Aputure Storm XT52 released: More powerful than a 6K HMI

The new flagship in its line of Storm lights, Aputure says the Storm XT52 is the brightest tunable white point source LED in the industry.

Aputure says its new Storm XT52 is more powerful than a 6K HMI, party thanks to its BLAIR light engine (Blue/Lime/Amber/Indigo/Red) which outputs tunable white light from 2500° - 10,000° CCT and features full +/- green tint control. It also claims that the Storm XT52 has the widest range of tunable white light in its class; in limited HSIC+ and xy modes, saturated colors covering more than 70% of the Rec2020 color space can be achieved. 

At 5600K and a distance of 5 metres, when used with the included 35° reflector, the Storm XT52 outputs a category-leading 41,900 Lux and can be used at full brightness while powered from an industry-standard 6500w portable generator. Should the available power be limited, a menu option provides control of the light’s maximum power consumption. The new third-generation HyperDrive power system produces zero flicker at any color above 20% brightness, making it a good choice for high frame rate photography.

For all that power the lamp head only weighs 27.7 kg (61 lb), light enough to be lifted by a single person and used with a standard crank stand. The control box is 13 kg (28.7 lb), and includes a mounting clamp to attach it to a light stand. The included head cable is 7.5m (24.6 ft) and can be extended up to 45m (147.6 ft) with no loss in output so that the light can be used on condors and cranes while the control box usefully remains on the ground, avoiding excess power runs.

It also features an IP65 weather rating and a ruggedized construction with a modular infrastructure for fast service should anything untoward happen on set.

“We went all-out with the XT52, ” explains Ted Sim, President and Co-Founder of Aputure. “We set out to make the most powerful point source LED in the business. We knew we wanted to use our amazing BLAIR light engine with its excellent CCT range, Green control and Indigo for matching natural light. But customers have been begging us to unlock the color potential of BLAIR, and the customer is always right. So we added a Limited HSIC+ control along with xy mode so people can take full advantage of the XT52’s capabilities. By the way, we’re releasing a free firmware update for the Storm 1200x to add Limited HSIC+ to that BLAIR engine light as well. Now the Storm XT52 doesn’t just stand in for daylight, it can be the colorful blast of late afternoon sunset. That’s something no other light of any kind can do at this level. We have accomplished all of this while keeping the size and weight down so a single person can operate it and we fine tuned the power management so the XT52 can run off popular portable generators.” 

In addition to the 35° reflector included with the Storm XT52, an optional Reflector Kit includes 20°, 25°, and 50° options. At NAB, Aputure will also preview two additional modifiers. The CF16 Compact Fresnel features a 20° -62° adjustable beam utilizing Aputure’s new multi-optic compact physical design first seen in the CF12 Fresnel. This will be available as a manual or motorized zoom, with the motor drive also available as an upgrade. The Storm Parallel Beam 70, meanwhile, is a hyper-narrow 5° true Cassegrain dual-mirror reflector system for an intense, focused beam of light with attractive shadow quality at twice the brightness of other options. A new Light Dome and Lantern will also be available for the Storm XT52’s Aputure Mount. 

The Storm XT52 can be seen on the Aputure booth and in action at the APEX Aputure Experience at NAB, at Vu Studios from April 6-8. Aputure will provide a free shuttle bus from the convention center to the APEX event.     

As per normal with NAB launches, pricing and availability is somewhat TBA.

tl;dr

• The Aputure Storm XT52 is touted as the brightest tunable white point source LED, outperforming a 6K HMI with its BLAIR light engine, providing a tunable white light range of 2500° - 10,000° CCT and full +/- green tint control.
• At 5600K and 5 meters, it delivers an impressive 41,900 Lux with the 35° reflector, and its third-generation HyperDrive power system ensures zero flicker at brightness above 20%, making it ideal for high frame rate photography.
• The lamp head weighs 27.7 kg (61 lb), allowing for easy single-person handling, and the 7.5m cable can be extended up to 45m without loss in output, providing flexibility for on-set configurations.
• A ruggedized construction with an IP65 weather rating ensures durability, while optional accessories like the Reflector Kit and CF16 Compact Fresnel expand its versatility for various lighting scenarios.