Angeles in September and October. And for now, you’ll still find plenty of uses for higher-end HMI fixtures until LED bridges that output gap.

In short, if you find yourself in any of the scenarios I’ve listed, then the Evoke 1200B might be right for you. If you’re limited to C-Stands or small light stands and filming mostly in tiny spaces without exterior access, then the Evoke 1200B might not be your cup of tea. If you are looking for portability and punch and don’t need wireless DMX or a sturdier build, the Nanlite 720B might be the ticket.

I didn’t have access to a genuinely high-speed camera for this review, but I did shoot a fair amount of 120fps and 60fps for the month and didn’t see even the hint of a flicker. FYI: The NANLUX team has various videos showing extreme slow-motion shots created using the phantom camera, and from my perspective, everything looks great there too.

Output & color handling

I grabbed a few measurements on my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer (now updated with the C-800U) to see how accurately the Evoke 1200B handles color temp measured in kelvin and output (lx) from a distance of 3 ft. Here are my readings with a target of 5600K and output set to 100%. This test was completed with the NANLUX 45-degree reflector attached.

160000 lx is a very impressive output and falls absolutely in line with the Evoke daylight-only version. The 5625K result is spot on for Kelvin accuracy.

Now for a target of 3200K:

We land at 3109K here with our target of 3200K and that’s right near the top of the LED COB fixtures I’ve tested with only a tiny hit to output. Now let’s try with a target of 4700K:

Again, huge output numbers here with the kit 45-degree reflector at 3 feet measuring the center of the beam and a very accurate 4784K result against the 4700K target.

I also decided to compare NANLUX’s printed numbers (most of their measurements start at 3 meters or 9.8 feet and I found their readings to be spot-on as well). So, whether you test at 3 feet or 9.8 feet the output of the Evoke 1200B is absolutely excellent with great solid kelvin accuracy.

At 9.8 feet I was measuring in the range of 19,000 lux with the 45-degree reflector attached. For output comparison with the Evoke 1200 daylight version, I was able to get 18,700 lux with the same reflector at the same distance. Very impressive.

Final Thoughts

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. I will say I much prefer the newer fresnel with its angled yoke design that isn’t mounted to the metal base, and I 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.

I asked NANLUX if the original fresnel is being discontinued, and the answer, for now, is no. Here’s the official word on that as of publishing: “The original FL-35 will be a special order in the US market. For UK and Europe, you’ll need to check with your local NANLUX distributor.”

I’m 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. I’m not sure what engineering’s magic sauce is here, but the result is a versatile light that will find a place on most of my productions where a bi-color punch is required.

What do you think? Will you be adding the Evoke 1200B or the new Fresnel FL-35YK to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

Editor’s note: A more detailed video review (including light measurements) for the ZOLAR Lights is in the making, but will only be published in the new year.

Before I get started with this review, watch our video coverage from IBC about the ZOLAR lights, where we talked to Z CAM / ZOLAR CEO Kinson Loo.

But now on to the actual ZOLAR Light review: Let me start by saying that I had an opportunity to review the following fixtures as part of the ZOLAR lineup:

• ZOLAR Vega 30C RGBAW – 2000K – 20000K CCT Range, RGBAW Color, $799 Cost
• ZOLAR Toliman 30C Bi-Color – 3200K – 5600K CCT Range, $699 Cost
• ZOLAR Toliman 30S Bi-Color – 3200K – 5600K CCT Range, $499 Cost

It’s easy to focus this review primarily on the formidable looking (in terms of specs on the page) ZOLAR Vega 30C RGBAW because color is revolutionizing how we work on set, but there is much to discuss regarding the other two Bi-Color versions too. I’ll admit as more 1×1-ish fixtures hit the market over time I find myself becoming steadily more critical of LED lights with these dimensions. At the same time, we are very lucky to have so many choices these days as filmmakers, but the bar has to move steadily higher as more fixtures hit the market. At the risk of burying the lead, I’ll say that there is more to the ZOLAR line than first meets the eye, and it’s not all business as usual with their feature set.

First impressions

All of these lights have a box-like design aesthetic that feels a bit out of a classic 1950s alien invasion flick like The Day the Earth Stood Still (which I love). In particular, the Vega 30C RGBAW version and Toliman Bi-Color both have a matte silver finish broken up only by yellow (in the case of the color version) or orange (in the case of the Bi-Color versions) corner plastic protectors.

Each of these ZOLAR lighting packages weighs under 10 lbs for the lamp head, which isn’t particularly heavy and would make these good solutions for solo owners/operators. You would also be fine using a standard C-Stand or light stand. Oddly, the ZOLAR team has separated the power supply from the lamp head in their soft case included packaging and I much prefer case designs that include everything in one go.

Key features – differentiating factor to competition

A lot of the initial annoyances I’ve found lately during lighting reviews have mostly been addressed here out of the box. Let’s go ahead and list just a few banner features that stood out for me:

• Multiple Selectable Fan Modes like Auto, High, Mid, and Low (audio will thank you)
• Multi-Light Sync (sometimes called Lead/Follow by different manufacturers)
• Power Loop Output (for stringing multiple lights together in a studio environment)
• Locking Connectors Throughout (Neutrik powerCon – not in 30S)
• Dual V-Mount Battery Slots on the Power Supply
• A variety of DMX (both wired and wireless in 30C versions) and Bluetooth/Wifi connectivity options
• Four Dimming Curves and dimmable in 0.1% increments

Unfortunately, I’m a Gold Mount battery user and thus a heavy reliance on V-mount battery plates by the lighting industry has been a tough one for me, but V-Mount users will be happy with the V-Mount plate option. You could, of course, also use adapter plates as well.

DMX users will appreciate the Art-Net 4, sACN, and 5-pin wired (with RDM) options. Bluetooth users can download the ZOLAR control app HERE. The app is basic, but it does the job of tackling most of the features you’ll want Bluetooth wireless access to. It also connects quickly to each fixture.

I also found myself using an included hand remote controller for each fixture quite often when the lamp was situated high off the ground and I needed to make quick changes in a pinch.

I used the ZOLAR line on a few productions (mostly scripted commercial interiors) over the course of several weeks and in terms of just pure usage, I turned to the Vega 30C RGBAW most often for its versatility and solid color rendition. But, I want to be clear that Bi-Color still has a place on most, if not all, of my shoots. How often are you filming a project with a color aesthetic out of Bladerunnner? Most often I would guess you’ll find yourself living in a place where daylight and Tungsten are still the name of the game and so the Toliman 30C and 30S will find plenty of use for you.

One of the more impressive design features of the ZOLAR fixtures is a flippable diffused front panel that changes the beam angle from 90 degrees to 127 degrees in the case of the Toliman 30C (same for the Vega 30C) or from 40 degrees to 88 degrees with the Toliman 30S. Flipping the front panel takes just seconds and I wish more panel-style lights did this — it’s just so darn fast. Simply remove this panel (ZOLAR calls it a stylist) and you get the widest possible beam angle of around 25 degrees.

One thing to consider is there is currently a relative lack of accessories for the ZOLAR line. The manufacturer does make an affordable $49.00, 32×32 compatible soft-box, but as of publishing time, I didn’t have access to it for this review. A promised upcoming grid would also be a 100% needed accessory for me and I’d like to see 3rd parties like DoPChoice adopt solutions for the ZOLAR line. So far, though, your accessory options are limited — although this limitation is partially offset by the easily changeable beam angles.

The build quality of both the power supply and lamp heads are heavily reliant on aluminum with plastic protectors. I did find the yoke design (moves a full 360-degrees) to be excellent and not prone at all to slipping.

Each light includes the following:

• 1x ZOLAR Fixture
• 1x Yoke Mount
• 1x Remote Controller
• 1x AC DC Power Adapter
• 1x ZOLAR Stylist W 32×32
• 1x AC Power Cable
• 1x Remote Connector Cable
• 1x Quick User Guide

Differences Between ZOLAR Toliman 30S and ZOLAR Toliman 30C

When considering the $200 price difference between the Bi-Color ZOLAR Toliman 30S ($499) and Bi-Color ZOLAR Toliman 30C ($699) we should break down the key differences between these two models in particular:

• DMX Support – Available in the ZOLAR Toliman 30C, but not the 30S
• powerCON Support/Cables – Included with the Toliman 30C, but not the 30S
• The 200W Toliman 30C has a higher powered PSU, compared with the 120W Toliman 30S
• Improved power supply and heat dispatching system in the ZOLAR Toliman 30C, compared with the 30S

The Z Cam ZOLAR team also tested the ZOLAR Toliman 30C for 4000 hours straight at full brightness running non-stop and “there’s no brightness drop and color degrading on all ZOLAR lights in our labs.” This is an impressive claim and not one that I’ll be able to test for quite that duration, but it is clear that the manufacturer has placed a premium on quality of light.

The perfect ZOLAR user?

I always wrestle with the question of the perfect user for individual lighting products because I’ve been surprised before by filmmakers thinking outside the box, but the ZOLAR line seems aimed at owner/operators or small studio owners. I’m basing that primarily on the relatively affordable cost and simple usability. This is also the perfect series for those looking to dip their toes into DMX control, either through 5-pin wired, sACN or Art-Net 4 (DMX not available in the ZOLAR Toliman 30S).

The RGBAW chips in the Vega 30C also do a great job creating those “middle” colors between Red, Green and Blue and I was especially impressed by the quality of the rich “amber” color.

I found ZOLARLink to also be especially easy to use. Essentially you designate a lead lighting fixture and you can control up to 50 fixtures in a group for a maximum of 16 groups — all within the lights themselves without using another device. Of course, I didn’t have 50 fixtures to test, but this feature worked great with three.

Final thoughts on this ZOLAR Light Review

There’s much to like here. Robust exterior build mixed with excellent color, solid price point, and accurate kelvin handling overcome a relative lack of currently available accessories and packaging that splits the power supply from the lamp head.

I also don’t want to discount the fact that the ZOLAR line of lights is coming from the well-established Z-Cam manufacturer. That should give us some piece of mind that these fixtures are here to stay and that servicing options will be available well into the future.

Please note that we are working on a video review of the ZOLAR lights, but it will only be published in the new year. The video review will also include measurements for the lights.

What do you think of our ZOLAR Light review? Will you be adding the Z-CAM ZOLAR line of lights to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

Until this review, I admit I was not very familiar with the manufacturer Godox. My perception of the brand was that they are more photography-focused, existing at the lower end of the market in terms of price point and feature set. My first minutes with the Godox Knowled M300Bi fixture changed that perception. For one, it scored the only perfect 5600K scores for Kelvin accuracy (using my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer) I’ve ever seen. Granted, Kelvin accuracy isn’t everything, but that was certainly eye-opening.

Will this fixture become a go-to on my next production, and can it hold up in the occasionally bumpy world of field production? Let’s see.

Godox M300Bi – First impressions

You would be forgiven if, at a distance, you confuse the $989 Godox M300Bi for any of the several other COB fixtures on the market. The lamp head feels and looks the same as several other manufacturers’ products out there. That similarity meant I was able to dive into this review without much setup time.

A few potentially competing products include:

• Aputure LS 300X ($999.00)
• Nanlite Forza 300B ($819.00)
• GVM SD300D ($590.00)
• FotodioX Warrior 300 ($749.00, but Daylight Only)
• Rayzr 7 300W Bi-Color LED Fresnel ($1599.00, but not Bowens Mount)

This list begs the question: do we need another Bowens COB fixture? At this point in the review, my answer is yes. More quality competition serves to keep the price down and the features improving, and that’s good news for filmmakers.

The external build quality of the Godox M300Bi, relying as it does on plastic and occasionally metal parts, feels on par with other competitors in the 300-watt draw space. I don’t feel great about this fixture holding up in a rental environment, and at this price point, it feels like the target for this light is probably the owner/operators anyway. There is also a 1200-watt Godox light in development which, given the anticipated higher price point, would make more sense as a rental item.

The spiffy case keeps everything in place and is protected by hard plastic ridges at the base. The yoke of the lamp head actually fits inside the reflector attachment — which took some getting used to but works fine in practice. The yoke doesn’t bang around inside the reflector because a molded piece of foam keeps it secure. The case is well-built, and the design makes sense — a good sign all around. Where I find manufacturers drop the ball is with the little stuff like head cables or yokes or cases, but here everything is looking good.

I do wish the nearly 30 lbs. case had wheels. If you are reading this, please spread the word that all cases should be wheeled in an industry known for being physically challenging. #wheelsoneverything

All the cables have sturdy locking connectors. The head cable isn’t very long, but I wouldn’t be mounting something with this output high off the ground.

My first impressions are mostly positive. While Godox doesn’t seem to be reinventing the wheel here with the design of the M300Bi, it all works, and the case is excellent. Let’s look at a few accessories.

Godox M300Bi – Accessories

Godox was nice enough to send me their P120 Parabolic Softbox ($149) and FLS8 Fresnel ($159) for testing along with $99 barn doors meant for use with the FLS8 Fresnel. The P120 Parabolic softbox is a standout. I’m not sure when people started nailing the design of larger softboxes, but softboxes went from being absolutely a pain to build a few years ago to being a snap, and it all has to do with the mechanism that keeps the overall softbox rigid.

The P120 takes only a minute to build, and it feels like a higher quality of construction than the $149 price tag would suggest it has any right to be. At this point in the review, I’m leaning towards the M300Bi being a solid owner/op travel key light paired with the P120 softbox.

Everything with the softbox clicks solidly into place, and the accessory itself serves to soften the overall output of the light. So far so good. Turning to the FLS8 Fresnel!

Despite Fresnel accessories being fairly common in the Bowens mount lighting world, I find it really tricky to nail the feel of the truly great fresnels of decades past. The shadows never feel quite right, and the edges of the beam vary in quality from the softness normally enjoyed on a classic built-in fresnel fixture. To me, the FLS8 feels plasticky to the touch, so I don’t see this accessory as being able to take many hits. It does move from spot to flood, giving a substantial output bump, but it doesn’t quite nail the look I was expecting in the shadows. However, for narrowing the beam of the M300Bi fixture, this accessory works in a pinch.

I will say the $159 price tag of the FLS8 goes a long way to making this a no-brainer purchase.

Color temp and output testing results

I’ve gone ahead and tested the output using lux and color handling (Kelvin) of the M300Bi at a distance of three feet. I used my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer and here are my results, with a kit reflector with a target of 5600K.

Wow! That’s a perfect 5600K result with a target of 5600K. (Just to check that I wasn’t making a mistake or misreading things, I tested twice.) The output is also fantastic for a fixture of this size and cost, resulting in a really excellent cost-to-lumen ratio on this fixture overall.

Let’s test with a target of 3200K:

No, it’s not 100% perfect, but a result of 3313K is pretty darn accurate — just not as accurate as the 5600K target. You do see a significant drop in output as you move away from the daylight Kelvin range, but it isn’t out of the norm, and in my opinion, not large enough to warrant concern.

Now for a target of 4700K:

We landed at 4815K here with the reflector attached — just 100K and some change away from our target. Again, very consistent results overall regarding the kelvin accuracy and overall output of the M300Bi. These are impressive results from a brand that I once considered to be a budget manufacturer.

Controls

Controlling everything through the ballast is easy, and the menu is intuitive throughout. You also have access to wired, but not built-in wireless DMX. There aren’t quite as many effects built-in as I’m used to seeing in fixtures like this, but Godox does provide fire, candles, and a few others. I don’t often use effects from fixtures like this on my projects, but it’s good to know they’re there if needed.

In my opinion, the Godox Photo app for controlling the fixture over Bluetooth could use work. The app could go beyond basic with updates to appeal to a more professional filmmaking crowd. As of publishing time, the app is called “GodoxPhoto” and a simple tour of the app returned multiple error messages like: “the current system does not support Bluetooth synchronization” on my iOS device (tested on iPhone 12 with the latest OS updates). There’s also a standalone “photo” feature inside the Godox Photo app that feels out of place.

Controlling basic functions of the light like intensity and Kelvin number over the app is easy. You can set six custom presets to your favorite Kelvin and intensity settings. And that’s about it when it comes to controlling over the app. My preference at this time is to use the onboard manual controls over the app — they’re very clear and work quickly.

I went ahead and tested the app on my newer iPhone 14 Pro Max later in the review process and found further compatibility issues that returned error messages. Note I was running the app on version 1.9.4 on iOS.

Update: After publishing the Godox team suggested using their Godox Light app available for download here. I tried the new app with the M300Bi and did find a few bugs with account creation, but my Bluetooth connection was very quick and the general intensity and color temp features worked fine for me. Be aware there are many comments on this version of the app about compatibility issues with various Godox products so proceed with caution.

Final thoughts

Putting criticism over the app aside, the light itself is quite good. The case, accessories, lamp head, and ballast are all well executed. The Godox M300Bi deserves serious consideration if you’re in the market for an LED COB bi-color light.

At $989 for the base kit, this fixture competes with brands like Aputure and Nanlite, although those brands have a more fleshed-out accessory ecosystem and arguably better Bluetooth apps. With the M300Bi, Godox has shown it can compete in the big leagues of the COB LED market, and I’m very excited for their upcoming higher wattage fixtures like the MG1200Bi.

What do you think of my review on the Godox M300Bi? Will you be adding the Godox Knowled M300Bi fixture to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

Most readers will probably be aware of the tube-shaped 4ft Astera Titan fixture, which took the filmmaking world by storm upon its release back in 2019. Built on the already popular AX1 tube, the Astera Titan is just everywhere in most of the larger film & TV markets in the United States and in Europe. Built-in batteries mixed with lots of control options (with the help of an optional $475.00 transmitter unit) and the form factor was such that it could be mounted anywhere during those pesky 360 Steadicam or gimbal shots.

In short, like most of you, I was instantly hooked on the Astera Titan, and I’ve used those fixtures on countless productions since. Hence, my happy surprise to see Astera introducing a fixture aimed squarely at us film folks. 

Those of us that cover film lighting or spend any time on sets must admit this is a fantastic time in the world of lighting — so many high-quality options make it tricky for new products to enter the market and the HydraPanel lands with perhaps one competitor in the form of the Rosco DMG Lumiere DASH fixture CRMX version. Beyond that, the HydraPanel is in a bit of a league of its own without other obvious competitors in terms of dimensions and high-level features. 

Speaking of, here are the standout features of the HydraPanel from my point of view:

• Small “on-camera” friendly modular form factor
• Red,Green,Blue,Mint,Amber Chips 
• Build-in Battery 
• 3200-6500K Color Temp Range
• 6 Controllable Pixels
• IP65 Rated Metal/Polymer Build
• Various included modifiers 
• Large accessory ecosystem 
• DMX, IR and App Control 

I mention an “on-camera” form factor in the list of features and the HydraPanel could certainly be used as a broadcast or event light in that way, but over weeks of testing (including on a series for College Humor) the HydraPanel became an absolute favorite in my kit. 

First impressions 

This 6.5 x 3.3 x 1.7”  fixture is tiny but feels substantial enough to last for years in a rental environment. The mostly metal build inspires a ton of confidence that an investment in a HydraPanel or four wouldn’t be one you would regret 12 to 24 months out from the date of purchase because of a structural failure. Of course, the internal battery only has a set number of cycles on it before it’ll need to be replaced, but beyond that, this light could take a hit or two in my opinion. Unfortunately, the internal battery is not user replaceable and the unit would need to be sent to an authorized service center for swapping.

One of the slightly annoying things about past Astera releases is that the company tends not to include a lot of accessories with their products — that’s changed with more recent releases like the PixelBrick or here with the HydraPanel. The base $400 HydraPanel single unit kit includes a variety of welcome accessories out of the gate. To really get a wide variety of accessories you’ll want the 4-light kit or just be prepared to purchase a few a la carte. More on accessories in a moment. 

Controlling the light out of the box is easy with a button setup that will be familiar to any previous Astera product user. The “Menu”, “+”, “-“, “Enter”, “Power”, “Wheel”, and “Painter” buttons are all here as in previous Astera products like the PixelBrick (a personal favorite), but the new touchslider interface stands out. You can use the touchslider to change things like color, brightness, and DMX address, and the best part is that the slider isn’t activated until you are in the correct menu — meaning you won’t be bumping it accidentally. 

Other features from past Astera products are immediately evident like an hour indicator noting remaining battery life and green/magenta correction. Everything just feels familiar and manually navigating the menu is a breeze. 

During my time reviewing the HydraPanel I primarily controlled the fixture either manually with the back interface or over CRMX partially because I’ll admit the current Astera Bluetooth App isn’t my favorite. Coming from other apps like Lumen Radio or even the Sidus Link app from Aputure or the MyMix app from Rosco — I just don’t love the complexity of the Astera app. It feels cumbersome to build a particular effect in a way that other popular lighting control apps on the market don’t. 

AsteraNext is the company’s answer to the complexity of the original AsteraApp and that development app is currently in beta and serving as a testing ground for future AsteraApp updates. As an active member of the Astera User Facebook group myself, it does seem that Astera has been listening to feedback from users in the creation of their new upcoming app. Time will tell there. In fairness, with a crossover product between the event, film, and TV markets comes the need for an app that can deliver a fairly complex feature set and Astera has their work cut out for them.

The Astera APP is available to download on iOS HERE.

Closing out my first impressions, I’ll just say that the per-unit $400 price tag feels spot on for what you’re getting. Astera tends to price their products on a more premium side and the HydraPanel price tag lands in a very reasonable spot for what you’re getting in my opinion. 

Who is the HydraPanel for? 

My HydraPanel review kit arrived just as I was starting a series called “Dimension 20” for digital brand College Humor and I immediately threw the kit into use as a hair light for the host of that show. I was still trying to understand the output of the HydraPanel at this point and I first started using one HydraPanel and realized that having to shoot at F5.6 meant I’d need considerably more output out of this fixture.

From there, I introduced one HydraPanel at a time using connector plates to the “stack” to increase the output proportionally until I reached the output I needed out of that light. As we added a short power/data combination cable to each unit it was a pleasant surprise to see the additional panels immediately match settings and appear as one fixture from a DMX perspective. No additional fiddling in the settings required.

The above-described sequence is usually how I test most lights for CineD — I immediately put them to use on whatever TV, Film, or Commercial project I happen to be on after a quick test offset.

I am curious about the inclusion of IR remote control for the HydraPanel. Astera has allowed for IR control on a variety of their fixtures in the past, but I’ve personally never found a need for IR. Do you use IR control and where do you find it handy? Let me know in the comments below! Perhaps I’m missing out.

Beyond my described hair light use above I could see the HydraPanel working as practical lights mounted down a hallway or as a key light for a smaller closeup frame with one or two stacked together. Broadcast or live event folks will prefer the light mounted on-camera and it works very well in that orientation with the addition of a baby pin adapter.

The internal battery works wonders for mobile filming and lasts for several hours, but keep in mind the battery requires a 3-hour charge time, so you’ll want to factor that into your planning.

Accessories

The $1810.00 4-light kit, which I used for this review, includes a variety of different accessories (each as a set of four): 

• Intensifier 80
• Diffuser Sheet 100
• Soft Frame 100
• Eggcrate 40
• Eggcrate 60
• Gel Holder
• Connector Plate
• BabyPin ¼”
• Charger 
• Power/Data Combination Cable

As I alluded to earlier, Astera’s products haven’t always shipped with a ton of accessories and it’s traditionally been a bit of an effort to round out my past Astera kits with necessary mounting hardware or even a charging cable in some instances. This is not the case here. The 4-light kit is very turnkey and includes everything you need to get started. 

Astera has a proprietary mounting system that has crossover with some of their other products (and future products I’m told). I will say that their mounting system relies heavily on hard plastic pieces in a way that Quasar Science’s new metal nato rail-based Ossium system mercifully doesn’t, for example. There is also a toy connector set feel to Astera’s new mounting hardware that takes a bit of getting used to, but that I really enjoy when it all clicks soundly into place. I do wonder if the dependency on plastic for these small bits of connecting pieces will mean needing to replace them over time more often. We shall see.

Focusing on the connector plate pieces again for a moment – it allows you to connect up to four individual HydraPanels in place for an added boost of output. Use the power/data combination cables between each and the set of four connected HydraPanels act as a single fixture to control CRMX. You could, of course, connect more than four HydraPanels in a row, but I would be very concerned about the overall weight in that instance and I do not recommend doing that.

I do wish these power/data cables were locking and not barrel, but that’s a minor quibble. The barrel connections are indented in a way that makes them hard to knock out, although we’ll find a way on set to do just that I’m sure.

Output & Kelvin Handling in CCT Mode

I went ahead and tested the output using lux and color handling (using Kelvin) of the Astera HydraPanel at a distance of three feet with my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer. Here are my results, starting with a target of 5600K with no accessories or modifiers attached. I recorded a fantastic average CRI of 97 throughout testing.

A result of 5149K is a bit far from the 5600K target and a so, so overall result when it comes to kelvin accuracy. They also aren’t the brightest lights on the market, but considering the small size and ability to stack you can certainly add four together to achieve a much brighter source.

Now for a target of 3200K:

A result of 3079K is much closer to the target of 3200K when compared to the results at the daylight end of the Kelvin range. Just a tiny drop in output with this target.

Finally, let’s try a target somewhere in the middle at 4700K:

Again, a bit further drift than I would hope for with a result of 4423K with the target of 4700K and it is interesting to see that the output is identical from the 3200K target compared with the 4700K target. If you’re looking for pure kelvin accuracy then I would suggest living in the 3200K space where possible with this fixture.

Conclusion

I didn’t know I needed the HydraPanel. I tend to use smaller fixtures as eye-lights or to highlight existing elements of the production design and through consultation with the production design team, we always were able to get there using other fixtures. After a few weeks, it was clear that the HydraPanel would find a solid home in my kit and my overall workflow. It’s built like a tank, easy to manually control or control over CRMX and it’s small enough to keep on hand for a variety of uses or for use as a travel light.

Without a doubt, my favorite lights to review are the ones that I wasn’t expecting and that surprised me during the course of working with them. The HydraPanel was a pleasant surprise all around. It’s just so darn flexible. Two thumbs up.

What do you think? Will you be adding the HydraPanel to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!