Today at Cine Gear 2021 Aputure announced their brightest light in the Light Storm series with the 1200d Pro.
The new fixture features a 1200 watt COB and it has a maximum power draw of 1440W. There are three new Bowens Mount Hyper Reflectors with varying beam angles:
- 15° Narrow
- 30° Medium
- 55° Wide
Aputure states the new Light Storm 1200d Pro can achieve an output of 83,100 lux at a distance of 3 meters with the narrow 15° reflector.
Like all the Light Storm fixtures, the LS 1200d Pro has a Bowens Mount that can be used with a wide array of Bowens Mount soft light modifiers such as Light Domes and Lanterns.
The 1200d Pro fixture is aimed at the pro/rental market, requiring a better build quality. The LS 1200d Pro has a weather-resistant construction so that it can withstand inclement weather. There are no controls on the light its self. All controls are located on the controller/ballast.
It has a Junior Pin to mount to a combo stand. At 19.73 lbs / 8.94 kg it’s a beast. No light-duty stands for this one.
600d and 1200d Pro side by side 
The 1200d Pro uses Lumenradio CRMX and Art-net & sACN via an etherCON connector, in addition to the 5-Pin DMX512 ports, to seamlessly integrate into any professional DMX interface.
What’s Included
The 1200d Pro comes with a light, a control box, and three reflectors. This includes a rolling case for the 1200d Pro and a separate case for the other two reflectors. The complete kit is listed below.
LS 1200d Pro and Rolling Case
- LS 1200d Pro Lamp Head
- LS 1200d Pro Control Box
- LS 1200 Series Hyper Reflector 30° Medium
- LS 1200 Series 7-Pin Weatherproof Head Cable (7.5m)
- Neutrik powerCON TRUE1 TOP AC Power Cable (6m)1Lightning Clamp
- LS 1200d Pro Rolling Case
Reflector Carrying Case
- LS 1200 Series Hyper Reflector 15° Narrow
- LS 1200 Series Hyper Reflector 55° Wide
- LS 1200 Series Reflector Carrying Case
As you can see in the image above, the 1200d Pro is boxier than the 600d Pro. I would imagine this helps make the light easier to work in tighter locations and cooling.
Fan Speeds
Speaking of keeping it cool. The 1200d Pro has 4-Fan Modes:
- Smart: Fan speed is according to temperature up to 45° C {41dBA @1m}
- Medium: Standard recommended fan speed. Suitable for Environments from 35°C {34dBA @1m}
- High: Environments from 35°C – 45°C {41dBA @1m}
- Silent: Deactivates all fans but limits output to 100W
Powering Options
The LS 1200d Pro doesn’t have a Gold mount or V-mount option for battery power. It has two 48V/15A DC inputs that take power from a battery block. Keep in mind it will need a substantial battery block to power them. You can use one of the DC inputs and get 50% output.
I would use a Honda gas generator/inverter with a long stinger to power it as they cost $1200 and can power up to 2200 watts. That’s a lot cheaper than several thousand for a battery block or two.
LS 1200d Pro Photometrics Provided by Aputure
| CCT | Distance | Bare Bulb | LS 1200 Series Hyper 15° Reflector | LS 1200 Series Hyper 30° Reflector | LS 1200 Series Hyper 55° Reflector |
| 5600K | 3M | 6,380 lux / 598 fc | 83,100 lux / 7,788 fc | 22,400 lux / 2099 fc | 9,610 lux / 901 fc |
| 5600K | 5M | 2,802 lux / 263 fc | 28,340 lux / 2,656 fc | 8,200 lux / 769 fc | 3,940 lux / 369 fc |
| 5600K | 7M | 1,538 lux / 144 fc | 15,200 lux / 1,425 fc | 4,660 lux / 437 fc | 2,218 lux / 208 fc |
| 5600K | 9M | 964 lux / 90 fc | 8,580 lux / 804 fc | 2,880 lux / 270 fc | 1,351 lux / 127 fc |
Key Features From Aputure
- 83,100 lux @ 3m with Hyper Reflector (Narrow)
- 22,400 lux @ 3m with Hyper Reflector (Medium)
- 9,610 lux @ 3m with Hyper Reflector (Wide)
- 1200W Daylight Bowens Mount Point-Source LED
- 1440W power draw
- 5600K Daylight CCT
- Optimized Output with 3 Hyper Reflectors: Narrow (15°),
- Medium (30°), Wide (55° )
- CRI ≥96 TLCI ≥98, CQS ≥95, SSI (D56) ≥73
- Weather-Resistant: Dust & Water Resistant
- 0.1-100% Stepless Brightness Control
- Frequency Selection to Reduce Flicker
- Lead-Follow Mode for Quick Workflow
- 4-Fan Modes: Smart/Medium/High/Silent
- Multiple Control Methods: Sidus Link Bluetooth App
- Control, LumenRadio CRMX, Art-net & sACN via
- WetherCON, 5-Pin DMX512 In & Out
- Supports Dual 48V/15A DC Inputs (3-pin XLR), Including
- Battery Power Stations & Block Batteries
- Half Power Output with one 48V/15A Power Source
- Full Power Output with two 48V/15A Power Sources
- Junior Pin (28mm)
- Separate Control Box for a Lighter Lamp Head
- 7.5m Weatherproof Head Cable
- 6m Locking Neutrik Power Cord
- Dual Lightning Clamp Quick Release Plates
- Curved, Disk-Brake Yoke with 360° Rotation
- Utilizes Universal Bowens Mount Standard
- 4 Dimming Curves: Linear, Exponential, Log, S-Curve
- 8 Lighting FX: Paparazzi, Fireworks, Lightning, Faulty Bulb,
- TV, Pulsing, Strobe, & Explosion
- Includes Rolling Case & Reflector Carrying Case
COB lights are really kicking it up a notch with higher output and fresnel accessories to tame those COB clusters. 1440 watts is a lot of power, and keeping it from catching on fire has to be one of the biggest challenges without having a giant loud fan running.
With so much output, the 1200d Pro will be great for punching through diffusion or a big softbox. With a lot of power, you have a lot of options. Hopefully, a fresnel will be in the works as that would tick another box in the usability list.
Side note Matt reviewed the Nanlux StormEvoke 1200 that is a 1200 watt COB. Check that one out!
Pricing and Availability
Pricing hasn’t been set. Aputure states the 1200d Pro will start shipping in Q1 of 2022.
