The Best Lights for Filmmaking: Godox SL60II-Bi, Aputure MT Pro and the 600d Reference

Lighting is where a lot of filmmakers spend too little for too long. A good camera in bad light still looks cheap, while a modest camera with a well-placed key light and a touch of color in the background can look like a real production.

The hard part is knowing what to buy first. A single expensive light looks great on paper, but two cheaper lights can cover a key and a fill, and a small RGB tube can add the color that makes a frame feel finished.

Below are a two-light budget kit, an RGB tube that solves color, the pro light the others get measured against, and the order to buy them in.

The Godox SL60II-Bi two-pack lights a scene for the price of one premium fixture, the Aputure MT Pro solves color ('I wish I had 10 of them' per one owner), and the Light Storm 600d is the COB reference the others get measured against - buy in that order and the kit grows with the work.

Godox SL60II-Bi: The Two-Light Budget Kit

This bi-color kit makes it easy to 'dial in the correct temperature and intensity of each light' and get 'consistent light vs natural light,' per one owner.

The 2800-6500K range matches whatever scene you build - tungsten warmth for interiors, daylight coolness to blend with a window. Godox's product pages list the full spec and Aputure's do the same for the MT Pro, but the reviews tell you what the box actually contains. For interview setups, the second light becomes the fill without a second purchase.

While the lights themselves perform well, one user has reported some issues with the accessories, like a broken stand leg that was missing the metal hardware for putting it together.

Another owner has found that the softboxes had missing stitches in the corners, and then tore when they took them apart. The included stands feel a bit lightweight, which might make you worry about how the gear stays over time. One reviewer has also noted a gel grid missing from the box.

Check every piece before the shoot - the accessory quality control is inconsistent, and better stands are the first upgrade if the included ones fail to hold weight.

The pattern across three reviews is the same: excellent lights, careless packaging - which is maddening because the failure is invisible until shoot day. The lights themselves remain the value: two adjustable sources for less than one premium fixture, which is why the kit still earns the recommendation despite everything the shipping process does to the accessories.

Aputure MT Pro: The RGB Tube That Solves Color

One owner who had never heard of the brand has called the MT Pro one of the finest pieces of lighting gear they've ever held, and wishes they had 10 of them. It feels like a scaled down version of the InfiniBar, but it brings much more power to a small frame.

Since each pixel is individually addressable, you can create complex color arrangements that look great on screen. The light comes in a nice travel case, which keeps everything safe while you move between locations - case included, unlike some competitors.

The Sidus Link app makes controlling colors so easy - tweak hue and brightness from your phone instead of walking to the light, which is the difference between adjusting the scene and interrupting it. The effects engine means one tube plays three roles in a scene: key accent, background wash, and practical prop.

For a solo shooter that app control is the whole reason to choose this over a dumb panel.

The price reads high for a small light until you need professional color on a real film set - then it reads like the cheapest option available.

The COB reference matters because it defines the mount ecosystem: a Light Storm-class fixture takes Bowens-mount modifiers, V-mount battery plates, and every softbox the industry makes. That ecosystem outlives the fixture itself, which is why owners who start budget eventually land here - not because the 600d is magic, but because everything else already fits it.

The same logic runs in reverse for the budget kit: the SL60II-Bi lights take their own modifier line, and the two-pack includes the bag, so the total-system cost is what the price tag reflects. Neither approach is wrong - they are different answers to the same question of what a lighting kit actually is.

For a creator deciding today, the question to ask is not which light is best but which kit gets used. A two-light setup that comes off the shelf sits in the corner ready, while a single premium fixture that needs assembly waits until someone has an afternoon.

Usage beats specification, and the reviews bear that out. The lights that get praised most are the ones their owners describe reaching for without a plan - and the audio mixers in the same kit follow the same rule. Check B&H's current MT Pro pricing before ordering, since the tube market moves fast.

The small size means you can hide it in tight spots where larger lamps simply do not fit, and having several tubes lets you wrap a scene in color for total creative control.

What to Buy First

You should start your kit by picking one powerful key light paired with a softbox, because this setup creates the primary look for your scene while keeping harsh shadows away from the face.

Once that main light is set, you need a second unit for fill, so that the shadows aren't too deep. Include sturdy stands and sandbags in the initial budget - they keep the gear safe, and the Godox kit's own stands are the weak link the reviews keep finding. The interview-lighting kit approach pairs a key and fill the same way.

After your basic lighting is finished, you can add color effects like the RGB tubes, to bring mood and depth to your work without needing to replace your whole rig. These small lights paint scenes with vibrant hues that add polish to even a low-budget setup.

Skip the order, though, and the footage looks flat no matter what the gear cost - the stages exist because the basics carry the image, and nothing carries an image like light.

Frequently Asked Questions

Softbox vs bare COB for filmmaking?

A softbox on the Godox lights softens shadows for portraits, while a bare COB provides the harsh beam high-contrast work wants. The budget kit includes softboxes, though some arrived with damaged corners - a proper modifier is the first replacement purchase.

Bi-color vs daylight lights better?

The bi-color Godox kit adjusts color temperature to match whatever natural light the scene has, while the daylight-only 600d sits at one fixed setting and expects gels to do the adapting - the same choice the interview lighting kits make between panels and COBs. For mixed-location work, bi-color saves the gel kit and the setup time that comes with it.

How do these lights perform on location power?

The MT Pro travels in its case and runs on batteries, while a 600d-class COB wants mains power or a large battery station - heavier to carry without a dedicated vehicle, per an owner who has carried both.

Are the included stands good quality?

An owner has found missing hardware on a stand leg, and the softboxes tore at the corners - buy separate premium stands before hanging anything heavier over a person

Is RGB functionality actually useful?

Individually addressable RGB on the MT Pro creates color arrangements no gel kit can match - firelight, neon, police strobe - and the Sidus Link app changes them between takes without touching the tube.