Aputure Leds - Daylight vs Bicolor?

L

LDV20

Well-known member
I am looking at the Aputure LS 120D II to use through a -Intellytech FF-5 x 3.2'HC Fast Frame Scrim Diffuser with Honeycomb Grid.

I need something with a bit more punch that LED panels. I don't always have the budget for grip truck so I am looking to put a kit together for small productions. The big question is am I better off putting a gel on the LS120D to match around 4400 kelvin - or should I just buy the more expensive BI color 300X? I just find the BI COLORS do not have the punch. Plus the LS120)D is less expensive and with FX6 low light capability I might get by with LS1200D. At some point I will get the 300D or 300X for larger areas to light but have to decide do I go for daylight or bi-color before I make an investment.
I understand it always depends on the particular project one is doing - but I am just trying to figure out what is the most economical choice for small areas to light - small rooms/interviews etc.
 
My .02. If you shoot a lot indoors, go bi-color. Being able to easily match ambient light at the turn of a dial is one of those underrated things, but so worth the trade-off in power. I also say that as someone who has a LOT of bi-color/variable color fixtures, but also single color(daylight) high-output fixture, for when I need them.
 
Run&Gun said:
My .02. If you shoot a lot indoors, go bi-color. Being able to easily match ambient light at the turn of a dial is one of those underrated things, but so worth the trade-off in power. I also say that as someone who has a LOT of bi-color/variable color fixtures, but also single color(daylight) high-output fixture, for when I need them.
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Agreed. I think 300x or nanlite 300b would be pretty solid options. A gelled, diffused 120d ii may leave you wanting (more output and fewer gels).

Have you looked into more economical rags, for example these products from canvas grip, which will give you more than double the area of the fast frame at a fraction of the price?:

- https://www.canvasgrip.com/p/B022.html
- https://www.canvasgrip.com/p/B012.html
 
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Thank you Run and Gun and Rob. I do shoot a lot indoors and already have several DRACAST BI COLOR units so it does make sense to spend the extra $$ for the 300x or Nanolite 300b. Will also look at the canvasgrip - did not know about it, good lead.

Found an interesting video review on U tube discussing light output. It occurs around 5:36
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MOQGTD0zJs

Maybe at some point I will get a daylight fixture for outside fill - the Godox VL 150 or 300 look interesting and economical. According to a review the Godox VL300 can come close 300d for half the price.

Thank you for advise.
 
Day light lights can be used indoors but they require you to either gel or turn off the existing interior lights and light the scene with your daylight lights. When you can’t turn off interior lights or need them to light the scene then that’s when bi color lights are advantageous.
 
I find if you are needing to mix your lights with existing lighting that even Bi-colour LEDs have some limitations. It does help a lot to make the light warm or cool as a starting point.. but if you are being super critical than you may still need to use a 1/8 or 1/4 correction gel to perfectly match with a tungsten lamp, fluorescent, or window light etc. Luckily those kind of correction gels eat up a lot less light level than changing colour temperature with a gel from Daylight to Tungsten for example.. so not really a huge issue.

If you can save up a little more money I would suggest an Aputure Nova P300c or perhaps an Prolycht Orion 300 for full colour tunability and ability to match practical lights and ambient lights perfectly without the need for any gels. It speeds up your workflow and means that if you add other lights to your kit that are a single solid colour, you can adjust your colour changing LED to match that other source perfectly. Almost all single colour LED lights have a slightly different white point and sometimes that can show up on camera in an undesirable way… so either it’s some gels to fine tune the colour or a light with more than 2 colour chips (preferably 5 or more different colour LED chips)
 
The fact is that in a relatively short time no one will be willing to deal with gelling lights. Fully color-tunable lights will be the expectation of clients who want crews to move fast, just like they won't put up with the heat of tungsten lights anymore. Rolls of gels are both expensive to carry and time-consuming to deal with on set -- and your lights might still not match even with gels. If you have a color-tunable light it can be dialed in in a matter of seconds, and perfectly matched to one another. You can even control them via your phone, so adjustments take seconds and you can set them while behind the camera or monitor to properly judge the effect.

It can be more expensive now but it is an investment for the future. Mono-color and bi-color fixtures will seem antiquated shortly. A light such as the Orion 300 FS with its RGBACL Hyperlight Color Engine will be useful for years, making it the much better long term investment.
 
Agree... after a little while of working with single-color COBs, I quickly went back to bicolor everything. Sometime easier & faster trumps more powerful (except when it doesn't like when I know the sun will be fought in the background)
 
Thank you all for the information - I agree on BI-COLOR - just need to do some research now the Aperture NOVA and ORION. Or I start off with Aperture 300X - then move to the NOVA or ORION as one decent light is not enough anyway. I am very close ordering to ordering the 300x now - already got a quote from B&H. I also need a decent Bi color back light as well. I might be able to use the Dracast 1x1 with a soft box and egg crate on a boom.

Got to move fast because I have two projects coming up and just finished one where I wished I had 300X.
 
I put a CTO on the Aputure 600D and it started melting the gel. Is there a trick to gelling the 600D without melting gels?



I'd take an Orion over a Nova or 300X. Orion is brighter than 300X and RGB, and smaller and lighter than the Nova. I've pretty much retired my Litepanels Gemini 2 x 1 since getting COB lights.
 
Eric Coughlin said:
I put a CTO on the Aputure 600D and it started melting the gel. Is there a trick to gelling the 600D without melting gels?



I'd take an Orion over a Nova or 300X. Orion is brighter than 300X and RGB, and smaller and lighter than the Nova. I've pretty much retired my Litepanels Gemini 2 x 1 since getting COB lights.
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That can happen - I think LEE filters makes a tougher GEL to handle heat, and that is up to a point. In the past I have used GELS on tungsten - if it was to close sometimes it would melt
all depends on how it is mounted. I have also mounted gels on flag arm moved the light back a bit and aimed it.

But yes the idea of using GELS is no longer and option -I probably will go with the 300X - but will think on Orion
 
The Orion 300 FS is twice the output of the Aputure 300X. More importantly, it is RGBACL. The colors are more accurate and you have a vast rainbow from which to choose. Even if you only plan to use it like you would a bi-color light, the Orion 300 FS has a CCT range from 2000 - 20,000K and a green/magenta offset, so you can match it to other light far more accurately.
 
Eric Coughlin said:
I've pretty much retired my Litepanels Gemini 2 x 1 since getting COB lights.
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Kind of moot point since you're likely not flying with Geminis either, but what are you finding to be the most useable compact travel big diffusion? Big 6x6-8x8's folded? Other?
 
Mitch Gross said:
The Orion 300 FS is twice the output of the Aputure 300X. More importantly, it is RGBACL. The colors are more accurate and you have a vast rainbow from which to choose. Even if you only plan to use it like you would a bi-color light, the Orion 300 FS has a CCT range from 2000 - 20,000K and a green/magenta offset, so you can match it to other light far more accurately.
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Yes you are right. At this point my budget will only allow the 300X - Also I do not know much about the ORION and I think it is a new product, I could be wrong. I generally stay away from new products for awhile. I will be at NAB this year and see these lights, by then I might consider the ORION. I really need to add to my lighting fixtures so the ORION for sure looks great and is on the to buy list.
 
LDV20 said:
Yes you are right. At this point my budget will only allow the 300X - Also I do not know much about the ORION and I think it is a new product, I could be wrong. I generally stay away from new products for awhile. I will be at NAB this year and see these lights, by then I might consider the ORION. I really need to add to my lighting fixtures so the ORION for sure looks great and is on the to buy list.
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The Orion 300 FS is indeed a new fixture, introduced a few months ago. It's been quickly embraced by a number of DPs and Gaffers who appreciate what it offers at an excellent price. Of course your budget is your budget, I simply suggest to make sure to spend your money not only for what you can afford now but also what will serve you well for the longest time.

Due to Covid19 and Delta considerations, Prolycht has decided not to exhibit at NAB in Las Vegas this October. We are planning to be at CineGear in LA at the end of September and in fact will be at Filmscape Chicago this coming weekend. If you can make it to one of those shows I'll be happy to show you and anyone else anything and everything about the Orion 300 FS.
 
mcbob said:
Kind of moot point since you're likely not flying with Geminis either, but what are you finding to be the most useable compact travel big diffusion? Big 6x6-8x8's folded? Other?
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I've been using 8 x 8s a lot lately for diffusion. Sometimes I'll use two if I want to make a book light which the Aputure 600Ds are bright enough to handle a book light. I've been hanging them on two stands, no need for a frame, or with a type of t-bar on a single stand.

Last shoot I did we started out with an Aputure 600D though an 8 x 8 but there were 3200K practicals we couldn't turn off so we tried to gel the Aputure and the gel started melting so then we switched to the Orion and set it to 3200k.
 
Stock reflector with gel C-47ed to the front. My gaffer did it so not sure exactly how he did it. Perhaps he didn't leave enough air venting. Could be worth me trying to see if it melts again.
 
Mitch Gross said:
The Orion 300 FS is indeed a new fixture, introduced a few months ago. It's been quickly embraced by a number of DPs and Gaffers who appreciate what it offers at an excellent price. Of course your budget is your budget, I simply suggest to make sure to spend your money not only for what you can afford now but also what will serve you well for the longest time.

Due to Covid19 and Delta considerations, Prolycht has decided not to exhibit at NAB in Las Vegas this October. We are planning to be at CineGear in LA at the end of September and in fact will be at Filmscape Chicago this coming weekend. If you can make it to one of those shows I'll be happy to show you and anyone else anything and everything about the Orion 300 FS.
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Thank you Mitch - BTW I met you at NAB you were demoing the Panasonic AU EVA1 to me i was considering the FS7 before the FX9- I will be looking at the Orion in the next few months I would think it would be a good choice to use outside but I will need to watch some reviews. If I can make CINE GEAR we can meet up.

Thank you
Larry
 
Eric Coughlin said:
Stock reflector with gel C-47ed to the front. My gaffer did it so not sure exactly how he did it. Perhaps he didn't leave enough air venting. Could be worth me trying to see if it melts again.
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Aputure admits/warns/says that gels too close to the 600 COB will melt. So get a lot of distance between the COB and the gel. Or, they suggest, at least try a gel cone (but then, you need to consider overlapping gel). Here's a picture from Aputure's short promo video for the Lantern 90. But I don't know... not sure I'd go that route.

aputure_gel_cone.png - Click image for larger version Name: aputure_gel_cone.png Views: 0 Size: 67.9 KB ID: 5675565​
 
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