In film making, there will be always a small area where we need a small and versatile light to light them up while in-sync with the main ambient lighting temperatures. Enter the Aputure MC, one light designed with flexibility in mind with all occasions usage.
The Aputure MC unit we have got in hand is the engineering prototype for our first look writing while we wait for the commercial unit for a full review. So, let us bring you on a test drive on the fast lane to see what Aputure MC LED multi lights can do for you.
Built
For every product we received, we will first check out how attractive or functional on the outlook. The Aputure MC, to give you an idea, is small, and compact, with 93mm L x 61mm W x 17mm D. It may be similar to the size of a regular ciggy pack and it is light – about 130 gram, that means it is pocketable for solo use.
The interface is simple, in the main port area, you can see a USB type C port for charging, an on-off switch and a clickable function dial to access to all the control of the light. On the long side sits an LCD screen to display the functions and power level. There is also a 1/4 20″ screw mount to your rig. The back of the product is actually a strong magnet, and you can just stick the Aputure MC to any steel surface to set up your lighting. Aputure MC can also be charged wirelessly with the Qi format, it works on my iPhone wireless charger.
Performance
Let’s dig in to see what can this small-pack of light can do. To start with, once you have powered it up, the LCD screen will show you the battery level, the Bluetooth icon (we elaborate this later), the power level and the temperature setting. When you start turning the dial, you will change the colour temperature of your choice, and when you click the dial, the dial will control the intensity of the light, from 0% to 100%.
When you do the long-press on the dial, it will enter into another level of the menu. In this menu level, you will see the setting of the BT (Bluetooth), CCT light modes to fine-tuning colour temperature, HSI mode (Hue-Saturation-Intensity) and FX mode to toggle between any of the MC’s nine built-in lighting effects presets.
The colour temperature ranged from 3200K to 6500K and the maximum power, you can reach up to 1100 lux at 0.3 metre or 100 lux at 1 metre. You will get the hang of it combining the distance and percentage of power to use depending on the shoot. The Aputure MC claimes to have a 95% BT.2020 Colour Gamut Coverage.
What about battery life? With a full charge, Aputure MC can last up to 120 minutes of usage with maximum brightness, thanks to its 2,600mAh battery. If you think you may use it longer than 120 minutes, connect it with a power bank or a wall charger and it will light up forever! The get a full charge from 0% via cable, it takes about 2 hours and up to 4 hours if charging wirelessly. For serious production house who need a lot of Aputure MC as light source, the MC is also available in a 4-Light Travel Kit and 12-Light Production Kit. Each of these kits comes with a custom hardshell wireless charging case to protect and conveniently charge your MCs wherever you go.
Sidus Link
This is not just your average pocket rocket light, it is a smart one too. The built-in Bluetooth enables you to connect the Aputure MC with your iOS or Android smartphone with the Sidus Link app. Once you have registered Sidus link to use with Aputure MC, the control possibilities are endless.
The proprietary Sidus Mesh system allows each light to communicate with each other and with the mobile app simultaneously. This enables you to control lights within a 400-meter range, without the need for an external router, as long as there are lights at most 80 meters between each other. With the current Sidus Mesh technology, you can control up to 100 lights in a stable network. Control a single light, or all of them simultaneously, Sidus Link allows for finer control of the light’s HSI, CCT, and FX functions by enabling additional control methods and parameters.
One of the most groundbreaking features of the Sidus Link app is the Colour Picker function. With the Colour Picker, you can simply point your phone’s camera at a colour, capture it, and your light will reproduce it instantly. What you see is what you get.
Conclusion
If you are just buying this as an advanced fill light for your mobile phone or professional fill light in your movie production, we think the Aputure MC fits very well in all categories. It is one of the smartest and versatile LED light systems with the value for money in par in the market today.
The Aputure MC is available now for RM499. If you are interested, please visit your distributor Pixel Camera Sdn Bhd for more details.
Specification
Colour Temperature: 3200-6500K
CRI: 96+
TLCI: 97+
Brightness : 1100 lux at 0.3m, 400 lux at 0.5m, 100 lux at 1m
Battery: 2600mAh Lithium-Polymer
Power Output: 5W
Operating temperature: 0c to 45c
Dimension: 93mm L x 61mm W x 17mm D