Have the mark I at work, these lights rock. So glad they integrated the power supply, was always a hassle with setup having an unnecessary extra part to keep up with.
I just bought the 300D. I hope it wasn't a mistake after watching this. I bought the more powerful model because I thought it would be more flexible, not less. When I heard that it could become a focusable Fresnel, I had visions of it being used to project light across a room at 100% using blades, interview work at, say, 20%, used in a "China Ball," or outdoors.
You get all the cool toys, Curtis! It's funny because I was getting ready to buy the original COB120d and this little voice in my head said "wait... I bet there's something new coming out real soon" and sure enough I saw Aputure's new promo for the mk II version and I was like "ahh hah!" I think it'll be a great way to step up my lighting game. I have a couple $200 5600K LED panels that are alright, with a good CRI, and a couple cheap CFL softboxes, and they've served their purpose, but I think it'll be nice to have the COB120d II with the light dome for a key and then I can use my other LED's as fill's and hair lights for now. Since I'm a member of "Learn Light and Sound" I've been using most of my budget lately for audio gear, Sound Devices, Sennheiser, etc. but I see a lot of pro's turning to Aputure for lighting solutions, and even though this kit is on the expensive side it's not completely out of reach. Like you said in another video, it's not a sexy new camera, but it's one of those things you need in your kit. Like C-stands. Thanks for putting your time end effort into another great review!
Hi, Yes, a C-stand is super solid and a good choice, but if you need something lighter, I'd go with a Manfrotto or one of the other higher quality stands and use sand bags on the legs to stabilize it.
**Curtis spends ten minutes glorifying the product** Viewers- "Are there any cons?" Curtis- "Well, there's a fan." **Suddenly Aputure bursts through the door in tears.** Aputure- "Curtis, we're doing the best we can!" **Curtis puts Aputure's head on his shoulder.** Curtis- "I know; that's why I'm getting three of them."
you all prolly dont give a shit but does anybody know a trick to log back into an Instagram account?? I stupidly lost the account password. I love any help you can give me!
I have had very good luck with the Anton Bauer Digital 90 and 150 batteries. Also have bebob and IDX batteries and both have worked nicely. If you are planning to power lights with Cine batteries, you’ll want to make sure they can deliver enough sustained current (amperage). Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Seems like the new Anton Bauer Titon batteries have a max 10A continuous draw but the other Anton Bauer Digital is currently on closeout. Since aputure 300dII says it needs a minimum 15A continuous draw, I am trying to make the best decision. Any further advice? Thanks there aren't many reviews on these new batteries!
@@ARoznowski47 I believe the digital series has been discontinued so at this point, I'd go for the Titon. The 120d II was able to power up with an older v-mount battery I had on hand - 150Wh spec'd at 3.2A.
Thanks for your review. I also think the 120 d ii is a good working horse. A comparison of the Aputure 300 d and the Genaray AK-230 would be very interesting, too.
Thanks AyBee. I have the photometrics for the 120dII and 300D. Just need to get my hands on the Generay to add that to the collection and put together a video comparison.
Deciding between this 120D II, the 300D II, and also the D&O 180W flat panel for my first video light. Head and shoulders main subject. Like the Dome II and think it’s easier to setup as softbox on one stand than separate diffuser in front of light panel. I was about to get the 300D II as it’s not much more than 120D II and I love the fixed stand attachment of the ballast on that model. Perhaps power is overkill though, but more important - Aputure states the need for a 15A battery on the 300D II which is hard to find. The D&Os and similar are 12A it seems. Comments on that?
Hi Henrik, I'm not sure what types of situations you plan to use the light, but I don't think you will go wrong with any of them, but it sort of depends. The 120DII and 300DII are both incredibly versatile lights. For most of my work, the 120DII provides plenty of output for most situations. The D&O panels aren't quite as versatile but really fast for setup and breakdown if you can work with them in close. If I could only choose 1, I'd probably go for the 120DII. Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Thanks. I'll give the 120DII a go, I think. Comments on the 15A battery requirement stated by Aputure for the 300DII? Have you followed that recommendation, or used without problems with more regular 12A batteries? I assume no such requirement for 15A exists for the 120DII.
Hi Curtis, thanks for posting this! How are you calculating the run time on your V-Mount bat with the 150 wH batt. Did you do a run time test one on one of yours or did you calculate it based on power specs and batt capacity.
Ok great thank you Curtis. I just ordered two of these C120dii’s and got the 97wH Indipro VMount, I’m thinking I should have maybe got a larger capacity for at least an hour run time. I’ll have to see how I do once I test.
Great review! I’m trying to make sense of your lux results compared to the official specs though! In your table, you don’t mention fresnel.. but I’m assuming the flood and spot lux readings for the 120d Mk II maybe use the fresnel attachment? (V1) and the 300d flood and spot also use the same fresnel? They are still quite diff from official but would make sense to a degree :)
Curtis. Just got my 120d. Using a cheapish 42" octobox with inner and outer diffusers and egg grid I have to turn light nearly to maximum.. Should I invest in Light Dome 2? Although octobox in silver lined there's no reflection as 120d just hits diffusers. I think its designed for strobes lights pointing in. Will Dome 2 work much better as people say? Thoughts?
Hi Laurence, I don't have a good sense for what you're lighitng and how far the light is positioned from the subject, but at approximately 2 meters with the 120dII and Light Dome II, I can usually light a head and shoulders shot with the 120dII at about 70 without a problem.
Thanks. I put light about one metre from the subject. Planning a head and shoulder model shoot. Does it come with that silver inner baffle because that would help reflect light into the 'bowl' of the softbox?
Okay, you got me. I pulled the trigger and ordered from Amazon. Great review as always. Much appreciated. BTW: Very good demo "B" footage. What C Stand do you recommend? Thanks as always.
Great review! Curtis do you think I could put this on a non-C-Stand like a Suntech SP Junior stand? The stand has a weight capacity of 2.5kg. I couldn't find the weight of the C120dII on their website.
Hi Bob, the light head + reflector weighs in a 2.2kg. So that's probably fine. However, if you add the light dome/soft box, I'm guessing that stand would not be enough. Best wishes!
Hi Hannes, I guess you'd need a Joker to Bowens mount adapter. Not sure if there is such a thing as I've never seen one, but possibly there's one out there.
Great review as always, thanks! Have you ever tried the CAME-TV Boltzen LED lights? It would be nice to see a comparison of these two, they are almost in the same price range.
Hi Nolivfr, I haven't tried them yet, but in the process of reviewing one of their newer RGBW ringlights. Maybe in 2019 I can look at the Boltzen line as well.
Awesome video, I’m just wondering what your suggestions are for v mount battery options for this light. Something that will be able to power it without issue at full power and give a reasonable run time without breaking the bank lol.
Hello Curtis, I was wondering at what power where you on when you mentionne you had a reading at 200 iso 1/48s F5.6 was it full power? you also said you had the lite dome on was it with the2 diffusion on or only the front one. I'm trying to figure out if this light is powerful enough for my needs. Thanks !
Yes, full power as I recall. Both the inner and outer diffusion were in place. You'll generally want to keep the inner diffusion there to avoid a hot spot in the middle (unless you specifically want that look).
Thanks Curtis, I'm now looking at the Godox sl 60w or the 150, looks very interesting for a fraction of the price. If you have tried this product i would like to know what you think of it! many thanks.
How is this for run and gun filming? Does it move around while on location nicely? Does it come with that battery so you don't have to plug it into the wall? What kind of stand is need for this light? I have a cheap lightweight stand off of amazon that isn't super sturdy, but I'm not super confident it will work for this.
It depends on whether you’re planning to use a soft box with it? It’s rather large so I wouldn’t run with it. V-mount battery is NOT included. It’s a great light that I use on location as a soft key with the add-on light dome but it is not small in that configuration. It does produce beautiful soft light.
I've seen a couple of 120dII's that have a glass filter in front of the COB just like the one found on the 300D. Do you know if it's the same magenta filter or if it's there just for protecting the chip?
So question.. do I need 2 or 3 of these for the typical 2 or 3 point lighting setup? I have a couple "cheap" smaller LED (ESDDI for example) which are way too small/dim I suspect for larger setups.. but for a 8x12 sized room for say a interview setup, could I use 1 of these as key light, and the smaller LED as a back fill light..and maybe a window for rim light? Or would that be too difficult to work with? I see in your video a LED panel in the back hence why I am wondering if my little but bright LED would be enough for interview/product sort of work.
Hi Kevin, I would start with one and see where you get. You can always add more lights later. I almost always use one of these as a key, a small panel as a rim light, and another RGB panel to light the background. Yesterday on a corporate shoot, I used one of these as a key, a window for fill, and a practical lamp in the background. Have fun getting creative!
Somewhat off-topic, but are you likely to review the AndyCine 7 4K monitor, soon? Seen it elsewhere, and it looks pretty good. Would appreciate your views on this, as I am thinking of buying a monitor for my GH5. Could have done with it recently as where i live in France, My friends and I ran a short Vocal Workshop here, and i tried to film as much of it as i could, with the idea of making a short docco to promote similar events in the future. Soon discovered that the screen the GH5 is fine for shot composition, but a larger screen would have made my somewhat amateurish filming skills a lot easier to cope with on a big screen, Especially considering my 63 year old eyesight!
Hi Tim, they've offered to send me one but haven't yet. I will be reviewing another 7" monitor from PortKeys in the next few weeks which has both HDMI and SDI inputs and is capable of 1200 nits for outdoor viewing, a feature you don't normally see in most of the budget monitors.
Hi Aaron, when at the home studio, I usually use c-stands, but on location, I have some older, lighter aluminum light stands by Manfrotto, something like this: amzn.to/2MDYC2m Not cheap but they'll been solid for years.
Hi Mark, that's the Lupo Superpanel Full Color 30, an RGBW LED panel that we looked at here: ua-cam.com/video/7pRLCoIDMJc/v-deo.html I love this thing!
and also i see flickering lines in the video when you use effects of the 120d ii ,,,, is that bc of the cmos sensors and rolling shutter or it can get fixed by changing the shutter speed?
I suspect the camera sensor but need to do more tests. Fortunately, you generally wouldn’t use these on a solid white backdrop where this issue is likely most obvious.
What's Aputure problem not liking umbrellas ? The 300d MKII has the same flaw now : no umbrella receiver. Maybe an easy solution with a non dedicated but bowen reflector from Strobepro : would Aperture think about that ? See strobepro-300w-led.
I have an Aputure 300d and its ok fan noise on the light but the fan on the power unit sounds to much. Its ok with one in the studio. But I would gotten a few more if it had not been for the noise. But I dig that the power unit on this has no fan. I wonder if the sound on the c120dII is louder or the same as the power unit of the 300d. I wish the 300d would get a fan less powerbox integrated in the control unit. Than again, I pretty sure my next light will be rgb light from hive lighting, or perhaps light panels or Aputure if the release there rgb soon. Bye the way have you ever tried the PL-E90D KIT from Swit?
Have you tried the longer extension cable for your 300d so you can get the power unit further away from where you're shooting? Obviously not as nice as if the thing made less noise to begin with but for the like $40 that the cable costs it certainly helps.
No, but that's a good idea. I find the 300d to be a bit overkill for talking head/interview but if it were my main light for that, I'd definitely invest in the longer cable to get that AC adapter farther away.
The fan in the 120dII seems to sit between the original and the 300d, closer to the 120d original (I'm speaking just about the fan in the light head). I have not used the Swit, but I like edge-lit LEDs for rim or hair lights, or for talking head if they light is really close.
hi curtis i need help and idea! i want to light a person in a room in a kinda large scene and i want to light him with soft light without any spill of light to other parts of room ,,, just his waist to head … i tried snoot and barn doors but they were too hard… i tried to defuse is with reflectors and diffusers but it made them a really large source of light!!!so spill made issues again….what is you idea about lighting soft but narrow what do i need to do? iwhat type of light and defuser should i have for that?
A soft box with grid is probably the best option for that. Just received the new Aputure Light Dome II which is exactly that and should have a demo video of it in the next few weeks.
I've used cheap amazon lights from neewer (two of them for about $50 each) and am wanting to upgrade. I do video production, real estate videos, interviews, wedding videos, etc. I have two sony a7iii's and am really wanting to up my lighting game. Do you recommend getting this light as a one and done and maybe adding a few cheaper lights for accent and rim lights, etc...? Need help with making a big light purchase?
I like it as you can probably tell from the review. I am mainly a corporate video shooter so I do a lot of interviews and this light with the add-on soft box is great for that. I then have smaller lights I use for accent/rim.
I've been shooting video my adult career, and this light is an amazing value for a daylight balanced, dimmable (w/o color shift) to 1%. The fresnel attachment, if you're familiar with lighting for theater, is a great help in shaping light and adding drama when a softbox won't do. I also have a set of barn doors from a different bowens reflector that helps to shape light. The remote allows you to adjust intensity while looking through the viewfinder or at picture. There are cheaper fixtures out there, but the versatility I've found with this instrument is hard to beat. I recommend.
Curtis quick question.. Thanks for the review. I noticed that this has light has LUX at 2meters at 2800, but the Lightstorm LS1s is 3500 lux at 2 meters. Seems like that's a TON more light (more than the 300D even). Am I reading this wrong? How could the LED put out that much more light? Any help would be great. Thanks so much.
Hi Ryan, these metrics are always a little tricky. The reason the LS1 has a higher lux rating is that it has a narrower beam angle, around 55 - 60 degrees as I recall, compared to the nearly 120 degree beam angle of the 120d with its included reflector. If you measure the light output of the 120d II with the fresnel lens attachment, it blows the LS1 away in terms of lux. The nice thing about the 120d is that you can use it as a flood light with a wide beam angle to throw light over a wide area, or as a spot light with very intense output on a small beam. I hope that makes sense. Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Thanks so much. I guess that is where I am losing out on the numbers. I would love to find something powerful (my Dracast 500 S series are not powerful enough) and I just need to blast light in a lot of my scenarios. I also would love it to be portable and semi small (a THIN light panel would be great if possible), but i just need something super powerful that I could throw a sheet of diffusion over. Thoughts? 300D perhaps?
@@RyanGproductions1 300D is good, lots of output, a little noisy with its fan: ua-cam.com/video/oac6Tt1JmPQ/v-deo.html But that's not a problem if it is not right next to the microphone. They also updated the filter so that the color quality is even better than when I originally tested it: ua-cam.com/video/ZqM00kToR-U/v-deo.html
@@curtisjudd Thanks so much for the replies.. I do appreciate it. Any thoughts on a high output LED Panel? I just like them for portability running around on shoots.
12:23 - 12:26 I've been waiting for a review of this light by you. You've waited four months! xD haha. ;) My usage would be for fill light for two people standing about 3 feet apart, in bright noon day sun, outside. Do you think this light will be strong enough (and wide enough beam angle for the two people) vs. the sun? Can it even overpower the sun, and the sun be fill light from about 10 feet away? If not, will the 300 work? Also, do you think they'll come out with the Mark II for the 300? I hope so. EDIT: By the way, your reviews are so thorough, and show what I want to see in terms of a review. I love it. Thank you!
Hi huyked, It'll work more as a fill out in full sunlight, it will NOT generally overpower the sun. The beam angle is wide enough to cover two people at 10 feet, easily. Even the 300d does not overpower the sun in my tests. There is an outdoor test in the first couple of minutes here: ua-cam.com/video/oac6Tt1JmPQ/v-deo.html
@@curtisjudd I don't have a studio, I am filming in my kitchen, so something portable would be good I guess, although my old soft boxes have stood there all time, but the didn't take away that much space-
@@Brettspielblog I have some Manfrotto stands that have stood the test of time (over 20 years in service) and are still going strong. They cost a bit more but are worth it because they are so much better constructed: amzn.to/2QHpDZP
Great video, Curtis! Question: I was looking this up online at my local camera store and noticed they are selling the first edition for $599 CAD (which is about $450 USD). Definitely a sale, because normally it's $300 more CAD. This gave me pause, because I'm wondering if I should take advantage of that sale vs paying full price for the v.2, which in my case would be a $400 difference. Based on that sale, which would you buy if you had to buy one today?
Hey Curtis, could you list the dimensions of the fixture with the yoke closed up and without the reflector attached? Also dimensions of provided case? Thank you!
Hi Laurence, the inner part of the dome is silver to reflect all of the light, but the inner diffusion is just a translucent white material. They've designed the dome carefully to maximize the soft light output. I've only seen silver bounce baffles in the smaller, less shallow softboxes to ensure that they soften the light enough before hitting the front diffusion panel. With the Light Dome II, it seems the light is already diffused enough without needing to first bounce it back into the dome.
Thanks Curtis for your advice. I think I am going to get a Large Dome 2 to get the best out of the 120d. I want to use it for the model shoot and also for future video work. Just thought initially the 120d wasnt a bright as I expected but will carry on testing. I use a couple of smaller octoboxs with 2 Godox SLB60w when I do food photography and there great (ie 2 x60=120) but food is small and doesn't need to cove a large area like I want 120d to. Always love you videos. Very comprehensive and you talk fluently. My blogs are alway ... er, err err..... Base in Liverpool so Off to bed now :)
Hi Alexandre, informally yes, but not in a dedicated video. Is there a particular question or questions re: the two? I mainly see the 300D as a special purpose light to bring up the ambient or flood a large area. Not something I use much in my corporate work or on the videos on this channel which is mostly talking head and product shots. Part of the reason I say this is the fan in the AC adapter for the 300D is a bit too noisy for use in close to the talent where you want to manage noise.
Thanks @@curtisjudd . My concern was exactly about the fan noise. Initially I considered the 300d because the price difference from the 120d II is not that significant.
@@alexandrealmeida4360 Incidentally, the 120DII is significantly quieter than the 300D's AC adapter since the 120DII's integrated Adapter/Control box does not have a fan. However, the fan in the head of the 120DII is a tiny bit louder in my experience than the original 120D. Not by a lot, but I did notice it at a subjective level.
@@curtisjudd Noise is a huge concern since the light has to relatively close to the subject to maximize softness. Most low cost led panels have a working distance of 3 to 4 feet and are 1 to 2 stops lower in brightness that the 120d at 7 feet. So (for video) power vs noise from the fan are imho two crucial factors to consider.
Curtis! I bought this thanks to your review and it's fantastic!!! Thank you so much!!! Just curious, is it ok to use this constantly? --- As in should I be turning this off as soon as I'm done with the shoot to prolong the lifespan? A coworker said it really lighted up the room nicely (when pointed at the ceiling) and was wondering if I could just leave it on to brighten up the room. Do have an idea about how many hours it would last?
@@curtisjudd Well in my case, having been professional for about 34 years, I have seen some pretty ingenious and low cost lighting scenarios from a variety of DPs I've worked with. In a recent 30 commercial project I produced/directed and edited ua-cam.com/video/85GsIyN6hKg/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/np65ibQJwIM/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/5FKQua3C7Bw/v-deo.html we used a huge range of gear .. most of it quite expensive lighting I personally would not need to own but a DP would.... BUT we also used the good ole bounce and indirect lighting with some mighty cheap lights and in some cases light mod or diffusers .. simply because it was alot faster and results were virtually the same. In more talking heads corporate stuff we still use some pretty crafty low cost solutions...lightweight I also may add. George Hosek... he and I both use C300 M2 and I pick his brain when I can... uses some pretty ingenious low cost stuff for lighting and believe me ... he does this for a living www.imdb.com/name/nm0395919/ He's done a ton of documentary stuff with talking heads and swears by some of his dracast and other cheapy flexible lights. In his case, cost of the light is not relevant as much as how much it weighs. He is just magical in how he lights with virtually nothing. Not sure what other light sources he uses but I would be surprised if he uses a big COB and don't get me wrong, the pros like George do use expensive stuff but if you can get away with cheaper and lighter they usually do especially for docs. For his commercials and the ones I did recently, we have a bit more time to setup with a reasonable crew size to get it all done. Its certainly good to have a monster power light for those occasions you need the power but generally today you can get great results with smaller and cheaper... plus shooting LOG does give you some freedom and latitude.
Thanks Michael, all good points. I have some lower cost lights that I use in many situations because they are lighter and easier to load in to location. The Falconeyes are good when they work but I've experienced an uncomfortably high failure rate on those (30%). And bounce boards are an absolute must for talking heads in my kit. Totally agree on that front.
@@curtisjudd interesting about Falcon Eyes.. I've not read a thing so far about their failure rate. I assume this is not a quick and sudden death .. One minute working the next dead. Not right of the box ? That is exceptionally high ... Is it a fabric issue with shorting out? I do like the 18 size as it is manageable and the power block is not so insanely huge. But the light output is pretty modest. I certainly don;t want to have to replace it if it dies.
@@puddytat62 Correct, one minute working, next minute completely dead. In one case it was the control box. In another, a fresnel light, they send a new PCB and I had a friend do the soldering to replace it. Still didn't fix it so may have been an issue with the COB LED.
Once again, I have ended up making my decision 80% on what you've shown in this 13min video. The other 20% is based on the scrambled and mostly useless info i've gone through in the last 7 hours.
oh, you replied.. I was not expecting that. I've been asking numerous other tech video people about lights and mics and haven't heard from them. We want to film in an apartment living room in front of a full-wall window, and the stores around here recommend a large $500-1,000 LED and say Neewer 176 are terrible. Other reviewers said Neewer is good brand and as with Mics, it's really hard to find a reliable review for anything :/.
If you can shoot during the day, that window is probably the perfect light. I'd just embrace that and save yourself the expense. Put the camera in front of the window facing the opposite wall and let the window be your light. That floor to ceiling window should make a beautiful, soft light source.
I agree, thank you. Unfortunately the interviewer wants to use the window view as a backdrop as it's the harbor with autumn trees, Stanley Park and the mountains (Vancouver) all together, very good view. So we need the lighting to brighten her and her guest in front of the window.
Ok. A Neewer 176 probably does not put out enough light to overcome the backlight coming in from the window. Give it a try, but I'm betting you'll need a bunch of them.
As always, you have some of the most helpfull reviews on UA-cam. Great job. Those light look so versatile. I may buy some sooner or later.
Thanks johanees914!
Curtis Judd Hey Curt between the Aputure 120MII and the Falconeyes BL-30TD at the same price what would you chiose?
Well, I came here for confirmation on my late night buy. 😂 Thank you Curtis, this was super informative!
👍🏻
Just picked one up yesterday. Pretty darn excited.
👍 happy shooting!
Have the mark I at work, these lights rock. So glad they integrated the power supply, was always a hassle with setup having an unnecessary extra part to keep up with.
👍🏻They originals have been great for my work, too.
Thanks for the summary upfront. What a time saver. Highly appreciated
You are welcome 👍
I just bought the 300D. I hope it wasn't a mistake after watching this. I bought the more powerful model because I thought it would be more flexible, not less. When I heard that it could become a focusable Fresnel, I had visions of it being used to project light across a room at 100% using blades, interview work at, say, 20%, used in a "China Ball," or outdoors.
I don’t think that your purchase was a mistake. You’ve got a light that can do just about anything.
I just got one. Absolutely worth the $, much easier to set up compared to the 300D we own
I agree! Congrats on the new light and happy shooting!
You get all the cool toys, Curtis! It's funny because I was getting ready to buy the original COB120d and this little voice in my head said "wait... I bet there's something new coming out real soon" and sure enough I saw Aputure's new promo for the mk II version and I was like "ahh hah!" I think it'll be a great way to step up my lighting game. I have a couple $200 5600K LED panels that are alright, with a good CRI, and a couple cheap CFL softboxes, and they've served their purpose, but I think it'll be nice to have the COB120d II with the light dome for a key and then I can use my other LED's as fill's and hair lights for now. Since I'm a member of "Learn Light and Sound" I've been using most of my budget lately for audio gear, Sound Devices, Sennheiser, etc. but I see a lot of pro's turning to Aputure for lighting solutions, and even though this kit is on the expensive side it's not completely out of reach. Like you said in another video, it's not a sexy new camera, but it's one of those things you need in your kit. Like C-stands. Thanks for putting your time end effort into another great review!
Thanks! Yes, we cover all the least sexy gear for filmmaking here! But its the stuff that makes the most difference! 😁
Wow this looks like a solid product, nice detailed review Curtis.
Thanks Gary.
Thank you for the review, and thank you even more for producing great audio for your videos!
👍
What light stand would you recommend for the 120D II with the soft dome II? Would a C stand be better to avoid tipping?
Hi, Yes, a C-stand is super solid and a good choice, but if you need something lighter, I'd go with a Manfrotto or one of the other higher quality stands and use sand bags on the legs to stabilize it.
Looks great product for lighting. Nice review Curtis. Thanks
Thanks Nurul.
Awesome video! Waiting on my 120dii to arrive in this mail and this was super helpful in preparing myself for the light. Thanks a ton! Subscribed!!
Thanks Daniel. I hope it works well for you!
Curtis Judd thanks Curtis!! Happy holidays!
**Curtis spends ten minutes glorifying the product**
Viewers- "Are there any cons?"
Curtis- "Well, there's a fan."
**Suddenly Aputure bursts through the door in tears.**
Aputure- "Curtis, we're doing the best we can!"
**Curtis puts Aputure's head on his shoulder.**
Curtis- "I know; that's why I'm getting three of them."
HAHAHAHA!
I can't imagine it any other way: the picture in my brain is Curtis and the indefatigable Ted Sim, whose head......... I'll get m' coat....
😂
you all prolly dont give a shit but does anybody know a trick to log back into an Instagram account??
I stupidly lost the account password. I love any help you can give me!
@Jakob Tucker instablaster :)
I NEEEED this light! Great review Curtis!
Thanks! 👍🏻
What lighting did you use for background? Awesome content! Thanks :)
That is a white paper backdrop with a Lupo Superpanel Full color RGB light.
I’ll be saving up for this one. Maybe next year. 😁
👍🏻
Great video. Was wondering if you got any recommendations on batteries that you trust?
I have had very good luck with the Anton Bauer Digital 90 and 150 batteries. Also have bebob and IDX batteries and both have worked nicely. If you are planning to power lights with Cine batteries, you’ll want to make sure they can deliver enough sustained current (amperage). Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Seems like the new Anton Bauer Titon batteries have a max 10A continuous draw but the other Anton Bauer Digital is currently on closeout. Since aputure 300dII says it needs a minimum 15A continuous draw, I am trying to make the best decision. Any further advice? Thanks there aren't many reviews on these new batteries!
@@ARoznowski47 I believe the digital series has been discontinued so at this point, I'd go for the Titon. The 120d II was able to power up with an older v-mount battery I had on hand - 150Wh spec'd at 3.2A.
Thanks for your review. I also think the 120 d ii is a good working horse. A comparison of the Aputure 300 d and the Genaray AK-230 would be very interesting, too.
Thanks AyBee. I have the photometrics for the 120dII and 300D. Just need to get my hands on the Generay to add that to the collection and put together a video comparison.
The new gel clamp is my favorite new product. No more tape!
Yay for gel holders!
Can you link to what you are talking about? I'm trying to figure out the best way to change the color temp with this light while the light dome is on.
Deciding between this 120D II, the 300D II, and also the D&O 180W flat panel for my first video light. Head and shoulders main subject. Like the Dome II and think it’s easier to setup as softbox on one stand than separate diffuser in front of light panel. I was about to get the 300D II as it’s not much more than 120D II and I love the fixed stand attachment of the ballast on that model. Perhaps power is overkill though, but more important - Aputure states the need for a 15A battery on the 300D II which is hard to find. The D&Os and similar are 12A it seems. Comments on that?
Hi Henrik, I'm not sure what types of situations you plan to use the light, but I don't think you will go wrong with any of them, but it sort of depends. The 120DII and 300DII are both incredibly versatile lights. For most of my work, the 120DII provides plenty of output for most situations. The D&O panels aren't quite as versatile but really fast for setup and breakdown if you can work with them in close. If I could only choose 1, I'd probably go for the 120DII. Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Thanks. I'll give the 120DII a go, I think. Comments on the 15A battery requirement stated by Aputure for the 300DII? Have you followed that recommendation, or used without problems with more regular 12A batteries? I assume no such requirement for 15A exists for the 120DII.
Thank you. Thorough as always.
Thanks ismael.
Hi Curtis, thanks for posting this! How are you calculating the run time on your V-Mount bat with the 150 wH batt. Did you do a run time test one on one of yours or did you calculate it based on power specs and batt capacity.
Hi Michael, this was based on a real-world test with a Juicebox 150Wh v-mount battery.
Ok great thank you Curtis. I just ordered two of these C120dii’s and got the 97wH Indipro VMount, I’m thinking I should have maybe got a larger capacity for at least an hour run time. I’ll have to see how I do once I test.
Great review! I’m trying to make sense of your lux results compared to the official specs though! In your table, you don’t mention fresnel.. but I’m assuming the flood and spot lux readings for the 120d Mk II maybe use the fresnel attachment? (V1) and the 300d flood and spot also use the same fresnel? They are still quite diff from official but would make sense to a degree :)
Hi The TC, Yes, the spot readings were with the mark I fresnel lens set to 12 degrees spot, the flood metrics with the included reflector.
8.35sec in I see the inner diffuser which will certainly help throw light towards the silver reflector 'bowl' :)
That’s on the mini only.
Thanks Chris helpful review.
Thanks Colin.
Great review, thanks!
Thanks Alex.
Curtis. Just got my 120d. Using a cheapish 42" octobox with inner and outer diffusers and egg grid I have to turn light nearly to maximum.. Should I invest in Light Dome 2? Although octobox in silver lined there's no reflection as 120d just hits diffusers. I think its designed for strobes lights pointing in. Will Dome 2 work much better as people say? Thoughts?
Hi Laurence, I don't have a good sense for what you're lighitng and how far the light is positioned from the subject, but at approximately 2 meters with the 120dII and Light Dome II, I can usually light a head and shoulders shot with the 120dII at about 70 without a problem.
Thanks. I put light about one metre from the subject. Planning a head and shoulder model shoot. Does it come with that silver inner baffle because that would help reflect light into the 'bowl' of the softbox?
@@laurencegrant2882 No, it comes with a white, translucent inner diffuser.
Curtis you are the MAN when it comes to light and sound reviews, plain and simple! Do you have any thoughts on the fodavil pixel 220w?
Thanks James. I haven’t had a look at the Pixel 220w yet, but will definitely have a look at it if we can source one. Best wishes!
Okay, you got me. I pulled the trigger and ordered from Amazon.
Great review as always. Much appreciated.
BTW: Very good demo "B" footage. What C Stand do you recommend?
Thanks as always.
Thanks and I hope it works well for you. I use the impact C-stands from B&H.
Great review! Curtis do you think I could put this on a non-C-Stand like a Suntech SP Junior stand? The stand has a weight capacity of 2.5kg. I couldn't find the weight of the C120dII on their website.
Hi Bob, the light head + reflector weighs in a 2.2kg. So that's probably fine. However, if you add the light dome/soft box, I'm guessing that stand would not be enough. Best wishes!
Thanks for the 411. I believe I'll pick one up.
Good luck, I hope it works well for you!
Hey Curtis, I have a Gem Ball that is made to fit on a Joker Bug. What kind of adaptor would I need to use it with this light? Thanks!
Hi Hannes, I guess you'd need a Joker to Bowens mount adapter. Not sure if there is such a thing as I've never seen one, but possibly there's one out there.
@@curtisjudd Thanks so much, Curtis. I'll keep looking and asking.
Great review as always, thanks!
Have you ever tried the CAME-TV Boltzen LED lights? It would be nice to see a comparison of these two, they are almost in the same price range.
Hi Nolivfr, I haven't tried them yet, but in the process of reviewing one of their newer RGBW ringlights. Maybe in 2019 I can look at the Boltzen line as well.
Awesome video, I’m just wondering what your suggestions are for v mount battery options for this light. Something that will be able to power it without issue at full power and give a reasonable run time without breaking the bank lol.
Hi Steven, I use this V-mount battery: amzn.to/2DlLNKG
It isn't cheap, but it does the job at a lower cost than most other options I've found.
Hello Curtis, I was wondering at what power where you on when you mentionne you had a reading at 200 iso 1/48s F5.6 was it full power? you also said you had the lite dome on was it with the2 diffusion on or only the front one. I'm trying to figure out if this light is powerful enough for my needs. Thanks !
Yes, full power as I recall. Both the inner and outer diffusion were in place. You'll generally want to keep the inner diffusion there to avoid a hot spot in the middle (unless you specifically want that look).
Thanks Curtis, I'm now looking at the Godox sl 60w or the 150, looks very interesting for a fraction of the price. If you have tried this product i would like to know what you think of it! many thanks.
I have not used the Godox lights, unfortunately.
Excellent review, thank you. Do you think this would fill a 3' x 1' softbox uniformly for headshots?
Thanks Art, it sure will. I use the Light dome by Aputure with it. It is shaped a little differently but works great.
How is this for run and gun filming? Does it move around while on location nicely? Does it come with that battery so you don't have to plug it into the wall? What kind of stand is need for this light? I have a cheap lightweight stand off of amazon that isn't super sturdy, but I'm not super confident it will work for this.
It depends on whether you’re planning to use a soft box with it? It’s rather large so I wouldn’t run with it. V-mount battery is NOT included. It’s a great light that I use on location as a soft key with the add-on light dome but it is not small in that configuration. It does produce beautiful soft light.
I've seen a couple of 120dII's that have a glass filter in front of the COB just like the one found on the 300D. Do you know if it's the same magenta filter or if it's there just for protecting the chip?
Hi Hans, my copy doesn’t have the glass filter so I’m not sure whether it is doing anything in terms of color quality or is just for protection.
So question.. do I need 2 or 3 of these for the typical 2 or 3 point lighting setup? I have a couple "cheap" smaller LED (ESDDI for example) which are way too small/dim I suspect for larger setups.. but for a 8x12 sized room for say a interview setup, could I use 1 of these as key light, and the smaller LED as a back fill light..and maybe a window for rim light? Or would that be too difficult to work with? I see in your video a LED panel in the back hence why I am wondering if my little but bright LED would be enough for interview/product sort of work.
Hi Kevin, I would start with one and see where you get. You can always add more lights later. I almost always use one of these as a key, a small panel as a rim light, and another RGB panel to light the background. Yesterday on a corporate shoot, I used one of these as a key, a window for fill, and a practical lamp in the background. Have fun getting creative!
Somewhat off-topic, but are you likely to review the AndyCine 7 4K monitor, soon? Seen it elsewhere, and it looks pretty good. Would appreciate your views on this, as I am thinking of buying a monitor for my GH5. Could have done with it recently as where i live in France, My friends and I ran a short Vocal Workshop here, and i tried to film as much of it as i could, with the idea of making a short docco to promote similar events in the future. Soon discovered that the screen the GH5 is fine for shot composition, but a larger screen would have made my somewhat amateurish filming skills a lot easier to cope with on a big screen, Especially considering my 63 year old eyesight!
Hi Tim, they've offered to send me one but haven't yet. I will be reviewing another 7" monitor from PortKeys in the next few weeks which has both HDMI and SDI inputs and is capable of 1200 nits for outdoor viewing, a feature you don't normally see in most of the budget monitors.
Cool. Looking forward to that!
Great review! Thnx!
Thank you!
As always very professional review. Seems like a great light. What quality stand do you recommend with it?
Hi Aaron, when at the home studio, I usually use c-stands, but on location, I have some older, lighter aluminum light stands by Manfrotto, something like this: amzn.to/2MDYC2m Not cheap but they'll been solid for years.
Another great review Curtis.
What RGB light do you use to light your white backdrop?
Hi Mark, that's the Lupo Superpanel Full Color 30, an RGBW LED panel that we looked at here: ua-cam.com/video/7pRLCoIDMJc/v-deo.html
I love this thing!
Great Review, they said a 3 light kit would be available with light stands, i wonder when exactly
Good question, I'll check. I suspect it has to do with how long it takes them to fulfill the single light demand out of the gate.
thanks for the answer, i hope it comes soon, i'm very intrested in that kit
and also i see flickering lines in the video when you use effects of the 120d ii ,,,, is that bc of the cmos sensors and rolling shutter or it can get fixed by changing the shutter speed?
I suspect the camera sensor but need to do more tests. Fortunately, you generally wouldn’t use these on a solid white backdrop where this issue is likely most obvious.
What's Aputure problem not liking umbrellas ? The 300d MKII has the same flaw now : no umbrella receiver.
Maybe an easy solution with a non dedicated but bowen reflector from Strobepro : would Aperture think about that ?
See strobepro-300w-led.
Good feedback, thanks Vivian!
I have an Aputure 300d and its ok fan noise on the light but the fan on the power unit sounds to much. Its ok with one in the studio. But I would gotten a few more if it had not been for the noise. But I dig that the power unit on this has no fan. I wonder if the sound on the c120dII is louder or the same as the power unit of the 300d. I wish the 300d would get a fan less powerbox integrated in the control unit. Than again, I pretty sure my next light will be rgb light from hive lighting, or perhaps light panels or Aputure if the release there rgb soon. Bye the way have you ever tried the PL-E90D KIT from Swit?
Have you tried the longer extension cable for your 300d so you can get the power unit further away from where you're shooting? Obviously not as nice as if the thing made less noise to begin with but for the like $40 that the cable costs it certainly helps.
No, but that's a good idea. I find the 300d to be a bit overkill for talking head/interview but if it were my main light for that, I'd definitely invest in the longer cable to get that AC adapter farther away.
The fan in the 120dII seems to sit between the original and the 300d, closer to the 120d original (I'm speaking just about the fan in the light head). I have not used the Swit, but I like edge-lit LEDs for rim or hair lights, or for talking head if they light is really close.
hi curtis i need help and idea! i want to light a person in a room in a kinda large scene and i want to light him with soft light without any spill of light to other parts of room ,,, just his waist to head … i tried snoot and barn doors but they were too hard… i tried to defuse is with reflectors and diffusers but it made them a really large source of light!!!so spill made issues again….what is you idea about lighting soft but narrow what do i need to do? iwhat type of light and defuser should i have for that?
A soft box with grid is probably the best option for that. Just received the new Aputure Light Dome II which is exactly that and should have a demo video of it in the next few weeks.
Curtis,
Could you review the new Tascam model 24 mixer recorder? It looks pretty good for the price and has 100mm faders.
Hi Ralph, that looks pretty cool. I can't afford to buy one but if I can find a way to borrow one for a review, I certainly will!
Congratz on 100k :)
Thanks!
I've used cheap amazon lights from neewer (two of them for about $50 each) and am wanting to upgrade. I do video production, real estate videos, interviews, wedding videos, etc. I have two sony a7iii's and am really wanting to up my lighting game. Do you recommend getting this light as a one and done and maybe adding a few cheaper lights for accent and rim lights, etc...? Need help with making a big light purchase?
I like it as you can probably tell from the review. I am mainly a corporate video shooter so I do a lot of interviews and this light with the add-on soft box is great for that. I then have smaller lights I use for accent/rim.
I've been shooting video my adult career, and this light is an amazing value for a daylight balanced, dimmable (w/o color shift) to 1%. The fresnel attachment, if you're familiar with lighting for theater, is a great help in shaping light and adding drama when a softbox won't do. I also have a set of barn doors from a different bowens reflector that helps to shape light. The remote allows you to adjust intensity while looking through the viewfinder or at picture. There are cheaper fixtures out there, but the versatility I've found with this instrument is hard to beat. I recommend.
@@jamespinard7025 I agree, 100%!
Curtis quick question.. Thanks for the review. I noticed that this has light has LUX at 2meters at 2800, but the Lightstorm LS1s
is 3500 lux at 2 meters. Seems like that's a TON more light (more than the 300D even). Am I reading this wrong? How could the LED put out that much more light? Any help would be great. Thanks so much.
Hi Ryan, these metrics are always a little tricky. The reason the LS1 has a higher lux rating is that it has a narrower beam angle, around 55 - 60 degrees as I recall, compared to the nearly 120 degree beam angle of the 120d with its included reflector. If you measure the light output of the 120d II with the fresnel lens attachment, it blows the LS1 away in terms of lux. The nice thing about the 120d is that you can use it as a flood light with a wide beam angle to throw light over a wide area, or as a spot light with very intense output on a small beam. I hope that makes sense. Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Thanks so much. I guess that is where I am losing out on the numbers. I would love to find something powerful (my Dracast 500 S series are not powerful enough) and I just need to blast light in a lot of my scenarios. I also would love it to be portable and semi small (a THIN light panel would be great if possible), but i just need something super powerful that I could throw a sheet of diffusion over. Thoughts? 300D perhaps?
@@RyanGproductions1 300D is good, lots of output, a little noisy with its fan: ua-cam.com/video/oac6Tt1JmPQ/v-deo.html But that's not a problem if it is not right next to the microphone. They also updated the filter so that the color quality is even better than when I originally tested it: ua-cam.com/video/ZqM00kToR-U/v-deo.html
@@curtisjudd Thanks so much for the replies.. I do appreciate it. Any thoughts on a high output LED Panel? I just like them for portability running around on shoots.
@@RyanGproductions1 Lightstorm LS1s is good but the beam angle is somewhat narrow at around 58 degrees: ua-cam.com/video/t-XSi7YhMEk/v-deo.html
12:23 - 12:26 I've been waiting for a review of this light by you. You've waited four months! xD haha. ;)
My usage would be for fill light for two people standing about 3 feet apart, in bright noon day sun, outside. Do you think this light will be strong enough (and wide enough beam angle for the two people) vs. the sun? Can it even overpower the sun, and the sun be fill light from about 10 feet away? If not, will the 300 work? Also, do you think they'll come out with the Mark II for the 300? I hope so.
EDIT: By the way, your reviews are so thorough, and show what I want to see in terms of a review. I love it. Thank you!
Hi huyked, It'll work more as a fill out in full sunlight, it will NOT generally overpower the sun. The beam angle is wide enough to cover two people at 10 feet, easily. Even the 300d does not overpower the sun in my tests. There is an outdoor test in the first couple of minutes here: ua-cam.com/video/oac6Tt1JmPQ/v-deo.html
Hey everyone. Which stand do you recommend for this light?
Are you looking for a heavy duty stand like a c-stand (this is what I mostly use) or do you need something more portable?
@@curtisjudd I don't have a studio, I am filming in my kitchen, so something portable would be good I guess, although my old soft boxes have stood there all time, but the didn't take away that much space-
@@Brettspielblog I have some Manfrotto stands that have stood the test of time (over 20 years in service) and are still going strong. They cost a bit more but are worth it because they are so much better constructed: amzn.to/2QHpDZP
Great video, Curtis!
Question: I was looking this up online at my local camera store and noticed they are selling the first edition for $599 CAD (which is about $450 USD). Definitely a sale, because normally it's $300 more CAD. This gave me pause, because I'm wondering if I should take advantage of that sale vs paying full price for the v.2, which in my case would be a $400 difference. Based on that sale, which would you buy if you had to buy one today?
Seems like a great deal. The original has been my staple key light for a couple of years.
Damn! $450 usd new? That’s an amazing deal 😍. I haven’t ever seen them go for less than 500 *used* on eBay.
hey Curtis! what battery did you use?
Hi Levan, I used the JuiceBox v-mount battery: geni.us/AZIDcv
Hey Curtis, could you list the dimensions of the fixture with the yoke closed up and without the reflector attached? Also dimensions of provided case?
Thank you!
Dimension300*193*124mm（Light）314*119*51mm(Controller box A-mount)314*119*62.6mm (Controller box V-mount)Bag/case = 483*267*241mm
Thank you! To clarify, the metering was done with the 120DII at max brightness?
Correct.
I wish they would include some hard plastic color correction gels
Interesting idea. Thanks.
Deserve a BIG Like & LOVE ❤️
Thanks murto_photo!
I would love to get this light.
It's been really nice so far.
oh, permit my ignorance (thought I was clever??) but what purpose does the silver inside do then??
Hi Laurence, the inner part of the dome is silver to reflect all of the light, but the inner diffusion is just a translucent white material. They've designed the dome carefully to maximize the soft light output. I've only seen silver bounce baffles in the smaller, less shallow softboxes to ensure that they soften the light enough before hitting the front diffusion panel. With the Light Dome II, it seems the light is already diffused enough without needing to first bounce it back into the dome.
Thanks Curtis for your advice. I think I am going to get a Large Dome 2 to get the best out of the 120d. I want to use it for the model shoot and also for future video work. Just thought initially the 120d wasnt a bright as I expected but will carry on testing. I use a couple of smaller octoboxs with 2 Godox SLB60w when I do food photography and there great (ie 2 x60=120) but food is small and doesn't need to cove a large area like I want 120d to. Always love you videos. Very comprehensive and you talk fluently. My blogs are alway ... er, err err..... Base in Liverpool so Off to bed now :)
Just bought one . Haven't unpackaged it yet.
I hope it works well for you!
Sean Ning You buy BEFORE Curtis does the review?... Savage! 👏
Haha! 🙌🏻
Wow! You’re an American and you know how to pronounce Neutrik correctly? I’m impressed! 🍸👍😉
Haha! Yes, I have some German friends and have been to Wedemark and Hanover.
That’s very good. :)
Well, Curtis IS a pro! He usually seems to get his pronunciation of "foreign" names correct. Just fits in with the overall quality of his videos!
Have you compared this light with the COB300d ?
Hi Alexandre, informally yes, but not in a dedicated video. Is there a particular question or questions re: the two? I mainly see the 300D as a special purpose light to bring up the ambient or flood a large area. Not something I use much in my corporate work or on the videos on this channel which is mostly talking head and product shots. Part of the reason I say this is the fan in the AC adapter for the 300D is a bit too noisy for use in close to the talent where you want to manage noise.
Thanks @@curtisjudd . My concern was exactly about the fan noise. Initially I considered the 300d because the price difference from the 120d II is not that significant.
@@alexandrealmeida4360 Incidentally, the 120DII is significantly quieter than the 300D's AC adapter since the 120DII's integrated Adapter/Control box does not have a fan. However, the fan in the head of the 120DII is a tiny bit louder in my experience than the original 120D. Not by a lot, but I did notice it at a subjective level.
@@curtisjudd Noise is a huge concern since the light has to relatively close to the subject to maximize softness. Most low cost led panels have a working distance of 3 to 4 feet and are 1 to 2 stops lower in brightness that the 120d at 7 feet. So (for video) power vs noise from the fan are imho two crucial factors to consider.
Absolutely agree. The 120DmkII hits that sweet spot from my perspective.
What's the best V-Mount battery for it?
I used this one: geni.us/AZIDcv
Curtis Judd thanks! Keep on producing great content!
Curtis! I bought this thanks to your review and it's fantastic!!! Thank you so much!!!
Just curious, is it ok to use this constantly? --- As in should I be turning this off as soon as I'm done with the shoot to prolong the lifespan? A coworker said it really lighted up the room nicely (when pointed at the ceiling) and was wondering if I could just leave it on to brighten up the room.
Do have an idea about how many hours it would last?
Hi, thanks. I don't know the exact hours of service spec for this but most LEDs will last for around 10,000 hours.
@@curtisjudd Wow! Thank you!!!
Its made by Photo-R, similar to Neewer/Fomito etc
Ok, not personally familiar with these, but note above will hopefully help.
The only issue for me is the price point.
Understood. It’s one of those cases where it makes sense to spend that much money if you’re getting paid to light but hard to justify if you’re not.
@@curtisjudd Well in my case, having been professional for about 34 years, I have seen some pretty ingenious and low cost lighting scenarios from a variety of DPs I've worked with. In a recent 30 commercial project I produced/directed and edited ua-cam.com/video/85GsIyN6hKg/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/np65ibQJwIM/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/5FKQua3C7Bw/v-deo.html we used a huge range of gear .. most of it quite expensive lighting I personally would not need to own but a DP would.... BUT we also used the good ole bounce and indirect lighting with some mighty cheap lights and in some cases light mod or diffusers .. simply because it was alot faster and results were virtually the same.
In more talking heads corporate stuff we still use some pretty crafty low cost solutions...lightweight I also may add. George Hosek... he and I both use C300 M2 and I pick his brain when I can... uses some pretty ingenious low cost stuff for lighting and believe me ... he does this for a living www.imdb.com/name/nm0395919/ He's done a ton of documentary stuff with talking heads and swears by some of his dracast and other cheapy flexible lights. In his case, cost of the light is not relevant as much as how much it weighs. He is just magical in how he lights with virtually nothing. Not sure what other light sources he uses but I would be surprised if he uses a big COB and don't get me wrong, the pros like George do use expensive stuff but if you can get away with cheaper and lighter they usually do especially for docs. For his commercials and the ones I did recently, we have a bit more time to setup with a reasonable crew size to get it all done.
Its certainly good to have a monster power light for those occasions you need the power but generally today you can get great results with smaller and cheaper... plus shooting LOG does give you some freedom and latitude.
Thanks Michael, all good points. I have some lower cost lights that I use in many situations because they are lighter and easier to load in to location. The Falconeyes are good when they work but I've experienced an uncomfortably high failure rate on those (30%). And bounce boards are an absolute must for talking heads in my kit. Totally agree on that front.
@@curtisjudd interesting about Falcon Eyes.. I've not read a thing so far about their failure rate. I assume this is not a quick and sudden death .. One minute working the next dead.
Not right of the box ? That is exceptionally high ... Is it a fabric issue with shorting out? I do like the 18 size as it is manageable and the power block is not so insanely huge. But the light output is pretty modest. I certainly don;t want to have to replace it if it dies.
@@puddytat62 Correct, one minute working, next minute completely dead. In one case it was the control box. In another, a fresnel light, they send a new PCB and I had a friend do the soldering to replace it. Still didn't fix it so may have been an issue with the COB LED.
Once again, I have ended up making my decision 80% on what you've shown in this 13min video.
The other 20% is based on the scrambled and mostly useless info i've gone through in the last 7 hours.
Thanks Lluc. Happy lighting!
I noticed no black people skin tones were circled. I could be wrong but the brown and tan colors were left out 🤷🏾♂️
Hi Chep, actually, the R9 and R15 very much apply to black and tan skin.
Wow 900 canadian, no thanks.
Ok.
oh, you replied.. I was not expecting that. I've been asking numerous other tech video people about lights and mics and haven't heard from them. We want to film in an apartment living room in front of a full-wall window, and the stores around here recommend a large $500-1,000 LED and say Neewer 176 are terrible. Other reviewers said Neewer is good brand and as with Mics, it's really hard to find a reliable review for anything :/.
If you can shoot during the day, that window is probably the perfect light. I'd just embrace that and save yourself the expense. Put the camera in front of the window facing the opposite wall and let the window be your light. That floor to ceiling window should make a beautiful, soft light source.
I agree, thank you. Unfortunately the interviewer wants to use the window view as a backdrop as it's the harbor with autumn trees, Stanley Park and the mountains (Vancouver) all together, very good view. So we need the lighting to brighten her and her guest in front of the window.
Ok. A Neewer 176 probably does not put out enough light to overcome the backlight coming in from the window. Give it a try, but I'm betting you'll need a bunch of them.