Neewer has released two new panel lights. Perfect for video and great for photography too, these powerful yet affordable arrays have slightly different functions and open up a host of creative possibilities. If you were seeking this kind of lighting, which would you choose?
You may have noticed that I have been enamored with Neewer gear. The reason is that I’ve been delving into using more studio lighting—not just for photography—and they produce some great gear at reasonable prices. I’ve been producing videos for people too, and having good-quality illumination is essential.
It’s not always possible to use a flash. One of my clients has epilepsy, and the last thing I want to do is cause her to have a seizure. Furthermore, many people find flash photography an uncomfortable experience, so having continuous lighting can make the subject more relaxed.
Permanent lighting needs to be bright enough for video and photography. The good news is that new LED technology is allowing continuous lighting to be more powerful.
There is another big advantage of LED over flash, too: you have much greater control over the color temperature. In the case of an RGB light, there is the additional precise adjustment of an enormous gamut of colors available. Moreover, the newest technology allows you to match the lighting to other colors within a scene.
A panel light gives a relatively equal spread of light over an area. This is ideal for video and some types of portrait photography where you want the subject evenly lit. There is a degree of modification possible, but not to the same extent as a spotlight with a Bowens mount.
To look at, the two new panels are almost identical. However, they perform in separate ways.
The Neewer AP100C
With a light panel measuring 16 ¾” X 8 ¼", and encased in an all-metal body, the Neewer AP100C is designed for heavy-duty use. The glass front is protected behind removable, hinged barn doors that can be used to control the spread of the light.
The body of the lamp is mounted on a metal U-frame, and it attaches to a lighting stand.
The rear of the panel has a menu and mode buttons, plus two lighting control knobs. Their function can be changed by pressing them inwards. Pleasingly, they require a firm press to change their function, and four programmable push buttons allow you to apply presets. There is also a backlit LCD panel that shows the current settings.
Within the vents on the back are two silent-running cooling fans.
Meanwhile, on the base of the body is the 20-volt power input socket, as well as DMX in and out sockets. It is also possible to connect it via a D-Tap cable to a V-mount battery. These need to be bought separately.
It comes with a power supply with a generously long cable.
Like other lights from this manufacturer, the AP100C can be controlled via the Neewer app. This is available for both Android and iPhone. This app gives you easy control over the light through various tabs:
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The CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) tab allows control over color temperature plus the green/magenta tint of the light. The range of color is from 2,500 K–10,000 K with a +/-50 green/magenta correction.
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The Light Source setting simulates the look of 14 different presets including blue sky, moonlight, studio lamp, halogen light, and others.
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The Source Match allows you to use your phone camera to match the light to that of a secondary source.
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CTB (Color Temperature Blue) simulates a type of lighting gel used to cool down the color temperature of a light source.
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HSI (Hue, Saturation, and Intensity) allows the mixing of colors using either a color wheel or sliders.
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RGB has red, green, and blue sliders with values from 0 to 255.
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FX has 18 special effects that allow you to simulate a variety of flashing and flickering lights from explosions and lightning to cop cars and candlelight.
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There is also an FX Picker that allows you to record your own sequence of flashes of different color values using your phone’s camera to sample it.
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FX Music flashes the light in time with music.
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XY changes the light according to the XY value selected within the available gamut.
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RGBCW works similarly to the RGB sliders but adds warm and cool white to the selected color.
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Color Filters match 20 different LEE or ROSCO filters.
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There are also four dimming curves available: linear, exponential, S, and log types.
The light is generated by 1,200 advanced TIR LEDs, and it gives a maximum of 105 watts, making it exceptionally bright. According to the specifications, they produce 31,500 lux at 0.5 meters at 5,600 K. I wanted to know what that meant in real life. So, with the light set about three meters from a white wall, and setting my camera to f/8 in aperture priority mode, I got a one-second exposure with it turned off. Switching on the panel increased the exposure by over six steps to 1/80th of a second. At f/2.8, I was achieving over 1/500th of a second—plenty fast enough for most studio photography.
Although you can adjust the settings on the rear of the panel, I found it far more convenient and faster to operate the light from the phone app, which will operate the light from 15 meters (49 ft) away.
The light can be linked wirelessly to other Neewer units via its 2.4G control. Plus, there is DMX control that allows the light to be controlled by professional mixing desks.
The Neewer AP100B
To look at, the Neewer AP100B is similar to the 100C. However, there are some functionality differences.
Firstly, it is a bi-color LED panel and not RGB. So, it produces a white light with color temperature adjustments from 2,500 K–8,599 K. You may be wondering why you would buy this light and not the RGB version. It costs $80 less and, on paper, it is brighter, providing 38,600 lux at 0.5 m. However, performing the same test as I did with the RGB light, the shutter speed was the same at the same f-stop and ISO.
If you don’t need the RGB adjustments but color temperature adjustments are still important to you, then the AP100B is a good option.
The light does come with 13 scene effects, 14 lighting source presets, four dimming curves, and the ability to control it through the app or DMX. It will also link with other lights via its 2.4G control. Like the AP100C, it can also be run indoors with its included 20 V DC transformer, or outdoors using a V-mount battery via a D-Tap connection.
Package Contents
- AP100C or AP100BRGB Panel Light with Barn Doors
- Power Adapter
- AC Power Cord
- Metal Safety Hook
- Storage Bag
What I Liked and What Could Be Improved Next Time
What I Liked
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Great build quality
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Brighter than other similar lights
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Great control through the app
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Improved and simplified rear panel controls
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Preset buttons
What Could Be Improved Next Time
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The design of the case and the inserts could be better
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Too much single-use plastic
Specifications
Neewer AP100C Specifications
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LEDs: 1,200 pcs
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Maximum Power: 105 W
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Maximum Illumination: 31,500 lux at 0.5 m (5,600 K); 9,800 lux at 1 m
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Color Temperature: 2,500 K–10,000 K (in 100 K increments)
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Brightness Adjustment: 0%–100% (in 0.1% increments)
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Brightness Output Modes: Constant brightness mode, maximum power output mode
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CRI/TLCI: CRI 96+, TLCI 97+
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Beam Angle: 45°
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Dimming Curves: S-type, Log-type, Exp-type, Linear-type
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Green/Magenta Compensation: -50 to +50
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RGB/CW (Red/Green/Blue/Cool White/Warm White): 0–255
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Color Gels: 20 ROSCO, 20 LEE
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Hue: 0–360°
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Saturation: 0%–100%
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Special Scene Effects: 18 types
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Light Source Matching Presets: 17 types
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XY Color Coordinates: 0.0000–0.8000
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Channels: 000–099
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Power Supply: AC adapter (20 V) or V-mount battery (14.8–26 V)
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Control Methods: App / 2.4G wireless / On-panel / DMX
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Fan Modes: Smart, Medium, High, Silent
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Operating Temperature: -10°C to 40°C
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Dimensions: 20.8" × 13.3" × 3.4" (53 × 34 × 8.6 cm)
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Weight: 7.9 lb (3.58 kg)
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Price at Time of Writing: $279.99–$379.99*
Neewer AP100B Specifications
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LEDs: 960 pcs
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Maximum Power: 100 W
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Maximum Illumination: 38,600 lux at 0.5 m; 12,200 lux at 1 m
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Color Temperature: 2,500 K–8,500 K (in 100 K increments)
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Brightness Adjustment: 0%–100% (in 0.1% increments)
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CRI/TLCI: CRI 96+, TLCI 97+
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Beam Angle: 45°
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Special Scene Effects: 13 types
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Light Source Matching Presets: 14 types
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Channels: 000–099
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Power Supply: AC adapter (20 V) or V-mount battery (14.8–26 V)
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Control Methods: App / 2.4G wireless / On-panel / DMX
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Fan Modes: Smart, Medium, High, Silent
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Operating Temperature: -10°C to 40°C
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Dimensions: 20.8" × 13.3" × 3.4" (53 × 34 × 8.6 cm)
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Weight: 7.9 lb (3.58 kg)
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Price at Time of Writing: $228.09–$299.99*
*There is a significant variation in prices for these items. This is due to whether there is existing stock in the shops or if they need to be imported and subjected to the new tariffs. Look for discounts too.
