Lighting manufacturer NANLITE has updated their popular PavoTube LED tube lineup with a new second RGBWW generation in three sizes ranging from 2ft to 8ft. We were lucky enough to get our hands on the new PavoTube 15X and 30X for a field review. How does the PavoTube II series hold up against the first generation and other popular LED tubes on the market? Let’s find out! The first-generation PavoTube series checked a bunch of boxes for me. The series is cheaper than the industry-leading Astera tubes while also offering internal batteries, a variety of available accessories, wireless Wifi app control with additional accessory purchase, and a whole host of features we’ve come to expect from our lights these days like bi-color, different effects, and lots and lots of color options. When I say affordable, I mean it. The 4ft version of the original PavoTube, the 30C, came in at $329 versus $849 for the 4ft Astera Titan. The Quasar Science Q50 with no internal battery power landed at $750. To be frank, the accessories for the original PavoTube didn’t really grab me, and the lack of Bluetooth control was disappointing. Still, considering the price, much could be overlooked. The original was not a home run but definitely welcome competition in a time when the options for LED Tube color-capable tube lights were limited. Image Credit: Graham Sheldon So why does the tube form factor appeal to filmmakers? I’ll venture the ability to zip tie, use magnetic mounts, or even...
Published By: CineD - Wednesday, 24 November, 2021