Amaran 300c & 150c Review: A Simple & Solid RGB LED Light from Aputure

Рет қаралды 15,627

Күн бұрын

In this video I review the Aputure Amaran 300c & 150c RGB COB LED lights.
Both lights are identical, apart from different power outputs, and feature HSI mode with full color support, as well as CCT mode, complete with green/magenta tint control.
You also get special effects and more advanced control options via the Sidus Link mobile app.
The build quality, fan noise, and color accuracy are all good, and they even come with carrying cases, so what's the catch?
Leave a comment and let me know if you think these lights are worth the price, or if there's something better out there.
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== LINKS ==
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Use the code "P7ROCR4D" for 10% off with the links below when buying from Amazon US.
Aputure Amaran 150c - geni.us/amaran150c
Aputure Amaran 300c - geni.us/amaran300c
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== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==
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0:00 - Intro
0:17 - Carrying Case
0:54 - Build Quality
1:22 - Functionality & Control
2:21 - Blending Optic
2:45 - Power Options
3:25 - Fan Noise
3:35 - Brightness & Color Accuracy
6:10 - Final Thoughts
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== CONNECT ==
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TikTok: / nwlyr
Instagram: / newlayercom

Пікірлер: 80

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

What do you think? Would you pick the Amaran 150c or 300c over other options? What do you think about lights like these with tint control?

@ThePostPatrol Жыл бұрын

Excellent, but I just blew a huge chunk on the 600D...😂

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

@@ThePostPatrol Hmmm, sounds like your 600d is lonely to me 😂

@ThePostPatrol Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer 🤣

@marcinmrzyglocki Жыл бұрын

This light seems to be too huge for my capabilities, so I'm obviously going to ignore it in favor of something like Colbor.

@ThePostPatrol Жыл бұрын

@@marcinmrzyglocki yeah but you'll grow into it.

@joenicklo Жыл бұрын

your new studio looks like something out of a Blackmagic Design ad.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

Well damn if that isn't the highest compliment I've ever received! 😊😅

@SuperNicktendo Жыл бұрын

I'll probably get this in the next few months. I'm currently using elgato key lights and I think it's finally time to graduate to a more professional setup.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

Nice! I think you'll love these compared to the Elgato lights. Definitely a whole new level of gear :)

@BrisCassa Жыл бұрын

I recently had the pleasure of a photo tutorial with a brand ambassador using the Forza 60C amongst other nanlites, but it was definitely breaking the current budget, I was quite impressed by this review and began comparing prices and features of the 150c to the 60c which was very favourable. Then I saw that even the savings of the 150c are rapidly eaten up by the battery station and such. Back to saving my 20c pieces.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

I would definitely say that lack of included/native battery support is the biggest downside to the 150/300c. At the same time, I think they're designed that way purposefully, and when you bring batteries into lights over 80W in power, it gets expensive very fast, so I think it makes the most sense having the battery station being optional and separate.

@BrisCassa Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer absolutely, and were I operating in spaces with reliable power I'd be all over a pair. It's a completely valid design choice.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

@@BrisCassa I'm sure you've looked into it, but I did a video on portable power stations for lights as well: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mamDpahildOndJs.html Funny enough, Aputure just released one specifically designed for lighting/filmmakers.

@BrisCassa Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer Those generators are extremely interesting for sure, and definitely something to consider, thanks! Ooh that does looks interesting, outside my price points for sure but definitely interesting at a commercial scale.

@smallfootlighting7462 Жыл бұрын

I actually like that the cables are short. We usually replace those cables with short cables, because it's really annoying having to coil those cables when re-poing a light. Most technicians are going to run a stinger to the base of the stand anyway, so having a short cable is less cable to deal with when it comes time to move the light.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

On second thought, I mostly agree, because although these are more budget/small creator geared lights, they will probably still mostly find themselves used on-set with power run to the stand itself, or in a small home studio where an outlet is very nearby. I do still wish it was just 2' or maybe 3' longer and the AC adapter cable 1'-2' shorter, but I'm sure they base those lengths on averages, not my personal desires 😂

@user-mz6or8wi6g 10 ай бұрын

i've started replacing these kind of power supply cord with an adapter (C13 to NEMA 5-15P) to simplify

@wilcurran3377 Жыл бұрын

Would love to see you review and test the new Colbor CL220 lights.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

I had the very first light they released, but never reviewed it, but it looks like they've come a long way, so I'll have to see if I can get ahold of one :)

@wilcurran3377 Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer Interesting, sounds like the first gen lights weren't worth a look. With this latest generation of lights it definitely seems like they're trying to compete.. I'm interested to know if the metrics are on par with (or better than) the equivalent Godox / Aputure lights. Thanks man, really appreciate your channel.

@aov_james Жыл бұрын

Hi how do nova 300c and amaran 300c better fit for coloring white background? I've seen many use panel lights to color them but also amaran 300c could replace them? Thanks

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

I typically prefer COB lights because you can modify them much more easily with any Bowens modifier, so they're more flexible. Also, you could be 4 Amaran COB lights for the price of 1 Nova, and having just 2 lights makes it easier to more evenly light a background. Panels can light backgrounds more simply and can take up less space, because you just point and shoot, but if you want it to be more even, the setup is a little more involved.

@ianreed5 Жыл бұрын

Have you had a chance to look at the Godox SZ150R and the new SZ300R? It would be good to compare these two models with Amaran.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

I did a video on the SZ150R when it first came out: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q6ungKyosLnbj3k.html It's a good light, I personally don't find the zoom feature to really be useful, so the fact that the Amaran 150c is $150+ cheaper makes it an easy recommendation!

@ianreed5 Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer What I've found woth the zoom feature is not so much the increase or decrease of the output but the fact that because the COB is adjustable there is a greater chance of it working better with different light modifiers. Also the accuracy of the light is very good in it's Kelvin range.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

@@ianreed5 This is true, Fresnel lenses especially!

@ekphotography 7 ай бұрын

Sorry but can these be dimmed via the Virus Link App? Or is it just for the special FX? You wne cover that pretty fast and cannot see if it was dimmable or not from the app... Thanks man...

@NewLayer 6 ай бұрын

Yes! Sidus Link lets you do everything the on board controls do, plus a lot more. So, if the light can do it, Sidus Link supports it :)

@TaeeDaProducer Жыл бұрын

The only downside with amaran is the short cables . the lights are always quality. I love them

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

For me personally it's a downside, but like someone else in the comments mentioned, they actually like it, because whenever they work on sets, they run a stinger to the lightstand for power, so having a shorter cable means they don't have to worry about rolling it up.

@profevillarreal143 11 ай бұрын

Can’t decide whether to purchase one 300c or two 150c. Is the power difference that noticeable?

@NewLayer 11 ай бұрын

You get just under 1 full stop more brightness with the 300c Vs. the 150c. So unless you REALLY need to be using the 300c at full brightness a lot, two 150c lights will obviously give you more flexibility. Hope that helps!

@ValJedi Жыл бұрын

wow! thanks for the review.. so as for the output brightness, how does it compare to the daylignt only version? I mean is it 300w (or less?) output for daylight only? what about the rest of the range? does it dimm down when you switch to rgb mode?

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

The output is much less for the individual red, green, and blue LEDs for sure. Aputure lists the output specs for those individually on the product pages: www.aputure.com/products/amaran-300c/ It's somewhat weird because, for example, if you turn the light to HSI mode at 100% brightness, the output is very intense. We don't see such concentrated light on a limited spectrum every day, so although it might be just 500 lux or something, in practical use, it's insanely bright, if that makes sense.

@ValJedi Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer Yes, it does! Thank you so much for the reply! So, generally speaking, if we’re only using daylight/tungsten part of the spectrum, is it as powerful as the daylight / bi-color only models?

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

@@ValJedi Right now there is no Amaran 300d/x, but the 300c, for example, is the same, or maybe 1/3 brighter in CCT mode than the Amaran 200d (daylight). It's about 2/3-1 full stop brighter than a typical 200 watt bi-color light. So you get the brightness equivalent of a 220-ish watt bi-color light, plus the RGB functionality, if that all makes sense.

@ValJedi Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer Got it!! Just trying to figure out whats more feasible to buy :) Thanks!

@rorohd7213 Жыл бұрын

What about the lux of the rgb mode ? How much output it losses?

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

Aputure is very, very good about posting accurate numbers for their lights. You can click "Specifications" on the product pages to see the output for the R, G, and B LEDs. www.aputure.com/products/amaran-300c/ www.aputure.com/products/amaran-150c/

@Newtperc Жыл бұрын

Dmx control would make this a knock out unit. Understandable why it’s not included at this price point

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

I very rarely use DMX, so couldn't care less, but it's also very understandable that people want it so much! The good news is that the LS 600C PRO has DMX support and is only ~$2,000 more 😂😂

@gg_2315 Жыл бұрын

I can’t decide on this or the amaran P60c especially for background lighting

@426Studios Жыл бұрын

For me I would go for the COBs because you can use it either as a hard light or a soft light with many options on how to modify the light because of its Bowen's mount

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

Same thoughts as 4:26 Studios for me. I much prefer COB lights because they are more easily modified, and you can buy any brand of Bowens modifier. So you can have a whole collection of modifiers to use Vs. typically being stuck with a few proprietary options for panels. You can use softboxes up to 48" easily, or lanterns, Fresnel lenses, the stock reflector and external diffusion sheet, etc. One of my favorite things to do is simply aim the light with the reflector at a white ceiling or the corner of a room for nice and soft, but still directional light. Don't get me wrong, the P60c is awesome too, I just personally much prefer COB lights for the most part. Hope that helps :)

@426Studios Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer not to mention the projector mount. That mount saved me on so many projects with limited sets so having that mount saved me on having a boring set lol.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

@@426Studios Yes! For sure. There are so many options I can't even list them all off the top of my head, haha. Not the case with panels :)

@MikeMatsuiJr 4 ай бұрын

Is this also compatible with the sidus link app?

@NewLayer 4 ай бұрын

Absolutely! I love my 300c. I just bought the projection unit for it yesterday :)

@jeffdcg1077 6 ай бұрын

Would you recommend the 300c or the 200 x s

@NewLayer 6 ай бұрын

I mean, if you need/want color, 300c, if not, the 200x S haha.

@elviejohuron Ай бұрын

How long can this light be on at maximum power without overheating?

@NewLayer Ай бұрын

Indoors in a studio setting, indefinitely. Outdoors it would depend on heat, humidity, and sun exposure. I don't use them outdoors, so I don't really have a good answer there, sorry.

@Jayplicity 5 ай бұрын

Are these good for cinematography

@NewLayer 5 ай бұрын

Absolutely, some of the best options out there, especially if you need RGB.

@calihawk82 11 ай бұрын

Should I use a Dome Box with this?

@NewLayer 11 ай бұрын

You mean a softbox? You definitely can! I think RGB lights in a softbox look really cool, because we're used to hard/small RGB lights like pocket or tube lights, so a soft RGB light source looks really unique.

@haklittle3598 Жыл бұрын

Can Amaran 150C & 300C be used to take pictures? As far as I know, almost all Aputure Amaran LED models have flicker and banding problems when taking pictures. Including Aputure Amaran F22C at shutter speeds of 1/800, 1/1000s, 1/2000s... and other faster electronic shutters or electronic front curtain shutters, flicker and banding will appear in photos or videos on Canon EOS R5,R6,R , may also appear in Sony, but I don't own it so can't test Although this high-speed shutter is generally not used for shooting video, but this problem affects taking photos and high-speed video recording This problem occurs with many different models of Aputure amaran LEDs, but the problem does not occur with other brands, For example the zhiyun which just recently came out with LEDs doesn't appear to flicker at all electronic shutters, I don't know why it only happens with the Aputure LEDs. I can't find an Aputure query and they haven't responded to my request for assistance at all. I also asked other youtubers, but no one answered whether 300C also has flicker and banding problems I really hope to buy 300C, 300C seems to be an grest LED , but if it can’t be used for general mirrorless camera shooting, then it’s a big problem

@flipnap2112 Жыл бұрын

LED lights by nature are digital, meaning its pretty much a very fast strobe light. this is why sync on flash bulbs is so important. not sure of the solution other than doing the math. you could always buy it from someplace and return if it doesnt work out. its all about sync. if you were in a regular old school projector movie theater, and could blink your eyes 24 times a second, and sync your eyes with projector gate, you'd be sitting in a pitch black room for 2 hours.

@haklittle3598 Жыл бұрын

@@flipnap2112 Could you please test the 300c you have? For example, 300C turns on 3600k color temperature 30% and 60% output, the camera is set at electronic shutter 1/800s, 1/1000s, 1/2000s, 1/4000s, 1/8000s, see if there are flicker stripes when zooming in 100% Because I haven't encountered other professional brand photography leds, only encountered on philips hue home smart leds, so I thought all professional photography leds are flicker free I have tested many other brand models, for example, set 3600k color temperature 30% and 60% with zhiyun molus x100, all electronic shutter photos are flicker free (1/200s to 1/8000s), no flicker appears

@flipnap2112 Жыл бұрын

@@haklittle3598 sorry man I dont have the 300c. and im a cinematographer so I dont deal with shutter speed that fast. unfortunately its the luck of the draw when it comes to photography and LED. COB, SMD and CREE are different but all depend on the power cycle (HZ). Just experiment but its just the nature of the beast.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

I don't have that answer for you sorry. I'm surprised Aputure hasn't replied, because they typically have some of the best customer service, and that information should be readily available to them. I use continuous lights for photography, but typically they are nowhere near bright enough to shoot at high shutter speeds with my subject matter, so I've personally never used speeds over 1/250 with them, and go to strobes if I need to. There's nothing inherently different about Amaran LED chips Vs. many others, so I wouldn't say it's an Amaran Vs. everyone else thing, but it will be kind of random which brands and lights don't work at such high speeds. Very few continuous lights I ever see have a listed "flicker-free" shutter speed rating, and I think they only ever advertise that because whatever chip they used for that certain light just happens to have that feature. Or, they are very expensive, very specialized products specifically for high speed. If you get an answer from Aputure, I'd be curious to hear!

@nightdonutstudio Жыл бұрын

Just to say a less well known brand SmallRig RC 350B bi color cost more than this 300w rgb light.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

Damn! I don't follow SmallRig stuff much so I hadn't even seen that specific light yet, but it's a tough sell at $700-800!

@nightdonutstudio Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer Right, even they at same price I would still consider Amaran 300c.

@vivianvaldi7871 Жыл бұрын

I'm building a new light house with Amaran 300c. Amaran bricks and concrete.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

Can I come live in it? 😅

@JulesFredericNerestant Жыл бұрын

I'm getting pretty bummed at how all reviews on this unit so far avoid revealing the output in RGB mode, its bound to be less but now I just feel a little deceived... :(

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

It's sad to assume KZfaq reviewers are out to get you, and imply we are actively avoiding sharing that information, which is on the Aputure website. www.aputure.com/products/amaran-150c/ www.aputure.com/products/amaran-300c/

@JulesFredericNerestant Жыл бұрын

@@NewLayer I was mainly interested in seeing how the Amaran 150c help up against the Nanlite Forza 60c which, after looking at the photometrics in the specifications tab (thanks for the link,) I can gauge that the Forza 60c has, on average, equal output (from the photometrics on the Gaffer & Gear channel) of the Amaran. Which for my specific needs makes the Forza a better option size wise.

@ShaneBruce Жыл бұрын

@@JulesFredericNerestantsame

@abdelilahhamdane4647 Жыл бұрын

🫡🫡

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

💪💪💪

@VigilanteVisionz 2 ай бұрын

Speak English bro 😂😂😂😂

@michaelmiller7928 Жыл бұрын

Question was your light output with or without a reflector? What percent of brightness? From how far away?

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

I mentioned this right before sharing the metrics, but all testing is done at 100% brightness, bare bulb, and from 1 meter. Although I mentioned and labeled the additional brightness measurement I did with the reflector attached to show the difference. Aputure lists all the specs on their product pages too, and are one brand I trust those numbers, because they are always accurate, if not a bit on the conservative side.

@michaelmiller7928 Жыл бұрын

@NewLayer sorry I didn't pick up on the brightness. I don't know how I missed that. As for the rest I meant to edit the comment but youtube wasn't responding to allow me to clarify. I had no idea bare bulb meant no modifier. And meant to remove the question from how far away it was. Apologies.

@NewLayer Жыл бұрын

@@michaelmiller7928 No worries, happy to help!