ACTUAL DIFFERENCE between Aputure 120d and 300d mkII
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Aputure has built a reputation on high quality, high power LED lights. While I've been using the original Light Storm 120d lights for the past few years, I've been hesitant to upgrade to the more powerful LS-300d series. Is the added expense worth it? If it's twice as powerful but twice the price, what's the benefit? I wanted to finally put the 300d mkII up against the original 120d and see how the two compare.
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Long story short, this thing packs a punch! I’ve always been happy with the Aputure LS-120d so I really never saw a reason to make the purchase of something newer and more expensive. After all, if the 120d does a good enough job, why spend more?
At least that’s what I thought until I turned on the 300d mk II and was immediately blinded by the sheer firepower of this light. Sure it’s not quite HMI levels of power but it’s close. This thing is MILES ahead of the original 120d and if you need maximum light output, I highly suggest you buy one ASAP.
In my testing I found the 300d mk II to be 6X more powerful than the 120d. That’s right. Six times the power in a fixture that’s only slightly larger and heavier. I expected 3, maybe 4, 120d’s would equal one 300dmkII but I was blown away when I needed to set up six 120d’s just to match the intensity of one single 300dmkII. The raw power really is incredible.
Especially when you consider that the original 120d lights still sell for around $500 whereas the brand new 300d mk II will only cost $1100. So for roughly double the price, you get six times the output. That’s a no-brainer.
Color accuracy and white balance are also on par with the quality we’ve consistently seen from Aputure. These aren’t the LED lights from 10 years ago with nasty green tones and low CRI. The color is beautiful and even better than the already good 120d model.
I also appreciate the significantly improved build quality. The 300d mk II feels like a professional lighting fixture made from industrial parts with well-thought and well-designed parts. While the 120d feels like a cheap prosumer light in comparison.
There are other lights on the market like the NiceFoto HA-3300B that are actually more powerful than the 300d and far cheaper but they also feel a lot cheaper. A LOT. I tested one of these lights side by side with the 300d mk II and while it was brighter (by about a stop) the design and build quality of the light itself was much much lower. Lots of plastic parts and flimsy material. Also a poorly designed mounting bracket and overall ugly design. It’ll get the job done and then some but I don’t recommend it for consistent work especially if you’re constantly on the road and shooting in rough conditions. I don’t think the NiceFoto would hold up but I have a lot more faith in the Aputure 300dmkII.
As an added benefit, I really do enjoy the lighting effects built into the ballast. I don’t imagine I’ll be using them often but it is a nice touch to have an intelligent controller to do some convincing lighting effects. Watch the video if you want to see these in action since there isn’t a good way to describe their quality without seeing it for yourself. The lighting looks like lightning, paparazzi looks like paparazzi. It’s pretty straight forward stuff but well executed and easy to set up and control.
Overall, I’m incredibly satisfied with the Aputure COB 300d mk II. It’s everything I expected and then some. You get a really powerful light with some amazing features for a very reasonable price. It’s not cheap but I think it’s 100% worth it. Lighting is often overlooked but it’s easily one of the most important things you can add to your kit to truly stand out and improve the quality of your productions. Make the investment in yourself and in your kit to get some decent lights. The 300dmkII is a very well-made light that more than earns its worth.
Nice informative vid! Might wanna turn down the music quite a bit though. Thinking bout getting this light
Thanks I’ll check it out and see where the levels were at
@@_tographer very helpful review. But yeah, the first piece of music works against you.
I decided to purchase the product after your video. I was clost to pulling the trigger on the 120d. The choice after that was softbox. I am used to making old-school feature films with massive lighting setups. The Youutbe setup is newer to me. Like a new artform. The "at home" studio to push out content. Thanks for the video.
ok, Now I need to explain to my wife why my channel needs these lights :) I'm still running a lowel 1000w halogen softbox. SOOOO hot. Can probably pay for the new lights just in air conditioning savings.... Thanks for the great video!
Great job man. I’ve been waiting a while to see someone finally put these toe to toe! I was already pretty set on the 300dii for that extra power and some “future proofing” and this definitely convinced me 🤘🏽
Music was super distracting. Great video though. Now I know which one I'll buy.
Great content. Music is a bit loud and hard to focus on your words man.
100% Agree. Especially the intro.
will get mine soon :)
What kinda stands / tripopds do you use for your lights?
Is this really needed if i just shoot live streaming and video in my home studio only? I just bought 120D II
Very entertaining, Stronz. I'm going to be having a look at the 300D MkII this afternoon.
I liked your video, I would really like to see a comparison of the new 120 vs the new 300 or a new 120 vs the old one.
Enjoyed the production value and overall effort put into this video/comparison. Nice job dude 📸📹🖥 also enjoyed seeing the good ole GH5 📹
Thanks!
i have a question for 300d mkII it can use with photoshoot work?
I tried this with one single 300D II, at maximum brightness with Light dome II + grid my GH5 was shooting at 1/150th stutter at base iso of 200... so the answer is barely. I recommend 2 lights to get shutter above 1/200th for photo work.
Thinking about the same and I'm trying one soon. I guess it might work on a recent full frame camera shooting at + 400iso for moving subjects. I'm considering this light for video interviews and architecture photography.
The bits with the lighting effects sold me 😂😂
Good product review... Lose the horribly loud annoying music. Don't need it!!!
Took me 7min 15 seconds, but B&H thanks you because I just placed my order.
Hands down best intro I’ve seen in a long time !
Grats on 10.000 subs!
Dou you need so much power just for doing studio videos?
Thanks for your hard work, nice video! :)
I still can't believe you're only at 8k+ subscribers. Been watching you since the you were using Gh4 hahaha
Well I tend to take long breaks from making UA-cam videos so it's mostly my own fault haha
Eventually the cream always rises to the top
need more zoom ins
Awesome video. Thanks!
Awesome video man
Thank you!
music to laud can not bear it !
I was wondering where you went
excellent review, thanks
very nice practical review
Thanks!
damn, that's a nail in the coffin of my wallet, dude.
Don't get me wrong, the 120d is still a powerful light, there's actually plenty of affordable LED lights that will work just fine in a lot of situations, buuuuut the 300d really is the way to go if you can afford to
Stronz Vanderploeg what are some of the strips led lights that you would recommend?
Where the hell are you man!we miss you
Back again...for now haha
Great video!
Well done my friend.
Thanks!
That beat is sick!!!
thats misleading. Its 2 and a half times brighter not 6 lol
Also who records at f22 iso 200?? Your subject is definitely going blind with those settings.
@@sollymedia6564 lmao
Not true. I have both and you have to set the 300d to 16% aprox. To mattch the output of 120d at 100%
@@JaimeVillacis dude that is definitely not true. Are you judging by eye or did you actually measure the output? The 300D is literally two and a half watt hours brighter. That's why they call them 300 and 120. I own the 300D Mark II. This video is extremely wrong it is not six times brighter
Awesome video
I don't think it make any practical sense to compare 6 120d against 1 300d
WOAHHHHH
👍
Suscribed!!!!!