Aputure LS 600D
The Light Storm line from Aputure was the first series of monolights from the company. While they have gone through several evolutions to get to the 600D, it's become a popular staple for budget creatives, events, and live production environments.
Say what you will about Aputure, but the company is pioneering the LED space thanks to its approach to features and budget. Having said that, it's competition is following closely behind.
Utilizing the same light source as its professional predecessor, the LS 600d was one of the brightest point source LEDs available (until the 1200D came out). Thanks to its immensely powerful 600W COB LED, this light outputs an incredible 98,500 lux at 3.3' with the included Hyper Reflector, 8,500+ lux at 9.8' with the included Hyper Reflector, or up to 29,300+ lux at 9.8' with an optional F10 Fresnel.
Yaroslav Altuninamaran 100x
Once Aputure's monolights were a hit, the company moved further into the budget space by leaning onto its amaran shingle. This gave creatives an affordable monolight, and while the fixtures didn't have the same build quality or output, the Aputure amaran fixtures were a fantastic solution for those on a super tight budget.
Designed with the familiar monolight form factor, intuitive design, and solid core features, the 100x Bi-Color LED Monolight from amaran is a 100W light source with variable color from 2700 to 6500K and a CRI/TLCI rating of 95 to indicate advanced accuracy in color rendering. This fixture outputs up to 34,300 lux at 3.3' using its included reflector and is dimmable from 0 to 100%.
Yaroslav AltuninGodox SL60IIBI
Godox is another company hailing from China. What began as an attempt to copy Aputure's success grew into a strong series of powerful fixtures. With a set of features that have now become standard in the monolight game, Godox's SL line offers output at a price that keeps the lighting competition hot.
Adopting the user-friendly monolight form factor, Godox packs professional and convenient features in a 9 x 8.5" package with this SL60IIBI Bi-Color LED Video Light. The color temperature varies from 2800 to 6500K to meet any ambient light challenge, match other fixtures, or just for creative expression. It has CRI/TLCI ratings of 96/97 for color accuracy and is fully dimmable from 0-100%.
Yaroslav AltuninLowel Omni-Light 500W
The Lower Omni-Light is nothing like the LED fixtures above. It packs a punch for such as as small package by using tungsten halogen bulbs from 300W to 500W. This will produce loads of heat and draw loads more power than a comparable LED lamp. But the color accuracy and output are nothing to scoff at. Because it's older tech, it's also dirt cheap and the bulbs are super easy to replace. Try finding that kind of repairability from an LED fixture.
The Lowel Omni-Light is flexible enough to be a key or backlight. Add diffusion or an umbrella, and you can use it as a soft fill source. Swap the power cord and lamp, and it becomes a battery-powered, handheld light. While it's based on technology that is slowly fading into history, the Omni-Light is a purpose-built cinema tool that is heavy-duty, reliable, and accurate.
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