As we all know, photography is essentially the art of light and shadow. If there is no high-quality natural light in the shooting environment, you must use equipment to fill in the morning. In the professional shooting market, always-on photography lights are widely used due to the characteristics of the continuous light source and controllable power, but limited to technical and cost reasons; there are relatively few fill lights that are compatible with high strength and portability. Today, Zhiyun, which has rich photography and electrical engineering technology, has developed and produced the Zhiyun FIVERAY FR100C Stick Light, which embeds 100W high power output in a small volume of only 920g.
In the hand-held fill light, can such a high-power and portable stick light also integrate the use scenarios of photography light and fill light? Thanks to Zhiyun for sending us the review unit. Let’s start the review.
Buy on Amazon Buy on AliExpress Buy on Zhiyun-Tech official
Zhiyun FIVERAY FR100C Technical Features
- Current Price: USD199.99
- Built-in battery capacity: 6S/2600MAH
- Charging Option: USB-C or 24V/5A Power Adapter (Included in Combo)
- CCT mode power: 50W+50W
- color temperature. Range: 2700K-6200K
- HSI mode: Tint: 0°~360°, Saturation: 0~100%; Intensity: 0~100%
- Dimensions: H502mm; width 46mm; D47mm
- Weight: 920G
Design
Zhiyun FR100C stick light is lightweight and portable, with a volume of 502mm×46mm×47mm, which can be easily put into a photographic backpack. The most convenient way is to insert it into the outer strap of the photographic bag for easy access and use. With a weight of 920g, even a female user with less strength can use it without any problem.
The Zhiyun stick light achieves the high-power 100W output of the photographic light and also comes with a soft-light frosted translucent cover, which can bring a flexible lighting solution to indoor scenes. A single light can be used at a 45° oblique upper angle on the side as the main light for characters, or a two-light method can add a stick light as a contour light. In addition, the bottom reflector or white reflective objects can be eliminated at the front top light position. Shadows are used as the main light for characters.
With a lightweight body with a net weight of 920g, the Zhiyun stick light also performs beautifully in various wedding photography fields. Whether a wedding VLOG recorded in an outdoor journey or a live wedding documentary in the venue, the Zhiyun stick light can be completed with the camera. Lighting requirements for video and photography, lightness, and portability greatly improve the shooting quality and the filming rate.
Display
The control panel is on the back of the handle, just at the thumb position when held with one hand, and can completely cover the operation dial and buttons. Above is a black and white LCD panel, which can intuitively display parameter information, including color temperature, brightness, and color mode. To display HSI design, battery power, and more.
Build
People-oriented, story-based wedding shoots, with the help of Zhiyun stick light, can also provide supplementary light for characters during the day. Even in indoor scenes with obvious ambient light in hotels, 100W high power can still clearly outline the wedding ceremony. The outline of the main character’s shape provides more texture for portrait shooting.
The overall quality of the product is very delicate, with excellent texture, the handle is made of non-slip silicone and fabric texture, and the grip is also very good. The bottom of the stick light is also equipped with a 1/4 screw hole, which can be easily used with photographic accessories such as tripods to achieve more shooting possibilities.
The position of the stick light handle is its operating area, and the turntable can be clicked to operate or dialed to adjust the light. The screen can display the operational status of the rod light in real-time. Overall, the operation logic is relatively simple and easy to use. The author did not read the manual before using it, and it took a few minutes of simple operation to get started.
Six Cooling Fans
An interesting feature of the FR100C is its six cooling fans on the back of the light. This cooling system is designed to turn on to prevent overheating when it measures certain internal temperatures intelligently. This ensures that the light never gets too hot from touching it or overheating. In my tests, I could run the light at full brightness for over 30 minutes without feeling a little hot. It was impressive compared to the other LED panel lights I have here in the office.
The actual indoor temperature is 28°C. After 20 minutes of full load, the surface temperature of the light-emitting part of the stick lamp can be controlled at around 40°C. Since there is no cooling fan inside the handle, the temperature will be higher and be directed at 55°C. Inside, the body will feel a little hot, but it will not be very hot.
Color Temperatures
CCT Mode
Turn on the FR100C. Press the DIM/CCT button to enter the brightness/color temperature adjustment interface. Press the DIM/CCT button to toggle between brightness/color temperature. You can turn the dial to adjust the brightness/color temperature value.
HSI Mode
Turn on the Zhiyun FIVERAY FR100C. Single press the HSI button to enter the HSI full-color mode interface. Press the HSI button again to toggle between Hue (H)/Saturation (S)/Intensity (I). You can turn the dial to adjust the Hue/Saturation/Intensity values as needed.
Maximum Power Setting
Press the DIM/CCT button to enter CCT mode. Single press the Max button to enter full power mode. The FR100C is now operating at maximum power. You can adjust the brightness/color temperature value in full power mode by turning the dial as needed. In CCT mode, a single press of the Max button turns off full power mode. (On the HSI full-color interface, the product works at the ultimate power when the intensity value is the maximum value. Otherwise, the full power mode can’t turn on.
Battery
The ZHIYUN FIVERAY FR100C has a built-in 2600mAh lithium battery and supports Type-C PD fast charging. The regular 25W battery life can reach 2 hours, and the peak 100W power battery life can also be 31 minutes. In addition, the DC interface can be connected to 120W fast charging and supports the light stick edge. It will be used while charging, meeting users’ long-term shooting needs.
Most of the built-in batteries in the industry are charged and discharged with a power of about 30W. Relying on the circuit technology of the gimbal, Zhiyun can achieve a high-power output of 100W from the battery while still ensuring safety.
In addition, the high-power battery output will also be accompanied by the heating problem of the battery pack. According to the complex ESC technology of the gimbal, Zhiyun distributes the battery output to the stick light, and the light-handling volume is still not hot.
Read Also: Zhiyun Smooth 5 Review: Most Affordable Smartphone Gimbal For TikTokers
Verdict of Zhiyun FIVERAY FR100C Stick Light
My only real criticism of the entire design is the thumbwheel itself. Four buttons below the wheel allow you to quickly toggle between modes and settings without your thumb moving away from the wheel. On the unit I reviewed, I found the buttons a bit touchy, resulting in accidental switching of modes, colors, and brightness. Fortunately, changing settings is quick and painless, so it was more of a minor inconvenience than a problem.
Fortunately, the review model did come with the AC adapter for continuous use. This is a bit frustrating with the way the unit is being sold. The standard package includes everything except the AC adapter. The only way to get the adapter is to upgrade to the combo pack. There is no other way to buy it when writing this article.
ZHIYUN FiveRay FR100C Stick Light is an excellent light for filming and photography. Equipped with all the customizable lighting settings you need to create artistic lighting setups, the FR100C is a great place to start if you’re looking to set up a new lighting rig or add to an existing one. It offers a professional setup in a compact package and can fit into almost any environment you need.
Buy on Amazon Buy on AliExpress Buy on Zhiyun-Tech official