I bought 2 Aputure MCs, both died and Aputure’s customer service is non existent. They don’t reply to emails or social emails. I’ll buy anything other than MCs. Great video.
Try the dash. It’s crazy. Got my hands on them on a rental and picked up the 4 light kit shortly after. You pay to play, but the build quality, CRMX, brightness, etc. is absolutely top notch.
I have had to contact them twice with issues and they responded right away. For this light it was about the poor quality USB cable. That might be your problem as well.
One thing that was interesting and REALLY sets the m20c apart from the mc pro is the beam angle. The m20c floods a really large area with a pretty equal amount of light up until the edge. The mc pro on the other hand is only at it brightest right at the center and falls off pretty quick. Also, the fall off is a kinda “gross” and introduces weird green/yellow shifts around the outer parts of the bean angle that are reallly unflattering imo. It was really interesting testing these two after publishing the video I made… much more to it than I thought
@@visual_captive understandable! The ugly fall off and color shift is definitely a flaw. The spotty nature I understand but to compare the lux at 3m and say they are basically the same is simply not an effective way to gauge here specifically because of that design. I wouldn’t say a focused beam of a 300d w/ a fresnel although is the same as a bare bulb 600d is the same, ya know? Obviously that’s not entirely accurate but you get what I mean!
One thing I found with the M20c is that, if you just want to use the diffusion and the barn doors, the magnets of barn doors do not connect to both sides of the diffusion magnets. Thus making it easier for the barn doors to fall off. Hopefully, they will sell an adapter, maybe a thin version of the grid (without the grid material) so you can have a solid connection. Other then that, I'm loving this light!
I was confused about that but you can stack the diffusor on top of the barn doors. You have to attach them the other way around. The barn doors are useless without diffusor because they cast horrible shadows without.
This is an incredibly helpful review. I'm also considering purchasing a pocket light for my photography and video projects. The zhiyun M20C offers higher brightness and a wider range of color temperature adjustments, making it more suitable for creating various lighting effects when I'm shooting videos.
super rando comment alert: i gotta say i get a warm fuzzy feeling everytime I'm down t he rabbit-hole researching gear and come across one of your reviews. YT is a minefield of shite click-bait garbage creators drinking tooo much redbull these days; it's *seriously refreshing knowing I can spend 9 min watching your content and always expect a great level of objectivity, some pro tips, and a great overall take on a certain product. being an informed consumer these days is consuming, and you're doing it right on this channel. thank you again, you're making this look easy, and we all appeciate the content - cheers to a great 2024 👏👏
Great video, well done ! Why is the Aputure MC pro so expensive though, it is only 5W. Would it be able to light up properly a subject at 5-7m distance ?
Nice review. Wasn't aware of the Zhiyun M20c. I recently bought a couple of MC Pro just for ambient lighting. Really like the build quality and sleek form factor. Prior to this had the original and like the app and grouping features.
The fact that this small pocket light can actually output up to 20W, which allows me to use it as a key light, makes the M20 a much better choice for me than the MC Pro. The fan noise is barely noticeable in most reviewers' videos at the moment.
I was impressed by the quality and performance of the M20C, which has a higher color rendering index, a longer battery life, and a more compact design than the MC pro. The M20C also has a magnetic base that allows it to attach to any metal surface, making it very convenient and versatile. The video was very informative and well-made. I think the M20C is a great choice for anyone who needs a reliable and powerful fill light for their filmmaking projects.
I'd actually go for the Aperture because having no fan is quite valuable. I also like the flicker control, weather sealing and sleeker body. I have the Zhiyun Fiveray 100c and I only very rarely take it out of the box now because I prefer using my daylight lights for general lighting and the RGB on it is so weak that it doesn't do much more than give the background a weak tint when I'm doing product shots at F5.6-F7. The RGB is a lot weaker than the bicolor light and even that is only really very powerful at an (for me) impractical 4000k so I use the very cheap (in Germany) Raleigh 80W daylight light instead that can be powered with Sony F-style batteries and has a lot longer runtime at 100% (65w with batteries, but that's still more than the Zhiyun in daylight settings). The Fiveray also has terrible kelvin accuracy. I have two and they are completely different in the lower values because one doesn't turn on the cold white LEDs until a certain threshold. They said it would be fixed via firmware update, but I have waited for a long time and honestly haven't checked since I got the Raleigh. All of that said, the Zhiyun lights have their uses, but I think a lot of the numbers are marketing. I would have done better with a something a bit more normal and boring with a higher RGB output.
The carry case seems nice for the MC Pro, but I agree these are probably not that expensive to buy separate. When compared to the M20c, Aputure would do well to ditch the case to offer their own Barn Door accessory.
Just did a quick test, it throws decently when at 100% power. Also depends on the color you choose. Red and blue are stronger colors. But you'll probably only cover a 6ft chunk of wall decently before the falloff is probably a bit too weak for continuity
Appreciate the content. But how do you not mention CRMX?!? That’s the defining feature of this light!! Total game changer, especially for the common use cases of these lights. On the aspect, I also don’t get why multiple times you mention how it could be used as a key light, or for weddings..? How? I mean, of course you ‘could’. I guess you can use it r&g as a camera top light in a pinch. But you might as well go for the cheaper options, as this use case doesn’t use it’s defining features. Also, maybe I missed it, but one of the big differences is the beam angle. Not just between these lights, but also compared to the non-pro MC which is more flood. And in my opinion this is one of the big mistakes of the MC Pro. Probably a decision made to have higher lux specs. But the total light output is the same as the non pro, but non with a tighter angle. Which also makes the led’s more visible even with the diffusion on.
The fan will get dusty over time and will require cleaning every year, just like a computer case. As dust enters, the fan will start to make more noise. It will make a low noise, the fan will get dusty, and the battery life will be shorter due to the fan motor, so my preference is always for fanless models. Maybe the fan is not a problem in the studio, but the fan is a serious problem when shooting outdoors.
@@FellowFilmmaker My favorite is always passive cooling. I asked Godox company and they said that when the SZ300R model comes out, we will produce it without fans like the UL series. If it came out without a fan, I would instantly replace the sz150r model at home. Fan noise is making a terrible low noise.
Great review . . I have the M20c, but I can't get the ZY Vega app to work for the life of me. I am hoping it's something wrong with the light because I am sending it back and getting another one. I do like the features, but it is worthless to me without the app. I had the Apurtue, too, but I couldn't justify the price. I have the Apurture MC and that works well for me. I also have the Aputure MT Pro and I really like that light. Hopefully the new M20c will work for me. Thank you for your review!
Yeah its possible you accidentally got a pre production model, I did as well and they told me the bluetooth wasn't installed in those ones. I managed to get a retail version and it worked fine. It's got version number higher than 160 I believe in order for the bluetooth to work.
Thank you so much for your response. I am returning mine to Amazon and I ordered a new one. And right now on Amazon they are $119 with a coupon for $20 off of that price! That means I am probably getting an old one . . .lol. If I do I will return and order again.@@FellowFilmmaker
HI! Thanks for your instructive video! I'm trying a question a bit off topic here. Everytime I see a review vid about led lights I always ask myself what power of such light it would take to light a background behind a model if the keylight is a 400 watts strobe ? I wonder if it would be at all possible. The benefit would be huge to be able to create gradients and all these and seing them live. The actual light would also be its own modeling light! So would a small led light like that be visible at all on the background when key is 400watts or would it take a 400watts led monolight ? Thanks a lot ! 😃
Good question! Are you using this in a video setting or photo? Also, would the key be at full power? If so, then you'd need an equally strong background light. If not, then you might get away with it if the key was at lower settings.
I'm talking about a photography portrait photoshoot with a model setting 😃 About the power used, I'd like to know what power of led light would work with a key up to full 400watts... Wouldn't it be fun to see the background exactly as it will be on the photo ? Having a flash as a background light, you have to guess how to place it, it's a bit of trial and error process...😃 I'm guessing like you: I'll probably need something like a 200watts mono led light or more... It would still be a dream to be able to use small size ones like you show here... they look amazing to work with. Thanks again!
My Zhyiun Fiveray 100C can't compete with my Godox 150w light in RGB mode even when the Godox is at half output. That said, the RGB on the Fiveray is particularly weak.I think you'd need a very beefy RGB light for your use case. Isn't there a Amaran 400C or something like that?
So Zhiyun did it again :) a lot of power and weak output... I had the M40 and I sold it after I found that it was all marketing and it is not made from somebody who uses lights. This new one looks better, but the output is almost the same to the 5W Aputure... Why, I can tell you :D the LED diodes on the MC Pro are equipped with a lens in front of them so they are more focused and the output is much more efficient. The M20 - fancy design, but in the end it lasts much less because it is much less efficient. The only plus for the Zhiyun is the barn door option and the square shape is maybe more useful.
Same story I got the 100c the controls were atrocious and the light stopped working after 5 months and shipping it back to them is the same price as buying a new one. To be fair the output on 100c was crazy but the light still was very bad . I replaced it with a nanlite fixture and I love it.
Zhiyun's M20C, with its exceptional stability and portability, stands out as a game-changer for filmmakers. Its compact size belies its powerful capabilities, providing filmmakers the freedom to capture stunningly stable footage in various settings. The user-friendly operation and versatile shooting modes make it accessible to both novices and experienced users, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable filming experience. The M20C's compatibility across different camera devices, coupled with its wind resistance and precision focus tracking system, demonstrates a thoughtful design catering to the diverse needs of videographers.
![I tested these POWERFUL Pocket RGB Filmmaking Lights [Zhiyun Molus x60, Fiveray M20C Tutorial]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3q4fOEx_VTQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I bought 2 Aputure MCs, both died and Aputure’s customer service is non existent. They don’t reply to emails or social emails. I’ll buy anything other than MCs. Great video.
Dang sorry to hear that
Try the dash. It’s crazy. Got my hands on them on a rental and picked up the 4 light kit shortly after. You pay to play, but the build quality, CRMX, brightness, etc. is absolutely top notch.
I have had to contact them twice with issues and they responded right away. For this light it was about the poor quality USB cable. That might be your problem as well.
One thing that was interesting and REALLY sets the m20c apart from the mc pro is the beam angle. The m20c floods a really large area with a pretty equal amount of light up until the edge. The mc pro on the other hand is only at it brightest right at the center and falls off pretty quick. Also, the fall off is a kinda “gross” and introduces weird green/yellow shifts around the outer parts of the bean angle that are reallly unflattering imo.
It was really interesting testing these two after publishing the video I made… much more to it than I thought
thanks for sharing that :D good to know
It is important point for me, thank you Anthony
MC Pros were redesigned to be spotty like this. It’s a design feature for some, not a flaw.
@@visual_captive understandable!
The ugly fall off and color shift is definitely a flaw. The spotty nature I understand but to compare the lux at 3m and say they are basically the same is simply not an effective way to gauge here specifically because of that design.
I wouldn’t say a focused beam of a 300d w/ a fresnel although is the same as a bare bulb 600d is the same, ya know? Obviously that’s not entirely accurate but you get what I mean!
One thing I found with the M20c is that, if you just want to use the diffusion and the barn doors, the magnets of barn doors do not connect to both sides of the diffusion magnets. Thus making it easier for the barn doors to fall off. Hopefully, they will sell an adapter, maybe a thin version of the grid (without the grid material) so you can have a solid connection. Other then that, I'm loving this light!
I was confused about that but you can stack the diffusor on top of the barn doors. You have to attach them the other way around. The barn doors are useless without diffusor because they cast horrible shadows without.
Amazing comparison, and all in just 8 min! Great work there, and I love how your channel has grown.
This is an incredibly helpful review. I'm also considering purchasing a pocket light for my photography and video projects. The zhiyun M20C offers higher brightness and a wider range of color temperature adjustments, making it more suitable for creating various lighting effects when I'm shooting videos.
Glad the comparison could help :D
Detailed. Thx. I have the ZHIYUN Molus X100. Now I'm going to have a M20C😊😊😊
nice!
super rando comment alert: i gotta say i get a warm fuzzy feeling everytime I'm down t he rabbit-hole researching gear and come across one of your reviews. YT is a minefield of shite click-bait garbage creators drinking tooo much redbull these days; it's *seriously refreshing knowing I can spend 9 min watching your content and always expect a great level of objectivity, some pro tips, and a great overall take on a certain product. being an informed consumer these days is consuming, and you're doing it right on this channel. thank you again, you're making this look easy, and we all appeciate the content - cheers to a great 2024 👏👏
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. Such a thoughtful and kind one to read.
Thank you :D
Great video, well done ! Why is the Aputure MC pro so expensive though, it is only 5W. Would it be able to light up properly a subject at 5-7m distance ?
What's YOUR light set up? Your talking head shots look amazing. 🤜🤛
I have yet to use my spectrometer on my light, but the MC Pros have a visible flicker in RGB mode. Also you can only run them at 80% with USB power.
Thanks for sharing the comparison between those 2. Still with aputure but nice to see what Zhhiyun has to offer
Nice review. Wasn't aware of the Zhiyun M20c. I recently bought a couple of MC Pro just for ambient lighting. Really like the build quality and sleek form factor. Prior to this had the original and like the app and grouping features.
Yeah, it's a neat light! I did a review on it recently if you didn't check it out already
The fact that this small pocket light can actually output up to 20W, which allows me to use it as a key light, makes the M20 a much better choice for me than the MC Pro. The fan noise is barely noticeable in most reviewers' videos at the moment.
True, it is quite versatile :D
I was impressed by the quality and performance of the M20C, which has a higher color rendering index, a longer battery life, and a more compact design than the MC pro. The M20C also has a magnetic base that allows it to attach to any metal surface, making it very convenient and versatile. The video was very informative and well-made. I think the M20C is a great choice for anyone who needs a reliable and powerful fill light for their filmmaking projects.
thanks for sharing! :D
Thank you! The unique appearance of the M20C attracted me and I'm going to try it
From what I can tell, and based on past experience, there is zero meaningful warranty support for Zhiyun products. Is Aputure better in this regard?
I'd actually go for the Aperture because having no fan is quite valuable. I also like the flicker control, weather sealing and sleeker body.
I have the Zhiyun Fiveray 100c and I only very rarely take it out of the box now because I prefer using my daylight lights for general lighting and the RGB on it is so weak that it doesn't do much more than give the background a weak tint when I'm doing product shots at F5.6-F7. The RGB is a lot weaker than the bicolor light and even that is only really very powerful at an (for me) impractical 4000k so I use the very cheap (in Germany) Raleigh 80W daylight light instead that can be powered with Sony F-style batteries and has a lot longer runtime at 100% (65w with batteries, but that's still more than the Zhiyun in daylight settings). The Fiveray also has terrible kelvin accuracy. I have two and they are completely different in the lower values because one doesn't turn on the cold white LEDs until a certain threshold. They said it would be fixed via firmware update, but I have waited for a long time and honestly haven't checked since I got the Raleigh.
All of that said, the Zhiyun lights have their uses, but I think a lot of the numbers are marketing. I would have done better with a something a bit more normal and boring with a higher RGB output.
Thanks for sharing :)
can you compare it with the ulanzi vl49 pleasee just for fun
yay nice to see you back and making more videos!
Yes! Thank you!
The carry case seems nice for the MC Pro, but I agree these are probably not that expensive to buy separate. When compared to the M20c, Aputure would do well to ditch the case to offer their own Barn Door accessory.
How is the throw of the M20c? I was disappointed with the MC Pro compared to my TorchLED Bolt lights.
Fantastic writing and presentation - very informative! Thanks for putting this together!
What are your thoughts about using this as colored background light? I assume it has short throw
Just did a quick test, it throws decently when at 100% power. Also depends on the color you choose. Red and blue are stronger colors. But you'll probably only cover a 6ft chunk of wall decently before the falloff is probably a bit too weak for continuity
@@FellowFilmmaker nice thank you
Would you recommend the mc20 or the cinepeer x100
Great comparison, it certainly helped me decide. Nice hair too!
Glad I could help! and thanks
Could I use these lights together on a shoot? or do they have a different hue?
Appreciate the content. But how do you not mention CRMX?!? That’s the defining feature of this light!! Total game changer, especially for the common use cases of these lights. On the aspect, I also don’t get why multiple times you mention how it could be used as a key light, or for weddings..? How? I mean, of course you ‘could’. I guess you can use it r&g as a camera top light in a pinch. But you might as well go for the cheaper options, as this use case doesn’t use it’s defining features.
Also, maybe I missed it, but one of the big differences is the beam angle. Not just between these lights, but also compared to the non-pro MC which is more flood. And in my opinion this is one of the big mistakes of the MC Pro. Probably a decision made to have higher lux specs. But the total light output is the same as the non pro, but non with a tighter angle. Which also makes the led’s more visible even with the diffusion on.
Thanks for this review. the 1% brightness measurement chart is really helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
The fan will get dusty over time and will require cleaning every year, just like a computer case. As dust enters, the fan will start to make more noise. It will make a low noise, the fan will get dusty, and the battery life will be shorter due to the fan motor, so my preference is always for fanless models. Maybe the fan is not a problem in the studio, but the fan is a serious problem when shooting outdoors.
Yeah it's more of an indoors light. But all light units work this way, even the bigger COB lights. Heat has to escape somewhere
@@FellowFilmmaker My favorite is always passive cooling. I asked Godox company and they said that when the SZ300R model comes out, we will produce it without fans like the UL series. If it came out without a fan, I would instantly replace the sz150r model at home. Fan noise is making a terrible low noise.
How is the weight comparsion?
Can you review the Sutefoto P100bi, please? You make some of the best light reviews on TH-cam 🤗
Useful and succinct. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! And beautifully shot. Thanks!
Hi have you tried the Godox RGB m1? would you know if that's also hot swappable?
i dunno why but the thing falling out of the cage at 1:48 made me lol
:) I'm glad
Great review as always! Thanks, Heather!
Thanks for watching!
That was a good review, very helpful !
Love your content
Thanks a ton!
Great review . . I have the M20c, but I can't get the ZY Vega app to work for the life of me. I am hoping it's something wrong with the light because I am sending it back and getting another one. I do like the features, but it is worthless to me without the app. I had the Apurtue, too, but I couldn't justify the price. I have the Apurture MC and that works well for me. I also have the Aputure MT Pro and I really like that light. Hopefully the new M20c will work for me. Thank you for your review!
Yeah its possible you accidentally got a pre production model, I did as well and they told me the bluetooth wasn't installed in those ones. I managed to get a retail version and it worked fine. It's got version number higher than 160 I believe in order for the bluetooth to work.
Thank you so much for your response. I am returning mine to Amazon and I ordered a new one. And right now on Amazon they are $119 with a coupon for $20 off of that price! That means I am probably getting an old one . . .lol. If I do I will return and order again.@@FellowFilmmaker
Belo vídeo! Estou procurando uma luz melhor para meu vídeo. Agora vou considerar a M20C, porque gosto de seu exterior especial e do RGB.
Heyyy love the new hair!
thanks! I'm loving it too
First. And a cool comparison of two good lights.
nice job, you're quick
I finally beat Jason.
@@mfluder15 and me!
Haha, it's true! Ya'll gotta have a leader board
@@FellowFilmmaker 😂😂
Thanks for the wonderful review. Todd Dominy found the app for the m20c crashed a ton, did you notice that?
I hadnt noticed that no
HI! Thanks for your instructive video!
I'm trying a question a bit off topic here.
Everytime I see a review vid about led lights I always ask myself what power of such light it would take to light a background behind a model
if the keylight is a 400 watts strobe ?
I wonder if it would be at all possible.
The benefit would be huge to be able to create gradients and all these and seing them live. The actual light would also be its own modeling light!
So would a small led light like that be visible at all on the background when key is 400watts or would it take a 400watts led monolight ?
Thanks a lot ! 😃
Good question! Are you using this in a video setting or photo?
Also, would the key be at full power? If so, then you'd need an equally strong background light. If not, then you might get away with it if the key was at lower settings.
I'm talking about a photography portrait photoshoot with a model setting 😃
About the power used, I'd like to know what power of led light would work with a key up to full 400watts...
Wouldn't it be fun to see the background exactly as it will be on the photo ?
Having a flash as a background light, you have to guess how to place it, it's a bit of trial and error process...😃
I'm guessing like you: I'll probably need something like a 200watts mono led light or more...
It would still be a dream to be able to use small size ones like you show here... they look amazing to work with.
Thanks again!
My Zhyiun Fiveray 100C can't compete with my Godox 150w light in RGB mode even when the Godox is at half output. That said, the RGB on the Fiveray is particularly weak.I think you'd need a very beefy RGB light for your use case. Isn't there a Amaran 400C or something like that?
Thanks @@MiroSays 😃
B&H have an Amaran 300c rgb light. The light output is far higher than then your Zhyiun.
it gives me an idea of what to expect.
Just the video I wanted to see 👌 💡💡
awesome, love to hear that
Do you remember your camera settings for the comparison at 4:45?
Sure, both were around 400 ISO with about a 2.8f at 24fps and 50ss
@@FellowFilmmaker thanks. What is 50ss?
@@jamesburton1050 1/50 shutter speed
@@realMysta ah! Ok. Makes sense now
Haha yeah, thanks for replying for me
Shutter Speed
That m20 looks so sick
:D
thanks so much, very clear and useful review.
Glad it was helpful!
So Zhiyun did it again :) a lot of power and weak output... I had the M40 and I sold it after I found that it was all marketing and it is not made from somebody who uses lights. This new one looks better, but the output is almost the same to the 5W Aputure... Why, I can tell you :D the LED diodes on the MC Pro are equipped with a lens in front of them so they are more focused and the output is much more efficient. The M20 - fancy design, but in the end it lasts much less because it is much less efficient. The only plus for the Zhiyun is the barn door option and the square shape is maybe more useful.
Same story I got the 100c the controls were atrocious and the light stopped working after 5 months and shipping it back to them is the same price as buying a new one.
To be fair the output on 100c was crazy but the light still was very bad .
I replaced it with a nanlite fixture and I love it.
Thanks, was helpful...✌
Great review!
Thanks!
I think the Zhiyun is a great deal.
:D
I think the color Is more accurate on tge aputure
Awesome & Thanks :)
Welcome 😊
The mc pro gives very weak light. Really disappointed with it. Prefer 25 dollar Ullanzis. Buy 4 and light em up on usb C!
Looks like the 10% output of the M20c is much brighter than the 66% output of the MC Pro. What a powerful cube!😲
it sure is!
7:03 🤣🤣ooops
haha yeahhh
This vid meritts some bloopers
🤩👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
:D
Not first
sadnesssss
Zhiyun's M20C, with its exceptional stability and portability, stands out as a game-changer for filmmakers. Its compact size belies its powerful capabilities, providing filmmakers the freedom to capture stunningly stable footage in various settings. The user-friendly operation and versatile shooting modes make it accessible to both novices and experienced users, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable filming experience. The M20C's compatibility across different camera devices, coupled with its wind resistance and precision focus tracking system, demonstrates a thoughtful design catering to the diverse needs of videographers.
Mc pro has wireless dmx
1:49 byebye accesorie xd
haha yep
I like his hair!
Crmx
I just don't think the built in CRMX for the MC Pro can be stated enough, that is such a huge advantage over other lights.
I've not used it yet, so can't comment on it
mc pro all the way! you dont need powerful light if you have base iso cam. all you need is control. and mc all have it.
WTF XD