Bravo Pavo Slim!
Posted on Dec 2, 2024 by Pro Moviemaker
Nanlite’s svelte light takes the Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year award for best light panel
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When space on-set is at a premium, it makes sense to choose your light source carefully – especially when in need of soft and flattering illumination. You’ll want something as large as possible, but COB lights with huge softboxes aren’t ideal. An LED light panel is the best choice, but even then many can be large and heavy.
That’s why Nanlite came up with the far more portable and riggable PavoSlim range. This range currently includes eight models: the 60B/60C (1×1), 60CL (2×0.5), 120B/120C (2×1), 240B/240C (2×2) and 240CL (4×1). Its full-colour LED 2×1 120C model has been voted winner in the light panel category of the prestigious Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year Awards. Voted for by real, working filmmakers, this is a seal of approval – especially in tight locations or with small crews typical of indie production.
One of the growing range of PavoSlim lights, the 120C is 18.6mm/0.73in thick, with an all-metal build to dissipate heat and avoid the need for a noisy cooling fan. For easy rigging and to keep the panel as compact as possible, the light is powered by a separate pack that comes with its own high-quality stand clamp.
The pack is where you can alter most settings, using two large knobs and the menu and mode buttons to keep it as simple as possible – crucial on a busy shoot. Alternatively, use the free Nanlink app or wireless DMX. Nanlite offers a stand-alone remote control and Wi-Fi transmitter as optional extras.
Included is a pop-up softbox which can be left permanently attached via hook-and-loop fasteners. This can be pulled forward when needed, with a diffusion panel attached to make the light softer. There are two options, one more diffuse than the other, but that does cut a bit of light.
There is also an eggcrate-style fabric grid that stretches over to make the light more directional, but still soft. It’s all portable and quick to set up on location. If mains power is an issue, the pack has V-Mount plates so you can use batteries too – and the whole lot comes in a fitted case.
In use, simply turn the light on and pick the mode. This could be colour temperature in a CCT range of 2700K to 7500K, with the added benefit of green/magenta adjustment; or pick any colour you like using the HSI mode. You can dial in one of 151 gels and match the colour that way as well. There are also 15 built-in popular SFX patterns such as flash, pulse, police car, candle/fire and disco.
Though the panel is slim, it pumps out up to 12,830 lux at 1m/3.3ft without modifiers. With adjustability down to 1%, there’s plenty of control to finesse the look. It’s a useful, easy-to-control light with full, accurate colour output. It’s silent, quick to rig, space-efficient and offers great value for money – that’s why it’s a winner.
This feature was first published in the November/December 2024 issue of Pro Moviemaker.
