Is cheaper better? || Colbor vs Amaran 60x bi-color lights 

I will deal with the chip protector issue ASAP trust me!! And Big Thanks😘

Colbor is much more interesting to me. IMO, every sub-100W light should support USB power to work with powerbank or small GaN power adapter. However, I red many complains on quality issues (failed buttons), especially from early adopters. I hope they fixed the issues. We definitely need really light softbox to complete the puzzle and get a truly compact lighting setup.

Hi, thanks for the review, you can actually use NPF battery in the Colbor but you have to purchase the module separately, it is called COLBOR VAP1+VC50 . It is around 30 dollars so it makes it about the same price as the amaran.

Those nato rail slots on the Colbor is compatible with cold shoe mounts so you can use that as a mounting option for various things including other types of light stand mounts.

What an awesome review! I subscribed. Keep up the great work, FF!

Fantastic review/comparison. Exactly what I needed. Thank you SO very much for this!!😊

I just picked up the colbor light because it is smaller and seems more versatile. Also USB-C is a bigger bonus than I think people realize. If you don't have a lot of legacy batteries lying around, it is a huge cost saver to just use a power bank for your phone/tablet. It also means less overall gear when travelling since I usually pack a power bank and usb wall plug anyways. Also I may replace that cheap plastic cover with a 3d printed one just to make sure the chip is protected.

Excellent review. You really nailed the important details and you made it easy to understand. Thank you.

Very nice review! I just switched from the Amaran 60X S the the Colbor CL60. What I like about the Colbor vs the Amaran: quieter fan operation, lighter, aluminium body, extension capabilities with the rails, nicer travel bag (the Amaran case is a nightmare to pack everything back) and the price obviously. What I will miss from the Amaran: native Bowen mount, secure power plug, nicer Sidus Link app, protected LED with glass, better quality wheel control, faster responsiveness to light changes.

Super helpful comparison! Thank you so much for these insights!

always useful your input 👍

When I see a light video by Fwellow Filmmaker, I click on it! Again, thanks for using the same reflectors on both light when testing the output. As someone who likes switching reflectors, this data is very useful!

I hope you’re happy with yourself!You made me buy the 60x!! Now I have a whole new set of evolution to get into. This is my first foray into the Bowen Mount and judging by your other videos I have all kinds of other toys to get. Snoots. Projectors. Fresnels! Oh man, my wife’s not gonna be happy with this!! Thanks for the awesome videos. I found you via shorts and have been binging your stuff ever since. I’m just finishing up my office/studio remodel so it’s perfect timing. Similar size space to what you have. Looking forward to your next vid!

Thanks for answering most of my questions.

I just bought the 60xs. Very happy with it. You’re right, the case isn’t much to write home about, but the little light is a powerhouse for my tiny studio. I went with the Amaran since I already own the Aperture MC light and I can control both from the same app.

The main A roll shot looks particularly good in this video. Thought I would mention it, in case you were playing with the setup. Good info too.

Been waiting for this video

Great review! I wanted to buy the Colbor Cl60r, but I think I'll choose the Amaran 60xs because of the mounting bracket. I want to mount the light on a ball head :/

For $199 you can buy the RGB version of the Colbor CL60R and it's absolutely gamechanger. Or you can buy bi-color 110 watts Colbor CL100X for the same $199 if you don't need RGB.

I had been weighing getting a Colbor light to save a few dollars, so I really appreciate this video. I think for the conveniences, as well as light accuracy, I will stick with the Amaran. I have a 60d and it seems as long as the mic is more than 3 feet from the light the fan has never been an issue.

Thanks for the comprehensive review. Given your expertise, would you consider making a video like “Which light to buy in 2023” in the 60W class and/or the 150W class? I feel I’ve lost track of all those different models (if I ever was on track 😮).

Thanks, I'll be sending people to this video

Thanks for the video!!! It is surprising how off center the umbrella is in the Amaran bracket! It would be cool if the light had the umbrella bracket on the body! Being honest I really like how the Colbor actually held its ground so well! Even if I have some Nanlites I may pick some to shoot oudoors with usb-c battery banks!

Great review! Very curious how the Colbor CL60M would compare to the new and improved Amaran 60D S.

Thanks! This was solid info! Someone knows what they are talking about! :)

thank you for the feed back.. but I think you are team Amaran! lol

What brightness settings are you using in your studio? Thanks! If you're willing to answer a little more, What modifiers are you using? What is your final lux reading on your face and on the wall? What exposure settings?

Cool video, that was a good comparoson! Could you compare the colbor cl100x with the zhyiun molus x100? That comparison would be awsome and anyome has done it yet!

Weird your Colbor CL60 came like that. Mine came with a really nice protective bag and the cob LED came with a thick black soft rubber protection instead of the cheap transparent plastic one you got (also seems to be heat resilient as I mistakenly turned the light with the cap on for like 15 seconds and luckily nothing bad happened). Maybe they made some changes to the new batch? Got mine a couple of days ago. Also the USB-C power adapter looks different than the one I received. Great video btw, thanks!

Great Video

GReat review!

Great video! How does the Godox ML60bi compare?

I have the Colborcl60 and 220- WOW these are my fav buget non rental brand now -

Hey! :) Have you tried the Inkee 60w lights ? they are amazing !

I have the 60D, which has been a nice little light, but I concider the 1/4 20 on the Amaran a con as when I put a modifier on it, it tends to sometimes spin around where the Colbor looks more solid of a connection. The fan on the 60D is barely audible in my opnion, my on camera monitor (external) is much louder!

Would love to see your thoughts on the hobo lights

Hey, at the time 3:25. What is that bar called that's connected to both the light & Camera?

Can you buy a dc to usb c Cable and use the amaran also with powerbank pd?

i fall in love with u 😭😭😭 how cute u are 😭

Having been a stills photographer for over 35 years (recently moved away from it) and investing in shooting iphone filmmaking content, I'm struggling with how compact to go with at most a 2 light setup. My #1 need is sufficient light output for shooting interviews with a sufficient sized softbox/light modifier for softer light while at the same time maintaining portability/remote location flexibility (literally no wall power available so battery power is a must have). Budget is a concern of course. I do have several different sized Chimera photo softboxes already with bowens mount speedrings that I used with my old Buff monolights. Given the limitations of shooting content on mobile devices (typically shooting interviews in 24p/30p on either the native iPhone camera app in cinematic mode, Blackmagic Camera app or Moment App) I'm unsure if the 60 watt output is sufficient for shooting interviews given I've always shot interviews with traditional hot lights on hybrid type cameras. I do have a variable ND for shooting content with the iphone - any suggestions???

Hi, thanx for comparision video. But what about NEEWER CL-60B? Can you compare with Colbor?

The Amaran also has much lower output at 1% , which gives more control and flexibility.

it's it possible to just glue a little bit of glass in front of the colbor yourself? over here it differs €60. and if not for that exposed led I would definitely buy that one

how long does it run on a usb power bank at 100%? if I had a 65w 20000mah pd bank

Really wished the Colbor had a proper power input. I really don't like relying on a USB connector on a set. It has an aluminium body, which is great as most smaller lights are plastic. But then fails on the connector side.

Hi, Just a question. Currently owned a colbor cl60 and update the firmware using colbor edgemax but stuck in 0%

thanks so much for doing this video, looking for a setup for my desk at home that is small and minimal for RU-vid. What do you think of the Amaran 60xs with the aputure 4545 softbox and can you recommend a desk mount? Looking for something to just set up and leave on the desk that is super small. Setting up lights every time I do a video is just too much of pain

oh no... new lights again.... I haven't used up all the lights you reccomended yet....lol Anyways... good information... thanks...

Very good comparison. But I'm surprised that you never talk about the temperature that the projector reaches. In the years when we used projectors with overvoltage halogen lamps we knew that the duration normally did not exceed 100 hours, and the projector worked at temperatures of more than 200ºC, although with mercury vapor lamps the duration is longer. LEDs cannot exceed a working temperature Tj of 110ºC, significantly reducing their average life. It is normal to keep them below 70ºC. If the size of the radiator or ventilation (low noise fan) is small, the life of the LEDs will be reduced, as will the electronic components and the LCD display itself. What duration do manufacturers guarantee?

There was of zhiyun portable light reviews last month, what is your take, which one is the best small ones?

Amazing review, but how is the luminance value completely different from the colborlight website that is 22540Lux (at 1m 5600K, With Reflector)? your measurement shows 43000 LUX

that would have been cool if you had examples

Colbor now comes with a rubber cap, instead of that condiment plastic you received.

thanks! IMHO, the USB is the most important aspect (beside the awful CB60 bag) . I love the idea of power-bank. a set of 4 V- mount NP F790 8800mAh batteries with a charger costs about 100$. Power-Banks are smaller, cheaper, stronger and you can charge them anywhere and faster. I think all the big lights brands will start to deliver USB options very soon.

Just got my colbor cl60. The issues are already addressed. It now has a soft rubber cap and the led itself has now a plastic protection. The only gripe I have is it wont pair via nluetooth no matter what device i use.

I love the Amaran portability for outdoor shooting BUT- with two 6,000 mAh batteries on 100% power -it last only about 1 hour. that's a shame.

would be interesting what you think about the Colbor CL60R (RGB version) 🙂

I already have some bigger lights, I'm looking for a little light like these who would works out of batteries, I have a V-mount batt. and some big USB banks. Can't decide between both of these for power. V-Mount or USB? what do you think? thanks

I wonder, if @colborlight could've make an attacheble COB protective glass accessory for their lights. It probably could be magnetically attached to these two screws on the front - unlike the heatsink, these probably made out of steel, so powerful enough neodimium magnet should do the good job in addressing this unfortunate issue.

What's the difference on the Colbor fan settings between smart and quiet? Also, when you slide two Colbor lights together, do the rails lock somehow?

For those who work with makeup, iPhone film, I would like a powerful light, I have two yongnoo 600 LEDs, my room is small, can you help me?

Hi, great video! I'm doing some short films and looking to buy my first light, is one of them significantly better than the other for my situation?

Hello do i need to buy a special usb c cable to power it with a powerbank ? and which output for the pb ?

After I found out that Amaran suddenly stops working after 30 minutes and that the Aputure app "steals" your data, I opted for Colbor. And I'm quite happy with it.Mine came with a silicone led's protector

for how long can last the coolbor with a external usb battery with 30000mha 100w at max power?

I have owned 2 Colbor both broke. The rocker switches always break on these.

colbor is best cause of usb c and design material price also

Zhiyun molus vs amaran would be great

Which batteries exactly did you buy to power the amaran, wirelessly?

Amaran battery is sony??? what is the biggest battery it can use???

do you know the Yongnuo ynlux100 and the Yongnuo ynlux200?

Do you have any suggestions for options less than $100?

Hi ! Thank you very much for sharing this video. I'm looking for a versatile rgb light so I'm wondering if I should go for the tiny USB-C Colbor CL60R, the V-mount compatible (sold out/upcoming?) Neewer MS60C OR bulkier (quieter?) Amaran 150C. I can't find how is color blending rgb dots on COBs and result through Fresnel lens. Do you plan to do an overall rgb comparison? Cheers

The rgb version I have has a silicone cover for the front of the light and there is a glass in front of the “chip”. I live in Europe and I f I convert it into dollars it cost roughly the same as the bicolor version you mentioned in the video. Great video non the less. 👌

Which one is more brighter and which has colour cast issue where the comparision test? how long a Colbor last on a 10000 mAh powerbank ? No details about these all things what kind of review is this ?

Colbor doesn't have phone app control, right?

Amaran is like a copy of yungnuo which was released a year ago.

Amaran all the way. Why? Because Aperture is a more established company with a international presence, so when something inevitably goes wrong because that's how technology goes, your return/repair process is going to be far less painful than it will be with the Colbor. I'm experiencing this the hard way currently. I bought a iFootage Shark Nano slider about 2 years ago. Honestly awesome slider with impressive build and features, that is, when it works. Barely used it. Updated the firmware a few weeks ago, which totally bricked it. Now it just hangs on the load screen into infinity. Unusable now. After contacting iFootage I would have to send it to China just to get the device factory reset. Guess how much the shipping to China is ? Roughly between 400-$600. The slider cost $800. Protection plans don't reimburse for shipping, and iFootage will not cover shipping past their own warranty period. This doesn't even take into account the months of shipping/customs/repair queue it would take just for a factory reset of the software, nor the language barriers and miscommunications. Outcome? Allstate cashed me out for the loss minus the deductible, which was generous on their end. Had they not I would have eaten an $800 loss, with no functional slider to speak of. Conclusion: It's not that the Colbor is a "bad" light. It's probably a great light. The issue with brands from China that are relatively new to the industry is their repair/return process. You have to factor that cost into the total cost of the light. Unless you're comfortable with the idea of eating costs when things go south. For some ppl, the low cost of the product might be worth that exchange, but for me it's a major headache. I'm going with Aperture. Worth the extra $30-50 imo.

Threaded mounts should be banned.

It's 1:08 and I already know Amaran should not be purchased, as it has functions (special effects control) that can only be done via app. We have no knowledge of how long apps will be updated and/or supported in new (or old, when years passes) phones. Also, I can have my phone battery dead, or phone malfunction, or need the app on another phone but there's no signal because maybe I'm somewhere in the wild and I cannot download the app... All these reason, I would NEVER EVER buy anything (lights, cameras, monitors, you name it, anything electronic) that hasn't ALL the functions controllable directly on the device with physical buttons and switches; I can spend maybe 20$ on something like that, and consider it disposable. This "app-mania" should stop, If I buy professional equipment I expect it to work for the next 15/20 years, and so I cannot trust anything that works with external apps.

breathe, you don't need to talk so fast :)