Aputure MT Pro LED Tube Light Review: Can This One Foot BiColor RGBWW Workhorse Live up to the Hype?

[@DidierKonings]

Awesome PRO video for a super PRO light! Always a pleasure to hear you speak about gear in such clarity and with so much expertise! Can’t wait to work with this Aputure magic!!! 👌

[@starsieve]

Thanks, Didier! Can't wait for the next shoot (even as I'm coloring our most recent one lol). Gonna make some crazy awesome stuff with these lights on the next one. 😃

[@DidierKonings]

@@starsieve Abso freaking lutely!!! Can’t wait for the next shoot either!

[@AlexanderRies-ld9rn]

great video. Thumbed up. What did you do in the beginning exactly when you switched the light. Was this just color grading or different light setup?

[@AlexanderRies-ld9rn]

another question, as you mentioned it, what would be a good key light that is portable?

[@starsieve]

Thanks! I have a remote trigger for the studio house-lights (just big, badly balanced daylight led flood lights up in the ceiling). I switched off the house lights and used sidus link to switch on all Aputure fixtures I had already set up how I wanted for the review. The color grade look you're perceiving is actually just chroma contrast between the warm light on me and the cool light I set up in the background. I do grade these, but if I want chroma contrast, I'll do it with lighting and then the grade is much easier (better than building the "orange/blue-teal" thing entirely in post)

[@starsieve]

Depends on what you consider to be portable, and what situations you're shooting against. Depending on the size of the space, whether you have full control over the environmental lighting conditions, and other factors: Super tiny super mobile kit: COB 60x (with the Aputure 45x45 softbox) and a couple of MT Pro lights can go a long way; especially if you have a camera with decent high/dual-native ISO performance. Most photons / best bang for your buck? In my opinion is a Amaran 200x (with maybe a Light dome SE kit) and a couple of T2c tubes. If you want an all-in-one soft light key that just needs a grid when and if you want to reduce spill, depending on budget / I'd say the Amaran F22c or the Nova P300c (with 45 degree snap grid) is one of my absolute favorite key lights to use. And of course I supplement with either T2c or T4c tubes.

[@AlexanderRies-ld9rn]

@@starsieve thank you so much for the detailed answer. Super informative. I will go with this option "Super tiny super mobile kit: COB 60x (with the Aputure 45x45 softbox) and a couple of MT Pro lights can go a long way; especially if you have a camera with decent high/dual-native ISO performance." ---- I have an Canon r6 and need it especially for filming flower setups :) I already bought the MT Pro Lights, just need the COB60x and battery pack - dont know if the sonys are better/cheaper than the other option (forgot the name). The small softbox 45x45 is preferred? Hm, I check it out.

[@jbe1official]

Hello Clifton! If you were to choose between two mt pro’s and one mt pro and pt2c, what would be your choice?

[@WilfredFumbly]

Would the MT Pro make a suitable hair light when shooting interviews? If so, what would be the best way to 'hang it'?

[@CheqkoO95]

Hey I'm glad that you called on my BS for not using the app x) and I have a question... do you think that this could work as a camera-mounted light for night video? (I'm thinking of some close shots where the light illuminates the person slightly more and makes it look like they are in front of a neon sign)

[@starsieve]

Haha, anytime. Kind of shocking how often I see folks using Aputure lights in the wild who have never even downloaded the app. At this point, I don't even use the on-light interface for anything except hitting Bluetooth Reset (in order to take control via Sidus Link). I'm fully spoiled; but to be fair, I'm never working with fewer than 4 lights at a time, so it saves me a ton of time. That's a great idea, actually! An on-camera light for night shooting is a great use for the MT Pro. Personally, I think a small tube light would cast a more interesting and more flattering shape of light than the flat mini-panels people often use for those kind of rigs. Please post a video or some images of your rig if you wind up using it for that!

[@fallingscalesmedia]

Great review, yeah wireless charging would put it in beast mode. Question, are you using the Sidus link to trigger your lighting setup? If you have a physical trigger, would love to know. I'm using Sidus to control my lights and turn them on and off, but I wish I could do it from my computer so it's even easier.

[@captiveoddience]

Hey Clifton, small time KZbinr here. I'd love to know how multiple of these MT Pros play with each other. Like can the pixel chase effect run between multiple lights? Can you set 3 to create a larger fire or police light effect that works in tandem. Great vid btw.

[@kellhound1]

Make a Sidus tutorial!

[@chr1staki]

We need a UK police car… blue lights only 💙

[@thomasemory4352]

That would be great just to seperate the blue and red sources as well

[@tomsanderson]

Hey , I know this is like 4 months past your upload but could you use this light whilst it’s charging I.e. for live streaming ? Cheers

[@starsieve]

Yep! You can operate the light while the USB port is plugged in and charging. Just make sure you're plugged into a high enough output charger (I stick with 5V 3A chargers), so that you don't drain the battery faster than it's charging!

[@tomsanderson]

@@starsieve Hey mate, thank you from Australia. I think I'll end up going with the P60C's or the F21C's because they're much brighter and my desk is against a north-facing window which gathers a decent amount of indirect, flat light. Thanks for your review though, it really goes to show all the use cases for the MT Pro. Cheers

[@ShadowsofSmoke]

Still waiting on Sidus app breakdown/workthrough........

[@billk.9410]

I've watched a ton of lighting gear reviews in the last day and I've noticed that nobody actual attempts to demonstrate how the light could be used to artistic effect. Does anyone actually care that it has .01% brightness increments? Has a film ever won an award for "most accurate lighting"?