Gaffer & Gear 185 - Forza 720 & 720B

Gaffer & Gear 185 - Forza 720 & 720B
In this episode I take a look at the Forza 720 and 720B and see how they go with the attachments plus DMX operation
Index
00:00 Intro
00:30 Product Overview
00:53 Negatives / Cons
02:01 Will I Be Selling My Forza 500s
03:31 Pros / Positives and Improvements
05:03 Battery Operation
07:08 Cost and what you get
08:21 Forza 720 with no modifier
08:52 Forza 720B with no modifier
09:15 Forza 720B with reflector
09:38 Forza 720 with supplied reflector
09:57 Forza 720 with Fresnel
10:32 Forza 702B with Fresnel
11:20 Forza 720B with Projector Mount
15:37 Forza 720 with Projector Mount
17:31 Forza 720 DMX
20:08 Forza 720B DMX
23:26 Forza 720 Power Draw
23:39 Forza 720 Brightness Reading
23:58 Forza 720 Spectrum Reading with different modifiers
24:17 Forza 720 No Modifier @ 100%
25:02 Forza 720 No Modifier @ 50%
25:38 Forza 720 No Modifier @ 10%
26:10 Forza 720B Power Draw
26:31 Forza 720B Brightness reading @ 3200K with different modifiers
26:46 Forza 720B Brightness reading @ 5600K with different modifiers
26:59 Forza 720B Spectrum Reading @ 3200K with different modifiers
27:26 Forza 720B Spectrum Reading @ 3200K with different modifiers
27:55 Forza 720B Average CCT Accuracies
28:00 Forza 720B Average TM-30 RF (Colour Render)
28:12 Forza 720B 2700K
28:39 Forza 720B 3200K
29:14 Forza 720B 4400K
29:41 Forza 720B 5600K
30:15 Forza 720B 6500K

[@timdanyo898]

The 720B is an Indie Filmmaker's dream tool.

[@jaredjaynes]

Yes a comparison with a 600x and 600d would be awesome as well as maybe a modifier trade between the two brands. Thanks for the awesome video.

[@michelecadei2834]

Thank you Andrew for your excellent work as usual. I think in this case it would have been worth mentioning that the 720B eats for breakfast the 600x , the direct Aputure competitor, in terms of output. Also the 720B is as bright as a 600D (which is daylight only)... I understand your concern about shadow quality and optical additions but I have the feeling the majority of people tend to use these with softboxes and diffusion in front of it, as a raw powerful bicolour source

[@aphosimages1246]

I found your channel this week, and was wondering when this video was coming out. Thanks for all that you do. Im new to the industry and your videos have given me tons of perspective on the gaffer side of things.

[@rodrrico]

Just found your channel. Love it! No bs, just going through facts and valuable information. Thank you for adding detailed chapter markers and for discussing the negatives right at the top. New subscriber!

[@cagf2013]

Great stuff Andrew, thanks for this review. I went for the Forza 720 Daylight personally. Got it about a week ago. Unfortunately my copy measured at -0.0030 Delta UV with the dish on, so nearly as magenta as the bi-colour version you tested here. The good news, I was able to put a 1/8 +green gel clipped onto the reflector dish (with an air gap) and it didn't get hot at all, so no risk of melting. That brought the delta UV up to about +0.0010, and dropped the kelvin to about 5300k... so pretty great colour match to daylight with very minimal gelling. I figured, I will always be using some sort of gel on the front to match with my other lights, so the Bi-Color didn't seem worth the extra cost Vs. the cost of a few sheets of gel. Cheers!

[@LukeCurtis]

Great review andrew so glad you can see the improvements we have made! Thanks

[@PROtogPhotographic]

Thanks Andrew for all the effort that goes into these reviews.

[@TedHolmwood]

Thanks Andrew, another super informative review. I was waiting to pull the trigger on the 720B until you had tested it.

[@gaboguerra950]

Thank you very much for your teaching I’m such a fan of this channel (DP for over 30 years shooting)

[@NanliteGlobal]

Tks for sharing.

[@shirlylin5840]

Thank you so much Andrew!! Learned a lot from this NANLITE FORZA 720/720B review!!

[@nightdonutstudio]

The 720B is so bright at 5600k. It s equal to your godox m600d reading and 10% bighter than your apature 600d reading.

[@JamesRudd]

As I understand it Nanlite is Prosumer and Nanlux Professional hence Lumen Radio and weather sealing in the latter. I have had a 720B for a month - its very quick to use, can be used on a C Stand and has good out, like Andrew I use the Exalux reciever - with the four foot Parabolic its great for interviews, with the Fresnel just gives a load of options. Its a good light. Caution though Fresnel does get hot.

[@brandonwilson3507]

Just picked one of the 720B guys up for my small production company. Looks to be an excellent all around versatile light. Thanks for this review, this channel is excellent for an in-depth look lights.

[@gaffergear]

I had to do smooth DMX cues in Bi-colour the other day. This review one that I kept could do it. After that I bought 4 of these.

[@ottoferdinands]

Thank you for making this video

[@jimmyalles273]

I'm a simple man. I see a G&G video uploaded, I leave a like and watch the video. Thank you Andrew for the content as always.

I would like to seem a comparison with the 600D, but Nice Review!

[@reynoldsc]

I wonder what if any change will be had by running the new B-Mount batteries (Swit have just bought out for the new Arri Alexa S35 camera) that are 28.8V .

[@ntchi]

Used the 300B for a while and loved it for interviews. Always wanted a bit more punch especially when Theres a window in the shot with 4 to 6' diffusion. The 720B is exactly what I wanted! I must say though, that the battery charging feature of the 600x is a big plus from aputure... I'm really weighing my options these day.

[@HilleCine]

Did you go with anything?

[@ntchi]

@@HilleCine I went for an additional litepanel instead. 4x2 lite panels bicolor! Loooove it

[@leoquesto9183]

Another awesomely thorough breakdown. This is an extremely helpful, hands-on review. Looking for a powerful monolight solution. Do you know if the Apurture Lantern 90 will fit these fixtures?

[@gaffergear]

100% yes

[@chainshot]

Does the 500 & 720 have the same exact front part with the bowens mount? I would wish for some kind of sturdier locking mount like on the prolycht. If such a mount as user inerchangeable part wouldnt be unique to just one light, that would make sense for a solution, so it fits multiple different lights. Just remove like 8-10 screws and replace the complete front-mount part. Anyone?

[@jmasked5082]

Hi Andrew, I noticed there are no teeth on the lockoffs. Does this unit sag downwards with a large parabolic softbox like the Aputure Lite Dome 150? These things are quite front heavy.

[@anonymissed3611]

Perhaps in context of other light worthwhile.

[@Marcus092788]

Thanks for doing this! Should we assume that there wont be a review for the Amaran tubes and mats?

[@gaffergear]

The tubes I don't know, the mats have been lost on transport.

[@ricardobirnbaum]

Andrew, what angle is the projection mount you are using?

[@BlackPartyFilms]

I know you’d probably never use it but I’m interested in a video of you talking about the Amaran 200x

[@moonpost]

I have one and it's a compact little punch of light. I think its a great value for the run-n-go filmer. would recommend, especially for the money.

[@pixl8]

I got one but im lighting noob. So far though i can use it late afternoon (winter here) interview while the actor is in shade but the backyard is sunny. The app is easy to use and generally connects well.

[@chainshot]

Love it. Thanks! Thinking about switching from Dled 9 Series over to the Forza 720 - do you think the Dedolight Parallel-Beam Intensifier might work on the Forza 720 for refelected light? Any chance to test that and or make some sort of adapter--> Bowens to Dled Mount??? :)

[@cagf2013]

Dedolight is working with Prolycht. If you are looking for a light that can adapt Dedo accessories like the intensifier, better to get something from them. Just to let you know I own a Dedolight DLED10-D and also a Forza 720 Daylight. The Dedolight has much sharper shadows than the 720 even when the 720 is completely bare (no dish). With the dish or the fresnel on the 720 the sharpness of your shadows is not even close. Barn door cuts look fine though as Andrew showed. What are you planning to use the light for? I have the Forza 720 for large area fill and softbox use. And then use the Dedolight for direct hard light to replicate sun.

[@chainshot]

@@cagf2013 I also own the Dled10 but i hate the power unit + the cables are so weird and stiff... how do they compare in output? My main focus is on interviews - was thinking about 2x forza 720 one from outside of rooms through windows with the standart reflector and indoors for faces with a 5" dop choice octa softbox. The dled9 have no power whatsoever and the dled10 cant be controlled via app or be powered via v-mount so i want to retire the dedolight stuff...also because of any new progress and inventions on that high output tier. I might be able to ignore the shadow situation - without doubt dedolight is the king of optical precision...but that takes time....which is missing on set. So high power cob lights + maybe a few tube-lights for rim/accents and background should do the trick. But having the intensifier from dedo on there would be a huge benefit and way less cumbersome than all the nanlight accessories.

[@cagf2013]

@@chainshot Oh cool. Personally I need to use sunlight effects and precision projections all the time. So the DLED10 is really nice with the DP400 projector. It’s the most powerful light I could find with projector optics this good (properly black shadows through gobos, even sharpness across the beam and much less chromatic aberrations then anything else I have seen). Also more lens choices, with super-wide angle options. But yeah, the dedolight is a very industrial style of design with the ballast especially. It is not very high tech at all and no advanced functions. Just the bare basics. I can see why you wouldn’t like it for your style of work. It does have DMX ports though so you could add a wireless DMX receiver of some sort…. Never tried it myself. The output of the Forza 720 is crazy good with the reflector dish on especially. I measured right on 10,000 lux at 3m - (very similar result to Andrew). That is 500% brighter than the DLED10 which I measured 2000 lux. For a brighter room and if you want to use open windows etc as part of the shot, the Forza 720 is a great choice. I think you would be very happy with it for interviews, but yes you will sacrifice shadow quality, especially with the dish on. One thing to keep in mind, my copy of the Forza 720 daylight was very pink - 0.0045 with no dish on and about - 0.0030 with dish on. So keep some +green gel handy.

[@fernandogmar]

If you are worried about shadow quality you can always pair the 720 unit + fresnel with the cine reflectors from thelightbridge you increase the distance in small places at the same time you get a consistent point of light source, getting crispier shadows

[@cfl4286]

@@fernandogmar the 720/720B + Projection Attachment shooting into a couple mirrors or the light bridge is freaking amazing. Amazingly bright and convincing cuts of any color temp light you desire. I'd been doing that with the aputure spotlight on the 300d for a while, and it's truly next level to use a 750 watt light vs a 300 watt light.

[@rodrigo8269]

From the reading in this video and from the 600d video, the 720B at 5600k is brighter than the 600d at 3m, with no attachment. Is the 720B brighter really?

[@gaffergear]

I was surprised by the output myself. Over 80% the brightness of the mono colour. But the trade off is optics, which is why Nanlite wanted this to be an episode comparison of both Mono and Bi-colour.

[@cizkoquevedo5839]

Andrew do you think the 500B is lightweight enough to your old 500D for those same rigging purposes? im looking for a riggable light, with enough punch to shoot thru muslin, and compliment daylight coming in from outside window set ups like a 4k hmi

[@gaffergear]

I haven't checked the weight specks, they should be on their site

[@markfischerFPV]

Andrew - if you check these comments - wondering if you own the Forza 720B? Or if you tested this, what kind of run time you get with 14.8 batts (at 40%) and the 26v at 65%?

[@gaffergear]

I get about an hour, but my batteries are big, 310wh

[@JoATTech]

Interesting brightness results ... much lower than what they say on their page for 720 ... a bit lower for 720B.

[@gaffergear]

My readings are always below theirs and above Aputures

[@tasothdevil01]

How is the 720B + Fresnel compare to Aputure 600X + F10 Fresnel ?

[@gaffergear]

The 600x has better shadows, Is a bit brighter. But way heavier

[@nshea3286]

How does the fan noise of the 720b compare to the Aputure 600x?

[@gaffergear]

I haven't done a direct comparison, this fan is definitely quieter than the Forza 500. I would say they are very similar

[@nikolozgabedava6934]

Will you take it over 300d? (Apature)

[@gaffergear]

Yes, 300d is a bit old now, but still reliable

[@jasonwatts2353]

How's the flicker at 1000 fps +

[@gaffergear]

Clean. The Forza and Evokes have so far been issue free for me at high speed. Not even a hint of flicker