Aputure NOVA 9° 2×1 and NOVA II 1×1 Announced – A 9° Long-Throw Panel and a High-Output 1×1

Lighting News

by Alexandra ThompsonJanuary 29^th, 2026

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Recreating convincing sunlight on a stage has traditionally meant either bringing in large HMIs or accepting compromises in punch and shadow quality. Aputure’s new NOVA 9° 2×1 targets that gap with a 650W-output lensed LED panel and a tight 9° native beam designed for long-throw, directional output. Alongside it, Aputure also introduced the NOVA II 1×1, a 500W full-color panel that brings the company’s BLAIR-CG engine into a compact 1×1 format. Let’s take a closer look at what these new panels bring to the NOVA lineup.

We took a look at Aputure’s NOVA II 2×1 panel back at IBC 2025, just as they’d debuted the new Blair-CG engine. With these additions, Aputure is pushing panels into even more specialized territory. One fixture moves toward hard-source behavior, while the other refines the high-output 1×1 format.

The NOVA 9° 2×1: a lensed panel behaving like a hard source

At the core of the NOVA 9° 2×1 is its optical design. Unlike typical LED panels with wide native beam spreads, this unit uses a lensed system to achieve a 9° native beam angle.

Output reflects that intent. The 9° produces up to 28,090 lux at 5 meters (16.4 ft) at 3200K without modifiers. At 10 meters (32.8 ft), it delivers 7,660 lux at 3200K, and at 20 meters (65.6 ft), it maintains over 2,000 lux. Those figures place it closer to traditional hard sources than to soft panels, particularly when working at longer throws.

The engine inside is Aputure’s five-diode BLAIR chipset, combining Blue, Lime, Amber, Indigo, and Red emitters. It covers a CCT range from 1,800K to 20,000K and supports full ASC MITC green-magenta adjustment. CRI and TLCI are rated at 95 or above, with TM-30 Rf averaging 95. SSI scores are rated at 89 at 3200K and 86 at 5600K.

The narrow beam maintains intensity over distance and produces defined shadow edges. The included flat diffusion panel widens the beam to approximately 80°, while retaining measurable punch. The fixture weighs just under 20 kg (44 lbs) with the yoke attached, and maximum power consumption reaches 800W, placing it firmly in professional rigging setups.

Key features

• 650W lensed LED panel fixture
• 9° native beam angle for long-throw, directional output
• BLAIR light engine with Blue, Lime, Amber, Indigo, and Red emitters
• 1,800K to 20,000K CCT range with full ASC MITC green-magenta adjustment
• Up to 66,200 lux at 3m (9.8 ft) at 5600K, no modifier
• 4 horizontal pixel zones for segmented effects
• Stackable in a 3-light yoke configuration
• IP65 weather resistance
• Professional control options: Sidus Link, Sidus Link Pro, DMX512 (16-bit), CRMX, Art-Net/sACN

The 3-Light array: scaling toward daylight

Aputure also offers the NOVA 9° 2×1 as a dedicated 3-Light Kit, mounting three fixtures in a vertical yoke configuration. Fully assembled, the array weighs approximately 64.95 kg (143.2 lbs) and measures 105.2 × 153.0 × 18.6 cm (41.4 × 60.2 × 7.3 in).

At 10 meters (32.8 ft), the three-light configuration reaches 21,070 lux at 3200K without modifiers. According to Aputure’s published photometrics, this places the output in the range traditionally associated with large tungsten units at full spot, but within a modular LED system designed to operate on a standard household circuit. For crews used to balancing generator loads or managing large ballasts, that shift in infrastructure may be just as significant as the raw output.

The vertical stacking positions the three lamp heads closely together in a single bracketed frame. The NOVA 2×1 3-Light Yoke is also compatible with NOVA II 2×1 fixtures, extending the mounting hardware across the broader NOVA lineup.

The NOVA II 1×1: compact format, high output

The NOVA II 1×1 brings Aputure’s seven-diode BLAIR-CG light engine into a 1×1 panel format. The chipset combines Blue, Lime, Amber, Indigo, Red, Cyan, and Green emitters, expanding spectral tuning compared to earlier NOVA models. It covers a CCT range of 1,800K to 20,000K, supports full ASC MITC green-magenta adjustment, and claims more than 90% coverage of the Rec.2020 color space.

Output is rated at 13,300 lux at 3 meters (9.8 ft) at 5600K without modifiers. At 1 meter (3.3 ft), output reaches 108,200 lux at 5600K. For a 1×1 panel, that places it in territory typically associated with larger 2×1 fixtures. The native beam angle is 35°, widening to 95° with the included flat diffuser.

The NOVA II 1×1 has a single pixel zone, distinguishing it from the four horizontal pixel zones in the NOVA 9° 2×1. For productions using pixel mapping or segmented effects, this difference affects how the fixture can be programmed.

The lamp head weighs 11.35 kg (25.0 lbs) with the yoke attached, and the maximum power consumption is 650W. Like the 9° 2×1, it carries an IP65 weather resistance rating. Control options include Sidus Link, Sidus Link Pro, 16-bit DMX512, CRMX, and Art-Net/sACN.

Key features

• 500W full-color LED panel in 1×1 format
• BLAIR-CG light engine with Blue, Lime, Amber, Indigo, Red, Cyan, and Green emitters
• 1,800K to 20,000K CCT range with full ASC MITC green-magenta adjustment
• Up to 13,300 lux at 3m (9.8 ft) at 5600K, no modifier
• 35° native beam angle, widening to 95° with included flat diffuser
• More than 90% Rec.2020 color space coverage
• Single pixel zone
• IP65 weather resistance
• Professional control options: Sidus Link, Sidus Link Pro, DMX512 (16-bit), CRMX, Art-Net/sACN

Price and availability

Alongside the two new panels, Aputure is expanding the NOVA accessory ecosystem. The 1×1 modifiers mirror their 2×1 counterparts and use the front-loading QuickClip system for direct mounting and stacking. The NOVA 9° 2×1 remains compatible with existing NOVA II 2×1 accessories, maintaining cross-compatibility across the lineup. The Softbox and Fabric Control Grid were developed in collaboration with DoPchoice.

All products are available to order now, with shipping expected next month.

• NOVA 9° 2×1 3-Light Kit: $11,590
• NOVA 9° 2×1: $3,690
• NOVA II 1×1: $1,899
• NOVA 2×1 3-Light Yoke Kit (Bare Ends): $1,069
• NOVA 1×1 Softbox with Grid: $135
• NOVA 1×1 Dome Diffuser (Heavy Frost): $149
• NOVA 1×1 Dome Diffuser (Light Frost): $149
• NOVA 1×1 Barn Doors: $155
• NOVA 1×1 Fabric Control Grid: $35
• NOVA 1×1 Rolling Hard Case: $239

For more information, please see the Aputure website.

Would you consider a 9° panel as a replacement for traditional HMIs in controlled studio environments? Would the 3-light yoke configuration be practical for your workflow? Let us know in the comments!