At NAB 2026, Aputure previewed its new Aputure STORM CS32 COB light. The company says it is the brightest fully tunable color fixture in its point source line of LED lights.
BLAIR-CG light engine
The STORM CS32 features Aputure’s BLAIR-CG light engine. This expands upon the previous BLAIR system by adding Cyan and Green (CG) light emitters to the existing Blue, Lime, Amber, Indigo and Red ones. As a result, Aputure says that BLAIR-CG fixtures produce “excellent saturated colors across the visible light spectrum, and exceptional tunable white light.” The STORM CS32 can also produce a huge range of rich colors along with more natural white light and proper skin tones.
Photometrics
The Aputure STORM CS32 can output a very wide CCT range from 1800K to 20,000K. It also offers 100% +/- Green adjustment, plus HSIC+ and x,y coordinate color tuning covering more than 90% of Rec2020 Output. With an SSI [P3200] of 93 and an SSI [CIE D5600] of 92, you can be confident that the colors in your scene will be reproduced accurately on camera. The STORM CS32 can output up to 105,300 lux at 9.8 feet (3 meters) with the medium reflector. Aputure says that output is comparable to a 4K HMI fixture.
Compact design
With all that power, the Aputure STORM CS32 isn’t a small light. However, compared to a 4K HMI or 10K tungsten Fresnel fixture, the STORM CS32 is much more compact. The light head weighs 37.5 pounds (17 kg), and the control box adds another 23.8 pounds (10.8 kg). As such, it’s possible for one person to carry. That would be impossible with an HMI or tungsten fixture of similar output. You can also plug the STORM CS32 into any standard 120V socket in North America. You won’t be able to use the full power of the light, but you don’t need to worry about tripping any breakers.
Modifiers
The STORM CS32 is compatible with all of Aputure’s optional modifiers for its STORM XT52 light. These include the reflectors, the CF16 Fresnel, the Parallel Beam 70 and the Lantern 120.
What we think
The STORM CS32 is another impressive light from Aputure. It’s a real achievement to deliver the output of a 4K HMI or 10K tungsten light in a fixture that one person can carry. The BLAIR-CG light engine also ensures your light source is color accurate. The ability to run the STORM CS32 from a standard household socket is a great option to have, even though you have to sacrifice some output. With its promise of high output, full spectrum and small size, the Aputure STORM CS32 is going to be a very popular light.
Pricing and availability
The Aputure STORM CS32 is scheduled to be released in Q3 2026. We will bring you details of the full specification and pricing as soon as we get it.
