Zhiyun’s new Fiveray M20 lights pack professional features into a pocket-sized form factor. The M20 is a bi-color light while the M20C offers a full RGB output.
Pocket-sized
The Zhiyun Fiveray M20 and M20C share the same compact form factor. The lights measure only a little over 3 inches (7.8cm) square and 1.4 inches (3.6cm) thick. They are also lightweight at around 7 ounces (200 g). As such, the M20 and M20C are great for use as on-camera lights as they won’t make your set-up much heavier. In addition, both lights are fully dimmable from 0-100% output.
Power output
Both the Zhiyun Fiveray M20 and the M20C have a power out of 20 watts. They also feature a 4500 mAh battery. Zhiyun says that this delivers a maximum run time of 40 minutes with the lights at full power. Dropping the output to 10 watts doubles the run time to one hour and twenty minutes, while at 5 watts the lights will run for up to three hours. Recharging takes two hours. In addition, you can use the lights while they are charging.
Bi-color M20
The M20 is a bi-color light with a color temperature range from 2,700 K to 6,500 K. With a TCLI of at least 97 and a CRI of at least 95, you should find that colors are reproduced accurately. Despite its small size, the M20 has an output of up to 2010 lux at 0.5 meters and 529 lux at 1 meter. In addition, the light has ten built-in FX modes, including paparazzi, TV, bad bulb, lightning, strobe, and candle.
RGB M20C
As for the M20C, it is a full color RGB light that also offers an extended CCT range from 2,500 K to 10,000 K. However, the M20C still manages an impressive TCLI of at least 96 and CRI of at least 94. In addition, the output is also similar to the M20, with 1950 lux at 0.5 meters and 539 lux at 1 meter. The M20C has the same FX modes as the M20. It also adds six RGB effects such as fireworks and police car, along with seven vibrant color-brightness variations in music mode.
Other features
The Zhiyun Fiveray M20 and M20C come with an extension bracket as standard. This allows you to connect multiple lights together to form a larger panel. The lights also offer Bluetooth mesh control so you can coordinate the output from multiple lights. In addition, the ZY Vega smartphone app gives you even more control over the intensity and color of the M20 and M20C.
What we think
The Zhiyun Fiveray M20 and M20C deliver an impressive output for such small lights. It’s also useful that they come with the extension brackets to combine the units into a larger setup as standard. In addition, the Combo packs of both lights offer great value for money as they include barn doors, a grid, and a diffuser for only a small price premium. One point to be aware of is that both the M20 and M20C feature active cooling with a small built-in fan. Fan noise with smaller lights can be an issue, especially if the light is close to your microphone.
Availability
The Zhiyun M20 costs $89 and M20C is $139. The standard package includes one light along with an extension bracket and a PD charging cable. You can also buy a Combo pack which adds 4-leaf barn doors, a honeycomb grid, a diffuser, and a storage bag. The M20 Combo pack is $119 while the M20C Combo retails at $169.
Image courtesy: Zhiyun
