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One Week With the Halo 100x: Do I Keep It?

Apr 23, 2026

Amaran Halo 100x: Does It Actually Earn a Place in My Kit?

Why This Light Got My Attention

As cinematographers, we are always balancing one thing, how much gear we can actually bring with us. Every light we add increases weight, setup time, and complexity. So when I saw the Amaran Halo 100x, what stood out was not just the specs. It was the idea of having a light that could fit into real-world shoots without feeling like a burden.

I do not spend much time reviewing gear unless I believe it has the potential to bring real value to the way I work. The Halo 100x caught my attention because of its size, flexibility, and the fact that it could run from a USB-C battery while still working with Bowens mount modifiers I already own.

First Impressions

The first thing that stands out is the footprint. This light is extremely compact and weighs less than a pound, which immediately changes how easy it is to justify adding it to your kit.

If you want to take a closer look at the Halo 100x, you can find it here:

Amaran Halo 100x on Amazon or visit: https://www.vitopal.net/s/halo100x-cnomadic

It also feels well made. The metal bracket feels solid, not cheap, and includes an umbrella mount for additional diffusion options. From a build standpoint, it feels like a real tool, not just a lightweight compromise.

Key Features That Matter in Real Use

The Halo 100x is a bi-color light with a color range from 2700K to 6500K, which makes it easy to match warm practicals or cooler ambient environments. It also offers 1% intensity increments, which gives you a lot of control when you are making subtle exposure adjustments.

Like other Amaran lights, it can be controlled through the app, which is a huge convenience when the light is rigged overhead or tucked into a tight corner.

The fan was another pleasant surprise. I left it on SMART mode and honestly never noticed it. For a light this small, quiet operation matters, especially in interview or office environments.

Where This Light Actually Works

This is not a light I would buy expecting it to replace a larger key light. That is not what it is for.

Where it makes sense is in situations like:

Small office environments
Tight corners where larger fixtures do not fit
Backlights and edge lights
Overhead setups where weight matters
Accent lighting in practical scenes

Because it is so light, it becomes much easier to hang overhead, boom out, or place in positions that would feel more annoying with a heavier fixture.

A Real Setup Where It Helped

One of the first setups I used this light for was a simple cozy corner shot of me reading a book with a warm practical lamp in frame. The lamp already established the mood, but I wanted a little more warmth and level on my face without ruining the natural feel of the scene.

without the Halo 100x

with the Halo 100x

By hanging the Halo 100x overhead and matching the warmth of the practical, I was able to gently lift my face and complement the lamp rather than fight against it. That is where a light like this starts to make sense. It is not about overpowering the scene. It is about enhancing what is already working.

Pairing It with Modifiers

One of the biggest advantages of this light is the Bowens mount. That matters because it means the Halo 100x can work with modifiers I already own.

I paired it with an Aputure Space Light Softbox, and that combination became especially useful for filming people around a small office table. Used almost like a lantern, it created a soft 360-degree feel while also giving me overhead light onto the table. The result felt soft, natural, and practical for real-world corporate work.

Battery Power Is What Unlocks It

For me, the biggest jump in usefulness came from adding the Amaran Peak Battery. Once I did that, this light became much more flexible.

Now I could use it in crowded office spaces without worrying about power cables on the floor. That makes setup faster and safer, especially when people are moving through the space. At full intensity, I was getting about an hour of runtime, which is enough for many quick lighting setups.

That battery addition really turned this from a small light into a much more complete mobile solution.

Accessories Matter

Like many lights, this is not really a complete workhorse straight out of the box. You need to factor in accessories.

It does not come with a modifier
It does not come with a protective cover
The Peak Battery makes it far more useful in the field

If you already own Bowens mount modifiers, that is a big win. If not, that is an extra cost to consider.

The missing protective cover is the biggest miss for me. For a light that clearly lends itself to travel, leaving the monolight exposed feels like an odd decision. I ended up buying an aftermarket cover, but most available options add unnecessary bulk. A shallow protective cover would make much more sense for a light like this.

What Surprised Me About the Power Setup

I was initially surprised that the power supply is external rather than integrated into the head. But the more I used the light, the more I understood the tradeoff.

If the power supply were built into the fixture, the unit would likely be heavier and bulkier. Keeping it external helps maintain the lightweight design, which is exactly what makes this light so useful overhead.

The same thing happened with the battery connection. Unlike the Pano series, the Peak Battery does not power the Halo directly through the mount. You need to use a USB-C cable.

At first, that felt like a downside. In practice, it became a useful workaround. By using a longer USB-C cable, I was able to keep the battery lower on the stand, sometimes even using it as a counterweight, while keeping only the light itself extended overhead. That reduced weight at the end of the arm and made the setup easier to manage.

Limitations

There are a few clear limitations to keep in mind.

It is only 100W, so output is limited
It is strictly bi-color, no RGB
No modifier is included
No protective cover is included
Battery power requires a USB-C cable rather than a direct mount

None of those are dealbreakers if you understand the role of the light. But they are part of the overall value equation.

How It Compares

In terms of footprint, the Halo 100x is very similar to the Amaran Ray 60c, but it offers more power while also costing less. That already makes it an interesting option in this size range.

Compared to the Pano 120c, the Pano is definitely more powerful, but it loses points for me because it does not use a Bowens mount. The Halo is also more affordable, and for my workflow, the ability to use my existing modifiers makes it much more attractive.

Final Thoughts

For me, this ended up being one of those tools I did not expect to use that often, but now it keeps finding its way into more and more setups.

It is not replacing my bigger lights, and it is not trying to. What it does well is add flexibility without adding much weight. That alone gives it real value.

If you already have Bowens modifiers and you want a light that can work in small spaces, overhead setups, accent roles, and practical environments, the Halo 100x makes a lot of sense.

So yes, for what it is, this light does earn a place in my kit.

If you want to go deeper into camera settings and exposure control, check out my Essential Camera Settings course here:

https://www.cnomadic.com/essential