Aputure MC Pro vs MC vs amaran Ace 25x: Which One Fits?

Last updated October 2026 by the team at Filmgear Canada, an authorized Aputure and amaran dealer in Vancouver.

The short answer

Buy the Aputure MC if you want the smallest of the three: an RGBWW light you can stick to a door frame, charge on a phone pad and forget about. It's rated at 5W, and Aputure lists 400 lux at 0.5m.

Buy the Aputure MC Pro when you need the same idea built for a set: IP65, CRMX, a wider 2,000K to 10,000K range and a lens in front of the LEDs. It's also rated at 5W, but Aputure lists 1,585 lux at 0.5m for the bare light at 5,600K. That's about four times the MC, so don't judge these two by watts.

Buy the amaran Ace 25x when white light is the whole job. The spec sheet says 6,320 lux at 0.5m at 5,600K, roughly four times the MC Pro again, and Ace Lock snaps it onto a camera or tripod in a second. You give up colour, CRMX and any IP rating, and there's a fan in it.

In this guide:

• Specs side by side
• Which one should you buy?
• Aputure MC vs MC Pro: what actually changes
• Already own an MC? Should you upgrade?
• When the amaran Ace 25x makes more sense
• What the MC Pro's specs mean on set
• Control: Sidus Link, CRMX and DMX
• Who the MC Pro is for
• One MC Pro or the 8-Light Kit?
• What's in the box
• MC Pro vs MT Pro
• Where it earns its keep
• Before you order
• The warts
• Buying in Canada
• FAQ

Aputure MC vs MC Pro vs amaran Ace 25x: specs side by side

Every figure here is the manufacturer's own, read off Aputure's and amaran's product pages in October 2026. Where a spec isn't published, we've said so rather than guess.

One caution on the lux rows. Each brand measured under its own conditions. Aputure's MC figure is at maximum brightness, the MC Pro's is the bare light at 5,600K, and amaran quotes the Ace 25x figure next to its 32W Boost mode. Read the gaps as a sense of scale, not a lab result.

Which one should you buy?

Aputure MC vs MC Pro: what actually changes

Start with the number that misleads people. Aputure rates both lights at 5W, so on paper they look the same. They aren't. At 0.5m Aputure lists 400 lux for the MC at maximum brightness and 1,585 lux for the bare MC Pro at 5,600K. At 1m it's 100 against 396. Either way, the Pro puts about four times as much light on your subject.

Aputure calls the MC Pro a lensed panel. With the rated wattage identical, we'd put most of that gap down to the optics rather than to more power.

Then there's everything Aputure added for production work. IP65. LumenRadio CRMX rated to 100m, and 16-bit DMX, alongside Sidus Link over Bluetooth out to 80m. A TFT screen. An operating range down to -20°C, where the MC is rated from 0°C, which matters more in a Canadian February than anything else on this list.

Battery life is closer than you'd think. Both are rated for roughly two hours flat out: more than two hours for the MC at maximum brightness, and about 120 minutes for the Pro at maximum output. The Pro manages that from a bigger 4,200mAh battery while putting out four times the light.

The MC keeps two things the Pro doesn't. It charges on any Qi wireless pad, which Aputure doesn't list for the Pro at all. And it's lighter, 130g against 247g. If your lights mostly live behind a monitor or in a car, both of those matter.

So we'd take the MC Pro for anything paid, outdoors or wired into a console, and the MC for colour accents where none of that applies.

Already own an MC? Should you upgrade?

Keep it if it lives on a desk, behind a monitor or in your carry-on for quick background colour. It still does that job, and nothing about the Pro makes the MC worse at it.

Upgrade when you're running out of light at a metre or more, when you're shooting outside in weather that would make you nervous about the MC, or when a gaffer wants your accents on CRMX. Those three are the whole case for the Pro.

When the amaran Ace 25x makes more sense

If you need white light more than colour, start with the Ace 25x. amaran lists 6,320 lux at 0.5m at 5,600K, roughly four times the MC Pro's bare figure at the same distance. Ace Lock fastens it to a camera or tripod in a second, one-handed if you have to. The front is magnetic for modifiers and the back has a magnetic silicone pad that sticks to any steel surface. There's a dome diffuser and an Ace Lock to cold shoe adapter in the box.

It isn't an RGBWW alternative to either MC. It's a 2,700K to 6,500K white light, and amaran lists no IP rating and no CRMX for it. At 325.5g it's the heaviest of the three, and it cools with a fan, rated at 28 dBA in Standard mode and 32 dBA in Boost. That's not loud. It's also not nothing, so if the light sits next to a lav or a podcast mic, test it first or take the fanless MC Pro.

Runtime depends on the mode: about 70 minutes in Standard, 50 in Boost and 4 hours 40 minutes in Silent. Silent runs at 6.5W, so don't read that long number as Boost brightness for half a day. It's the quickest of the three to recharge, about 40 minutes to 90% over USB-C.

If you like the Ace but need colour, there's a full-colour sibling, the amaran Ace 25c, rated at 2,300K to 10,000K. This guide sticks to the 25x.

What the MC Pro's specs mean on set

IP65: fewer pack-up moments

IP65 means dust-tight and protected against water jets from any direction. On a shoot, that's rain, beach spray or a dusty stairwell. It isn't a rating for going underwater, and it doesn't replace common sense around wet electronics. Wipe it down before it goes back in the case.

CRI 96, TLCI 96

Those are Aputure's figures for the MC Pro. In plain terms, skin and product colours come out close to how they look in the room, which is one less light to argue with in the grade.

5W, but 1,585 lux at half a metre

The bare Pro gives you 1,585 lux at 0.5m and 396 lux at 1m. That's a real key for a tabletop product or a tight close-up, and a strong fill or eye light for an interview. Put the dome diffuser on and Aputure's own table drops it to 392 lux at 0.5m, so the soft version is an accent, not a key.

About 120 minutes at full output

Aputure rates the 4,200mAh battery at about 120 minutes at maximum output. Most accent work sits well below full, so you'll usually get more, though Aputure doesn't publish a low-output figure for the Pro the way it does for the MC.

Magnetic everything

The flat diffuser, dome diffuser and 30° grid all come in the box and attach magnetically. The body has neodymium magnets of its own, so it goes straight onto a steel door frame or a stand.

Rated to -20°C

The Pro is rated to operate down to -20°C. The MC is rated from 0°C and the Ace 25x from -10°C. If you shoot outside in a prairie winter, that one line on the spec sheet is doing real work.

Control: Sidus Link, CRMX and DMX

All three work with Aputure's Sidus Link app over Bluetooth, rated to 80m on the MC Pro and the Ace 25x. The Ace runs on the amaran app as well.

Only the MC Pro talks to a lighting console. It has LumenRadio CRMX built in, rated to 100m, plus DMX/RDM and 16-bit DMX profiles. Wired DMX goes through Aputure's USB-C to 5-pin DMX adapter. If someone else on the crew runs the board, that's the line that decides it.

Aputure's V2.0 firmware for the MC Pro, released 20 February 2025, added adjustable DMX smoothing, 16-bit DMX profiles, a DMX status screen, HSIC+ manual controls and a colour mixing algorithm that matches BLAIR-CG more closely in saturated yellows and golds. Updates install through Sidus Link.

For effects, the MC has nine presets: paparazzi, fireworks, faulty bulb, lightning, TV, pulsing, fire, party and cop car. The MC Pro and Ace 25x have FX modes too.

Who the MC Pro is for

Filmmakers and small crews

It hides where bigger lights can't: behind furniture, inside a car, on a prop, on any steel surface. Small crews rarely have time to rig a full fixture for a little separation or a practical glow, and this is the light that solves those in a minute. IP65 means it can go outside without a rain cover for a short setup.

Creators and YouTubers

For a background wall, a desk accent or a small product highlight, the Pro works. Be honest with yourself about whether you need IP65 and CRMX indoors, though. If you don't, the MC does the colour job, and if you're after a brighter white light on camera, the Ace 25x does that job better.

Product and tabletop

Edge highlights, colour reflections and controlled light on small objects are where it shines. Two give you a key and an accent for small-product video, and a third adds a rim or a background colour.

Gaffers and rental houses

This is who the 8-Light Kit is for. CRMX, IP65, magnetic accessories with their own slots, and one case that charges all eight make it quick to deploy and quick to check back in.

Where it earns its keep

An interview gets a lot better with a small eye light tucked by the lens and a soft colour wash on the back wall. One MC Pro on a magnetic plate or an arm does either job, and it's easy to move between setups.

Wedding venues and documentary interiors rarely leave room for a stand. The magnets let it stick to a door frame, a vent or a light fixture stem and become a motivated practical, no stand and no rigging time.

On music videos and short films, HSI colour and FX cover the coloured eye-line glow, the TV flicker on a wall, the police-light wash through a window. Running several from one Sidus Link session is where the kit starts paying for itself in time.

And for outdoor and run-and-gun work, IP65 is the whole point. Light rain or a damp park doesn't send it back into the bag, and at 247g it rides in the same bag as a hybrid camera.

One MC Pro or the 8-Light Kit?

Buy one if you need a pocket accent light, or you want to see how the MC Pro fits the way you work. Go to the kit when you regularly put six or more small lights on the same set.

That last row is the real difference. Eight singles would give you eight carrying cases, eight ball heads and eight USB-C cables. The kit gives you one case that charges everything, four ball heads and two cables, and adds baby pin and articulating arm adapters that the single box doesn't include. It's a production tool, not a multipack.

Mind the weight, too. Loaded, the kit is 9.3kg. It travels on a cart or in a car, not in a backpack.

Rigging all eight on pipes, shelves and set pieces? The MC Pro 8-Light Complete Rigging Kit is our bundle of the 8-Light Kit plus four FPS Super Mafer clamps, so you can clamp a light almost anywhere.

What's in the box

Aputure MC Pro

• 1x MC Pro
• 1x MC Pro flat diffuser
• 1x MC Pro dome diffuser
• 1x MC Pro 30° light control grid
• 1x Cold shoe ball head
• 1x 1/4"-20 screw to magnetic plate adapter
• 1x USB Type-C charging cable
• 4x Adhesive magnetic plates
• 1x Carrying case

Aputure MC Pro 8-Light Kit

• 8x MC Pro
• 8x MC Pro flat diffusers
• 8x MC Pro dome diffusers
• 8x MC Pro 30° light control grids
• 4x Cold shoe ball heads
• 4x 1/4"-20 screw to magnetic plate adapters
• 4x 1/4"-20 screw to baby pin adapters
• 2x 1/4"-20 articulating arm to clamp adapters
• 2x USB Type-C charging cables
• 32x Adhesive magnetic plates
• 1x Locking IEC C13 AC power cable
• 1x D-Tap to D-Tap power cable
• 1x MC Pro 8-Light charging case

Aputure MC

• MC
• Silicone rubber diffuser
• Adhesive mounting tape
• USB Type-C charging cable
• Carrying case

amaran Ace 25x

• 1x amaran Ace 25x
• 1x amaran Ace dome diffuser
• 1x amaran Ace Lock to cold shoe adapter
• 1x amaran USB-C charging cable (50cm)

Those are the manufacturers' own lists. If one particular accessory decides it for you, ask us before you order.

MC Pro vs MT Pro

People compare these because both are small, battery powered and full colour, but they're different shapes for different shots. The MC Pro is a palm-sized panel for eye lights, hidden accents and product details. The MT Pro is a 1-foot tube with 36 programmable pixels, which makes it the one to reach for when the light itself is in frame or you want pixel effects running along it.

Weather is the other split. The MC Pro is IP65. Aputure lists no IP rating for the MT Pro and sells a waterproof pouch for it instead. We've covered the tube on its own in our Aputure MT Pro guide.

Before you order

• Check the distance you'll actually light from against the lux rows above. At 1m the MC gives you 100 lux and the MC Pro 396.
• Check how you charge. The MC Pro charges over USB-C or through the kit's contact pins. If you charge everything on a wireless pad, that's the MC.
• Give the MC Pro some air. It cools passively, so don't bury it in foam or a tight cavity while it's running at full output for a long take.
• Think about the mic. The Ace 25x has a fan. The MC Pro doesn't.
• Don't buy any of these as your main key for a larger space. A COB light or a bigger panel does that job.

The warts

• None of these keys a full-body shot in a bigger room. At 1m the MC Pro gives you 396 lux, and it falls off fast beyond that.
• The MC Pro is a small source. Even under the dome, light from a 10.8cm panel won't wrap around a face the way a softbox does.
• The MC Pro doesn't list Qi wireless charging. If you've been charging MCs on a pad, the Pro won't do that.
• The MC has no IP rating and is rated only from 0°C, which rules it out for a lot of Canadian outdoor work.
• The Ace 25x has a fan, no IP rating and no colour, and Boost gives you about 50 minutes.
• The 8-Light Kit is 9.3kg loaded. Great on a cart. Not something you'd carry up four flights for one shot.

Buying in Canada

We're an authorized Aputure and amaran dealer, so warranty claims stay in Canada and we handle them for you, with nothing shipped across the border. You can buy any of these from our online store or at our shop at 945 E Cordova St in Vancouver. Orders placed before 2 PM Pacific on a business day ship the same day when the item is on hand, standard shipping is free across Canada on orders of $199 or more (remote areas and oversized items excepted), and store pickup is usually ready in about two hours when we have it on the shelf.

Also in this comparison: the Aputure MC, the Aputure MC 4-Light Kit, the amaran Ace 25x and the rest of our Aputure lighting.

FAQ

What's the difference between the Aputure MC and MC Pro?

Both are rated at 5W, but the MC Pro is lensed and Aputure lists about four times the light: 1,585 lux at 0.5m for the bare Pro at 5,600K, against 400 lux for the MC at maximum brightness. The Pro adds IP65, LumenRadio CRMX, 16-bit DMX, a TFT screen, a wider 2,000K to 10,000K range and a rating down to -20°C. The MC is lighter at 130g and charges on any Qi wireless pad, which Aputure doesn't list for the Pro.

Who should choose the Aputure MC, MC Pro or amaran Ace 25x?

Choose the MC for small RGBWW accents, magnets and wireless pad charging when 400 lux at 0.5m is enough. Choose the MC Pro when you need IP65, CRMX, a cold-weather rating or about four times the MC's output at the same distance. Choose the Ace 25x when white light output and quick Ace Lock mounting matter more than colour, a weather rating or CRMX, and a small fan isn't a problem.

Which is brightest: Aputure MC, MC Pro or amaran Ace 25x?

At 0.5m the manufacturers list 400 lux for the MC at maximum brightness, 1,585 lux for the bare MC Pro at 5,600K and 6,320 lux for the Ace 25x at 5,600K. On those figures the Ace 25x is brightest, at roughly four times the MC Pro. Each brand measured under its own conditions, so treat it as a comparison of published figures rather than a controlled test.

Which has the longest battery life?

The longest figure on any of the three spec sheets is the MC's: more than 15 hours at minimum brightness. At full output, Aputure lists more than two hours for the MC and about 120 minutes for the MC Pro, while amaran lists about 70 minutes for the Ace 25x in Standard and 50 in Boost. The Ace also lists about 4 hours 40 minutes in its 6.5W Silent mode.

Which one can I use in the rain?

The MC Pro. It's rated IP65, which means dust-tight and protected against water jets from any direction. That covers rain and spray, not submersion. Aputure lists no IP rating for the original MC, and amaran lists none for the Ace 25x, so neither gives you a published weather rating to rely on.

Can I use the MC Pro in cold weather?

Aputure rates the MC Pro to operate from -20°C to 45°C. The original MC is rated from 0°C and the amaran Ace 25x from -10°C, so the Pro is the only one of the three rated for a properly cold Canadian winter day.

Does the Aputure MC Pro charge wirelessly?

Not on a phone-style pad. Aputure lists USB-C at 5V/2A, about 90 minutes, and contact charging for the MC Pro. In the 8-Light Kit, the lights drop into the case and charge through integrated contact pins, so there are no cables to plug in. The original MC is the one that supports Qi wireless charging, at about 3.5 hours on a pad.

Is the Aputure MC Pro magnetic?

Yes. It has built-in neodymium magnets, so it sticks to steel surfaces, and its flat diffuser, dome diffuser and 30° grid attach magnetically. The box also includes a cold shoe ball head, a 1/4"-20 screw to magnetic plate adapter and four adhesive magnetic plates. The 8-Light Kit adds baby pin and articulating arm adapters.

How long does the Aputure MC Pro battery last?

Aputure lists about 120 minutes at maximum output from its 4,200mAh, 15.5Wh battery, and about 90 minutes to recharge over USB-C. It runs longer below full output, but Aputure doesn't publish a low-output figure for the Pro.

Does the Aputure MC Pro support DMX or CRMX?

Yes. It has LumenRadio CRMX built in, rated to 100m, supports DMX/RDM and 16-bit DMX profiles, and pairs with the Sidus Link app over Bluetooth out to 80m. For wired DMX, Aputure makes a USB-C to 5-pin DMX adapter. Neither the original MC nor the amaran Ace 25x lists CRMX.

Should I buy one Aputure MC Pro or the 8-Light Kit?

Buy one for occasional accents, product shots or to see how it fits your work. Buy the kit if you regularly put six or more small lights on a set. Its case charges all eight through contact pins on AC or D-Tap power and holds every accessory, and the kit adds baby pin and articulating arm adapters. It weighs 9.3kg loaded.

Is the MC Pro bright enough to be a key light?

For close work, yes. Aputure lists 1,585 lux at 0.5m and 396 lux at 1m for the bare light, which is enough to key a tabletop product or a tight close-up. For a full-body shot in a larger room it becomes an accent or fill, and you'll want a COB light or a larger panel as the key.

Does the amaran Ace 25x do colour?

No. The Ace 25x is a white-only light, 2,700K to 6,500K. There's a full-colour version, the amaran Ace 25c, rated at 2,300K to 10,000K. If you want colour from a light this size, the Aputure MC and MC Pro are both RGBWW.

Final verdict

For colour accents that never leave a dry room, the MC is still the easy pick. For anything paid, outdoors, cold or on a console, the MC Pro is the one we'd put in the bag, and the 8-Light Kit is how you run a whole set of them. If what you actually need is white light on a camera, skip both and get the Ace 25x.

Still not sure? Email info@filmgearcanada.com or call (604) 269-4161, tell us what you're shooting, and we'll tell you which one we'd buy.

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Sources. Specifications from Aputure's official MC, MC Pro, MC Pro 8-Light Kit, MC Pro 8-Light Charging Case and MT Pro product pages, the Aputure Help Center MC Pro page, and amaran's official Ace 25x product and specification pages, all read 15 October 2026. Illuminance figures are the manufacturers' own and were measured under each brand's stated conditions. Ace 25x dimensions are converted from amaran's inch figures. IP65 definition per IEC 60529. This guide was rewritten in October 2026. Earlier versions understated the original MC's output and battery life, described the MC Pro 8-Light Kit case as wireless and referred to a 3-light MC kit. Those have been corrected.