Popular LED Lights Compared - Which One Should You Hire?

Choosing the right light can have a huge impact on your production. The best option depends on what you're filming, how much output you need and whether you're working in a studio or on location. We will assume you have some experience with lighting for this guide, and just need a top level guide for what to consider from our range. If you need any more in depth advice, feel free to contact us. 

Aputure 1200x – Best All-Round High Output Light

If you need one light that can handle almost anything, the Aputure 1200x is hard to beat.

The flexibility of bi-colour output and the BLAIR light engine means you can quickly match daylight or tungsten with full green/magenta shift, and also dial in a surprising amount of colours across the spectrum. Don’t simply think of this as a bi-colour light, it can produce saturated colours across more than 70% of the Rec. 2020 colour space too.

Best for: Productions that need maximum flexibility and power.

Aputure 1200d Pro – A Daylight Balanced Work Horse

The Aputure 1200d Pro is still a great light despite having been replaced with the 1200x. With a fixed daylight white balance, it gets used across a variety of shoots when you just need a big light that works. Gels are available and consider putting the F10 Fresnel on it to maximise your output and control the beam angle. The Aputure 1200x is a better light overall, but when you just need to shoot daylight, this will save you money with essentially no downside.

Best for: Large output at a great price.

Aputure 600d – The Industry Favourite

The Aputure 600d has become a staple on film sets for good reason. It's compact enough for smaller productions while still providing enough output for interviews, commercials and location work. At a notable weight and cost saving compared to the 2 lights above, it’s a serious choice and should be considered for smaller scale shoots or to supplement your larger lights.

Best for: Everyday professional filmmaking where a 1200X or 1200D is overkill.

Aputure F22C – Soft Light Anywhere

Unlike the COB fixtures above, the Aputure F22C is a flexible LED mat designed to create soft light. It is super lightweight so you can position it anywhere you want. Being able to get it close to talent means its power goes a long way and works well as a small key light. 

It can also run from V-Mount batteries, making it an excellent option for location work where mains power isn't available.

Best for: Easy soft, flattering lighting that you can boom in anywhere.

Aputure Infinibar PB12 (4-Light Kit) – Creative & Practical Lighting

The Aputure Infinibar PB12 kit is all about creativity. 

These battery-powered RGB light bars can be mounted almost anywhere, making them perfect for adding colour, being used as practicals, or building unique lighting designs with 96 programmable pixels on each bar and options to connect multiple bars with shaped connectors. Their battery operation also means fewer cables and faster setup times. When you just need a pop of something, we are often reaching for one of these. 

They are also a favourite for music videos, looking really great in frame. 

Best for: Creative lighting and colour effects.

Godox F600Bi – Large Soft Source

The Godox F600Bi is an excellent flexible bi-colour LED mat that produces a broad, soft light. At 4x4’ it is large enough to fake a window and it is light enough to be able to boom or mount it overhead without the complication of building a traditional scaffold style softbox or panel system. We love it for how thin it is, meaning it can tuck in against a wall and provide a soft light where a cob fixture and diffusion just wouldn’t fit. 

Best for: Large soft light in awkward spaces.

Need Help Choosing?

Every production is different, and the "best" light depends on your location, subject and budget.

If you're not sure which fixture is right for your shoot, contact us. We'll recommend the most suitable lighting package and make sure you've got everything you need to go with it, from stands and modifiers to V-Mount batteries and portable power.

Whether you're filming in Brighton, Hove or anywhere across Sussex, Cine Hire can supply professional lighting equipment for productions of every size.