Aputure Electro Storm CS15 and XT26, F14 Fresnel and Spotlight Max Announced

Lighting News

by Francesco AndreolaJune 2^nd, 2023

Aputure has just introduced a new line of high-output LED lights aimed at their professional audience. It includes two extremely powerful point-source fixtures – the full-color Electro Storm CS15 and bi-color Electro Storm XT26. They also launched two heavy-duty lighting modifiers – the motorized F14 Fresnel and the Spotlight Max projection lens. All products will be available by the end of 2023.

Over the last year, we have assisted to the introduction of some extremely bright LED fixtures, such as the bi-color Godox KNOWLED MG1200Bi, the NANLUX Evoke 1200B or the recently-released Evoke 900C full-color spotlight.

But while these are pretty impressive achievements for LED fixtures, today Aputure proves that they can push the boundaries of this technology even further. So let’s take a closer look at their forthcoming Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26!

Aputure Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26 – overview

The new Aputure Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26 are respectively a full-color RGBWW and a bi-color spotlight with an output of 1,500 and 2,600W. According to the manufacturer, the former can compete with 1.8kW HMI fixtures, while the latter can potentially replace 12kW tungsten Fresnel or 4kW HMI lights.

Both fixtures offer step-less dimming from 0.1 up to 100% of their intensity, although the company hasn’t released any photometric measurement yet. The Electro Storm CS15 covers a color temperature range of 2,000-10,000K in its HSI with advanced CCT control mode, while the bi-color version is limited to 2,700-6,500K. Additionally, the Electro Storm CS15 also supports xy, RGB, presets and gel modes, while both lights are claimed to have high SSI ratings, as follows:

• Electro Storm CS15: SSI (Tungsten) of 89+ and SSI (D56) of 86+
• Electro Storm XT26: SSI (Tungsten) of 85+ and SSI (D56) of 74+

The fixtures support two different output modes – Max and Constant -, offer green/magenta adjustments, integrate a set of built-in lighting effects (15 on the Electro Storm CS15 and 9 on the Electro Storm XT26) and exploit liquid-cooling technology to prevent overheating.

Dual accessory mount: Bowens + electronic A-mount

What’s interesting is that, unlike the existing Light Storm models, the new Electro Storm CS15 and the Electro Storm XT26 come with a new proprietary electronic accessory mount, simply called A-mount.

As a result, both the Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26 feature a dual accessory mount system that makes them compatible with both existing Bowens mount modifiers as well as the brand new Aputure A-mount heavy-duty accessories. Upon launch, the latter include 3 reflectors (20, 35° and 50°) as well as the newly-introduced, motorized F14 Fresnel lens (more on this later).

The A-mount system enables communication between the light head and the mounted accessory, thus allowing the fixture to automatically fine-tune its output to achieve best performance. Moreover, this electronic solution allows users to remotely control motorized accessories.

Design, power and control

The beafy light head of the Aputure Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26 is identical, measuring 45.7×35.2×28.1cm/17.99×13.86×11.06in and weighing 18kg/39.7lbs without yoke. Both lights come with a separate control box that measures 27.3×26.2×55.0cm/10.75×10.31×21.65in and weighs 19kg/41.9lbs for the full-color version, while it’s slightly heavier on the bi-color variant (20.5kg/45.2lbs).

Given their size and weight, both lights come with a heavy-duty yoke. Moreover, the company introduced a new motorized yoke that is designed specifically to remotely control pan and tilt when using the Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26.

Both models feature a rugged construction that is IP65 rated. This means that the lights are not afraid of dust and water, so you should be able to use them with confidence even when shooting in harsh environments or under inclement weather.

In the box, you will find a 6-meter AC Power Cable as well as a 7.5-meter Head Cable for firing up the lights using mains power. Alternatively, the control box can also draw juice from external batteries via its dual 48V DC input, which can come in handy when shooting in remote locations.

When it comes to controlling the lights, you’re spoilt for choice. Indeed, the Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26 offer a comprensive set of professional connectivity tools, including Aputure’s Sidus Link app (iOS/Android), wireless DMX with LumenRadio TimoTwo CRMX chipset, Art-net & sACN via etherCON and 16-bit 5-Pin DMX512 In & Out.

F14 Fresnel and Spotlight Max

Next to the Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26, Aputure also presents two new lighting modifiers, the F14 Fresnel and the Spotlight Max. The F14 is an electronic modifier that reminds me of the ARRI Orbiter Fresnel Lens. The accessory adopts the new A-mount standard and its Fresnel lens has a large diameter of 14”/35cm.

Its motorized zoom range goes from 18 up to 45°. The beam angle is adjustable using the on-board control knob and LCD display or remotely using either the Sidus Link app (via a future update) or DMX. The accessory alone weighs 13kg/28.66lbs and comes in a flight case with its own detachable yoke, barn doors, a sled to fit flat surfaces and a safety chain.

On the other hand, the new Spotlight Max inherits the legacy of the original Aputure Spotlight mount, but it’s optimized for brighter fixtures such as the LS 600d Pro or the newborn Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26. This Bowens mount projection lens modifier is available in 3 options: 19, 36 and 50°.

The accessory comes in its own rolling hard case which also includes a detachable yoke, a rotatable Gobo Holder and A-Size Gobos (B-size gobos are also compatible). Finally, if you’d like to use ETC projection lenses, you can do so by picking up the the optional Spotlight Max ETC Lens Adapter.

Price and availability

The new Aputure Electro Storm CS15, Electro Storm XT26, F14 Fresnel and Spotlight Max will be available in Q4 2023. Unfortunately, there’s currently no official information about pricing. So if you want to be the first to find out, please stay tuned to CineD!

For more information, make sure to visit Aputure’s website.

What do you think of the powerful Aputure Electro Storm CS15 and Electro Storm XT26? What other A-mount electronic lighting accessories would you like to see in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!