Zhiyun is a brand name that is most known for its gimbals, which offer solid build, useful features and reliability, so it’s good news now that they have ventured into the world of studio lighting!
Following hot on the heels of their release of the X100, we now have the latest edition, the X60 a compact yet powerful lighting solution which, on paper, should tick many boxes for potential users!
Power in the Palm of Your Hand
Size
The X60 form factor packs a powerful punch; it is pitched as the size of a credit card (100.6mm wide x 56.7mm thick x 71mm high) and, to be fair, isn’t that far off. For a light to be able to deliver good quality light yet not take up valuable space is a game changer! It is 1/3 the size of a traditional 60W cinematography light!
Mobility
One of the advantages I see with this form factor is its ability to pack away in a camera bag, releasing a whole new world of possibilities! Being able to use this light in any location and have it set up in no time will appeal to many types of users and scenarios!
Power
Power options here seem to be well thought out; it can be powered using the mains adapter supplied, or it can be powered using USB C (needs W). Plus, it also comes with the powerful battery grip from the X100, which is not only functional for power but also acts as the perfect grip for some handheld lighting if needed!
Battery capacity is 2,600mAh, which will deliver constant illumination in any location.
Mounting Options
The X60 has a 1/4 inch screw which allows it to be connected to a standard tripod mounting plate, saving the need to bring dedicated boom arms.
With the addition of the Bowens adapter, it can be mounted to a traditional boom arm, which also then offers the advantage of using existing softboxes or diffusers! This will appeal greatly to the wider existing market, no doubt!
Weight
As per the size specifications above, this unit's size is one of its advantages; however, this form factor also adds the benefit of being lightweight!
The light unit itself weighs just 300 g, which means it is more than capable of being portable, fit in any bag, and not add any unnecessary weight to your setup.
Controls
The X60 uses a very simple dial system on the light body; just two dials will control everything for you. One scrolls through the different modes that are available, and the other acts as a plus/minus to change the light intensity or colour temperature, depending on what mode you have selected on the first dial!
This ease of use will help dial in settings very quickly as it is supported by a small but effective LCD panel, which shows the various settings and options at a glance.
Connectivity
Zhiyun has a companion app available (free) that will allow you to connect directly to the light via Bluetooth and take control with you. You have all of the functionality available, plus you can control multiple lights as a group or individually. This will be a time saver for many, no doubt, and will quickly form part of an optimized workflow.
Luminance
Using this light at just 1% offers enough light for subject illumination within 1 meter, and while testing it, I found 20% to be the sweet spot for my needs! Enough to light me and not my background, adding a pleasing light spread for video.
The colour range is from 2,700 K up to 6,500 K, and the quality of light is excellent! With zero flickering, it works perfectly for video of all types and scenarios!
Use the slider below to see the difference between a naturally lit shot (window) and the light at 20%.
Cooling
Now, with this much light coming from such a small unit, there needs to be a good cooling solution! The all-metal body acts as a good omen when it comes to heat dissipation, combine this with a very clever grid design to spread that heat away from the heat source and all the while being forced through by a built-in fan, this unit looks like it can withstand prolonged use!
Features
Built into the light are various lighting options, menus, and features, all controlled by just those two dials!
The RGB model offers a variety of color options to help add some hues to a scene by controlling the intensity of each.
A feature-packed FX menu allows you to scroll through SOS mode, paparazzi, candle, bad bulb, TV, lightning, CCT flash, CCT Pulse, CCT Loop, police car, disco, fireworks, hue loop, hue flash, hue pulse, all of which will offer some key tricks to suit many videographers' needs and shoots!
Music offers you the ability to have sound control your light with up to 7 colors constantly Zhiyun is a brand name that is most known for its gimbals, which offer solid build, useful features, and reliability. So, it’s good news now that they have ventured into the world of studio lighting!
Below is an image taken at 50% power:
Pros:
- Powerful and lightweight
- Compatible with Bowens mount softboxes
- At $329 for the RGB Combo Model ( Battery included) and $249 for the standard, this is a great price point overall
- Feature-rich with many modes to suit all needs
Cons
- The small fan, while quiet, may add some unnecessary noise to certain scenarios (70 db at full)
- Bowen adapter needs to be bought separately
- The menu structure can take some getting used to
Conclusion
As a user, my experience was both impressive and disappointing.
I was impressed that a unit so small could deliver high-quality light and make my video recording experience more pleasant. Equally impressive was the build quality; the use of metal here will ensure this unit doesn’t melt away over prolonged use. However, I was disappointed to find that the unit I had would not stay connected via Bluetooth, and each time I turned it on, it would default to Chinese. Perhaps due to it being a pre-production beta model, I would expect that these challenges would be resolved in the finished retail unit.
A very solid light which will appeal to many different types of users, in my opinion, and I no doubt will see this light getting lots of use from others as time goes on.
Why so many exclamation marks! It makes you look mental!