Zhiyun FIVERAY F100: Darkness has a new enemy

Zhiyun’s FIVERAY F100 light is a special product. I was provided one for review and found it to have numerous uses in my toolkit.

Unboxing new equipment is always fun! The storage case is beautiful and has padded slots to house accessories and keep the light safe. The first thing you’ll notice about the Zhiyun FIVERAY F100 is that it has a sleek, professional, minimalist design. When you hold it, you may be initially surprised at how much it seems to weigh due to its long weight distribution. But, it’s only two pounds and after a few seconds you’ll find it effortless to use handheld. This is thanks to its sturdy and ergonomic grip. It truly can be a grab and go device. Otherwise, the ¼” threaded hole allows usage with a stand.

Get the sunglasses out

This light is one of the brightest I’ve seen, especially considering its compact stature. It claims to be up to five times brighter than similar lights on the market, and that’s believable to me. With 100W max power mode, it can make the darkest room seem like midday. LEDs behind the vertical diffuser panel reach over 20,000 LUX at max power.

Stay cool

All this incredible light comes free from heating issues thanks to its proprietary DynaVort cooling system, which is an intelligent temperature control that keeps the unit from overheating. Behind the light are a row of quiet, encased fans. Suffice to say, there’s a lot of science behind this light.

Versatility

The color temperature is adjustable from 2700-6200K in CCT Mode. In HSI Mode, you can adjust Hue from 0-360°, Saturation from 0-100%, and Intensity from 0-100% all with the simple control dial. You’ll zero in on the perfect color in no time.

Li Power

With the built-in Lithium-ion battery, you can go 30 minutes on non-stop 100W max power, an hour at 50W, and over 5 hours at 10W working power. Therefore, this light has tons of on-the-go uses. With Type-C fast charging and other options that allow charging while using, you’ll limit the downtime on your shoot.

Accessories

My unit came with 2-leaf barn doors and a diffuser. The accessories were well made. The barn doors have reflective material on them, and actually stays put at the angle you set.

My Verdict

The biggest drawback for me was the control dial. While I appreciate the minimalist approach and modern design, the dial doesn’t stick out too much. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to spin from a side angle, even with its texture. Or, if you’re not careful, you may push in to select a different mode when you’re trying to alter a value.

But the positives vastly outweigh this. With enhanced technology and brightness, this unit is an improvement over the previous model. In addition, the light has some fun effects, such as candlelight, faulty bulb, fire, and more.