Aputure 1200X - Announced

[DustinSchmidt]

Looks like Aputure is rolling out their new 1200X.

My first thought after looking at some of the specs/reviews is, are we finally seeing the Prolycht 675 tech being integrated into a new light from Aputure?

 

[ahalpert]

wow and it's only $3k? the Nanlux 1200B is about $900 more expensive. the spectrum on their product page looks like it's essentially incorporating the "dual blue" chipset seen on some other (pre-Prolycht) lights. though obviously that's not the same as this BLAIR business they're talking about...

STORM 1200x - Aputure

1200W Tunable-White Point Source Fixture

www.aputure.com

 

[Run&Gun]

The new compact fresnel looks similar to the Prolycht design for the 675. This is tempting. I just put my two 600d Pro’s out on a travel package and was gonna replace them with the new 600c Pro II’s, but they’re not using the Prolycht light engine, so I put that idea on pause. But maybe I go for a pair of these for my HMI replacements, now. And they’re only ~$500 more than the c’s and appear to be brighter than the original 1200d.

 

[Run&Gun]

The early reviews are glowing (pun intended). I decided to “pre-order” two last week. Anyone else decide to jump?

 

[ahalpert]

I thought about it a while and it would be a nice unit to have that would be useful for a long time but I think the weight and bulk and necessity of combo stand is not great for most of what I do. Hopefully there will be a BLAIR 600X soon. That would be cool for me.

 

[Run&Gun]

I’ve been happy with my 600’s and 675’s, but I just do so many live, multi-cam outdoor shows now, that I need more punch/more power. We’re currently running four 600’s with fresnels as keys and in full sunlight, they’re just barely enough, and sometimes not(if our top was translucent, we’d be in better shape).

 

[ahalpert]

I’ve been happy with my 600’s and 675’s, but I just do so many live, multi-cam outdoor shows now, that I need more punch/more power. We’re currently running four 600’s with fresnels as keys and in full sunlight, they’re just barely enough, and sometimes not(if our top was translucent, we’d be in better shape).

Top was translucent?

So much of what I do is one man band or maybe with another guy, and usually under tight time constraints. I'd love to have the power but I'm not sure I can handle the hassle of the larger unit. Then again, maybe I could... it's tempting to try...

 

[morgan_moore]

Im guessing not that he has a presenter in a minimalist outfit but shoots under an EZYrig that is not translucent and kills a lof of ambient.

 

[Jim Feeley]

I thought about it a while and it would be a nice unit to have that would be useful for a long time but I think the weight and bulk and necessity of combo stand is not great for most of what I do. Hopefully there will be a BLAIR 600X soon. That would be cool for me.

Maybe consider a Junior Rolling stand. I first got one for booming sit-down interviews (I bought it used from a local gaffer). The wheels make repositioning really easy, even while the stand is weighted. Has both a 5/8 baby pin and a junior receiver.

My goal used to be never buy a stand with more than a baby pin. Beyond that, my thinking went, I should hire a gaffer. But since my junior rolling stand already had a receiver, when I got a 600d, I started using the stand for that. And then I got a Hollywood Baby Jr. stand (ie- with wheels) for the boom pole.

The wheels on both stands are super handy, especially when working solo or duo as I often do. Greatly speeds up safely repositioning. They're not compact and not light (and not cheap), but they're worth it IMO.

My stands happen to both be Matthews. The Junior rollers retail new for around $550. I'm digging them.

Junior & Senior Stands for Larger Fixtures

Explore our stands for larger fixtures, designed for the film industry to deliver stability and versatility on set.

www.msegrip.com

 

[ahalpert]

Maybe consider a Junior Rolling stand. I first got one for booming sit-down interviews (I bought it used from a local gaffer). The wheels make repositioning really easy, even while the stand is weighted. Has both a 5/8 baby pin and a junior receiver.

My goal used to be never buy a stand with more than a baby pin. Beyond that, my thinking went, I should hire a gaffer. But since my junior rolling stand already had a receiver, when I got a 600d, I started using the stand for that. And then I got a Hollywood Baby Jr. stand (ie- with wheels) for the boom pole.

The wheels on both stands are super handy, especially when working solo or duo as I often do. Greatly speeds up safely repositioning. They're not compact and not light (and not cheap), but they're worth it IMO.

My stands happen to both be Matthews. The Junior rollers retail new for around $550. I'm digging them.

Junior & Senior Stands for Larger Fixtures

Explore our stands for larger fixtures, designed for the film industry to deliver stability and versatility on set.

www.msegrip.com

View attachment 5712248

Thanks for the hot tip! I was worried less about maneuvering the unit around set than just loading in, really. Usually I park in a garage and then wheel my cart and possibly a second rolling bag into location.

This stand, however, is only 10 lbs: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1046657-REG/matthews_b366167_combo_aluminum_stand.html/specs

The only problem is it only has a 25lb payload. Well, the fixture is only 21lbs. But once you think about modifiers, it's a dodgy proposition... Food for thought...

I'm not a huge fan of rolling stands if I can avoid them. Sometimes they're useful and sometimes they're annoying. Plus the added weight and bulk. I'm probably in the minority on that. Maybe I'm being too precious about adding weight/bulk...

 

[Run&Gun]

Top was translucent?

So much of what I do is one man band or maybe with another guy, and usually under tight time constraints. I'd love to have the power but I'm not sure I can handle the hassle of the larger unit. Then again, maybe I could... it's tempting to try...

Our set is covered and the top is solid/opaque, so no ambient light comes through. Some stage set-ups, the tops are essentially like big silks, so ambient light comes through and helps with your overall levels. We're basically shooting in a shadow. It's good when it's hot outside, to help keep us cooler, but not so much when it comes time to actually making TV.

If our show comes back for next season, I am going to see if they can have us a half & half top made(solid over the half of the stage where we/cameras are and translucent over the half where the desk is(I've never seen it, but a guy can dream, right?) or just a fully translucent top. I think the biggest issue(besides possible cost) with the dream top of half & half, would be if they can fully waterproof the seamed area.

But my plan right now, is not to blast talent with the 1200's, but to bounce those into the top, which is white on the inside, and see if that buys us enough "ambience" and brings our base level up to a better level. If not, then... Well, they're gonna hate us even more.

 

[ahalpert]

Our set is covered and the top is solid/opaque, so no ambient light comes through. Some stage set-ups, the tops are essentially like big silks, so ambient light comes through and helps with your overall levels. We're basically shooting in a shadow. It's good when it's hot outside, to help keep us cooler, but not so much when it comes time to actually making TV.

If our show comes back for next season, I am going to see if they can have us a half & half top made(solid over the half of the stage where we/cameras are and translucent over the half where the desk is(I've never seen it, but a guy can dream, right?) or just a fully translucent top. I think the biggest issue(besides possible cost) with the dream top of half & half, would be if they can fully waterproof the seamed area.

But my plan right now, is not to blast talent with the 1200's, but to bounce those into the top, which is white on the inside, and see if that buys us enough "ambience" and brings our base level up to a better level. If not, then... Well, they're gonna hate us even more.

Gotcha - and the background is a brightly lit stadium, either by daylight or stadium lighting?

 

[morgan_moore]

I'm probably in the minority on that. Maybe I'm being too precious about adding weight/bulk...

You have to do what works for your business. My chum has a car, a wife, acouple of kids.

He is allergic to any large kit if at all possible.

I have a work van and four combos flopping about the back.

We know what works for us!

 

[ahalpert]

You have to do what works for your business. My chum has a car, a wife, acouple of kids.

He is allergic to any large kit if at all possible.

I have a work van and four combos flopping about the back.

We know what works for us!

Very true. But even at Christie's where they have a rolling combo stand that we use for their aputure 1200D - I hate the stand! It still manages to be cumbersome and difficult. And if you ever have to get it through a door, it.

A 10lb combo stand...I could sink my teeth into that...and presumably it could hold a higher payload than 25lb if it's not as maximum extension...

 

[morgan_moore]

Cant you wiggle through the door with the wheel stand. It would be a problem if you have one of those infernal heaps of dung.. the soft box.

Moving around (through doorways) is why I prefer 'Light on a stand. 4.4 diffusion on a stand' rather than the infernal 'softbox and light on one stand'.

 

[cpreston]

For combos, I've almost entirely switched over to Matthews Runway bases with Junior risers. The Runway base is about 20lbs, but you can fit it in a Pelican 1510 if it helps for stacking on a cart. Also, it is low profile and rock solid.

 

[Run&Gun]

Gotcha - and the background is a brightly lit stadium, either by daylight or stadium lighting?

More or less. Our actual background is generally not the inside of the stadium itself(although there is another set in there), but yes, our background is generally being hit/lit by the sun and we're lighting our (generally) completely shaded set artificially with virtually no help from the sun.

But at the same time, it's kind of crazy to look what we're doing with a roughly $12K LED package today vs. how much it would have cost to produce about the same amount of light with same amount of fixtures even just 10-15 years ago. An equivalent HMI lighting package back then would have probably cost around $40K-$60K.

 

[Run&Gun]

You have to do what works for your business. My chum has a car, a wife, acouple of kids.

He is allergic to any large kit if at all possible.

I have a work van and four combos flopping about the back.

We know what works for us!

Van and four combos for the win.

 

[ahalpert]

Cant you wiggle through the door with the wheel stand. It would be a problem if you have one of those infernal heaps of dung.. the soft box.

Moving around (through doorways) is why I prefer 'Light on a stand. 4.4 diffusion on a stand' rather than the infernal 'softbox and light on one stand'.

Their wheeled stand has a very wide footprint and diagonal metal spears sticking out over the wheels, perfect for gouging walls. I don't usually have to wheel through a doorway, but I did recently and tried to skinny up the stand and wiggle it through but it wasn't a smooth process.

And when minorly repositioning the stand in a normal shooting situation, it won't wheel in a direct line. For a small adjustment you have to kind of wiggle or spin it into place.

No softbox or other modifier in this most recent case. Just a reflector bashing into the ceiling in various rooms. But in interview situations, we often use the aputure light dome going into a 4x4 silk. So, both the diffusion on a stand and the infernal heap of dung. We usually key those with the 600x, though.

 

[ahalpert]

More or less. Our actual background is generally not the inside of the stadium itself(although there is another set in there), but yes, our background is generally being hit/lit by the sun and we're lighting our (generally) completely shaded set artificially with virtually no help from the sun.

But at the same time, it's kind of crazy to look what we're doing with a roughly $12K LED package today vs. how much it would have cost to produce about the same amount of light with same amount of fixtures even just 10-15 years ago. An equivalent HMI lighting package back then would have probably cost around $40K-$60K.

Gotcha. So basically on a cloudy day you're golden and on a sunny day you're squeaking by?