The company was started by filmmakers and videographers who wanted to blend affordability with the qualities of professional-grade equipment. The result is the Amaran line, comprised of high-end cinematic LED lighting.

We’ve been impressed with all of their lighting solutions and carry a number of their Aputure LED film lights in the DTC Grip online shop.

Let us tell you a little more about what makes these lights stand out.

Amaran AL-MW Mini LED Light

The Amaran AL-MW Mini LED Light is a pocket-sized, 5600K daylight-balanced video light that packs many outstanding features despite its small form.

Designed with chip-on-board (COB) LED technology, it has CRI and TLCI ratings of 95+. There are ten brightness levels, and it can deliver a brightness of 4000 lux at 1′ and 6000 lux at 1′ in boost mode, which provides 60 seconds of overclocked brightness.

Add in five built-in special effects, including Lightning and Fireworks, and you can transform your shot at no additional cost.

This video shows you all 5 of the special effect features.

Bonus Features: It’s IP68 dustproof and waterproof down to 33′, so you can safely use it in wet weather conditions or take it in the water with you along with an action cam or underwater camera rig.

Shop the Aputure Amaran AL-MW Light Now

Aputure MC RGBWW Mini LED Light

The Aputure MC is the company’s first RGBWW film light. It features full HSI color control and a CCT range of 3200K-6500K. A USB-C PD and Qi wireless charging means it’s always ready to go.

It’s also compatible with Aputure’s own Sidus Mesh technology, so you can use the Sidus Link app to unlock all the light’s capabilities. The MC is Aputure’s smartest light to date, and offers immense flexibility.

Key Advantage: With a tiny footprint that’s roughly the size of a credit card, this mini RGB light will fit anywhere you need to use it.

Shop the Aputure MC RGBWW Mini LED Light Now

See a detailed product review of the light:

Amaran 100x & Amaran 200x Bi-Color LED Light Kits

Many consider the Amaran series the perfect lighting line for content creators, interviewers, portrait photographers, and video producers. The Amaran 100x is a bi-colorpoint-source LED fixture with stunning brightness, flexible color temperature control, and wireless Bluetooth app control.

Utilizing Amaran’s latest chip-on-board (COB) technology, the 100x can output up to 34,300 lux at 1 meter using the 55° Hyper-Reflector. If you need to increase output to 51,600 lux at 1 meter, you’ll want to upgrade to the Amaran 200x option.

Both versions are incredibly compact, boast CRI & TLCI scores of 95+ for immaculate color quality, and feature a Bowens Mount for compatibility with a wide universe of accessories.

Bonus Feature: Equipped with Sidus Mesh® technology, it forms a network with other Sidus compatible lights, allowing users to precisely control the fixture from nearly any smartphone or tablet using the Sidus Link® mobile app.

Shop the Amaran 100x
Shop the Amaran 200x

See an unboxing and full review of both versions here.

Amaran P60c RGBWW LED Panel

The Amaran P60c is an RGBWW full-color LED Panel designed with content creators, videographers, and indie filmmakers in mind. Its optical design (45°) allows the P60c to use its 60W RGBWW LED chipset to produce high-intensity light output that measures a stunning 5,900+ lux at 1 meter (5600K).

By using the control knobs or the built-in Sidus Link App integration, users can adjust the color temperature (2500K-7500K) or the saturated color using HSI.

The robust fixture can also utilize 10 built-in lighting effects and up to 46 color gel presets, in addition to the 4 user-configurable preset buttons. Using the Sidus Link app, users can also utilize specialized tools such as Source Match, Color Picker, and Custom FX.

Impressive Feature: The Amaran P60c accomplishes these feats while maintaining excellent color rendering scores of CRI ≥95 and TLCI ≥96.

Shop the Amaran P60c RGBWW LED Panel Now

See it set up with a double-yoked system:

The Right LED Film Lights for You

Across the board, we find that Aputure has achieved the perfect balance of affordability and professional-grade features in their lighting line.

You’re welcome to contact us with any questions you have about the products we have in our online shop.

The post The Popular LED Film Lights You Should Know About appeared first on DTC Lighting & Grip.

Fielding rental orders from production crews in the Bay Area gives us a unique insight into what is most popular on-site. As a production pro yourself, we thought you might be interested in learning about the lighting rental trends we’re seeing right now.

Rising in popularity over the last two years have been LED fixtures that are app controllable. For example, the Nanlux Dyno 1200 series or the Aputure LS 600 series fixtures, both of which we have in stock.

App controllable lights provide the incomparable flexibility of being able to adjust the lighting through a smartphone or tablet, so it’s no wonder that they’re growing in demand.

Soft lighting with tuneable color is also a key need for many production teams, so the German-made Arri S60 remains our top lighting rental. Joining it at the top of the list are battery-powered tubes like the Astera Titan Tubes, which offer tuneable whites with ultra-high color renderings. With these tubes, flexibility reigns again, as they can be used indoors or outdoors, powered by plug or battery, or operated wired or wireless for DMX.

Looking forward, we’re starting to see some special requests for the versatile and water-resistant Creamsource Vortex 8 lights. We don’t have them in stock yet, but we’re keeping our eyes on this emerging lighting trend.

Did any of these lighting options pique your interest? Let us know how we can assist with your lighting rental needs.

The post Film Lighting Rental Trends We’re Seeing appeared first on DTC Lighting & Grip.

Primarily, we have a vast array of large high-amperage tungsten lighting units in excellent working condition. We’re also proud to say we’re the only source for carbon arc lighting on the West Coast, outside of Hollywood.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these two retro lighting options.

What is Tungsten Lighting?

Tungsten lights use halogen bulbs that produce a warm golden light that registers at 3200K. They work similarly to typical incandescent lighting. On the color scale, their light registers on the opposite side of daylight, with a yellow (versus blue) hue.

Tungsten lights are known for their versatility and have spent the most time as filmmakers’ lighting of choice. This was, however, before the recent move to more energy-efficient light sources like LED lights.

Tungsten lights can be used for interior night scenes, backlighting characters for a dreamy effect, matching a practical light, candlelit scenes, and simulating daylight when blue is added. Here is a video that explains how to use tungsten lights in a daytime-balanced scene.

What is Carbon Arc Lighting?

Carbon arc lights date back to the beginning of the 1800s and produce an electric arc with highly luminous carbon vapor that results in a bright light.

In the late 19th century, they were used for public lighting like streetlamps, and they took the back seat when incandescent lighting emerged in the early 20th century. However, for several decades, they remained in use for filming interior shots for movies, cinema projection, and spotlights.

Carbon arc lights are best used for: large area lighting, producing a subtle glow, and replicating the lighting of old films.

For retro lighting enthusiasts, here’s a helpful and brief video about the history of the carbon arc lamp.

And to get a better understanding of some of the carbon arc lights we have in stock, this is an excellent tutorial on how they’re operated.

Go Retro

If you’re considering the use of Tungsten or carbon arc lighting, reach out to us to learn what we currently have on hand. We want to help you get the exact retro lighting effect you’re looking for.

The post Using Retro Lighting in Film appeared first on DTC Lighting & Grip.

It’s very likely your film equipment rental list includes a mix of camera support, lighting, and grip equipment.

May we make a small suggestion? As you prepare to make your rental reservation, there are 5 things you should to remember to address. Having all 5 of these details and questions marked off your list will save you future time and headaches. We promise you’ll be happy you took care of these items in advance.

1. The Pickup Details

This seems like a basic task, but there is more to ask about than the pickup address.

For example: where can you park, and what will you need to load the film equipment rental into your truck or van? Will someone be on the premises to help you? Are they allowed to help carry or wheel equipment to your truck?

2. Emergency Assistance Contact Info

Have you ever successfully completed your film equipment pickup, only to realize on-site that something important was missing? Or even worse, you then couldn’t reach the rental company to figure out how to correct this?

We recommend you ask for emergency contact information during the reservation process (to confirm it exists), plus again during your pickup. You will pat yourself on the back if you find yourself in this situation.

3. Delivery Options for Your Film Equipment Rental

Who doesn’t love some time savings on a busy production schedule? If you work with us, we deliver anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area, and sometimes beyond – just ask! Our rates are based on distance traveled and the time of delivery. The time savings could be easily worth the added expense.

4. Vehicle Pick-Up Requirements

Did you get so overzealous about ordering your film equipment that you may have not considered the vehicle requirements needed to pick it all up?

This can easily happen, since lighting and grip gear comes in a large range of sizes. Even a small order can fill up a car pretty quickly. For example, something as standard as a 4x Solid Floppy will barely fit in a car because its dimensions are 4′ x 4′.

If vehicle size is a concern, be sure to bring that up during the reservation, so the film equipment rental provider can help you make the best selections.

5. Ratchet Straps and Tie-Downs

These are just too easy to forget! Customers should provide their own ratchet straps and tie-downs for loading their vehicles, so make sure you have them with you for your pickup.

However, in the case of our services, we do have some available for rent or purchase if you find yourself forgetting them.

You’re Ready to Make That Film Equipment Rental Reservation

You’re now all set to call in that film equipment rental order. Making sure to check off these 5 things will have you well-prepared for your pickup and first day on set.

The post Don’t Forget These 5 Things with Your Film Equipment Rental appeared first on DTC Lighting & Grip.