I just got my F22C yesterday and love it so far. It’s everything you outlined and, yes, the fan. But I knew that before my purchase. The long cord allows you to move it always and I can edit it out in post, if needed. The positives definitely outweigh this one negative.
Thanks for the video! For talking heads this light is soft and compact making it essential for a quick and easy workflow. The fan is a non issue especially these days, as you said regarding in-post options, but also onset it’s easy to put the box away from mics and put it behind the carry case etc for added blocking. The loudest noise will be from the talents digestive system churning around waiting for lunch.
I read on Reddit about someone who replaced the internal fan on their F22 and was thrilled with the results, so I decided to try it myself. I ordered the same fan model, a Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX, known for being one of the quietest fans on the market. A friend of mine, who’s a professional electrician, kindly helped with the installation. Unfortunately, despite all our efforts, we didn’t achieve the silence I’d hoped for. The Noctua fan does sound a bit different-its noise has a higher pitch compared to the original fan-but it's not actually quieter overall. We even considered some water cooling solutions, but the F22’s compact design leaves no space for those. Sadly, it seems there’s no practical way to eliminate the fan noise entirely.
Thanks so much for sharing. I love your story. So sorry I didn’t work. Someone mentioned to me in the comments that I should have bought two F21s which don’t have a fan and put them next to each other. That actually sounded like a good idea to me. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing.
Go for the F21c instead. There’s no fan. I originally purchased the F22c and the ambient noise from the fan drove me crazy so I switched to thee F21c. It is still powerful and an amazing light with zero noise.
Good eye. I did put on both diffusers. I tend to put on a lot of diffusion to avoid hotspots. I probably didn’t need to, but it’s more of a habit. Thanks for the kind words.
Thanks. They seem to be identical to me. And they’re always on as far as I can tell. I don’t think they kick on or off or get louder or softer. Which is great when you’re trying to take out the noise.
Had an F22c and the fan was a deal breaker. Wish you could turn it down/off, and in exchange I’d happily accept a far lower output limit. Like you I’m in a small studio. The fan was the only one in there, and I have a ton of gear. Even if I could remove it in post, it drove me nuts. Sent it back.
@ what I’m stunned by is that this amazing light has been out for a couple of years now, right? You’d think they’d have a newer model, a control box upgrade, an Aputure version of it, something. I so badly want one. But my studio is silent. Deeply sound deadened. Not a single thing with a fan. Several other Amaran lights with silent mode fans. This one fan drove me nuts. I tried putting it behind baffles, under a desk, even in a barely open box. Still heard it. Sad.
The fan is not bad on most sets. However, in my room, I have a lot of sound deadening material that makes the room very quiet. The result is that even though I put it across the room behind a curtain, I can still hear it every time I turn it on. The good news is that it doesn’t seem to show up in the recording. So I’m over it.
This might sound stupid at first, but could you replace the fans? Or maybe just place some other fans right next to the controller to help prevent the fan go full speed. In the PC world adding fans is a normal practice to aid on heat dissipation and there are some very efficient and quiet ones... say Noctua, add a couple if those attached to a power bank and see if that helps.
Maybe someone more mechanical than me could replace the fan, but I don’t see that happening. I did hear that the F 21C which is half the size (1x2) doesn’t have a fan. What I probably should’ve done was bought two of those and my problem would have been solved. I’m seriously considering trying that.
@storybabble I think that the lighting industry still needs some feedback as to noise from fans... if they could only place a large fan at low rpms it will be silent. Instead, they try cramming a smaller fan at high rpms.
I read on Reddit about someone who replaced the internal fan on their F22 and was thrilled with the results, so I decided to try it myself. I ordered the same fan model, a Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX, known for being one of the quietest fans on the market. A friend of mine, who’s a professional electrician, kindly helped with the installation. Unfortunately, despite all our efforts, we didn’t achieve the silence I’d hoped for. The Noctua fan does sound a bit different-its noise has a higher pitch compared to the original fan-but it's not actually quieter overall. We even considered some water cooling solutions, but the F22’s compact design leaves no space for those. Sadly, it seems there’s no practical way to eliminate the fan noise entirely.
For me, 95% of the time, I stay on the bi-color side. It is really hard to pay so much more for color when I don't use it. That's why I bought the bi-color light first. Aputure/amaran sent me the RGB mat for free to review. I love it, but for what I do, the bi-color is fantastic. Thanks for asking.
I wondered that too? The F 21C has a ballast with no fan. I probably should’ve gotten two of those and put them next to each other. Live and learn. Thanks for your comments.
I just got my F22C yesterday and love it so far. It’s everything you outlined and, yes, the fan. But I knew that before my purchase. The long cord allows you to move it always and I can edit it out in post, if needed. The positives definitely outweigh this one negative.
Well said. It’s nice to hear from someone else to feel the same way.
Thanks for the video!
For talking heads this light is soft and compact making it essential for a quick and easy workflow. The fan is a non issue especially these days, as you said regarding in-post options, but also onset it’s easy to put the box away from mics and put it behind the carry case etc for added blocking. The loudest noise will be from the talents digestive system churning around waiting for lunch.
Well put. Thanks for watching.
very cool review dude and love the structure - wanna get these
Thanks so much. This is a great light.
I read on Reddit about someone who replaced the internal fan on their F22 and was thrilled with the results, so I decided to try it myself. I ordered the same fan model, a Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX, known for being one of the quietest fans on the market. A friend of mine, who’s a professional electrician, kindly helped with the installation. Unfortunately, despite all our efforts, we didn’t achieve the silence I’d hoped for.
The Noctua fan does sound a bit different-its noise has a higher pitch compared to the original fan-but it's not actually quieter overall. We even considered some water cooling solutions, but the F22’s compact design leaves no space for those. Sadly, it seems there’s no practical way to eliminate the fan noise entirely.
Thanks so much for sharing. I love your story. So sorry I didn’t work. Someone mentioned to me in the comments that I should have bought two F21s which don’t have a fan and put them next to each other. That actually sounded like a good idea to me. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing.
Great video, you're a natural speaker.
I appreciate that! But you should see all of my horrible outs. It takes a lot of editing to make me seem natural. Thanks for the encouragement.
Great video. I love this light but the fan noise drives me crazy
I “hear” you. (See what I did there?) thanks for your kind words.
@@storybabble 🤣
Great review
Thanks Peter. Glad you liked it.
I’ve been thinking about these for a while now but my wife would kill me. They look great though. Thanks for the brief review!
You’re welcome (and I completely understand that relationships come first).
Go for the F21c instead. There’s no fan. I originally purchased the F22c and the ambient noise from the fan drove me crazy so I switched to thee F21c. It is still powerful and an amazing light with zero noise.
@@marklholloway thank you!
1:37 are you using both diffs at once? Usually half and full stop grid cloth to choose a heavier or lighter diffusion. Great video!
Good eye. I did put on both diffusers. I tend to put on a lot of diffusion to avoid hotspots. I probably didn’t need to, but it’s more of a habit. Thanks for the kind words.
Great video. And concise: Thanks for that! So is the F22c fan louder, overall, than the F22x fan? Does one or the other kick in sooner?
Thanks. They seem to be identical to me. And they’re always on as far as I can tell. I don’t think they kick on or off or get louder or softer. Which is great when you’re trying to take out the noise.
Had an F22c and the fan was a deal breaker.
Wish you could turn it down/off, and in exchange I’d happily accept a far lower output limit.
Like you I’m in a small studio. The fan was the only one in there, and I have a ton of gear. Even if I could remove it in post, it drove me nuts.
Sent it back.
Yeah, the fan is definitely annoying. I hear you.
@ what I’m stunned by is that this amazing light has been out for a couple of years now, right? You’d think they’d have a newer model, a control box upgrade, an Aputure version of it, something. I so badly want one.
But my studio is silent. Deeply sound deadened. Not a single thing with a fan. Several other Amaran lights with silent mode fans. This one fan drove me nuts. I tried putting it behind baffles, under a desk, even in a barely open box. Still heard it. Sad.
This light looks fantastic. Would you recommend this as a light for food/restiarant/kitchen space filming?
I’m sure it would work great in a restaurant or kitchen space. The best part about a mat light is how little space it takes to get a great soft light.
The fam really isn’t that bad when used on set. And the cable is so long to begin with but you also have the extender to really push it out
The fan is not bad on most sets. However, in my room, I have a lot of sound deadening material that makes the room very quiet. The result is that even though I put it across the room behind a curtain, I can still hear it every time I turn it on. The good news is that it doesn’t seem to show up in the recording. So I’m over it.
Be great if there was a sturdy case you could put it in fully assembled, since it's relatively thin and lightweight.
I would like that. Good idea.
This might sound stupid at first, but could you replace the fans?
Or maybe just place some other fans right next to the controller to help prevent the fan go full speed.
In the PC world adding fans is a normal practice to aid on heat dissipation and there are some very efficient and quiet ones... say Noctua, add a couple if those attached to a power bank and see if that helps.
Maybe someone more mechanical than me could replace the fan, but I don’t see that happening. I did hear that the F 21C which is half the size (1x2) doesn’t have a fan. What I probably should’ve done was bought two of those and my problem would have been solved. I’m seriously considering trying that.
@storybabble I think that the lighting industry still needs some feedback as to noise from fans... if they could only place a large fan at low rpms it will be silent. Instead, they try cramming a smaller fan at high rpms.
@@GTGeorgeW I hear you man.
I read on Reddit about someone who replaced the internal fan on their F22 and was thrilled with the results, so I decided to try it myself. I ordered the same fan model, a Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX, known for being one of the quietest fans on the market. A friend of mine, who’s a professional electrician, kindly helped with the installation. Unfortunately, despite all our efforts, we didn’t achieve the silence I’d hoped for.
The Noctua fan does sound a bit different-its noise has a higher pitch compared to the original fan-but it's not actually quieter overall. We even considered some water cooling solutions, but the F22’s compact design leaves no space for those. Sadly, it seems there’s no practical way to eliminate the fan noise entirely.
Do you feel you need the rbg or are you typically in the bi color rangel?
For me, 95% of the time, I stay on the bi-color side. It is really hard to pay so much more for color when I don't use it. That's why I bought the bi-color light first. Aputure/amaran sent me the RGB mat for free to review. I love it, but for what I do, the bi-color is fantastic. Thanks for asking.
great
Thanks Stefan. Appreciate the love.
Why does an rgb panel light need a ballast that huge (and noisy)?? Lol!!
I wondered that too? The F 21C has a ballast with no fan. I probably should’ve gotten two of those and put them next to each other. Live and learn. Thanks for your comments.
I was hoping to see how many dollars you’d pay for a better fan. 🥺
Good point. I would seriously pay at least another $100.
this guy doesnt have enough lights. lol
lol. I do have more lights than I need but I still want more. I think it might be a disease.