Redesigned for increased performance without increasing the overall size and weight.
The affordable lighting game has been on fire lately. Companies like Aputure, SmallRig, and Godox have been competing for the hungry creatives on a budget.
Now, Nanlite has started round two by introducing a new generation of Forza and Pavotube LED lights. In total, there are six new lights that have hit the market with an aggressive price point and competitive features.
“We’re determined to make people first think of Forza at the mention of NANLITE,” said Nanlite Managing Director Nancy Zheng. "I think this time people will have a deeper impression about how Forza will change their lives in content creation and filmmaking.”
How does Nanlite plan on doing this? Let's break it down.
Nanlite Forza II
Based on the popular Forza design, the Nanlite Forza II follows up with 60, 300, and 500W variants in both daylight and bi-color configurations. The Forza II LED COB spotlights have the same basic dimensions as the previous Forza design, but pack into the circuitry new features and functions that the company says take the Forza line to the next level.
The Forza 60 and 60B II LED lights have an illuminance level output of up to 3420 lux, with a CCT white balance rating of 2700K to 6500K with adjustable dimming from 0% to 100%. The lights enjoy CRI and TLCI ratings of 96 and 98, respectively, which should offer super nice color accuracy.
Additional features include 12 special effects with adjustable parameters and multiple control options. This includes 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and DMX/RDM control. The Forza 60 units have cooling fans that can be adjusted down to a near noiseless decibel level of 20dB, so that the lights can remain cool without the need to shut down the fan on quiet filming sets.
The lights are powered by an AC adapter, but can also be run on either Sony NP-F550 or V-mounted batteries through an optional battery grip. This provides a lot of on-location options where plugging in for power isn’t viable.
Big Brothers
The Forza 300/300B II and Forza 500/500B II models maintain the same options as the 60W unit but with modifications for a separate, redesigned control unit with the power adapter incorporated inside. Nanlite has been able to shrink down the control unit by 37% on the 300 series and 16% on the 500 series, which also includes V-mount battery plates.
The control interface offers support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and can be controlled through the Nanlink Mobile app, or be connected to DMX/RDM control through a wire connection. These models offer a CCT range of 2700-6500K adjustable from 0-100% and feature a built-in W(RG)/WW(RG) color mixing system with G/M±80 tunability. The lights also cast a bright 68060 lux at 1 meter.
These models also support hot swapping between AC and DC and can run on a single or double-V-mount battery solution. Its integrated cooling system offers four adjustable modes: Smart, Full Speed, Low Speed, and Off. Moreover, the lights enjoy 12 different lighting effects that are adjustable for dialing in the right result.
Nanlite PavoTube II
Nanlite also released details on the second-generation PavoTube portable tube lights.
"We don’t think that content creators and filmmakers out there can ever get enough of PavoTubes,” Zheng said. “That’s the reason why we decide to bring PavoTube II 15C/30C to the lineup. They’re not just a simple upgrade from its predecessor.”
The company says that the PavoTube design has been upgraded with the goal of multiplying and vastly improving the creative possibilities with improved technologies from the inside out and from end to end.
The PavoTube II comes in two-foot PavoTube II 15C and four-foot PavoTube II 30C varieties. Listening to feedback from production crews, Nanlite has updated the PavoTube design to upgrade performance and color accuracy.
The PavoTube II has a wider CCT range of between 2700-7500K, with a G/M adjustment of ±150. This provides more lighting options in various shooting environments and the ability to correct any color shift. The tubes can output about 10%-20% more brightness respectively, with dimmer adjustments at the touch of a button and the two adjustment knobs. However, that increased light output does not impact the overall size of each model, which the company states are almost the same dimensions.
The lights have a CRI rating of 97, a TLCI rating of 98, and TM-30 Rf/Rg ratings of 94 and 101, respectively. And like the technology built into the Forza II, the PavoTube II models also have RGBWW color mixing technology.
The PavoTube II has support for Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, with wireless control through the Nanlink App. Plus, there’s support for DMX and RDM computer control with wired connections as well. Various modes include CCT, HSI, and FX modes, with built-in lighting effects increased from the original 6 to 15, though Nanlite stops short of mentioning what effects have been added.
Users will also notice that the end caps have been shortened to provide an extended illumination area on both ends, and the built-in light diffusion for soft and even light emission for better performance, especially with highly-reflective objects and as in-frame practical lights.
The tube lights are powered by a 14.8V 2200 mAh lithium battery for the 15C, and a 14.8V 4400 mAh battery for the longer 30C. They can also be powered by a 15V 2A or 4A AC power adapter, respectively. A USB Type-C port can be used to update the firmware.
The result is a tube light that can be used in standard lighting schemes, either as a key light, fill light, or backlight with just the right splash of color without the use of gels.
The Competition Is Heating Up
On paper, these second-generation lights offer some impressive features for the budget space. While we'll have to see how they perform in the field, they definitely deserve a response from the competition.
The Forza II 60 has a retail price of $289, while the Bi-Color Forza 60B II is priced at $319. For the 300 series, the retail price is $949 for the Forza 300 II and $999 for the 300B II. The Nanlite PavoTube II 15C LED light tubes have a retail price of $219, but there is currently no listed price or availability for the PavoTube II 30C.
While most of these lights are available now, the Forza 500 II and 500BII lights will be available in the Spring for $1349 and $1499, respectively.
What do you think about this new offering from Nanlite? Are the updates tempting you to switch? Let us know in the comments!
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