NANLITE FC-500C Full-Color LED Spotlight and FC PowerController Released

Lighting News

by Jeff LochJuly 9^th, 2024

NANLITE has just released a new LED light as part of their FC lineup: the FC-500C. This full-color RGBW fixture has a maximum output of 520W, a wide CCT range between 2,700K and 7,500K, and it features a standard Bowens Mount for lighting modifiers. The FC-500C can be powered via the included power brick, but you can now power it externally via the new FC PowerController. This four-in-one box is a battery adapter, AC power supply, V-mount battery charger, and wired remote controller. So, let’s take a closer look at these!

Only two weeks after introducing the affordable FS-300C RGBW LED light, NANLITE is already back with a new fixture in the FC lineup: the FC-500C.

NANLITE FC-500C – features

Similarly to other NANLITE FC fixtures, the FC-500C consists of two parts:

• The light head has a built-in ballast and onboard controls. It measures 37.3 x 24.6 x 14.9cm/14.69 x 9.70 x 11.09″ and weighs 3.91kg/8.62 lbs.
• An external power supply that measures 11.3 x 9.1 x 28.1cm/4.45 x 3.58 x 11.09″ and ticks the scale at 2.24kg/4.94 lbs.

The NANLITE FC-500C is a 520W RGBW LED light. In CCT mode, you can adjust the color temperature from 2,700K to 7,500K with +/- 150 green magenta adjustment. According to NANLITE, it can output an impressive 57,050 lux at 1m/3ft at 5,600K with the included reflector.

Regarding color accuracy, NANLITE claims that the FC-500C has a CRI/TLCI of 95 and 94, respectively, a TM-30 Rf average of 92, and a TM-30 Rg average of 100.

As it is an RGBW fixture, you’ll also have access to multiple color modes, including HSI, RGBW, Gel, and Effect. NANLITE claims a maximum output of 25,590 lux in color mode at 1m/3ft with the included reflector. There are 15 built-in lighting effects, including HUE/CCT/INT loop, flash, pulse, storm, police car, etc.

At the back of the fixture, you’ll find one PowerCon 48V power input, a power switch, a small LCD display, two control knobs, a 3.5mm DMX port, and a USB-A port for firmware update.

You can control your lighting settings via the onboard controls, wired via the DMX/RDM port, or wirelessly with the optional remote controller or the free Nanlink App, available for Android and iOS devices.

At the bottom of the light, you’ll find a large 11cm/4.33in built-in fan. The fan has four control modes: Smart, High-Speed, Low-Speed, and Off. According to NANLITE, at 100% power output in Smart mode, the noise level is around 29 dBA, which sounds reasonable. Please note that you can only get the maximum output in Smart and High-Speed fan modes. In Low-Speed mode, the maximum output is only 50%, which drops to 8% if you set the fan to Off.

At the front of the NANLITE FC-500C, you’ll find a standard Bowens mount compatible with all your existing and favorite lighting modifiers. Also, there is an umbrella mount on the yoke.

NANLITE FC PowerController – features

Along with the FC-500C, NANLITE also introduced the FC PowerController, which allows you to control and power FC-300B/500B/500C LED lights via mains power or V-Mount batteries. The FC PowerController FC is relatively compact at only 13×13.5×20.4cm / 5.14×5.33×8.05in and weighs just 1.61kg/3.55 lbs. As you can tell, this optional unit is more compact and lighter than the power adapter that comes with the FC-500C.

You’ll find one V-Mount battery plate on each side of the FC PowerController. The unit accepts either 14.4-14.8V or 26V batteries. However, the maximum output of your LED light will depend on the batteries you use. For example, two 26V V-Mount batteries are required to power the FC-500C at full power. If you use a single 14.4V V-Mount battery, your output will be limited to 30%.

Furthermore, when connected to AC power, the FC PowerController can act as a portable battery charger while powering your light at full power.

At the front of the FC PowerController, you’ll find a status display, Menu and Mode buttons, and two adjustment knobs. At the back of the unit is a quick-release plate, so you can mount it to a light stand via an optional quick-release clamp.

Price and availability

Both the FC-500C and PowerController should be available this month. The FC-500C kit retails for $1,099, and the PowerController is $399.

For more information, please visit NANLITE’s website here.

What do you think about this new NANLITE RGBW LED light? What is your favorite NANLITE lineup of light? Do you think about getting the PowerController to power your FC fixtures externally? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!