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Aputure AL-M9 LED On Camera Small Light
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

  • 22 Replies sorted by
  • MikeLinnMikeLinn

  • MikeLinnMikeLinn

  • eatstoomuchjameatstoomuchjam

    I ordered 3 of these and they showed up today - really nice/small/portable and they're surprisingly bright at full strength. They come in cute little pouches with clips too. I think they might work as the beginning of a really small portable lighting kit for my A7s and/or A7rII, potentially combined with Lumecubes (I have a small handful of them on the way too).

    The M9's feel light enough that they could easily be attached to things with moderately-strong tape if one didn't want to bring with a bunch of light stands to go with them (though the next step is figuring out what can be done for really tiny light stands - a few small gorillapods might be a place to start)

  • chauncychauncy

    anybody know where this is ready to ship in Europe? aputure's eu store has it but they charge an absurd amount to ship. I am in Sweden.

  • chauncychauncy

    Check out my review of this light. The Aputure Amaran AL-M9

  • eatstoomuchjameatstoomuchjam

    The audio goes completely out of sync at 6:53 or so and it makes the rest of the video pretty much unwatchable.

  • MikeLinnMikeLinn

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Our video

    Later we'll have separate post and may be video about lab measurements.

  • MaxDepthMaxDepth

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev

    Thanks for good video.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Out SMPTE interview

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    PV Lab measurements, CV600 spectrometer, Russian lab processing

    We cover spectrum, color temperature, and all modern color quality standards, including latest 2016 and 2017 years ones.

    Never select light based on just CRI number.

    Focus on TM30 and CIE 244 and look for color distortion and Rf values.

    AL-M9 is very good little light with good light quality.

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    Color temperature

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    CRI color quality

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    CQS color quality

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    TLCI 2012

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    TM30 color quality

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    TM30 details

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    All TM30 color samples Rf values

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    CIE 244 2017

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  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    PV Lab measurements, Lusin spectrometer, Russian lab processing

    Different batch light, different place, different spectrometer.

    Only basic items to see difference.

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    Color temperature

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    CRI color quality

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    CQS color quality

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    TLCI 2012

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    TM30 color quality

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  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    BIRTV interview

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Note how M9 controller can't keep up output

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  • Energy80sEnergy80s

    This is exactly my problem. In my opinion, it makes the light useless for anything other than very short takes, yet no-one else seems to mention this in their reviews!

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Energy80s

    Yep, thanks. Very useful observation.

    For large lights it is not a problem as controller keeps up output.

    It is problem with controller design, I believe, made intentionally as if it'll properly rise current during battery voltage drop battery won't last much.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Aputure M9 PWM at 100% (battery at not full fresh charge)

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    You can see that controller dim leds even at 100%.

    See above that controller can't keep output level.

    PWM Frequency is 39,8Khz

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  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Aputure M9 Inside

    Overall pretty cheap construction with most prominent element - large battery

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    Holes are made for battery cooling mostly

    Overall cooling design is bad, all you have for heat spreading is front board with leds.
    And it is covered with diffusion almost all the time.

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    Another reason for this holes can be for them to act as thermal barrier and not led heat each other too much, but idea seems to be poor.

    Simple small board with passive components and STM controller

    Notice usage of two same black colored wires for led output, really bad things happen at manufacturing.

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  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    M9 Thermals

    Most hot parts are solid middle lines of led board and also controller board near USB connector.

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  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Deal for $40

    https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1268206-REG/aputure_al_m9_amaran_pocket_sized_led.html

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