amaran
amaran Ace 25x Bi-Color LED Light Panel All-in-One Creator Kit (Charcoal)
Regular price $95.00Unit price
$174.99 off
$17.49 off
$22.00 off
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How to choose continuous lighting
Continuous lights let you see exactly what you're filming or photographing — no guessing, no chimping. Picking the right one is about output, color quality, and what you actually shoot.
LED panel vs COB
LED panels (Aputure Amaran P-series, Godox LD-series) spread light across a flat surface — soft, broad, and easy to work with for interviews and product shots. COB (Chip-on-Board) lights like the Aputure 300x and Godox SL-series concentrate output into a single bright source — used with modifiers (softboxes, fresnels) for more directional, controllable light. Most pros own both; COBs are the standard for cinema work.
Color quality (CRI / TLCI)
CRI (Color Rendering Index) and TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) measure how accurately a light reproduces colors compared to natural daylight. CRI 90+ is the minimum for video work; CRI 95+ is what professionals look for. Cheap lights with CRI in the 70s produce muddy skin tones and unpredictable color casts that even color correction can't fully save.
Bicolor vs daylight
Bicolor lights adjust from warm tungsten (3200K) to cool daylight (5600K) and everything in between — flexible for matching ambient light, mixing with windows, or warming cold scenes. Daylight-balanced (single-temperature) lights are simpler and often brighter at the same wattage. RGB lights add full-spectrum color control for creative effects but cost more.
Power and modifiers
For interviews and small-room work, 60W–100W is plenty. For larger spaces or shooting through diffusion, 200W–300W. For sun replacement or big spaces, 600W+. Remember: a modifier (softbox, diffusion) eats 1–2 stops of light. Buy a stop or two over what you think you need so you have headroom.
Frequently asked questions
LED panel or COB?
Panel for soft, broad fill light and run-and-gun interviews. COB for controllable directional light through softboxes, fresnels, or projection optics. For a single light purchase: COB with a softbox is more versatile.
What's CRI and why does it matter?
Color Rendering Index — measures how accurately a light reproduces colors compared to natural sunlight (CRI 100). For video and photo, look for CRI 95 or higher. Below CRI 90, skin tones and colors look off in subtle ways that are hard to fix in post.
How many watts do I need for interviews?
For one-subject interviews in a normal room, 60W–100W is plenty for a key light. Add a 30W–60W panel for fill. For two-person interviews or larger rooms, double those numbers. Through a softbox, expect to lose about a stop of light.
Bicolor or daylight only?
Bicolor if you shoot in mixed lighting (tungsten + daylight, indoor + window light). Daylight-only if you control your environment and want maximum brightness per watt. Most working creators go bicolor for flexibility.
Battery-powered or AC-only?
Battery-powered for run-and-gun, location work, and places without power. AC-only is brighter, lighter, and cheaper per watt. Hybrid lights with both options (V-mount battery + AC) are the most flexible — they cost more but cover both scenarios.
Do I need modifiers for continuous lights?
For COBs, yes — a bare COB is harsh and unflattering. A softbox, diffusion, or fresnel transforms the look. For panels with built-in diffusion, you can use them bare or with a barn-door grid for spot control. Modifiers are 50% of the look.
Local to Milwaukee? Stop into our camera store in Oak Creek, WI to see lights at full brightness and compare beam patterns in person.
