As a landscape photographer, my passion is usually capturing the natural beauty of the outdoors. However, having versatile and powerful lighting is crucial when working in controlled environments, like in my studio or during indoor shoots.
I recently had the chance to put the Zhiyun C100 RGB 100W light to the test. After using it in various scenarios, I’ve found it to be a great addition to my lighting toolkit, especially for its RGB capabilities, creative effects, and practical power options.
Build Quality and Design
Right out of the box, the Zhiyun C100 comes packaged in a well-designed, sturdy case—something I’ve come to expect from Zhiyun. It’s not just the light itself that’s impressive; the kit includes useful accessories like a grid, barn doors, and diffusers. These tools are invaluable when you need to control your lighting, making the C100 suitable for both professional studio setups and on-location shoots.
At 1.3 kg, the C100 is relatively lightweight, making it easy to transport and set up quickly, which is crucial when moving between different shoot locations. Despite its compact size, the build quality feels solid and durable, capable of handling regular use without concern.
With 1/4-inch threads at either end, you have options for mounting on tripods or C-stands, plus an additional center mounting bracket allows you to have the light in a horizontal position, offering you more flexibility.
Lighting Performance
The Zhiyun C100’s lighting performance is where it stands out. At 100W of power, this light is more than capable of delivering bright, clean illumination. Its LUX rating of 3,870 gives you enough output to handle everything from product photography and portraits to more creative lighting setups. In my experience, the bi-color mode (2,700K to 6,500K) is perfect for adapting to different ambient lighting conditions, whether I need to match warm tungsten light or cool daylight.
Using this light when recording videos has also been a fantastic addition to my studio setup. It allows me to have clean, crisp light on either myself or my background. I have also found that using it as a rim light adds that extra lift to the scene.
The C100 also excels with its RGB capabilities, allowing for full-color spectrum control. This is ideal for more creative shoots where I need to introduce vibrant color or create specific moods. I have used it to give me different background colors for video pieces, and the color rendition is very good.
The light has a high CRI, ensuring accurate color reproduction, which is especially important in both photography and videography.
Creative Lighting Effects
Zhiyun has integrated a wide range of built-in lighting effects into the C100, adding even more versatility to the unit. The pre-programmed effects include SOS, Paparazzi, Candlelight, Faulty Bulb, TV, Lightning, and Police Car, among others. These are particularly useful for video shoots, where adding these effects can enhance the production value without requiring complex setups.
The C100 also includes RGB moods such as Color Swap, Color Chase, Monochrome Shift, Dual-tone Shift, and Rainbow Flow. Whether I’m looking to create a party-like atmosphere or add subtle color shifts to a scene, these modes provide plenty of options for getting creative with light.
Power Options and Battery Life
The Zhiyun C100 also scores highly when it comes to power versatility. It’s equipped with six 4,500mAh 21700 batteries, providing nearly one hour of runtime at full power. If I’m shooting for extended periods, this is a valuable feature, especially when I don’t have immediate access to AC power. When I do need to recharge, the C100 fully charges in under 3 hours, which is a quick turnaround time considering the power it delivers.
What makes this light even more flexible is its triple power compatibility. You can choose between DC power, PD (Power Delivery), or rely on the built-in battery. This range of power options allows me to adapt depending on the situation, whether I’m in the studio or out on location.
With its simple user interface, you can quickly change the type of light being delivered, the power, and switch between each effect with a simple press of two buttons, which are also dials to fine-tune each parameter.
Using the ZY Vega App gives you further precise control over luminance levels, colors, and effects. It also allows you to instantly match the color output by using your camera app to point at your desired color, whether that’s another light or even a solid surface. I think this option could be very useful for users who want to create a specific scene and get it exactly right.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight: At 1.3 kg, it’s easy to transport and set up.
- Included accessories: Comes with a soft case, grid, barn doors, and diffusers, providing more control over lighting setups.
- Impressive brightness: 100W output with a LUX rating of 3,870 provides plenty of light for various scenarios.
- RGB versatility: Full color spectrum control with various pre-programmed lighting effects and RGB moods.
- Bi-color mode: Adjustable color temperature from 2,700K to 6,500K for matching different lighting conditions.
- High CRI: Ensures accurate color reproduction.
- Multiple power options: Triple power compatibility (DC, PD, built-in battery) offers flexibility in any shooting environment.
- Fast charging: Fully charges in under 3 hours, with an hour of full-power runtime on battery.
Cons
- Slight app delay: There can be minor lag when adjusting settings via the app, especially when using multiple lights.
- Limited battery life at full power: While an hour at full power is decent, it could fall short for longer, uninterrupted shoots.
The Advantages of Owning Two (or More)
While the Zhiyun C100 shines as a single unit, having two or more opens up a world of creative possibilities. With two C100 lights, I can easily create a two-point lighting setup, using one as a key light and the other as fill, backlight, or even as a color accent to the background. This is particularly useful when shooting portraits or videos, where balanced, dynamic lighting can make all the difference in the final result.
For video work, such as interviews or vlog-style content, two C100s allow for much more control over lighting. You can fine-tune the lighting ratios, adjust brightness levels between the key and fill lights, or experiment with adding a pop of color using the RGB modes in one light while keeping the other on standard white lighting. This can be done on the light itself or when using the ZY Vega App.
For more creative shoots, such as fashion or product photography, I imagine having two lights allows for great color contrast. You can set one light to a warm tone and the other to a cooler shade, creating interesting color dynamics in the scene. The RGB capabilities mean that you can explore endless color combinations, from subtle color shifts to more dramatic lighting effects like dual-tone shifts or tricolor shifts.
Additionally, using two lights in conjunction with the Zhiyun app makes controlling them much easier. Instead of adjusting each light manually, you can manage both simultaneously from your phone, saving time and ensuring a consistent setup across your shots.
Final Thoughts
The Zhiyun C100 RGB 100 W light is a robust and versatile option for photographers and videographers alike. Its combination of bright output, creative RGB effects, and multiple power options make it suitable for a wide range of scenarios. The included grid, barn doors, and diffusers enhance its usability right out of the box. While it performs well on its own, owning two or more lights opens up even greater potential, particularly in more complex lighting setups.
For anyone looking to expand their lighting kit with a versatile, compact, and feature-packed light, the Zhiyun C100 is an excellent choice, offering professional results at a reasonable price point.
