Aputure 1200D vs 600D: Which One Should You Hire?

The Aputure LS 1200D Pro pumps out about three times the light of the 600D Pro, making it the hire for daylight exteriors, big soft sources and high-frame-rate work.

For interviews, corporate videos and small interiors, the 600D Pro’s 600 W output is more than enough, and at £70/day from Sugarland it’s the practical workhorse. The 1200D Pro costs £120/day and earns its keep when raw power is the priority.

What’s the actual light output difference?

The 1200D Pro puts out significantly more light than the 600D Pro, enough to completely change what you can light.

With the standard reflector, the 1200D Pro measures about 83,000 lux at 3 m, while the 600D Pro hits around 28,300 lux. That's roughly three times the intensity from the same distance.

On set, that extra reach means you can place the lamp further away and still get the same stop, or maintain intensity through heavy diffusion.

If you're building a 12×12 ft butterfly frame, for example, the 600D may drop to a level where you're struggling to reach your desired aperture, while the 1200D still punches through.

The 600D is more than adequate for a medium softbox at 2 or 3 m; the 1200D stays lethal when you move it back to 6 m. For any shoot where throw distance, ambient daylight or large-frame diffusion is in play, the lighting hire decision starts with that 3× gap.

When should you hire the Aputure 600D?

Reach for the Aputure LS 600D Pro if your shoot fits into a standard interior, an interview setup or a compact indie drama. At £70/day from Sugarland, it's the sensible starting point for most productions.

The 600D Pro’s 600 W daylight punch easily gives you a healthy T2.8 through a medium softbox at conversational distance. It weighs roughly 4.5 kg, runs off a single V-mount battery and goes up on a standard C-stand without fuss.

I’ve seen countless corporate talking-head days where one 600D Pro through a Light Dome was the only key light needed, with a couple of tube lights for fill.

When you don't need to fight the sun, the 600D Pro keeps the kit list manageable and the hire costs down. It’s the fixture you pick by default unless a specific challenge says otherwise.

When does the 1200D become the better choice?

The Aputure LS 1200D Pro at £120/day becomes the right call the moment your shoot asks for brute force. If you're lighting a sunlit room where you need to raise the ambient level and match window light, the 600D won’t get you there, but the 1200D will.

Large studio spaces, fashion shows and music videos that need a vast soft top-light are another obvious trigger. A 1200D Pro firing through an 8×8 ft silk still delivers a juicy exposure, while you’d be pushing the 600D beyond its comfortable range.

High-frame-rate work eats light: shooting at 100 fps needs four times the light you’d use at 25 fps. The 1200D gives you room to double your frame rate and keep your stop without switching to a noisier ISO.

Basically, any scenario where you catch yourself thinking “I wish this was one stop brighter” is a sign the hire should have been the 1200D from the start.

What about power, weight and rigging?

The 600D Pro is the easy lift, both literally and logistically. It weighs 4.5 kg, draws around 600 W and fires up happily from a single 14.4 V V-mount battery or mains. You can carry it in one hand and mount it on a standard light stand.

The 1200D Pro tips the scales at roughly 10 kg and demands nearly double the power to deliver its full output. It uses a dual V-mount plate: you need two high-capacity batteries for max brightness, or mains power.

That means heavier lighting stands and grip are essential, wind-up stands or combos are the norm, and a single grip can’t just sling it up. The cabling is bigger, the battery changes more frequent, and the transport case is, frankly, a two-person job.

So the 1200D isn't just brighter; it changes the rigging requirements for the whole setup. If you’re a solo shooter in a tight space, the 600D fits. If you’ve got a gaffer and a full grip package, the 1200D slots in fine.

How do colour accuracy and control compare?

Both lights are impressively accurate, so you don't gain or lose anything on colour whichever you pick.

The 1200D Pro and 600D Pro share near-identical CRI and TLCI figures, typically 95+, and both use the same Sidus Link app for wireless control, DMX and CRMX.

In practice, you can set up either fixture and expect the same consistent, flattering daylight colour. No one will guess from the skin tones whether the light was a 600D or a 1200D.

Control flexibility is also a tie. Both use the Bowens mount, so any modifier you already own, softboxes, Fresnels, lanterns, works across both.

The F10 Fresnel, for example, snaps straight onto the 1200D just as it does onto the 600D, giving you a focused beam that exploits the 1200D’s extra punch even further.

The real-world difference boils down to light quantity, not quality, so your choice rests entirely on how much output you need.

What does it cost to hire the 1200D and 600D from Sugarland?

Hire costs reflect the output gap. The Aputure LS 600D Pro is £70/day, and the Aputure LS 1200D Pro is £120/day. All prices are +VAT, and Sugarland’s 3-day week rule means a 4- to 7-day hire costs the same as 3 days.

That can bring a week’s worth of lighting power in for a very manageable line item.

Beyond the head itself, you’ll likely want modifiers and stands. Sugarland stocks everything from the Light Dome II and Lantern 90 to C-stands and wind-up combos, so you can build a complete lighting package without going to multiple suppliers.

The same goes for crew: if your shoot needs a gaffer or a grip to handle the heavier rigging a 1200D demands, that’s one more thing sorted under one roof.

The 1200D might be pricier than the 600D, but on a hire basis the difference is often the smallest line on the budget, and it’s the one that makes the biggest visual impact when the setup calls for it.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use the F10 Fresnel on the Aputure 1200D?

Yes. Both the 600D Pro and the 1200D Pro use the Bowens mount, so the Aputure F10 Fresnel fits directly onto the 1200D. Mounting it turns the light into a long-throw beam that’s even more effective at distance, which plays to the 1200D’s strengths.

Is the Aputure 600D Pro the same as the non-Pro 600D?

Light output and colour accuracy are essentially identical. The Pro model adds a V-mount battery plate, weather-resistant connectors, and additional control options like CRMX, while the standard 600D lacks those creature comforts but delivers the same 600 W daylight punch.

What’s the difference between the Aputure 300D and the 600D?

Power output is the main difference: the 300D is a 300 W fixture, the 600D is 600 W. The 600D is about twice as bright, so it gives you more headroom for diffusion and throw. The 300D is smaller and lighter, making it a popular choice for tight spaces or travel.

Does the 1200D Pro need two V-mount batteries to run?

To reach full output, yes, it requires two high-capacity V-mount batteries connected to the dual battery plate. It can operate on a single battery at reduced power in a pinch, but you won’t get the full 1,200 W punch without both or AC mains.

Can I hire just the light head, or do I need a kit with modifiers?

Sugarland hires the light heads individually. Modifiers, stands, and other accessories are separate line items, so you only pay for what you actually need. You can pair the Aputure LS 600D Pro or 1200D Pro with a Light Dome, Fresnel, or lantern, and add stands when you build your quote.