Aputure: Improved accuracy of expression with multi-color LED engine

A major turning point in the lighting industry in 2025 is the change in thinking about color reproduction. Until now, LEDs were at the stage of “how to mix red, green, and blue (RGB),” but we have now entered an era where the question is “how to design the light components (spectrum) themselves.” Aputure’s “STORM” series is symbolic of this competition. Its proprietary “BLAIR engine” has completely rewritten the evaluation standards for LED lighting.

In the lineup of this series, the STORM 700x, which began shipping domestically in November 2025, has an overwhelming presence as a technological milestone. However, it is the STORM 400x, which was released earlier in July of the same year, that will likely establish itself as the flagship machine in actual production sites. With excellent portability and the ability to flexibly accommodate small teams to medium-sized productions, this machine is extremely practical.

Aputure “STORM 400x”

Aputure “STORM 700x”

Furthermore, the NOVA II, which applies BLAIR technology to a panel light , clearly demonstrates Aputure’s color reproduction approach as a good example of implementing this concept in a different form.

　 　　

NANLUX

The NANLUX Evoke 600C and 150C are positioned as strong competitors to this series . The core of this series is the Evoke 600C, and the 150C is positioned as a derivative model that applies the same color reproduction approach to smaller sites.

What characterizes this series is its color reproduction approach, which is based on the design concept of the light-emitting engine itself. The eight-color mixed “Nebula C8” is designed to complement the mid-range of the spectrum, which is often lacking in conventional RGB LEDs. By adding light-emitting components such as Deep Red and Indigo, the technical feature is that it suppresses spectral deficiencies during color transitions and reduces color shifts and muddiness that accompany changes in color temperature. This spectral design ensures color rendering is not just a numerical value, but also a practically stable performance.

NANLUX “Evoke 600C”

NANLUX “Evoke 150C”

Practical use of high-power LEDs as HMI replacement

Alongside advances in color reproduction, another major turning point was the positioning of LEDs in the high-output range. 2025 could be said to be the year when “replacing HMIs with LEDs” in high-output equipment moved beyond the consideration stage and became a viable option for practical use. Aputure’s STORM XT52 was praised for achieving output comparable to a 6kW-class HMI while ensuring on-site operability by separating the lamp head and control unit. Amidst discussions surrounding weight and structure, the separated design, which distributes the rigging load, was seen by many professionals as a practical solution for making ultra-high-output LEDs viable in real-world production environments.

Meanwhile, NANLUX’s “Evoke 5000B” is the world’s first 5000W output light with bi-color support and a green/magenta adjustment function, clearly demonstrating the practical application of color control in the high-output range. Not only does it offer brightness, but it also has color adjustment capabilities and IP66 weather resistance, which will greatly reduce the burden of lighting design in harsh location environments. As an option for high-output lighting, the “Evoke 5000B” has played a role in updating the design assumptions for location lighting.

Aputure “STORM XT52”

NANLUX “Evoke 5000B”

GODOX

We also can’t forget about Godox’s KNOWLED MG6K. Its 4300W power consumption delivers light output that surpasses that of a 6kW HMI, while its lightweight design keeps the head weight to just 28kg including the yoke, giving it the potential to revolutionize setup. The KNOWLED MG6K is positioned to redefine mobility and realism in large-scale lighting.

Profoto, a giant in the strobe world, has also made a full-scale entry into this high-end market with the L600C . In addition to the high operability of its ballastless design, its hybrid nature means that it functions as both a continuous light and a high-speed sync flash, making it a powerful weapon in today’s production environment, where the boundaries between stills and movies are becoming increasingly blurred. The L600C offers a clear answer to the challenge of integrating the realms of expression.

GODOX “KNOWLED MG6K”

Profoto “L600C”

Maturity of packaging technology for small lighting

What was notable about this field was that several manufacturers, led by Nanlite, each took a different approach to raising the level of perfection in compact lighting. What has been discussed so far has been the evolution of “lighting performance” such as color reproduction and output. Meanwhile, 2025 was also a year in which the maturation of compact, mobile lighting, with refinements being made to the way it is used on-site, was another important axis.

NANLITE

Nanlite’s PavoTube II 6CP, with its NFC pairing and Nebula C4 engine, has transformed a compact tube light into a full-fledged professional tool. The circular Nanlite Miro 30c and 60c , as well as the pocket-sized Nanlite Pico , offer a light output and functionality that is unimaginable given their shape and size, and have certainly redefined the possibilities of compact lighting.

Nanlite “PavoTube II 6CP”

Nanlite “miro 30c and 60”

Amaran

In the field of mobile lighting, the amaran Ray 60c and 120c set a new standard. Their slim, lightweight housings and high output efficiency make them extremely practical for mobile use. Their unique battery system allows for cable-free operation, making them perfect for today’s photography styles, which require mobility.

Finally, let’s go over the ZHIYUN’s Molus X100 series. Previously known primarily as a gimbal manufacturer, the company has now cleverly incorporated its knowledge of “movement” and “balance” into its lighting equipment, achieving a maximum output of 100W in a body weighing just 385g and designed to be powered by a USB-PD adapter, DC adapter, or grip battery. The Molus X100 series clearly demonstrated a new vision for mobile lighting.

amaran “Ray 120c”

ZHIYUN “Molus X100”

As these product lines show, 2025 was a year in which lighting equipment made great strides in three areas: deepening color reproduction, making it a decisive step in replacing HMI, and professionalizing mobile equipment.

As we have seen so far, the nominated products in the 2025 Lighting category each embodied the evolution of lighting equipment through different approaches.

Below we will list the nominated products in this year’s Light category, and then explain the reasons for selecting the Gold and Silver Award winners that the editorial team particularly highly praised.

These are the nominated products for Best Camera Lights of 2025.

PRONEWS AWARD 2025: Lighting Category Gold Award

NANLUX “Evoke 600C”

The biggest reason why our editorial team highly rated this model as the best of the best Camera Lights of 2025 is that its high color reproduction performance achieved by mixing eight colors is not just an experimental technology, but has been fully utilized in actual production environments. The spectrum design, which includes Deep Red and Indigo, minimizes breakdowns when color temperature changes, enabling stable operation in environments where color reproduction is important, such as commercial and product photography.

Furthermore, despite being a full-color model, this model offers output performance approaching that of higher-end models, a robust housing design, and a realistic price. It is not just a high-output light or high-color rendering light, but also demonstrates a level of perfection that is “suitable for the job site” in terms of the balance of performance, operability, and price, and has been praised for redefining the value standards of professional LED lighting.

Certainly, there is room for debate regarding the direction of the spectral design, but even taking that into account, there is no doubt that this is the model that most clearly embodies the value transformation that will occur in the lighting industry in 2025, and our editorial team has concluded that it is “the model that should be most chosen in the field right now,” and has therefore selected it for the Gold Award.

PRONEWS AWARD 2025: Silver Award in the Lighting Category

Aputure “STORM 400x”

The STORM 400x is a model that offers a realistic and optimal solution to the dilemma that many production sites face: the lack of power output of a 300-class model and the weight burden of a 600-class model. The fact that it has the mobility to handle everything from one-man operations to medium-sized crews while still providing sufficient light output clearly demonstrates its suitability as a central part of everyday production workflows.

It excels in terms of color reproduction and an expanded range of expression, but the true essence of this machine lies in the extremely high level of perfection it brings together with it the output range and portability that have long been desired in the field. Our editorial department has positioned the STORM 400x as “the core machine that is expected to be used most frequently in production sites in 2025,” and has selected it for the Silver Award in recognition of its solid level of perfection and excellent on-site adaptability.