You couldn't have published this video at a more perfect time, Curtis! I've been saving up for the ever so popular 300D MkII and was about to pull the trigger, but with this model available, I'd HAPPILY trade the output difference you measured for the storytelling power of the color temp tuning! Thanks for such an insightful and helpful video!
Whew! So glad it dropped before you bought. I agree, if I could only choose one, it'd be the 300x for me. But I love having both for different situations.
Thank you for taking time to put this together. I've been waiting for a multi-color option for the 300 series and am so glad I waited. You're always my go-to source for these things so thank you, again!
@@curtisjudd Yeah her reaction to you opening up the 300X as an outdoor fill was hilarious. That's the thing -- When I started my career I was mostly working with on screen talent and we could shoot a blistering amount of light at, like hard side shiny boards. These days I'm mostly working with folks who aren't professionals in front of camera, and the reality there is you can't really hit them with that much light.
Curtis, I don't know why you haven't gain so much recognition your reviews are too simple and great, so much effort is put into it and I just wanna tell you keep going and never give up on it, oneday you'll reach millions more Thanks for the amazing review as always.
Sadly most people seem to prefer youtubers who talk more abou themselves than the product, have half the videos worth of intros, fill everything with overedited B-roll and “without further ado, lets get riiiight into it“... Im here for the product, facts and Curtis competence :)
I bought the 300D II after watching your review on the 300X and some advise from Aputure. I still want to have a unit or Two of the 300x in the near future. Thanks for alway providing us with fantastic reference through your reviews Curtis!
Tyvm for your vids. They have been very helpful to me for finding and setting my my video and audio needs for my live stream setup. Tbh, you deserve far more views than your getting (must be that youtube algorithm) keep up the great work and I will gladly send ppl your way.
I am noticing a convergence of lighting technology. The gardening side has some great inexpensive "grow lights" that would work for video. . . and. . . I bet this Aputure LS 200X would do wonders for my tomato seedlings.
Nice seeing your man cave. I’m definitely gonna look in getting these for my filmmaking class because they’re more mobile than my Dracast lights. Those stay in the studio/classroom.
Awesome review. Could you do a review of Godox's new VL series video lights? They are listed for around $300 cheaper than Aputure counterparts and I've heard they're Aputure 300d ii killers but yet to see more in-depth reviews about it.
Hi Curtis, Just thought I would see if you are working on an Amaran Flex Mat review. I am interested in the F22c; it can go from 0 to Soft in 4". What I mean, is that the softbox is only 4" deep and gives nice soft light. I have an Aputure Light Dome II for my 300x, which makes nice soft light, but is about 4-1/2' long with the light attached. Another thing that the f22c Heros at is the weight; making it perfect for a Boom Arm or Menace Arm. Also, because it is light weight someone could "Hollywood It", (I think that is the right term), means to hand hold the light for the duration of the shot. The fact that it is a flex mat doesn't interest me at all. I wouldn't worry about other TH-camrs making gear reviews; TH-camrs have followers because we want to hear their thoughts and ideas about something. Like me, I love watching your Aputure and Amaran reviews because I want to hear your take on it. Talk to you later, Mathew
@@curtisjudd - most welcome - And might i add, the "lighting design" using both the 120 and 300X lights was impressive. Thanks for posting the details of the design
Great video as always. What are your thoughts on a couple other lights like this, considering Aputure is saying world’s first. Intellytech makes the Light Cannon X-100, which is bi-color focusing fresnel with a Bowen’s mount as well. Granted, it’s not quite available but should be in a week. Also, the budget brand GVM makes the LS-150RGB, which is a bi-color AND full RGB focusing fresnel with a Bowen’s mount, this one has been available at least a month or two. Obviously they are three different budget ranges and feature sets. All are pretty interesting.
@@curtisjudd That much is true. As bad as 2020 is for life in general, there is a lot of cool camera gear being released or in the works. Just in time for me to sit home alone and play with it all, LOL.
Love these videos! They're fantastic! I do have a quick question. I plan to buy either the 300x of 300d ll for feature documentary interviews. My question is, do you believe the 300x is powerful enough in its daylight setting to provide enough of a key through the Aputure Light Dome ll for indoor interviews with windows in the back that don't blowout during daylight hours? I would prefer to buy the 300x but I'm a bit worried about whether its powerful enough for those situations. It's the only reason I might lean towards the 300d ll.
@@curtisjudd Hi Curtis - I'm so glad @TillThenPlease asked this question because its the one thing that's also stopping me from going for the 300x. I was about to buy the 300d mk2 TODAY and then discovered this bicolour option. But I worry it won't have the power at 5500K as a good key light for interviews. By 'wide shots' I'm guessing you mean the light will be in shot ... I was just wondering how wide are we talking here? Or maybe a better way of putting it - how close does the 300x need to be to the subject? (If I'm using a Light Dome 2)?
@@CockerationTime 300x is plenty of light for most interview situations. It is really hard to say without a full lighting diagram with distances, existing light info, etc. but the best answer I can give without all of that is that it is enough light for a single person interview in almost every situation.
@@curtisjudd Fantastic! Thanks so much for getting back Curtis, that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. Time for me to pull the trigger on it. Cheers
V-mount is more ubiquitous but Gold Mount is a much better physical connection than V-mount with its whimpy little release buttons and often less secure mechanism. I use both even though I'd rather just use Gold Mount but that's because a lot of gear only comes with v-mount option.
This is amazingly weird. My local supplier just emailed me to see if I was interested in the 300x rather than the 300D as that's what they have in stock. I'd actually not realized there was a new variable color temp version. So I Googled it for a review and up pops this...premiered 17 minutes ago! Yikes! Curtis, a quick slightly OT question. My supplier only has the gold mount battery version. I'm not invested in either tech yet. But am I right in thinking the price differential has flattened between these form factors? I see alternate versions from Watson and Core on B&H at an identical cost. Should I just go with the gold mount? Thank you!
kipling1957 here’s a perspective from my side, the Gold Mount is a more secure mount design, however they cannot be made as small and compact as v-mount to anything smaller then the Shape Minis just due to overall footprint of the mount design. However you will also find that your area might have standardized on one type of mount, for example most small rental houses in Montreal, Canada only have Gold Mount, but your area may be different. So if you are considering using them for cameras as well or looking to be able to rent when you need more, take both those into consideration when making your decision.
@@TheTechnoPilot Hi from Vancouver - and thanks for your input. I mostly do small projects independently, so not anticipating needing to rent. I have realised since I made this post the 300x my distributor has is V-mount, they only have the 300D in gold mount--so V mount it is. Until today I was planning on getting the 300d but the colour control has swayed me. Everything is in short supply so this is pretty serendipitous..
I agree with @kipling1957 what the gold mount design is far more secure. I am glad that I made the decision several years ago to invest in gold mount. But now I have had to keep some v-mounts on hand since some things only come in v-mount. But when I have a choice, gold mount it is. The connection is far more secure. I really like the Bebop gold mount mini batteries.
Great review as usual. I know it’s not the purpose of this review but for a general pair of lights to use for vlogging (stationary in an office), food photography and general use video and photography, I’m looking for something flexible like this but also light weight and relatively small footprint. Would you recommend this or a panel with a softer diffuser (or something else). Thanks again
Hi djordan2001, Depends on the area you're trying to light. If the area is large, small panels will have a tough time filling the space. The good thing about panels is that the light is, by nature of the form factor, already fairly soft. But to really soften them up, you generally need a larger scrim. The small soft boxes which fit on panels don't generally add a ton of softness. Of course it depends on how large the soft-box is - the larger the front diffusion panel, the softer, but also the more light output it will generally cut. So it is all a tradeoff. I guess the first question: How big is the space you're looking to light?
Thanks for your video. Nice like always. I own a 300d mk2 and a 120d m2, I find that the name 300x is misleading regarding to their product line. The 300x outputs ways less light than the 300D, it look more like the 120D output. I understand that they are refering to the power it "uses" to produce the light output but anyway this is missleading IMO. I'm not saying its a bad light ;) and I may equip with it soon ;)
Hi are you planning to review the new Godox VL line, specifically the VL 300. People are saying it could be comparable to the Aputure 300d ii for almost half the price with no build and power compromises.
Awesome video: Question: Could I use 2 of this light in a studio with a Aputure Light dome II softbox as fill lights in front of subject? I will also have a big softbox over top of them. Or should I go with 2 600x instead.
What about green magenta spiking throughout the color sweep? Do we still need to correct to match real tungsten and daylight? Love to see a 50/50 by a window and by a tungsten to see.
Hi Curtis, love your channel! I have a 300x, 60x and p60c. I was considering getting another 300x and 60x to complete my setup, but also considering a 300d instead. I mostly make product commercials and sometimes interviews. I’ve been liking the 60x for weddings and a backlight or fill for the product stuff. Any reasons for adding a more powerful 300d to this setup over a 300x or better to stick with all bi-color? Thanks!
@@curtisjudd my main concern is mixing the x-series lights with the d series lights (with or without gels). I contacted Aputure sales directly and the rep told me not to use X and D series together because it would cause color deviation. They did not explain much and I’m guessing they meant not to use x and d series together as key and fill? Here is what they wrote me, “it is not recommended to buy one 300d II and one 300x, there will be deviations after the light color is mixed. Please try to use light of the same color temperature, because sometimes mixed use will appear green light. It is feasible to use the light position in the video, and there will be no color deviation if the lights do not overlap.” So using the Ds as key and fill, X as backlights/rim/hair should be fine gels or no gels, right? Aputure does use both X and Ds together in their lighting demos so I’m a bit confused what they were talking about. Do you have any videos on mixing bi-color lights with daylights with and without gels and color considerations or issues that could come up when mixing a light kit like this and using them together? I can’t find anything on the topic. Thanks Curtis!
@@front_row_video The lens on the front looks like a textured piece of glass of some sort. But because I plan to use this light, I'm hesitant to pull it apart. 😀
Hi Curtis, taking all the considerations between the 300dii and the 300X, which would you have? can we say that the 300X less with less light output power would be ideal to have? I'm in doubt on which to buy between the 2 Congratulations on the content.
Hi, If I could only choose one, I'd go with the 300x, but it has quite a bit less output than the 300D II. For interviews and most narrative work with lots of dialogue scenes, the 300X is enough light output. But if you're trying to shoot a lot of high key content and lots of wide shots and need to fill a big room with a lot of light, then a 300D II is probably the better choice.
Saludos Curtis. En primer lugar, quisiera felicitarte por le ayuda que nos ofreces y por la excelente información que nos aportas. Estoy pensando en comprar iluminación Aputure, que me recomiendas, el 300d MarkII (utilizando geles) o el 300X. Un abrazo.
Hola Gorca56, si necesitas mucha salida de luz, iría con el 300DII. Si no necesita tanta luz y prefiere la flexibilidad de tener luz de color de tungsteno, que a menudo se ve mejor para las fotos de la entrevista, iría con la 300x. ¡Los mejores deseos!
Considering the weight of this light, what stand and boom would you recommend for in studio use? I’d like to hang it with the Aputure Lantern Softbox above the head of talent.
Hi Curtis! I'm pretty confused when it comes to lux values.. Last week I really started trying to understand the different lux and lumens values that are mentioned with lights writing down all values mentioned here and there in order to compare.. Cause some lights mention a brightness in lumens, making it hard to compare to lux (is 1 lux equal to 1 lumen?) and also sometimes they mention an amount of lux but don't mention if it's at 1m, 0,5m or 0,3m.. as these are sometimes mentioned as well. So if I see just one lux number mentioned in a light description is this at 1 meter or at 0,5 meter or.. For example, you mention in your overview at 3:45 that the 300DII has an output of 44000 lux whereas Gerald Undone mentioned last week 10500 lux in his video at 3:20 where he compares the new godox lights to the aputure 300D.. My confusement came after trying to compare the output of the small but very bright Litra pro light with the Aputure mc light in terms of brightness.. also the lux varies depending on the reflector making it sometimes double as bright depending on the position of the led (Gerald explains it nice). So how does your 44000 compare to Gerald's 10500. Is it different distances?
Hi Jim, I'll. need to watch Geralds video, but in my case it was measured at 1 meter with the included reflector. Perhaps Gerald took the reflector off? But here are some of the factors which influence illuminance readings: 1) Distance 2) Light beam angle 3) modifiers such as reflectors, soft boxes, diffusion 3) environment where they are measured (should have no other illumination, surfaces should ideally be black) 4) light settings - turns out on the 300x to get the max output, you have to change the output mode to max brightness.
Curtis Judd You should watch Gerald’s video for sure. Quite interesting as well. So ok, your test is with the reflector. That explains the big difference. It’s always easier to compare lights when you can see them side by side as specs don’t always mention the way these were measured. But I’m starting to understand 😉 Tx for the feedback!!
I was always taught 3/4 CTO is a more accurate correction from daylight units to tungsten. That could explain why the 300d ii was overcorrected in your test?
Thank you! Do you find a need to have bi-color lights on film sets? Or will daylights do the job? I'm trying to decide between bi-color and daylight. Mainly doing business commercials.
Most of my lighting is for corporate work. I often use a bi-color light set to tungsten 3200K and at least one accent light in the background set to 5600K or cooler for effect. But if all your lighting is to look naturalistic, then daylight is a fine choice.
Curtis, I really appreciate your reviews. I'm a documentary filmmaker and primarily use lights for interviews with single subjects. I'm also a photographer. I have a few light sets, but I'm trying to decide between the newer Apurture LS 300x bi-color or the Aputure 1200 Mark II. I do a lot of filming overseas, so weight is always a consideration. However, I'm increasingly finding it necessary to buy bigger lights so I can use the Dome II and mini-Dome soft boxes. I'm down between these two Aputure lights. My instincts tell me to buy bi-color. If you were filming interviews for documentaries and wanted "the ideal" 3-light set up as a basic kit, would you buy 3 LS 300x bi-color lights or would you buy the 1200 Mark IIs? Or would you mix them? In this video you mention your hair light, but what is a light you recommend for the hair light? If you could advise me, I'd appreciate it a lot. Thank you very much!
Hi James, personally I prefer the 300x units but they are bigger and heavier and don’t work as well with barn doors for cutting hard light with clean lines. For your situation, I’d probably go with the 120D IIs.
@@curtisjudd - thank you very much for your advice! I appreciate it, and I also learn a lot from your reviews. Thank you very much for the service you do for people like me. And thank for responding!
Very good review as usual. I have a question about audio since izotope rx 7 elements is on sale. Is it a good idea to purchase for noise reduction and audio repair and any bug differences between rx elements and standard? I’m currently using audition cc 2020.
No difference in terms of quality but big difference in features: www.izotope.com/en/products/rx/features.html Scroll down to see which package includes which features.
Gold Mount is a more robust connection, but there are a lot more V-mount batteries and accessories out in the market. I have some of each and when I have a choice, I prefer Gold Mount.
Thanks a lot, Curtis!!! I watched both this and Gerald's video. What do you think about the shadows this one creates against the regular 120 or 300? On Gerald's video it looked to me that his hand's shadows wasn't very uniform...
Hi Vic, I found that if you cut the 300x very close to the lens, you'll get the multipattern issue but if you use any of the other modifiers or a flag a bit farther from the front lens, all is good - uniform cuts/shadows.
hy. i new here about light, buat i wanna invest to light for film making, i need u suggest how abotu if i buy 300x as keylight and 150c for cover and godox TL60 for backround colour ? canu suggest me about light because o don't know to much about lighting, Thank you
Hi Curtis! Greatly appreciate your work, thank you! I use Aputure’ s 120 series light for photography and video, and would like to add Bowens mount barn doors, and more importantly a snoot. What brand would you recommend that is budget priced? Cheers!
The Aputure Barn doors are quite nice, come with gel frames, a grid, and are priced at $59 USD - links in the description of the video. I don't have first-hand experience using any of the Bowens mount snoots, but B&H appears to have several in the less-than $40 range. Best wishes!
Bryce Dearden if you look at his chart in the video. The 300X lands a little brighter then twice the lux output of the 120DmkII when matching it at 5500K and just a hair less then twice the lux at 3200K.
Agreed with @TheTechnoPilot - the chart tells the story. In short, there is definitely a sacrifice in output to get the color tuning. So which light you go with really depends on what you need. If you need a ton of output, the 300D II is the better option. If color tuning or color quality is top priority, the 300x fits that bill. For most of my work, even the 120D II supplies enough light, but I'm usually lighting interviews and the like.
Hi Curtis, wonderful video, really enjoyed finding your channel. Apologies if this has already been answered: Would the streaking from the barn doors be alleviated by using the fresnel attachment and barn doors simultaneously?
the gel you used is actually stronger, its a 1.1 stop loss and drops 5500-2900 vs this one the Rosco #3411 Filter - RoscoSun 3/4 CTO is 5500-3200 and a loss of 0.8 stops
Not silly at all. Better, more accurate color quality when using it in tungsten mode. And yes, to create various effects and create color contrast which adds interest to a lighting design. When shooting something color critical like a product commercial, the client will want the colors to show as accurately as possible. That's where the tungsten comes into play.
Super helpful video! I have the 120d ii and I'm planning to order this light as well, with that aid what would you recommend for a small hair light? Intellytech pocket Cannon Mini, Apature MC, or something else?
What are your thoughts on the 300x vs the Lupo Superpanel 30 dual color? I've been eyeballing these both for a year. I know they're different form factors and have different strengths especially when you involve modifiers. I'm always trying to slim my setup for traveling jobs but still need a punch. The 300x bare bulb photometrics are underwhelming when you consider using softboxes. My setups are mostly softbox or booklight. Any preferences or insight between these two? I already own the lantern and 2x fresnel and use for other bowens lights I have. Thanks for your review! I always glean a unique perspective from your reviews.
Thanks Chris, you're right, they're rather different tools. For my corporate work when I'm just doing head-and-shoulders interviews, I do like the convenience of the Superpanel 30s. I actually prefer the soft full color version for the ultimate in flexibility. It is enough light for those interviews and I use the second for hair/rim/background to add a little interest. But when I need more flexibility for more narrative style work, I definitely prefer the Aputure single point lights. The 300x is not for every situation, but I find its output sufficient for most of what I do. If having enough power is top priority, I'd go for the 300D II. Hope that helps a little. Best wishes!
and what about batteries for the 300X (i need bi-color for architecture... ) ? from the aperture web site : Therefore, for best results, we recommend using batteries that are capable of continuously discharging 14-15 Amps, to provide adequate headroom for the power draw. so the D&O/Comer C90 A/S Supports up to a 10 Amp Continuous Draw... so not up to the task... any cheap and good recommendations ?
Hey Curtis! Love the video (and everything else on your channel). I've been slowly putting together a small studio in my office/second bedroom to film some educational content of interest to me. I'm also potentially going to be filming stuff outdoors at a soccer field (or similar) to go with this content. Right now I've got several Aputure MC lights, the Aputure F7, and the Aputure MX. I'm looking to delve into getting a bigger single point light source and softbox (probably the Light Dome mini). The 300x caught my eye (due to your review and Gerald Undone's review). I'm curious if you think it'd be overkill for my purposes vs. getting a 120d mkii? The room is about 9' x 10' in size, with floor to ceiling windows on one side.
Thanks Bradley. I consider the 300x sort of a 120DII but it can be color tuned. If you just plan to use it as a key light and just need daylight color, then the 120DII is a much less expensive way to accomplish that and plenty of output for the job. I like the 300x because of its superior color quality when using it at 3200K and the tungsten preset white balance setting on my camera. The difference is not huge if you're not shooting color critical stuff, but I have had colors that are off in educational pieces become a problem in the past with other lights - e.g., I refer to a red LED light on an audio mixer and in the video that red LED appears orange.
@@curtisjudd Thanks, Curtis! Definitely like the flexibility of the color control. The weight is potentially concerning. I’ve seen wildly different figures online. How much heavier is it than the 120d mk ii?
I just received my 300x but I am noticing a slight clicking noise from the fans. Did you notice this in your test at all? I was expecting more of an audible hum
Thanks for making this video! I film 90% of things in a 10x10ft room and I'm considering getting two 120d mark ii lights to upgrade from two older bi-color Amarans I use. But very occasionally I like to use warmer light and found this light. Would these lights just be totally overkill? Would these be better than the 120d mark iis for me?
Once you get soft boxes on them, that'll be a very tight fit and a bit more fan noise that I would want in a room that size. Unless you can find some lights without fans, I'd stick with the Amarans. Unless they aren't doing something you need them to do?
@@curtisjudd I hadn't considered the fan noise. The issue is I always find myself turning them (Amaran Tri-8c) to 100%. My walls are painted black so even with two of those, if I don't also turn on the ceiling fan light it won't be bright enough.
Hi Curtis! I recently tried to film small promo footage. Nothing critical, 0 budget. In terms of vdeo simple setup Sony RX10 IV, no lights, big window from one side (indirect sunlight), pendant light (5 LED bulbs 9W neutral white) from opposite side. And I encounter a problem. As there was changing overcast the light outside was changing . Not only in terms of brightness (AUTOISO handled that) but also in terms of color temperature (I don't like AUTO WB, but maybe I should have used it?). Te question is how to predict color temperature of the... "daylight"? How this temperature changes with time of day? I guess it's warmer at sunrise and sunset and the relation is curvilinear but what values can I expect? How direct and indirect sunlight / shade affects it? How overcast effects it? Maybe you know some tutorial on covering this topic? THX in advance for advise.
Hi Pawel, it is always changing, this is true. I'm not sure that your artificial lights always need to match 100% unless you're doing something color critical. But when things are clashing, I will usually do what I can to block the changing light from outside. In fact, for my livestreams, I always block the windows and then light so that I'm not constantly fighting with the changing light from outdoors. I guess it comes down to practical solutions - whatever works for your particular case.
@@curtisjudd These light sources actually mixed quite well. The problem was that my lamp don't provide enough light for such a setup. Luckily the sun was indirect and they both bounced of the same walls so it helped to mix them together. Luckily difference in light temperature was subtle. Next time I will just use AWB in such condition.
How do you gel these 300w lights without melting the gel? Bought three godox vl300's and want to gel at least one to get a more warm light. Thx for any help.
If you go with a Rosco or Lee gel, they're made for tungsten lights which get a LOT hotter than even the biggest LED lights. Just don't put the gel directly on the LED chip, put them on the reflector or inside a soft box gel holder.
I'll check next time I get a chance but when I tried to measure the output of the 300DmkII with the Fresnel 2x, my spectrometer hit its max measurement level. Not sure if that will also be the case with this.
@@curtisjudd hmmm fascinating I'd love to hear back from you when you do. Thanks for replying. I wonder if it'll do the same. Id imagine the readings would be similar to a 120dmkII with the fresnel on.
Closer, but still not quite as bright. I measured the 300DII at 44,300 lux at one meter with the included 55 degree reflector. When I set the 300X to 4400K, full power, I measured 34,000 lux at one meter with the included 55 degree reflector. The lens which mixes color appears to come with a slight cost in overall output. But this is still my most used single point light - for me the color tuning is super helpful.
Is the math on Lux like stops? For example, is 22,000lux a stop less light than 44,000 Lux? And if that’s true does that make the 300dii approximately a half stood brighter than the max output of the 300x?
Sorry, bi-color lights CAN have the same output as single color lights, other brands have done it. The trick is to use bluer and yellower LEDs so that both LEDs are powered in the useful color range. If Aputure had just used a 9000k instead of 5600k LED, both the 9000k & 3000k LEDs could have been fully almost powered in the 5000k-5500k range giving double the output here. Maybe next tome.
@@curtisjudd Really? I have different lights, and all without this problem. And this is why i doubt whether to buy 300x, because of these stripes over the screen, i thought any light that pretends to be somewhat pro, should be flicker free.
@@GooDween.v I think there may be a communication mis-understanding. There is not flicker up to about 1/785th of a second shutter speed - I used that because is my cinema camera's limit. The 300x is a good light, I like it. The stripes with hard cuts from barn doors may be a legitimate problem if you planned to use it that way.
Aputure is a killer innovator for the industry, but their elephant in the room is their ongoing inventory problems. They've continuously been out of stock for their in demand stuff and they've gone out of their way to avoid how they'll address that. This has been a problem even before the pandemic. In fact it happens often enough, that folks just turn to competitors -Nanlite/Godox are two I can think of--who are definitely coming up fast with the quality of their "Aputure like" lights at 25-50% less cost.
Thanks SilverSulu and good point. I was happy to see that they actually have the 300x in stock at several different retailers at the announcement today (including B&H, several Amazon resellers, and Pictureline linked below). That is a step forward. Hopefully they will sustain stock to meet demand.
They budget light okay but now trying into pro by price, no too high. The funny line you be see it happen with the lights. Try you tungsten light. This the defraction shadow for photon trail obstructions by aputure filter material addition door edge prominenced by diode arranges. For you see lines move when you be rotate. Get to point my parlance bad design. We didi make SSI for comapri against tungsten for it be standard the design of capture color. Blue LEd accompany with orange filter at surafce installs by next blue led be not make best color for common cheap filter material it amplify green. Aputure do not use native yello diode. Addition SSi be not perfect. It be a probability expression which suppose color wit no respect to opto retinal detector workings. There be green gentle tinge in you c800 the curve addition skin. When idea formation in green we recount maximum detected wavelength sensitivity by opto retinal further cortex in 500 to 550nm therby gentle rise for plot not representating our human observer in satisfaction. SSI we didi make for simple tool. Spectrum segment prioritization addition smoothing dodo make not it a perfect tool. Would not use this aputure for color accuracy jobbing. Addition when company give free tangible asset possess market value intended exchange a service this video talky their this asset it coronate form of payment in a transaction. I’m Tuernah and THIS is my Masterclass.
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i was watching this for the light, but your audio is freaking spot on perfect.
👍 Sound and lighting are our areas of focus.
You couldn't have published this video at a more perfect time, Curtis! I've been saving up for the ever so popular 300D MkII and was about to pull the trigger, but with this model available, I'd HAPPILY trade the output difference you measured for the storytelling power of the color temp tuning! Thanks for such an insightful and helpful video!
Whew! So glad it dropped before you bought. I agree, if I could only choose one, it'd be the 300x for me. But I love having both for different situations.
I'm very psyched for the 300X. I think it's a great addition to the Aputure line of lights.
Me too! Good to hear form you Todd.
Thank you for taking time to put this together. I've been waiting for a multi-color option for the 300 series and am so glad I waited. You're always my go-to source for these things so thank you, again!
Thanks Sean - glad you waited, too! Nice to have the bi-color option.
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Great Ep. Shout out to your daughter for braving "dad direction" -- my kids have been through the same wringer. ;-)
Hahaha! She's a good sport! 😀 And shout out to your kids for the same!
@@curtisjudd Yeah her reaction to you opening up the 300X as an outdoor fill was hilarious. That's the thing -- When I started my career I was mostly working with on screen talent and we could shoot a blistering amount of light at, like hard side shiny boards. These days I'm mostly working with folks who aren't professionals in front of camera, and the reality there is you can't really hit them with that much light.
@@riparianstudios Agreed. Got to be used to that to manage that amount of light. Of course, as my daughter, she was playing it up just a tiny bit. 😀
@@curtisjudd Naturally.
Curtis, I don't know why you haven't gain so much recognition your reviews are too simple and great, so much effort is put into it and I just wanna tell you keep going and never give up on it, oneday you'll reach millions more
Thanks for the amazing review as always.
Sadly most people seem to prefer youtubers who talk more abou themselves than the product, have half the videos worth of intros, fill everything with overedited B-roll and “without further ado, lets get riiiight into it“...
Im here for the product, facts and Curtis competence :)
I focus on quality of subscribers like you instead of quantity. 😀
I can always count on you to have a review up fast.
👍
I bought the 300D II after watching your review on the 300X and some advise from Aputure. I still want to have a unit or Two of the 300x in the near future. Thanks for alway providing us with fantastic reference through your reviews Curtis!
You’re welcome and thank you Homer!
Tyvm for your vids. They have been very helpful to me for finding and setting my my video and audio needs for my live stream setup. Tbh, you deserve far more views than your getting (must be that youtube algorithm) keep up the great work and I will gladly send ppl your way.
Thanks heyguyslol GAMING - really appreciate that and best wishes to you!
Great review Curtis! Seems like a light I will probably have to add to my kit to complement the 300d mark ii! Thanks for sharing your take on things
Thanks Griffin. Not nearly as much output as that 300D II, but I love what the tungsten does for skin tones.
Love Aputure lights! Thanks for the review looks like a great and flexible product Curtis, I learn a lot about lighting from you. Thank you!
Thanks Michael and great to hear from you! Hope you and. yours are staying well.
Great job explaining your tests and the results you got.
Thanks SpaceAgeConsulting!
I am noticing a convergence of lighting technology. The gardening side has some great inexpensive "grow lights" that would work for video. . . and. . . I bet this Aputure LS 200X would do wonders for my tomato seedlings.
I'd be afraid it would scorch the seedlings. 😉
I've been patiently waiting for this light!!
Your patience has paid off today!
4:15 Props to you for blinding your daughter for the review for us. xD Props to her, too. :)
Thanks for the review, Curtis. Stay well. Stay safe.
Thanks huyked - Hahahaha! She took that for the team. She's a good sport. 🙂 Hope you're staying well!
www.aliexpress.com/item/4000960040005.html
I have the MC with the Sidus Link app and love using it! Nice video keep it up.
Thanks Bill - yes, the app and those lights are super handy.
Nice seeing your man cave. I’m definitely gonna look in getting these for my filmmaking class because they’re more mobile than my Dracast lights. Those stay in the studio/classroom.
Hahaha! That's not my man-cave. That's the disaster we call the open basement. My man cave is the mix room/office. 😀
Curtis Judd , I see. You have a man cave and a Bat cave!!! Must be nice. 😂😂😂
Awesome review. Could you do a review of Godox's new VL series video lights? They are listed for around $300 cheaper than Aputure counterparts and I've heard they're Aputure 300d ii killers but yet to see more in-depth reviews about it.
Hi Juan, I sure hope so - need to contact Godox about getting some of those in for review. Thanks.
@@curtisjudd Awesome!
Great review Curtis! The 300X is a fantastic light. I’m holding out for the Nova!
Agreed on both counts!
Whats the Nova?
@@daletidy. It is Aputure's RGBW LED Panel prototype which hasn't been released yet.
Thank you for doing this review!
You're welcome, thanks Kieran!
Hi Curtis,
Just thought I would see if you are working on an Amaran Flex Mat review. I am interested in the F22c; it can go from 0 to Soft in 4". What I mean, is that the softbox is only 4" deep and gives nice soft light. I have an Aputure Light Dome II for my 300x, which makes nice soft light, but is about 4-1/2' long with the light attached.
Another thing that the f22c Heros at is the weight; making it perfect for a Boom Arm or Menace Arm. Also, because it is light weight someone could "Hollywood It", (I think that is the right term), means to hand hold the light for the duration of the shot. The fact that it is a flex mat doesn't interest me at all.
I wouldn't worry about other TH-camrs making gear reviews; TH-camrs have followers because we want to hear their thoughts and ideas about something. Like me, I love watching your Aputure and Amaran reviews because I want to hear your take on it.
Talk to you later,
Mathew
Hi Matthew, I wanted to try them but the fan noise seems a little much for the interviews I often do.
@@curtisjudd I think the fan noise is in the power supply, so I think you could run it off batteries.
@@mathewcoulliette2233 I'll take a look. Thanks! Hope you're doing well!
What light stands would you recommend for the 300X and a Light Dome II?
All stands I’ve looked at couldn’t carry so much payload!
C-stands! 🙃
@@curtisjudd Alrighty! Thanks Curtis!
Greetings from Austria 🇦🇹
Nice work Curtis!
Thanks Mike.
@@curtisjudd - most welcome - And might i add, the "lighting design" using both the 120 and 300X lights was impressive. Thanks for posting the details of the design
Great video as always. What are your thoughts on a couple other lights like this, considering Aputure is saying world’s first.
Intellytech makes the Light Cannon X-100, which is bi-color focusing fresnel with a Bowen’s mount as well. Granted, it’s not quite available but should be in a week.
Also, the budget brand GVM makes the LS-150RGB, which is a bi-color AND full RGB focusing fresnel with a Bowen’s mount, this one has been available at least a month or two.
Obviously they are three different budget ranges and feature sets. All are pretty interesting.
I'm not sure who was first and I don't know how Intellytech or GVM implemented their offerings, but it is great that we have options now!
@@curtisjudd That much is true. As bad as 2020 is for life in general, there is a lot of cool camera gear being released or in the works. Just in time for me to sit home alone and play with it all, LOL.
Love these videos! They're fantastic! I do have a quick question. I plan to buy either the 300x of 300d ll for feature documentary interviews. My question is, do you believe the 300x is powerful enough in its daylight setting to provide enough of a key through the Aputure Light Dome ll for indoor interviews with windows in the back that don't blowout during daylight hours? I would prefer to buy the 300x but I'm a bit worried about whether its powerful enough for those situations. It's the only reason I might lean towards the 300d ll.
In most cases, the 300x will do unless you’re planning to do wide shots. I’d stick with the 300D if that’s your main use case.
@@curtisjudd Hi Curtis - I'm so glad @TillThenPlease asked this question because its the one thing that's also stopping me from going for the 300x. I was about to buy the 300d mk2 TODAY and then discovered this bicolour option. But I worry it won't have the power at 5500K as a good key light for interviews. By 'wide shots' I'm guessing you mean the light will be in shot ... I was just wondering how wide are we talking here? Or maybe a better way of putting it - how close does the 300x need to be to the subject? (If I'm using a Light Dome 2)?
@@CockerationTime 300x is plenty of light for most interview situations. It is really hard to say without a full lighting diagram with distances, existing light info, etc. but the best answer I can give without all of that is that it is enough light for a single person interview in almost every situation.
@@curtisjudd Fantastic! Thanks so much for getting back Curtis, that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. Time for me to pull the trigger on it. Cheers
Yikes! I was so close to buying a 300d mkII! Glad I waited! Thoughts on V-mount vs Gold?
V-mount is more ubiquitous but Gold Mount is a much better physical connection than V-mount with its whimpy little release buttons and often less secure mechanism. I use both even though I'd rather just use Gold Mount but that's because a lot of gear only comes with v-mount option.
Can you do the Godox VL 300, comparison with the Aputures?
Hoping to, yes!
This is amazingly weird. My local supplier just emailed me to see if I was interested in the 300x rather than the 300D as that's what they have in stock. I'd actually not realized there was a new variable color temp version. So I Googled it for a review and up pops this...premiered 17 minutes ago! Yikes!
Curtis, a quick slightly OT question. My supplier only has the gold mount battery version. I'm not invested in either tech yet. But am I right in thinking the price differential has flattened between these form factors? I see alternate versions from Watson and Core on B&H at an identical cost. Should I just go with the gold mount? Thank you!
kipling1957 here’s a perspective from my side, the Gold Mount is a more secure mount design, however they cannot be made as small and compact as v-mount to anything smaller then the Shape Minis just due to overall footprint of the mount design. However you will also find that your area might have standardized on one type of mount, for example most small rental houses in Montreal, Canada only have Gold Mount, but your area may be different. So if you are considering using them for cameras as well or looking to be able to rent when you need more, take both those into consideration when making your decision.
@@TheTechnoPilot Hi from Vancouver - and thanks for your input. I mostly do small projects independently, so not anticipating needing to rent. I have realised since I made this post the 300x my distributor has is V-mount, they only have the 300D in gold mount--so V mount it is. Until today I was planning on getting the 300d but the colour control has swayed me. Everything is in short supply so this is pretty serendipitous..
I agree with @kipling1957 what the gold mount design is far more secure. I am glad that I made the decision several years ago to invest in gold mount. But now I have had to keep some v-mounts on hand since some things only come in v-mount. But when I have a choice, gold mount it is. The connection is far more secure. I really like the Bebop gold mount mini batteries.
Thank you Curtis
You’re welcome
great review! now i want two
Hahaha! Thanks!
Great review as usual. I know it’s not the purpose of this review but for a general pair of lights to use for vlogging (stationary in an office), food photography and general use video and photography, I’m looking for something flexible like this but also light weight and relatively small footprint. Would you recommend this or a panel with a softer diffuser (or something else). Thanks again
Hi djordan2001, Depends on the area you're trying to light. If the area is large, small panels will have a tough time filling the space. The good thing about panels is that the light is, by nature of the form factor, already fairly soft. But to really soften them up, you generally need a larger scrim. The small soft boxes which fit on panels don't generally add a ton of softness. Of course it depends on how large the soft-box is - the larger the front diffusion panel, the softer, but also the more light output it will generally cut. So it is all a tradeoff. I guess the first question: How big is the space you're looking to light?
Thanks for your video. Nice like always. I own a 300d mk2 and a 120d m2, I find that the name 300x is misleading regarding to their product line. The 300x outputs ways less light than the 300D, it look more like the 120D output. I understand that they are refering to the power it "uses" to produce the light output but anyway this is missleading IMO. I'm not saying its a bad light ;) and I may equip with it soon ;)
I understand what you're saying. I'm not sure what the best name would be.
You using a diffusion filter on your main camera? It has a lovely softness.
Noticed that too!
Yes, Schneider Radiant Soft.
@Zack Darce Congrats on the new light. It should be good to help you make plenty of good videos! And I hope lots of them are about drumming!
@@curtisjudd What level 3, 4 or 5? Cheers
Hi are you planning to review the new Godox VL line, specifically the VL 300. People are saying it could be comparable to the Aputure 300d ii for almost half the price with no build and power compromises.
Yes, I am told that the VL300 is on its way presently.
@@curtisjudd Can't wait for that review!!!
Awesome video: Question: Could I use 2 of this light in a studio with a Aputure Light dome II softbox as fill lights in front of subject? I will also have a big softbox over top of them. Or should I go with 2 600x instead.
Unless you’re doing a very wide shot, 2 300x should be plenty.
What about green magenta spiking throughout the color sweep? Do we still need to correct to match real tungsten and daylight? Love to see a 50/50 by a window and by a tungsten to see.
Fortunately, they seem to have controlled that nicely. Have a look at the SSI graphs about mid-way through the video.
Great vid. How does this compare to the new godox VL series
Great question. Hoping to get my hands on the new Godox soon.
Hi Curtis, love your channel! I have a 300x, 60x and p60c. I was considering getting another 300x and 60x to complete my setup, but also considering a 300d instead. I mostly make product commercials and sometimes interviews. I’ve been liking the 60x for weddings and a backlight or fill for the product stuff. Any reasons for adding a more powerful 300d to this setup over a 300x or better to stick with all bi-color? Thanks!
For product shots in particular, I prefer to use the warmer light with it's better rendering. But if you need more power, the 300D makes more sense.
@@curtisjudd my main concern is mixing the x-series lights with the d series lights (with or without gels). I contacted Aputure sales directly and the rep told me not to use X and D series together because it would cause color deviation. They did not explain much and I’m guessing they meant not to use x and d series together as key and fill? Here is what they wrote me,
“it is not recommended to buy one 300d II and one 300x, there will be deviations after the light color is mixed. Please try to use light of the same color temperature, because sometimes mixed use will appear green light. It is feasible to use the light position in the video, and there will be no color deviation if the lights do not overlap.”
So using the Ds as key and fill, X as backlights/rim/hair should be fine gels or no gels, right? Aputure does use both X and Ds together in their lighting demos so I’m a bit confused what they were talking about. Do you have any videos on mixing bi-color lights with daylights with and without gels and color considerations or issues that could come up when mixing a light kit like this and using them together? I can’t find anything on the topic. Thanks Curtis!
Oh God they finally go Bi-color, wondering what took them so long like really, thanks Judd
Bi-colour lights don't usually come together to form a single point source, this is the first to do so
It is a tricky engineering feat with a point source light.
@@curtisjudd yeah, I'd love to take a peak at their colour blending optics from a curiosity point of view. I'm guessing it's not easy to see?
@@curtisjudd looked at the price of that bad boy, hmmmmmm
@@front_row_video The lens on the front looks like a textured piece of glass of some sort. But because I plan to use this light, I'm hesitant to pull it apart. 😀
Absolute quality review, as always.
Thanks Cameron.
Hi Curtis, taking all the considerations between the 300dii and the 300X, which would you have? can we say that the 300X less with less light output power would be ideal to have?
I'm in doubt on which to buy between the 2
Congratulations on the content.
Hi, If I could only choose one, I'd go with the 300x, but it has quite a bit less output than the 300D II. For interviews and most narrative work with lots of dialogue scenes, the 300X is enough light output. But if you're trying to shoot a lot of high key content and lots of wide shots and need to fill a big room with a lot of light, then a 300D II is probably the better choice.
Saludos Curtis. En primer lugar, quisiera felicitarte por le ayuda que nos ofreces y por la excelente información que nos aportas. Estoy pensando en comprar iluminación Aputure, que me recomiendas, el 300d MarkII (utilizando geles) o el 300X. Un abrazo.
Hola Gorca56, si necesitas mucha salida de luz, iría con el 300DII. Si no necesita tanta luz y prefiere la flexibilidad de tener luz de color de tungsteno, que a menudo se ve mejor para las fotos de la entrevista, iría con la 300x. ¡Los mejores deseos!
@@curtisjudd Muchas gracias Curtis. Probablemente adquiera los dos, el 300d MarkII y el 300X. Un fuerte abrazo.
Considering the weight of this light, what stand and boom would you recommend for in studio use? I’d like to hang it with the Aputure Lantern Softbox above the head of talent.
I’d use a c-stand of any brand with sand bags on the legs.
Hi Curtis! I'm pretty confused when it comes to lux values.. Last week I really started trying to understand the different lux and lumens values that are mentioned with lights writing down all values mentioned here and there in order to compare.. Cause some lights mention a brightness in lumens, making it hard to compare to lux (is 1 lux equal to 1 lumen?) and also sometimes they mention an amount of lux but don't mention if it's at 1m, 0,5m or 0,3m.. as these are sometimes mentioned as well. So if I see just one lux number mentioned in a light description is this at 1 meter or at 0,5 meter or.. For example, you mention in your overview at 3:45 that the 300DII has an output of 44000 lux whereas Gerald Undone mentioned last week 10500 lux in his video at 3:20 where he compares the new godox lights to the aputure 300D.. My confusement came after trying to compare the output of the small but very bright Litra pro light with the Aputure mc light in terms of brightness.. also the lux varies depending on the reflector making it sometimes double as bright depending on the position of the led (Gerald explains it nice). So how does your 44000 compare to Gerald's 10500. Is it different distances?
Hi Jim, I'll. need to watch Geralds video, but in my case it was measured at 1 meter with the included reflector. Perhaps Gerald took the reflector off? But here are some of the factors which influence illuminance readings: 1) Distance 2) Light beam angle 3) modifiers such as reflectors, soft boxes, diffusion 3) environment where they are measured (should have no other illumination, surfaces should ideally be black) 4) light settings - turns out on the 300x to get the max output, you have to change the output mode to max brightness.
Curtis Judd You should watch Gerald’s video for sure. Quite interesting as well. So ok, your test is with the reflector. That explains the big difference. It’s always easier to compare lights when you can see them side by side as specs don’t always mention the way these were measured. But I’m starting to understand 😉 Tx for the feedback!!
I was always taught 3/4 CTO is a more accurate correction from daylight units to tungsten. That could explain why the 300d ii was overcorrected in your test?
Yes, or the fact that the particular gel we used was designed for 6000K HMI fixtures.
Hi! When you think we could expect Godox lights with simmilar properties?
Hmm, probably next year, but I have absolutely no insider info. 😀
@@curtisjudd BTW I wonder if the rumours on Zoom F12 are true and how can this look like...
Thank you! Do you find a need to have bi-color lights on film sets? Or will daylights do the job? I'm trying to decide between bi-color and daylight. Mainly doing business commercials.
Most of my lighting is for corporate work. I often use a bi-color light set to tungsten 3200K and at least one accent light in the background set to 5600K or cooler for effect. But if all your lighting is to look naturalistic, then daylight is a fine choice.
@@curtisjudd true. I guess I want the flexibility of bi-color but the brightness of daylight. I guess there's never a perfect light that's affordable.
Curtis, I really appreciate your reviews. I'm a documentary filmmaker and primarily use lights for interviews with single subjects. I'm also a photographer. I have a few light sets, but I'm trying to decide between the newer Apurture LS 300x bi-color or the Aputure 1200 Mark II. I do a lot of filming overseas, so weight is always a consideration. However, I'm increasingly finding it necessary to buy bigger lights so I can use the Dome II and mini-Dome soft boxes. I'm down between these two Aputure lights. My instincts tell me to buy bi-color. If you were filming interviews for documentaries and wanted "the ideal" 3-light set up as a basic kit, would you buy 3 LS 300x bi-color lights or would you buy the 1200 Mark IIs? Or would you mix them? In this video you mention your hair light, but what is a light you recommend for the hair light? If you could advise me, I'd appreciate it a lot. Thank you very much!
Hi James, personally I prefer the 300x units but they are bigger and heavier and don’t work as well with barn doors for cutting hard light with clean lines. For your situation, I’d probably go with the 120D IIs.
@@curtisjudd - thank you very much for your advice! I appreciate it, and I also learn a lot from your reviews. Thank you very much for the service you do for people like me. And thank for responding!
Very good review as usual. I have a question about audio since izotope rx 7 elements is on sale. Is it a good idea to purchase for noise reduction and audio repair and any bug differences between rx elements and standard? I’m currently using audition cc 2020.
No difference in terms of quality but big difference in features: www.izotope.com/en/products/rx/features.html
Scroll down to see which package includes which features.
This is a great video. We are just starting out and are curious about what you would choose for battery mounts on this light? V-mount of Gold Mount?
Gold Mount is a more robust connection, but there are a lot more V-mount batteries and accessories out in the market. I have some of each and when I have a choice, I prefer Gold Mount.
Thanks a lot, Curtis!!! I watched both this and Gerald's video. What do you think about the shadows this one creates against the regular 120 or 300? On Gerald's video it looked to me that his hand's shadows wasn't very uniform...
Hi Vic, I found that if you cut the 300x very close to the lens, you'll get the multipattern issue but if you use any of the other modifiers or a flag a bit farther from the front lens, all is good - uniform cuts/shadows.
hy. i new here about light, buat i wanna invest to light for film making, i need u suggest how abotu if i buy 300x as keylight and 150c for cover and godox TL60 for backround colour ? canu suggest me about light because o don't know to much about lighting, Thank you
That kit makes sense 👍
Hi Curtis! Greatly appreciate your work, thank you! I use Aputure’ s 120 series light for photography and video, and would like to add Bowens mount barn doors, and more importantly a snoot. What brand would you recommend that is budget priced? Cheers!
The Aputure Barn doors are quite nice, come with gel frames, a grid, and are priced at $59 USD - links in the description of the video. I don't have first-hand experience using any of the Bowens mount snoots, but B&H appears to have several in the less-than $40 range. Best wishes!
How bright is it in the constant brightness mode as bright compared to other Aputure lights? As bright as the 300D Mki? As bright as a 120D Mkii?
Bryce Dearden if you look at his chart in the video. The 300X lands a little brighter then twice the lux output of the 120DmkII when matching it at 5500K and just a hair less then twice the lux at 3200K.
Agreed with @TheTechnoPilot - the chart tells the story. In short, there is definitely a sacrifice in output to get the color tuning. So which light you go with really depends on what you need. If you need a ton of output, the 300D II is the better option. If color tuning or color quality is top priority, the 300x fits that bill. For most of my work, even the 120D II supplies enough light, but I'm usually lighting interviews and the like.
Hi Curtis, wonderful video, really enjoyed finding your channel. Apologies if this has already been answered: Would the streaking from the barn doors be alleviated by using the fresnel attachment and barn doors simultaneously?
Hi Matthew, It should, yes. Thanks!
@@curtisjudd Wonderful, thank you!
the gel you used is actually stronger, its a 1.1 stop loss and drops 5500-2900 vs this one the Rosco #3411 Filter - RoscoSun 3/4 CTO is 5500-3200 and a loss of 0.8 stops
that said, usually the stronger one is good for hmi's that tend to run closer to 6000k
Thanks Stephen. Good to know!
Silly question... but why would someone want a bi colored light? Just for some effect... or is it actually needed in some scenarios?
Not silly at all. Better, more accurate color quality when using it in tungsten mode. And yes, to create various effects and create color contrast which adds interest to a lighting design. When shooting something color critical like a product commercial, the client will want the colors to show as accurately as possible. That's where the tungsten comes into play.
Curtis Judd Thanks for the kind and informative reply.
Super helpful video! I have the 120d ii and I'm planning to order this light as well, with that aid what would you recommend for a small hair light? Intellytech pocket Cannon Mini, Apature MC, or something else?
I really like the Lupo Smart Panel because it can throw the light farther than most other small LED panels: th-cam.com/video/mpMXpL_utcI/w-d-xo.html
@@curtisjudd Ok thank you!
What are your thoughts on the 300x vs the Lupo Superpanel 30 dual color? I've been eyeballing these both for a year. I know they're different form factors and have different strengths especially when you involve modifiers. I'm always trying to slim my setup for traveling jobs but still need a punch. The 300x bare bulb photometrics are underwhelming when you consider using softboxes. My setups are mostly softbox or booklight. Any preferences or insight between these two? I already own the lantern and 2x fresnel and use for other bowens lights I have. Thanks for your review! I always glean a unique perspective from your reviews.
Thanks Chris, you're right, they're rather different tools. For my corporate work when I'm just doing head-and-shoulders interviews, I do like the convenience of the Superpanel 30s. I actually prefer the soft full color version for the ultimate in flexibility. It is enough light for those interviews and I use the second for hair/rim/background to add a little interest. But when I need more flexibility for more narrative style work, I definitely prefer the Aputure single point lights. The 300x is not for every situation, but I find its output sufficient for most of what I do. If having enough power is top priority, I'd go for the 300D II. Hope that helps a little. Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Thank you for such a quick response! This helps. Would you say the 300D II still has more output after gelling CTO than the 300x?
Nice Video!
Thanks!
and what about batteries for the 300X (i need bi-color for architecture... ) ?
from the aperture web site : Therefore, for best results, we recommend using batteries that are capable of continuously discharging 14-15 Amps, to provide adequate headroom for the power draw.
so the D&O/Comer C90 A/S Supports up to a 10 Amp Continuous Draw... so not up to the task...
any cheap and good recommendations ?
I was able to power with two of the D&Os.
Hey Curtis! Love the video (and everything else on your channel). I've been slowly putting together a small studio in my office/second bedroom to film some educational content of interest to me. I'm also potentially going to be filming stuff outdoors at a soccer field (or similar) to go with this content. Right now I've got several Aputure MC lights, the Aputure F7, and the Aputure MX. I'm looking to delve into getting a bigger single point light source and softbox (probably the Light Dome mini). The 300x caught my eye (due to your review and Gerald Undone's review). I'm curious if you think it'd be overkill for my purposes vs. getting a 120d mkii? The room is about 9' x 10' in size, with floor to ceiling windows on one side.
Thanks Bradley. I consider the 300x sort of a 120DII but it can be color tuned. If you just plan to use it as a key light and just need daylight color, then the 120DII is a much less expensive way to accomplish that and plenty of output for the job. I like the 300x because of its superior color quality when using it at 3200K and the tungsten preset white balance setting on my camera. The difference is not huge if you're not shooting color critical stuff, but I have had colors that are off in educational pieces become a problem in the past with other lights - e.g., I refer to a red LED light on an audio mixer and in the video that red LED appears orange.
@@curtisjudd Thanks, Curtis! Definitely like the flexibility of the color control. The weight is potentially concerning. I’ve seen wildly different figures online. How much heavier is it than the 120d mk ii?
@@bradleysmith I don't have the exact figures, but it is heavier. So if weight is a concern, go 120DmkII.
@@curtisjudd awesome. Thanks!
I just received my 300x but I am noticing a slight clicking noise from the fans. Did you notice this in your test at all? I was expecting more of an audible hum
Hi Andrew, I am not hearing a clicking noise on my copy. Do you have any samples? May be best to get in contact with Aputure as well. Best wishes!
Thanks for making this video! I film 90% of things in a 10x10ft room and I'm considering getting two 120d mark ii lights to upgrade from two older bi-color Amarans I use. But very occasionally I like to use warmer light and found this light. Would these lights just be totally overkill? Would these be better than the 120d mark iis for me?
Once you get soft boxes on them, that'll be a very tight fit and a bit more fan noise that I would want in a room that size. Unless you can find some lights without fans, I'd stick with the Amarans. Unless they aren't doing something you need them to do?
@@curtisjudd I hadn't considered the fan noise. The issue is I always find myself turning them (Amaran Tri-8c) to 100%. My walls are painted black so even with two of those, if I don't also turn on the ceiling fan light it won't be bright enough.
@@curtisjudd Or perhaps is there something more powerful that's still quiet, even if it's more expensive?
@@Pikmeir I use a D&O lighting 180W which doesn't have a fan. I only need it at 20% on the dimmer for my livestreams.
Hello I need advice on what batteries to get
Hi Joseph, this requires big batteries - at least 190Wh each and you'll need 2. Best wishes!
Hi Curtis! I recently tried to film small promo footage. Nothing critical, 0 budget. In terms of vdeo simple setup Sony RX10 IV, no lights, big window from one side (indirect sunlight), pendant light (5 LED bulbs 9W neutral white) from opposite side. And I encounter a problem. As there was changing overcast the light outside was changing . Not only in terms of brightness (AUTOISO handled that) but also in terms of color temperature (I don't like AUTO WB, but maybe I should have used it?). Te question is how to predict color temperature of the... "daylight"? How this temperature changes with time of day? I guess it's warmer at sunrise and sunset and the relation is curvilinear but what values can I expect? How direct and indirect sunlight / shade affects it? How overcast effects it? Maybe you know some tutorial on covering this topic? THX in advance for advise.
Hi Pawel, it is always changing, this is true. I'm not sure that your artificial lights always need to match 100% unless you're doing something color critical. But when things are clashing, I will usually do what I can to block the changing light from outside. In fact, for my livestreams, I always block the windows and then light so that I'm not constantly fighting with the changing light from outdoors. I guess it comes down to practical solutions - whatever works for your particular case.
@@curtisjudd These light sources actually mixed quite well. The problem was that my lamp don't provide enough light for such a setup. Luckily the sun was indirect and they both bounced of the same walls so it helped to mix them together. Luckily difference in light temperature was subtle. Next time I will just use AWB in such condition.
How do you gel these 300w lights without melting the gel? Bought three godox vl300's and want to gel at least one to get a more warm light. Thx for any help.
If you go with a Rosco or Lee gel, they're made for tungsten lights which get a LOT hotter than even the biggest LED lights. Just don't put the gel directly on the LED chip, put them on the reflector or inside a soft box gel holder.
@@curtisjudd Thx brother.
Hi there. Please what's your sound setup. What mic are you using and where is it placed?
RODE NTG3 shotgun microphone boomed just above and in front of me. That was recorded into the Sound Devices 888 mixer/recorder.
@@curtisjudd thanks a lot
What V mount batteries would you suggest with this new light? A micro series possible?
They need to be 190Wh batteries at least. I'm not sure whether any of the micro series come in that capacity?
Curtis Judd any specific suggestions on brand with watt/current?
Nice
Thx
How bright is the light with the 2x Fesnel attached to it?
I'll check next time I get a chance but when I tried to measure the output of the 300DmkII with the Fresnel 2x, my spectrometer hit its max measurement level. Not sure if that will also be the case with this.
@@curtisjudd hmmm fascinating I'd love to hear back from you when you do. Thanks for replying. I wonder if it'll do the same. Id imagine the readings would be similar to a 120dmkII with the fresnel on.
If you have the light on the brightest setting at around 4500K is it fairly close to the 300d for just overall brightness?
Closer, but still not quite as bright. I measured the 300DII at 44,300 lux at one meter with the included 55 degree reflector. When I set the 300X to 4400K, full power, I measured 34,000 lux at one meter with the included 55 degree reflector. The lens which mixes color appears to come with a slight cost in overall output. But this is still my most used single point light - for me the color tuning is super helpful.
Is the math on Lux like stops? For example, is 22,000lux a stop less light than 44,000 Lux? And if that’s true does that make the 300dii approximately a half stood brighter than the max output of the 300x?
@@mattramage4389 The scale is logarithmic. See the section near the bottom on EV as a measure of luminance and illuminance.
Please review the new Godox lights
I will. VL300 is on its way.
@@curtisjudd Awesome! :)
what is the Name of the intro music track ?
"For the Kids" by Utah available on Musicbed. I have a discount link in the description.
Great lamps, but no honeycomb grid available in 6"5 who fit perfectly in different angle, they only deliver a 30 degreased grid
👍
I need a 120X ;-)
I agree!
If you could afford only 1 aputure light for youtube, which one would you get?
Probably the 300x for me. I don’t need a ton of light output.
@@curtisjudd Thank you sir. You are definitely one of the most humble and talented youtubers on you tube. You are greatly appreciated..
Someone help, idk what Vmount battery to get for this light 😪
I think you need 2 with a combined ability to supply 15 amps. So any two V-mounts with at least 7.5amp spec. D&O lighting has some.
@@curtisjudd thank you for the response! The controller has v-mount slots on both sides of the controller?
Yes
Sorry, bi-color lights CAN have the same output as single color lights, other brands have done it. The trick is to use bluer and yellower LEDs so that both LEDs are powered in the useful color range. If Aputure had just used a 9000k instead of 5600k LED, both the 9000k & 3000k LEDs could have been fully almost powered in the 5000k-5500k range giving double the output here. Maybe next tome.
Perhaps so. I would think that would introduce some other engineering challenges, but I'm not sure. Thanks for the insight.
Thanks for review,. Why use such a strange shutterspeed, why not just turn it ti fastest 1/8000 and if light has a flicker you will see it right away.
Because there would be so little light, there'd be nothing to see. :)
@@curtisjudd Really? I have different lights, and all without this problem. And this is why i
doubt whether to buy 300x, because of these stripes over the screen, i thought any light that pretends to be somewhat pro, should be flicker free.
@@GooDween.v I think there may be a communication mis-understanding. There is not flicker up to about 1/785th of a second shutter speed - I used that because is my cinema camera's limit. The 300x is a good light, I like it. The stripes with hard cuts from barn doors may be a legitimate problem if you planned to use it that way.
@@curtisjudd thanks, your reviews are very useful!
Too bad doesn't have full RGB. To get rid of the gels.
I'm betting that's the next step for them. Great idea.
Very interested in knowing where you purchased the bleached muslin-like sound blanket -> th-cam.com/video/wv6QidVfnqw/w-d-xo.html
Vocalboothtogo.com
@@curtisjudd Thanks!
Aputure is a killer innovator for the industry, but their elephant in the room is their ongoing inventory problems. They've continuously been out of stock for their in demand stuff and they've gone out of their way to avoid how they'll address that. This has been a problem even before the pandemic. In fact it happens often enough, that folks just turn to competitors -Nanlite/Godox are two I can think of--who are definitely coming up fast with the quality of their "Aputure like" lights at 25-50% less cost.
Thanks SilverSulu and good point. I was happy to see that they actually have the 300x in stock at several different retailers at the announcement today (including B&H, several Amazon resellers, and Pictureline linked below). That is a step forward. Hopefully they will sustain stock to meet demand.
@@curtisjuddGood news! And thanks for the always thorough review!
Sir plz check your audio drift video comments thx do help me out
Sorry Mohamad, I don’t understand.
a
B?
They budget light okay but now trying into pro by price, no too high. The funny line you be see it happen with the lights. Try you tungsten light. This the defraction shadow for photon trail obstructions by aputure filter material addition door edge prominenced by diode arranges. For you see lines move when you be rotate. Get to point my parlance bad design.
We didi make SSI for comapri against tungsten for it be standard the design of capture color. Blue LEd accompany with orange filter at surafce installs by next blue led be not make best color for common cheap filter material it amplify green. Aputure do not use native yello diode.
Addition SSi be not perfect. It be a probability expression which suppose color wit no respect to opto retinal detector workings. There be green gentle tinge in you c800 the curve addition skin. When idea formation in green we recount maximum detected wavelength sensitivity by opto retinal further cortex in 500 to 550nm therby gentle rise for plot not representating our human observer in satisfaction. SSI we didi make for simple tool. Spectrum segment prioritization addition smoothing dodo make not it a perfect tool. Would not use this aputure for color accuracy jobbing.
Addition when company give free tangible asset possess market value intended exchange a service this video talky their this asset it coronate form of payment in a transaction.
I’m Tuernah and THIS is my Masterclass.
Ok, thanks for that!