Gaffer & Gear 104 - Aputure Nova P300c 

If you ever wonder why many other reviewers get more views on their videos: I also have no idea. You are pretty much making every other review a waste of time. Thank you for doing this with a proffessionality and depth that has set a new standard for light reviews. Highly appreciated!

10.000 subs episode idea: viewiers Q and A. My Questions: 1. Worst day of your carrier (problems during work ect) 2. Light and Heavy stands you recommend. 3. What you like most about your job.

Great review! I didn’t even bother with DMX because it wasn’t in my controller yet. We’d all be better off just letting you do the reviews... the rest of us could remain quiet.🤐 I only have one S30, so the Nova will make a good companion on most shoots, the way I use them. You did everyone a big favor re the battery input🏆 Thank you for keeping everyone else honest!

Was waiting for your review before purchasing! Thank you Andrew, being young in this industry, your reviews give me confidence in where I'm putting my money.

I like your intro statement that it is a privilege to get such a light for a review. Especially since you totally earn it as your review is helping potential buyers to make a balanced decision and also it will help Aputure improve the product, e.g. in the area of DMX. In comparison I feel some other reviewers failed to put this light through its paces. So great job, always a pleasure to see a Pro at work!

I have watched like 5-10 reviews before but I'm still watching this! I love your reviews Andrew!

This is why I watch your videos. You don't just give an opinion that benefits pro-sumers, you talk about the seemingly casual things that we who aspire to be professionals need to know. Thank you.

finally I can breathe fresh air now. You were the only one who could truly compare the competition with Skypanel. I'll leave a comment and watch the video. In fact, I bought this (Korea) two months ago, but I was in trouble because there was no review.

The best in depth review ever of the Nova P300c Andrew. You showed us again why we should keep on coming and watching all content you create. Clear, accurate, relevant and very interesting. Thank you very much for sharing all your knowledge and experience. Best regards from New York.👏👏👏

What kind of love about this channel is the dedication to just lighting and topics around your area of expertise. The reviews are non biased and reflect fact from than subjective views!

Brilliant Review Andrew! Look forward to the next one!

awesome in-depth review, was looking for a decent review of these, cheers

This is THE review I've been waiting for. Thank you for the in-depth content.

Looking forward to next episode!

Really enjoying your thorough reviews... super useful having someone like you go through the positives and negatives of using this equipment on a set. Cheers!

i have seen all the other reviews about the nova and i gotta say once again u by far produce the best review from a professional perspective keep up the good work!

Going to hit the gym and come back and watch this, I'm excited af

What a thorough and detailed review. I love this channel and the content you put out. Thanks so much!

Thanks again for this in depth review!

Fantastic review !

Brillant demo, many thanks! The Nova is a bit over the top for my little RU-vid operation, but the way it drenches a room in saturated colours looks so stunning :)

I got my units two days ago & I'm loving them 😍🔥

Very detailed review! I think I’ll be picking one up early next year. Assuming we’re back in the norm by then!

This will have to be my next major lighting purchase. Thanks for the thorough review!

Each video of yours I watch I am so happy to have access to the real world of video at a pro level where you have opened the doors! I am very grateful for having you here at the end of the internet connection!

always AMAZING REVIEWS !

Excellent review. Great catch on that inlet, too. Apurture should send you a set of three of the revised versions of the Nova as a thank you.

thanks for this in depth review!

Thank you so much! You may not be the first with your reviews, but you are super accurate - and that is the important thing!!!

Awesome video! Thank you! - Very thorough and presented impeccably.

This is a superb breakdown. Thanks

Thank you for the review!

I love your videos, really. So very informative, humble and straightforward. Thank you for always taking your time, andrew!

Fantastic review, thank you sir!

Your review was worth the wait

Brand New Nova, Updated Firmware. AT Hue 1 Degree, 100% Saturation and around 32-37% intensity I can see flickering in this light. NOT rolling shutter. The light flickers. ( i can see it on the video scopes flickering) Also when increasing intensity from 0%-100% at hue 1 Degree, 100% Saturation, I can clearly see colour shifting in this unit, it goes from orangey, to magenta and keeps flicking back between the two - all quite subtle, but its there.

Super appreciate the in-depth + honest positive negative of using this light!

such a perfect review thankyou

Thank you for the review! I trust your opinions. Cheers!

Excellent review. I'll be buying two of the Nova P300 because of your review. SOLID LIGHT!

Thanks for the review Andrew. I had been considering getting another Litepanels Gemini to round out my lighting... but for the money this Apurture light looks like it will do the job very nicely. Just wish you could change the CCT the light desaturates to in HSI mode!

Great review sir Thank you.

Amazingly comprehensive review Andrew many thanks. I am looking to potentially add this to my varied collection of lights but might hold back until the next firmware release to see what issues that you have kindly already highlighted that they address. Also very interested in using with modifiers so will wait for your DoP Choice rundown. Much respect !!!!

I just got the 4xmc box pretty happy with so far

Thank you for this in depth review! I rented one to try it out and just purchased one off the back of that. Super happy with it. Only thing I didn't like is the fabric for the Aputure Softbox, gonna try and fix something custom or maybe save up for the DOP Choice one. Also, annoying that the softbox and barn doors doesn't fit in the case...

Great review. Will be renting until i buy it

They took a while to release this (from first mention), which I presume was a good thing. Having a few of these and maybe some of the other upcoming Aputure / equivelant products will provide many practical and creative options. Great to see a brand catering to all aspects of the industry and responsive to their customers. Need DMX sorted, as this light will be used in larger rigs and the practical aspect of battery connection is a very valid point.

Nice work, you have gained a new Sub!

Right on Andrew, cheers from Virginia

Yes i get the see the flikering when it fades up and fades down!

Great review. It was detailed and thorough. One thing I saw was your review of the Aputure 300x and you were very impressed with the 5 sec fade down and up of the unit. I'm surprised and disappointed that the DMX fade up and down of the Nova is not as good. I'm hoping the DMX is as good and better than the 300x in a future firmware release. I didn't like the flicker on the Nova during the ramp up of the light.

Very detail 👌🏿

Best review of all that I've seen! Thank you very much! Question though, will the dual vmount battery I have from the original 300d work with this if I get an adapter? Thanks again and keep rockin!!! :)

Deserves 30k likes. Amazing information and superb delivery. Given your pro status, how much of a Kelvin delta is truly an issue? Should I care as an amateur if its off by 150k or even 200k? Thanks for all your knowledge on this channel.

good to know that i wont smoke as much with this, the skypannel upboot time has always been an ennoyance when you have to move fast.

The best reviews on lighting and grip come from gaffer & gear.

I used one on a shoot yesterday. Beware It's heavy, I had to lay it on the floor bcz I didnt have an arm that could support it in the air(had to change light setup impromptu). It's too heavy for a baby boom arm. Too much bend, didnt look feel or look safe to me. And the light needs modifiers, which add more weight!! The light output was really good tho (I had it at 1% all day on a Varicam shooting at 1600ISO t/5.6), and with the app I was able to match it to another 300DMK2 perfectly with a point and click. 5 stars to the Sidus App. In my opinion the form factor does not match the other aputure lights at all, which is kind of a bummer. Bcz this lamp looks like it comes from a totally different factory if not company in my opinion. I also thought the controller unit felt kind of cheap/flimsy and the design didn't match the sophistication of their other products or even the lamp itself. But I will be renting some more again! Lovely light

As much as I often hate a separate ballast it is nice to have the option on the arri s30 as it takes 5pounds or so off the head weight when you need to rig it... i love everything about this p300 except the 23 pounds is a lot on end of a menace arm etc. We do so many multicam interviews right now with Astra 6x because of the lite weight (and cost) form factor but looking to upgrade to lite weight head with full RGBWW and DMX etc. Jury still out...

Sr, you are as pro as there is. congratulations

Old video but I’m considering the Nova P300c. However I’m stuck between the Nova, the new Godox Knowled P300r and the Chauvet Pro onAir Panel 1 IP. I know they’re both new but would love to see you review of the Chauvet and Godox or any input into the matter. Love you reviews, best around. Thank you!

Hey Andrew: Your usual thorough review - thanks for pressing them on the DMX firmware fix. No test unit Titan X2 from Rotolight yet?

Wow - thorough and extremely interesting review! I'm looking at this light as a possible "girl friday" light to use as general key light as well as some other uses. I'm a one-man-band RU-vidr and the less time fussing with gear, the better. But I am also not technically educated on lighting, though I have a good fundamental understanding. I'm willing to invest what I would consider "significant" funds into a light like this to get the combination of portability and features - as well as room to grow into it rather than save a few dollars and quickly outgrow something else. Is this light overkill for this, or am I the right user for this product? In your opinion - of course....

illuminating video review. Cheers if you ever wanna go to macadas in your budgie smugglers a round will be on me m8!

Your graphic at 8min has a typing mistake. It says „Lux @ 1m“ instead of „Lux @ 3m“. But Superb review as always. I liked your graditude in the intro :)

If you say that you have such a good relationship with Aputure can you tell them to update a few things on the app. Unless I was blind I think the sidus app lacks a bit: 1) When you enter a light to show The NAME of the light at the top of that light menu so you know where you entered - after a while I could forget while working. I used 10-15 lights on a feature and I did not see their names in their individual control menus . In the general scene menu, I do see the names, of course, but not once I enter a light. 2) to put in an option that when lights are controlled in a GROUP - that if the group's intensity is lifted by 1% that all the lights be lifted RELATIVELY one to the other - ie PRESERVE THE RATIOS (an option, and to have an option that all lights are at the same level). When I group lights , the slider brings all the intensities at the group level. There should be a relative value which keeps ratios in mind (put a menu in there and choose to have this option). The group should detect how much % is there overhead and how much % undernwath and based on this the whole groups creates a slider with the relative % overhead that keeps the ratios (and maybe include an icon or write there, RATIOS or something to let the user know they're keeping the ratios in the group). I was trying to "fade in" a light via sidus and the group would not keep the ratios. 3) In the main page of the scene, put an option to have a tree like structure, and under each light to be able to see at least the intensity and the kelvin/Green-Magenta scale. I would be adjusting several lights and I had to go back and forth to adjust the intensity. For people that want a fiddly menu it's fine, but also give an option to display as a tree the controls for those who want a menu full of accessible sliders. If somebody say wants to go from CCT to color mode, then fine, enter the light and change the mode. But for fine adjustments, idk, when working with a lot of lights on a wide scene, I'd rather have all the sliders on one page ready to go. 4) if possible - make that BT connection refresh better - it always asks if I wanna reconnect. DUMB as hell - of course I wanna reconnect. I'm not entering the light to admire the menu. Also their annoying update requests they can shove them deep where it doesn't shine BETTER yet call them, tell them to hire me and fly me to China to sort their stuff out. I'm the most mental tester out there (hence why I love this mental channel). I had a few more ideas but anyway, let's save some for later.

Great review mate thank you for making such a detailed tool to use.. in your colour temp measurements, in this ones case you say at 5600 it’s out by the equivalent of a 1/16th correction gel.. is that in terms of green/magneta or being spot on 5600 and needing orange or blue to correct it?

This looks great. I bought the LEDGO MagicHue160 based on your review and it's been a great light but I hate the case (it's massive and difficult to stack with my other gear) and there are times I wish it was brighter. This looks a lot brighter and the case is more compact. I know they haven't released the v-lock power for it yet but would there be room in the case for that and a couple of v-locks do you think? Thanks for doing these. You reviews are the best around.

You gotta get your hands on the Nova P600c! That would be cool to be reviewed by you.

Would be great if you did a follow up review regarding all the questions (you didn’t tell us) you asked Aperture for updates… if these concerns have all been answered as promised…

What will the film industry be without the great master kenobi

Man I love I've found your channel.. I'm a relative newbie (having a small owner operater production since 2017) Like most people I've been caught up trying to get better at camera operating, editing etc... But his channel has definetly gave me hope of upping my lighting game! Id love to know your thoughts of mixing brands for cob lights (aputure, godox vl series or nanlight etc) or is there one budget brand you would recommend as a perfect solution for small corporate jobs?

I know you're in OZ so it might not be as easy for you to get your hands on them, but have you considered testing these against ETC fos/4 panels? I know they're not as bright but I have a feeling their color rendition is better (maybe better than Arri's too). Would love to see you comparing them.

This exalux costs 2500 dollars😲and you still have to buy super expensive lights like Skypanel to have this smooth transitions. Thats why i choose astera system.

Fantastic review! One aspect that I am interested in that you might be able to answer is how weather proof is the main unit and the controller unit?🙏🏾

Amazing! which light stand do you are using for the nova?

I’m close to pulling the trigger to buy the Nova 300. I would love to se an updated video on all the updates of the lamp.

Good

Thank you for this video! What's the lowest lux level it goes to? At 1% brightness Say at 1m and 3200K

Hey man, love your channel! Do you have any opinion on the Rayzr MC400 compared to these Aputures?

Hello, I hope you well. Just had a quick question. Can this light do the welding arc or shock pattern effect? Thanks!

I see looking at the P300 now they fixed the issue with the connector at the back made it male instead of female. But now they are releasing the P600c so ... Hmmm ... ARRI S60-C SkyPanel alternative at just over 1/2 the price.

Hi Andrew! Quick question - Is the gel library as robust as the sky panel's?

Great review. Is the DMX mode fixed yet? I have 2 of theese and i use the more with DMX than i thought i would... I might get rid of them and swap to s30's but it r much rather just download a firmware that spend several thousand bucks to get good DMD modes

Do you have any specific light stands you’d recommend for the p300c?

What is the softbox on the 300D mark ii in that overhead setup? I have a really big softbox for my Forza 500 but it is too deep. It is not practical on set as it takes a lot of space. I am looking for something like you had in that outdoor fire scene as it seems much less deeper than what I have.

would 2 of them be enought to light a 4.5 meter cove white background?

I'd be very curious to see how this compares to the Rayzr MC400max... Weight wise the S60 is 28 pounds, the Aputure 23lbs and the Rayzr a remarkable 13lbs. The rayzr 400w the Aputure 300w... very similar price points, the Rayzr about $300 more.

Same problem as the Skypanel, how do you tilt it down with a large chimera and no ball mount?

Hey Andrew, has Aputure released a firmware update yet to fix your issue with the fire effect and the DMX issues (specifically daylight fading to a color)?

Opening statement comes closer than most to admitting that sent for review=free unit.

This versus the Litepannels Gemini 1x1 hard?

I hope Aputure paid you for your valuable advice or at least gave you the light a gift!

Could you say something about the Aputure Service? What if some LEDs are going out of funktion, for example.

Really basic question, but when do you use this type of light vs the aputure 300d? Are they used interchangeably, or does each have a specific use?

Hello Andrew, I finally got my Aputure 2-bay power station. I remember you did a review of it and removed it few days later. Do you think I still can safely use it for the Nova? Also, I am sorry to ask you again about V mount batteries. A while ago I asked you and you very kindly sent me a link for a brand that you like that is not be very expensive and it's not distributed by B&H in the US. Unfortunately, I can't find the comment where you sent me the link.

Thanks for great video: at 08:03 you said Lux at 3m, but video graphics say 1m… Which is true…

Makes me wonder how the Nova will compare against Nanlite Mixpanel 150 given the respective price differential

This light will never be in stock :'(

Review the Aputure LS 600c Pro please

What is the device that you connected to dmx input? Sorry i don't speak English and i don't understanded that part.