Back in June of 2023, Aputure announced two fixtures that provided so much output that the company was on its way to giving HMI some competition.
While the Aputure Electro Storm CS15 and XT26 fixtures pumped out a lot of light, they still weren't enough to outperform HMI sources, even if they got close enough.
But the lights were available at the time of the announcement. That has now changed, with both fixtures now available for pre-order.
In addition, Aputure has made additional refinements to both units and their accompanying F14 Fresnel and Motorized Yoke accessories.
Here's everything you need to know before you consider making a pre-order.
New Updates
Since the announcement at Cinegear 2023, Aputure has taken all of the suggestions they received from the demo units and made the following updates.
Dimming has now been refined to provide true 0.1% increments. Both the Electro Storm CS15 and XT26 are receiving this update and should give creatives even precision with their lighting setups.
The head cables for both lights have also been unified to 15m, which should help with replacement and interchangeability in the field.
Electro Storm XT26
Aputure
But the accessories also received some upgrades. The F14 Fresnel attachment now has a longer yoke, which should improve ergonomics, but the motor control should also see updates.
In addition, the front optics have also been replaced with improved versions for better precision.
F14 Fresnel attachment with new front optics.
Aputure
On the other end, the Motorized Yoke has better motor control that should smooth out pan and tilt movements, and give creatives the ability to fine-tune their lighting. It also now includes the addition of truss hooks to complement the 28mm Junior Pin mounting option.
Electro Storm CS15
Aputure
Pricing and Availability.
The new additions feel like great refinements to an already solid product. The amount of output both of these lights pump out will definitely give medium-sized productions a great alternative to HMI fixtures.
Aputure Electro Storm XT26
Designed with power and durability for film and television professionals, the Electro Storm XT26 Bi-Color LED Monolight from Aputure is a bi-color point-source fixture offering 2600W of dynamic white CCT from 2700 to 6500K and tint control, dual accessory mounts, advanced connectivity options, and a rugged IP65 dust and weather resistant construction to withstand demanding filming environments.
But what they also offer is portability. With a lightweight design, at least when you compare it to HMI figures, both the Electro Storm CS15 and XT26 offer a lot of versatility for small sets or on-location shooting.
Aputure Electro Storm CS15
Designed with power and durability for film and television professionals, the Electro Storm CS15 RGB LED Monolight from Aputure is a full-color point-source fixture offering 1500W of ultra-high color quality. The CS15 provides 2000-10,000K CCT and tint control, dual accessory mounts, advanced connectivity options, and a rugged IP65 dust- and weather-resistant construction to withstand demanding filming environments.
While the price per light is high for a budget filmmakers, as a rental, both of these fixtures would be a great asset to filmmakers who need powerful lights at a fraction of the price.
The biggest obstacle for creatives on a budget has been getting enough output to either light with the sun, or light larger spaces. Aputure now offers the tools to do just that. But how these two fixtures will be used on budget sets remains to be seen.
I'm more curious how, and if, veterans of the industry will use these lights. If at all.
