Upgrading Studio Lights | NANLITE FC-720B + PavoTube II First Look

Why Did I Need This?

Before I dive into this, I’ll explain why I needed to make this change.

Over the past year, my shoots have really evolved. I started doing more campaigns, hybrid photo-plus-video shoots and controlled lighting setups. As a result, I needed more continuous output, better color flexibility and professional reliability.

As your production level grows, your lighting has to grow with you, and that’s what I did with my studio.

NANLITE FC-720B Review

The FC-720B fills the gap between mid-level LEDs and ultra-expensive cinema lights perfectly.

First, I want to say that I love NANLITE cases. They’re well-made, very stylish and, importantly, lightweight.

In the case when I opened it for the first time was a lamp, a reflector, power supply, cables and a mount. It all looked very nice.

I also immediately noticed that the FC-500B that I already had in my studio looked like a baby version of this FC-720B.

As for my initial thoughts, I was impressed that its build quality felt strong and with its clear design, which doesn’t feel entry-level at all, and professional finish. Also, its head size is substantial, but, at the same time, it’s not overwhelming.

It comes with a Bowens mount, which is huge. That means I can use this FC-720B with my softboxes, beauty dishes, parabolic modifiers, Fresnel lenses, projection attachments and China balls. That’s significant. If a light doesn’t fit your modifier system, your workflow slows. The FC-720B fits seamlessly.

The back panel is clean with a large display, and the menu access is straightforward. There’s no complicated cinema-style interface. For studio professionals, this is important. I want speed. I don’t want menu-diving.

There are also dedicated intensity and CCT knobs.

This light’s powerful enough that I could shoot it easily on F 8, probably even F 11.

The FC-720B is also good for pushing through large modifiers, competing with window light, replacing certain strobe situations and serving as a continuous light source. In fact, it might offer the best continuous light for photography.

Another feature that I was really looking forward to taking advantage of is that it’s bi-color: 2700-6500 Kelvin. That means I can match daylight, warm up beauty shots, incorporate creative evening tones and blend well with practical lights. This flexibility is one of the main reasons why I wanted this unit.

So, where is this fitting in my studio? It’s going to become a key light for YouTube videos, a continuous fashion light, a hybrid campaign solution and an interview light. Is it replacing strobe lights entirely? No. But for modern content production, quality continuous lighting is becoming increasingly important.

My Rapid 90 Softbox

I also upgraded with a new NANLITE Rapid 90 Parabolic Softbox. I did already have a Rapid 120 softbox, which I absolutely love, but it’s hard to travel with that, so I wanted to get something that also worked well but was much more portable.

My very first impression was that its bag is very nice and it’s got a sleek design.

As I opened that bag and looked at the Rapid 90 softbox, the first words out of my mouth were, “Aw, baby softbox.”

In that bag was a user manual, a grid and diffusers, and it was really easy to set up.

As for the diffusers, I was initially confused at why there were two. First, I thought that one went on the inside and the other on the outside. Then, I started thinking that one was a spare just in case the other had to be replaced for whatever reason. But I later realized what the difference actually was. One is a little more transparent than the other, meaning that I could control the softness of the light, depending on which diffuser I used. That’s nice.

The grid, which helps reduce light spill, looked very nice too after I put it on.

NANLITE PavoTube II 15C vs 30C

Now, let’s talk about creative lighting.

You likely know that I love rim lights, edge lights, cinematic lighting, colorful lighting and background color.

That’s why I decided to upgrade my lighting tubes. Now, I have ones in two sizes, a NANLITE PavoTube II 15C 2KIT, which is about 2 feet long, and a NANLITE PavoTube II 30C 2KIT, which is about 4 feet long. Otherwise, they’re very similar to each other, just with one about half the size of the other.

Both of them come with two power bricks, two cables, two straps that you could put on top of the lighting tube or use for hanging it and two mounts that can attach to a stand so that you could place your light into it there.

I also want to say that I really like the cases that these came in. They’re very nice. And you can keep each lighting tube in a separate compartment, which is convenient and helps ensure that they won’t get scratched.

The 15C is compact and has a built-in battery. It’s perfect as a hair light, for small accent lighting, in tight studio spaces and, of course, for when you travel. It’s both lightweight and well-built, and it has magnetic ends, a clear interface and RGBW, which is important. That means you get real white light and accurate colors. It’s not cheap RGB.

The 30C at double the length feels cinematic. This isn’t an accident; it’s an intentional visual element. It also features a 60-watt output, which is strong for its size. And it can create a strong vertical rim light, illuminate background panels and add fashion drama. Additionally, it can help build the atmosphere. For studio branding and YouTube aesthetics, that makes a difference.

So, if I had to simplify this comparison between the 15C and the 30C, I’d say that the 15C is practical while the 30C is cinematic. If you travel a lot, the 15C is great, easier to work with for those needs. Conversely, if you shoot fashion editorials, the 30C gives you presence, which is perfect for those kinds of shoots. In fact, most who initially buy just the 15C eventually want to convert to the 30C for their studio work.

How am I planning to use these? You probably know that I like doing creative shots, like shooting in a fish tank, shooting with a car and creating cinematic scenes. These kinds of lights help me build those interesting environments more effectively. And I especially wanted both sizes, the 30C because it’s so powerful and will provide more dramatic lighting but also the 15C because that one’s easier to travel with and to hide within a scene.

Lastly, I want to share with you an important feature that both of these lights have: you can control them with your phone. NANLITE has a great app that allows you to do that, where you can adjust their temperature, tint and power. You could control them as a group or separately as well as create lighting presets.

Conclusion

These upgrades are not about gear obsession. They’re about improving your production level. As your work grows, your lighting must support that. The FC-720B gives me serious continuous power while the PavoTube 2KITs provide me with creative control. Put together, I now have a complete modern studio lighting system.