New Aputure Amaran COB Lights

[rob norton]

They sound like great, cheap bounce/basher lights. Aputure are killing it.

I just saw the pricing, there’s no point really complaining about anything. I still want standard data sheets!

[ahalpert]

Wow $300 for the 200D...

What's interesting is that it claims 65000 lux at 1m with reflector vs 59000 lux at 1m with reflector for the 500w CLAR light selling for $700 at adorama.

Like Rob said, these measly photometric reports are not particularly enlightening...

But a cheap bugger like me could find a gang of 200D's extremely useful...

Supposedly they're coming out with a cheaper 600D as well that will have similar output to the Pro version but lack some features

[mcbob]

I just saw the pricing, there’s no point really complaining about anything. I still want standard data sheets!

No kidding.

With today’s deluge of 600D reviews resulting from Aputure’s ongoing strategy of distributing free lights to every YouTube reviewer with at least 12 subs, I was curious to compare it versus the older and less expensive and seemingly more powerful Intellytech light cannon pros and Lupo DayLED 2000. There’s no unified way to do it, or access that information online. Unless some intrepid person put them all on a test bench, we are left guessing or buying or renting all of these lights to actually compare them in a meaningful way.

[Run&Gun]

What's your plan with battery powering lights in this category? I just saw on this youtube video that regular v/gold batteries can only run light at 50% power, which makes sense.

I think as this space matures it'll make sense to go with a larger block battery type solution or more powerful/cheaper v-mount large capacity batteries, which you probably wouldn't use with camera/camera accessories anyway so not as big of a deal to have different standards. Thoughts?

Remotely powering the 600d for extended periods isn't going to be cheap!

Good question. Right now(or whenever I actually receive mine), I’m just going to largely treat it as I do my Bron Kobold 800 HMI’s, which of course require A/C power. I have a pair of 230 wh Gold Mounts and a bunch of 190’s, but I don’t think they have the amps to run it. I’ve done some cursory research, and yes, battery/portable power solutions are not cheap. You can quickly and easily meet and surpass the cost of the light, buying battery solutions designed for our industry. I’m not sure if I would do it, but I have heard of and seen guys that need a lot of remote power, use deep cycle marine batteries, though.

[Run&Gun]

Wow $300 for the 200D...

What's interesting is that it claims 65000 lux at 1m with reflector vs 59000 lux at 1m with reflector for the 500w CLAR light selling for $700 at adorama.

Like Rob said, these measly photometric reports are not particularly enlightening...

But a cheap bugger like me could find a gang of 200D's extremely useful...

Supposedly they're coming out with a cheaper 600D as well that will have similar output to the Pro version but lack some features

I watched some of their on-line party deal yesterday and when they got to the new Amaran stuff at the end, they said they have more raw measured(meter) output(compared to the existing 120 and 300), but the 120 and 300 put out more useable light.

[Run&Gun]

V-mount for me. Pre-ordered right when they announced it on their Facebook group through their own website. $200 deposit and then got email last night asking for final payment, and UPS tracking today.

The Fresnel is from BH and is indeed a waiting game. Have no idea when that will come. Aputure has been way less than reliable when it comes to fulfilling orders. Now we are in pandemic mode, so they have a reasonable alibi, but they had these kinds of issues before that as well. It's often easier to get their stuff if you go through a smaller store like Hot Rod Cameras or something.

I pre-ordered the fresnel and barn doors from B&H last night, as well.

I guess it’s just a waiting game on all of it and especially my light. All of the reviews I’ve seen on Youtube appear to all be V-mount versions. It seems a lot of newer companies prioritize V-mounts, now. It’s like they think that’s all that anyone uses. Thank you very much, RED.

[Liam Hall]

Supposedly they're coming out with a cheaper 600D as well that will have similar output to the Pro version but lack some features

And only a few weeks ago people on here were moaning that Aputure had outgrown themselves and turned their back on 'indy' filmmakers.

I've ordered a 300x. Brighter than a 300D, bi-colour, and less than half the price. What's not to like?

[ahalpert]

I watched some of their on-line party deal yesterday and when they got to the new Amaran stuff at the end, they said they have more raw measured(meter) output(compared to the existing 120 and 300), but the 120 and 300 put out more useable light.

Useable light? As in forward-projecting light that will enter the fresnel? What if you're using a softbox, wouldn't you capture it all? I dont understand

Also, does that mean more total raw output than the 300D or more output per watt?

And what's the catch? Is the color worse or has the technology simply improved?

[ozmorphasis]

I watched some of their on-line party deal yesterday and when they got to the new Amaran stuff at the end, they said they have more raw measured(meter) output(compared to the existing 120 and 300), but the 120 and 300 put out more useable light.

If you look closely when he fires up the light with the reflector and starts moving it around, it is VERY spotty in the middle with that reflector, so the metering in the center that they are doing combined with his mention that it does not put out as much light as the 120d is a clue as to the character of the beam spread. It is NOT very even in that little clip.


I have the 600d coming, but honestly very few of the "pro" features are important to me, so if there is a big enough price difference, I'd probably rather have the non pro version, of better yet, two of them with dual head setup for 1200w.

[ozmorphasis]

Useable light? As in forward-projecting light that will enter the fresnel? What if you're using a softbox, wouldn't you capture it all? I dont understand

Also, does that mean more total raw output than the 300D or more output per watt?

And what's the catch? Is the color worse or has the technology simply improved?

See my post above, and then check out the footage of Ted during their event hand holding the head while it's on. The beam cone is not at all even, with a very pronounced hot spot. If that turns out to be the case, then you have your explanation for the photometrics being as high as they are.

Regarding a softbox, maybe. We won't know until tests are done. Most likely yes, but all of these COB fixtures have design characteristics that are at their best with modifiers that are optimized for that particular design. Just because it's a bowens mount doesn't mean that it will optimize the output of that particular size, shape, depth of the chip. Less of an issue with softboxes than with focusing/optical modifiers, but still a thing.

Regarding Ted's statements, I like the guy and his enthusiasm, but I found that part of the presentation misleading. He is over and over again warning how measurments are misleading (which good that he's being honest), but then doesn't tell you exactly why they are getting the results they are getting in this particular case. Thankfully, he does show it when he powers up the light and waves it around. There is a very clear hot spot (with the reflector). So yes, the outer edge is 55 degrees spread, but that is not the whole picture and my guess is that it will meter less than the 120d at the edge of that 55 degree circle, let alone compared to the 300d.

Their reflectors are the main reason why their recent fixtures are getting so much better photometrics. It's not because lumens/watt has made huge strides in technology.