Neewer FS150C Review: The Budget RGB Light I Wish Existed in 2018

• Neewer FS150C → Amazon CA
• Aputure 200x → Amazon CA
• Amaran 150c → Amazon CA

Overview

When I started as a corporate videographer back in 2018, I picked up three Aputure 120d lights at about 800 bucks a pop. Even then I was thinking, “man, I wish these were a little cheaper, pushed a bit more power, and could do colour.”

Flash-forward seven years and, honestly, the new Neewer FS150C might be the light I wanted all along. Today I’m putting it through its paces, stacking it against the Aputure 200x (which I have on hand) and—spec-wise—the Amaran 150c (which I don’t). Let’s see if this thing’s actually any good.

Build & First Impressions

• Footprint: Same size as the old 120d but lighter, so the C-stand doesn’t weep.

• Mount: Standard Bowens—no worrying about weird proprietary modifiers.

• Power: 150 W draw, internal ballast, single IEC cable. One less brick dangling off the light stand = win.

• Controls: On-body knobs plus a Bluetooth app that didn’t crash once in my tests (small miracles).

Output & Colour (Real-World Numbers)

LightMode1 m w/ reflectorNotesNeewer FS150C5600 K~8,000 lux0 → 100 % in a smooth curveAputure 200x5600 K~13,500 luxAbout 1 ¾ stops brighterAmaran 150c*5600 K~8,300 luxBasically neck-and-neck

*Specs only—didn’t have the unit in-house.

CRIs are all 95-plus, so no green-magenta casts to fight in post. The FS150C’s fan is audible in a dead-silent room, but buried under normal room tone.

RGB & Effects

Neewer tucked an RGBWW engine in here, so you get full-on colour plus gels and police-car effects. No, it won’t replace a Skypanel, but for b-roll splashes or a cheeky kicker? Perfect.

The 200 x Question

If you need brute-force output, the Aputure 200x still wins. It’s ~200 W, so obviously brighter. But you lose RGB and you pay almost double. For interview keys at f/2.8 inside? The FS150C held up fine at 60 %.

The Amaran 150c Angle

On paper the Amaran 150c matches the Neewer watt-for-watt and brings RGB too, but here in Canada it’s ~$150 CAD more, and its fan noise spec is actually higher. Unless you’re already deep in the Aputure ecosystem, the Neewer’s a solid save-some-cash move.

Final Thoughts

If Neewer had dropped this light back in 2018, I’d probably have bought three and called it a day. For solo shooters, small crews, or anyone tired of hauling a daylight-only kit, the FS150C is a legit contender.

Cheaper than an Aputure, just as bright as the Amaran, and it still gives me all the fun RGB toys. I’m keeping it in the kit.

— Josh / Forkright Films