2020/09/29: this light has now been released, and the article updated.
Chinese manufacturer Aputure has announced a new LED light bulb called the Accent B7c. It is a seven-watt ‘smart bulb’ that with a standard E27 Edison screw, which can be set to any hue or colour temperature, thanks to its RGB diodes. It is remote-controllable via an app, or there are buttons on the bulb itself. Unusually, it has a built-in battery.
At 7W, the Aputure B7c is unlikely to play the role of your main light; rather, it is designed to be used as an accent light or as a ‘practical light’ that appears in your scene. However Aputure claims the B7C to be the brightest in its category. It is an evolution of the Aputure MC7 light bulb first shown off at NAB 2019. The latest version is claimed to be more efficient.
Specifications include a colour temperature range from 2,000K to 10,000K, full colour control of hue, saturation and brightness, and a built-in battery with a 70-minute runtime at full power. It will be compatible with the Sidus Link app for controlling cinema lights, via Bluetooth signal from up to 80 metres away. There are buttons on the light itself which give quick access to brightness and colour temperature adjustment. In AC mode, the bulb turns on and off in response to mains power, remembering the settings from last time.
It is not the first RGB light bulb out there, by any stretch, but unlike Philips Hue-style household bulbs, Aputure claims this to be one of the first designed specifically with filmmakers in mind. Operation is designed to be ‘flicker free’ and the colour rendition higher than from comparable products, with a television lighting consistency index (TLCI) of 95+.
Pricing is $70 USD per bulb, available from Adorama and B&H Photo. Visit the manufacturer’s web site for more information.