Personal View site logo
Aputure Amaran HR672W High CRI95 LED OR Yongnuo YN900 LED or Yongnuo YN600?
  • club_irateclub_irate

    I am a film maker. Planning on an indie film on a GH4 soon.

    Which would you guys recommend, Aputure Amaran HR672W High CRI95 LED OR Yongnuo YN900 LED or Yongnuo YN600?

    Is the Yongnou 900 better to buy in a fixed 5500k version (since i get all 900 bulbs to be usable together) or should i rather opt for the fixed 5500k YN600 Led.

    Should i go for the Bi color models available in both these brands or the fixed 5500k ones are logically a better option. (Need suggestions, please dont reply saying depends on your needs). Planning on buying 2 of the ones that are suggested.

    Also, i am aware the Yongnou are brighter but just wanted an expert opinion based on experience from fellow members. Is the Fan sound issue on the Yongnou's too much of a bother?

    Any other LED suggestions are also welcome.

  • 15 Replies sorted by
  • davjddavjd

    Amaran 672W - My conclusions: with the supplied batteries you get around 90 min of very good light - BUT - if you charge the batteries and you leave them attached to the light, while the light is OFF, the will get completely discharged. This appens in about 4 - 5 days. And I mean 'the main switch is off', not turned off with remote. Last time I charged the batteries and left them disconnected: the remained 100% charged. I own two of these lights, purchased from different sellers, and they behave the same way.

  • ManceMance

    @David_Nicastro Yes, the light get warm within 30min. I used the softbox with my 672W. It covered the thermal vents of edge. But the softbox is not very tight fitting. I think it's not the problem of softbox. Even without the softbox, the light also get hot within 30min. There is no big difference whether to use the softbox. It's the problem of light.

    For the softbox itself, it's compact and very well made for the price. It helps to soften light much more than the plastic diffuser included, more effective in diffusing the light and reducing harsh shadows and the multiple shadows caused by LED panels.

  • dancerchrisdancerchris

    Sheet of diffusion would work just as good, maybe little less control but better for cooling. Softbox needs to be bigger, at least 24x24. Soft light needs large source/panel so that it wraps.

  • David_NicastroDavid_Nicastro

    @Mance I wonder if the softbox impedes the thermal vents that cool down the lights? My 672C does get fairly warm after a while, and I'd be nervous obstructing any of the thermal vents given it is 100% reliant on them as it has no cooling fan.

    If you do get them, please let us know how it goes.

  • ManceMance

    Did you guys using the softbox for 528/672 led lights ? The company ILED produced this customized softbox. How do you think ? Are there any reviews ? http://www.amazon.com/ILED-Softbox-Diffuser-Aputure-672/dp/B00VHCJBC8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431057386&sr=8-1&keywords=softbox+528

  • davjddavjd

    By using the provided cherger - which connects on the rear side - I get less than 80 mins. I don't have a good external charger, but I suspect the provided one doesn't fully charge the batts. I tried charging individually the batteries (not fully tough) and the lights lasted a bit longer

  • scotchtapescotchtape

    Those two batts only last for 80 mins?! Which charger are you using? That sucks to hear. I have the watson style dual charger. I might get another one considering all the batteries I have to charge!

  • davjddavjd

    I recently got two 672w lights. They are good, but it seems to me that the provided chergers do not fully charge the batteries, or not in an equal way. So after an hour or less one light starts to go off and on. Afer manually charging the batteries both lights kept working for at least 80 min.

  • KobKob

    @lexicon - the new Aputure Lightstorm units are said to be available in July.

    @scotchtape -

    I'm also thinking of getting YN-900 and seeing if it can be modded like the lightstorms - add in heatsink to the back and move the electronics off to the side.

    It would be a major undertaking, if possible at all for a mortal DIY kind of guy. The heatsink must be attached to the back-side of the PCB, and need to be designed in properly. Then the whole case need to be designed around the heatsink - not a trivial matter if you want the "pro" look..

  • scotchtapescotchtape

    I don't know why I recently bought 2x 672w and 2x 672s.
    (as in I haven't shot any video yet but keep talking about it).

    For diffusion I am planning on using umbrella softbox / octobox from ebay (different sizes, $30 - $40 on eBay). Not sure if the sizing will work but the umbrella style is way easier to setup then traditional softboxes.

    No idea if this will work either, kind of unconventional but still learning. Ease of use is important to me.

    Kind of regret it now that those lightstorms were announced, but the 2x kit is $410 USD and the new 1x1 lightstorm the guy said estimated ~$600 USD

    I'm also thinking of getting YN-900 and seeing if it can be modded like the lightstorms - add in heatsink to the back and move the electronics off to the side.

  • club_irateclub_irate

    @lexicon Thats maybe because the HR672S has a beam angle of only 25° whereas the HR672W has a 75° beam angle. I dont know if thats an entirely good thing or a bad thing at this point for me. But i would like to know more about which model to go for out of the S and W that are available in the Amaran. The Bi Color one do not really seem to be of much use when you can always use the 3200k filters they give along with the fixed ones. And those Aputure Light Storm seem very very Impressive. Damn! Just when you want to finally make a decision they come out with something as tempting as that. Their full panel are going to be the equivalent of a 1K tungsten which is equal to those ALZO 3000's but when it comes to CRI, it completely destroys the Alzo.

    @Jspatz Thanks for the info on them. But i am kind of unsure about the 300 being good enough as an investment as compared to the Aputure which has double the amount of LED's in it and overall build quality wise seem more sturdier and reliable than the Yongnou's at this stage to me.

    Would buying a APUTURE 672 for Key and Yongnou 300 for Rim or Fill be a good move? Or will the varied make and color throw of 2 different LED's muddle things up.

  • JspatzJspatz

    @club_irate Airbox 126 kit. Straps easily on open side barn doors. Super bright and great color. Runs over an hour on batteries. 1 remote turns all 6 on and off at the same time which helps me conserve power. The 600s are even brighter the the fans come on unpredictably and are very loud.

  • lexiconlexicon

    I've got the Aputure 672s which is a great light with much higher output than the 672w for the same price 6040 lux @1m v 2080 lux @ 1m. I used it on an interview recently and it looked great.You can always put some diffusion material in front to soften the light.

    There are some new Aputure lights coming out soon that were mentioned at NAB that look even more powerful with a high CRI.

    I don't know when these are due out.

  • club_irateclub_irate

    Which model and size airbox are you using on the 300's?

  • JspatzJspatz

    The fan issues make the 600 unusable. I have 6. Don't know about the 900. Love the 300 with airbox.

Add a Comment