Review: Amaran app for controlling lights

Friday 18 October 2024, 14:41 by Nando Harmsen | 2,929 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Amaran is known for its affordable video lights. These lights are perfect for lighting your subject when filming, or as continuous light for photography. Amaran's new app lets you control the lights wirelessly. Let's see how well it works.

The new app was launched on 20 August 2024. It lets you control and set up an entire ecosystem of multiple lights in a simple way. The app has a simple design, but powerful features.

The Amaran app works on both smartphones and desktops.
The Amaran app works on iOS, Android, HarmonyOS, and desktops. It works with Stream Deck and is based on Sidus Link technology, which is also used in Hollywood. You can switch lights on and off, adjust brightness and colour temperature, and easily identify every connected light.

You have direct control over all the lights in your setup.
Besides controlling individual lights, the app also lets you group multiple lights. With shortcuts and presets, you can recall a setup in an instant.

Installation and first use

You need an account to use the Amaran app. So you first have to register. You can then connect lights via Bluetooth. This is very quick and easy. The Amaran 60x S I used for this review was found and connected without any problems.

Installation is easy. You do need to create an account.
You can adjust every light you connect to a certain extent. The available settings depend on the type of light. With the Amaran 60x S, you can of course adjust the intensity and colour temperature, as well as the fan speed. Firmware upgrades are also possible.

The app shows the remaining operating time in hours and minutes. This is more useful than a percentage showing the battery capacity. All lights are shown in both a list and thumbnail view. You can see all the information you need straight away, without having to dig deep into the settings.

All the information you need is immediately visible and can be adjusted.

Detailed settings

Besides the settings in the overview, you can also find detailed settings for every connected light. Alongside the usual settings, there are also various presets. You can create your own presets if you wish.

You also get access to creative settings such as explosion, fireworks, lightning, TV, fire, flash, faulty bulb, pulse and paparazzi. These creative settings can be adjusted as required and saved as a preset.

Dive deeper into the settings of each light or use the creative settings.
You can save every setting you make as a preset. This lets you quickly and effectively recall a particular setup. You no longer need to make the adjustments from scratch each time.

Shortcuts and scenes

You can create presets for individual lights. Are you using more than one light? Then shortcuts are useful. They let you set all connected lights exactly as you want them with the press of a button.

Create scenes or shortcuts for every lighting setup you need. They are then set up instantly at the press of a button.
You can create and control groups, or create a complete scene that you recall when needed. With a little preparation, the Amaran app makes it easy to switch quickly and efficiently between different lighting setups.

Conclusion

For optimal use of video lights, it is important that the lights can be controlled wirelessly. This prevents you from constantly walking back and forth, or having to set up lights that are out of range again and again.

Unfortunately, I only had one light available, but the Amaran app also works perfectly with a single light.
A good app is essential, especially when using multiple lights at the same time. I thought the Amaran app was simply an easy app for controlling a video light. However, the app is more than that.

The Amaran app gives you the flexibility to control entire complex lighting setups simply and effectively. Shortcuts and scenes make this possible. If you only have one light available, the app works well too. You are then only using a fraction of what is possible.

You get full control over the lights, including simple and accessible firmware update options.
Fortunately, it is so simple and intuitive to use that it makes no difference whether you have one, two or twenty lights connected. If you use Amaran or Aputure lights, this app is a fantastic way to manage your lighting.

What works well

• Simple user interface
  
• Control over the lights is simple and clear
  
• Presets are available for every individual light
  
• Scenes and shortcuts can be created for complex setups
  
• Available for every platform, including desktops
  
• Stream Deck integration
  
• An entire ecosystem of lights can be managed
  
• Also works perfectly with a single light
  
• Free
  

What could be improved

• Registration process through the app
  
• Some options are somewhat hidden
  
• Colour temperature display does not entirely match the actual colour
  

At first, I was somewhat sceptical about this app. While using it, I soon discovered that the Amaran app is a very complete and user-friendly system. Unfortunately, I only had one light available, but I came to appreciate the app.

Do you use amaran or Apurture lights? Then I can certainly recommend the Amaran app. It makes working with continuous light much more efficient and enjoyable. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play.

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