NANLITE FC-1200B and FC-1200C Released – 1350W Rated Power, Bowens Mount, All-in-One Design

Lighting News

by Johnnie BehiriSeptember 3^rd, 2026

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NANLITE has pushed its FC series into new output territory. The bi-color FC-1200B and full-color FC-1200C are rated at 1350W each, move the power supply and control unit into the fixture head, and cost $1,290 and $1,490 respectively. Seven months after the 750W FC-720 models, the FC line now reaches an output class that until recently belonged firmly to high-end cinema fixtures.

According to NANLITE, the FC-1200B delivers 15,620 lux at 3m (9.8ft) at 5600K with the included 45° reflector, while the FC-1200C reaches 14,220 lux under the same conditions, plus 4,710 lux in saturated green. Both fixtures have a native 90° beam angle, a Bowens mount, four fan modes, 5-pin XLR DMX in and out, NFC pairing, and support for the NANLINK App 2.0. Each weighs around 10 kg (22 lb) and requires nothing more than a single AC cable to run. If you have followed our coverage of the FC-720B and FC-720C from earlier this year, the design language will look very familiar; the headline change is simply a lot more light.

Output and dimming

The stated figures put both fixtures comfortably ahead of anything else in the FC series. For reference, when the FC-300B and FC-500B launched the line in 2023, NANLITE quoted their output at one meter; the FC-1200 duo is specified at three meters, a distance more representative of how a fixture this size actually gets rigged on set. As always, these are manufacturer numbers measured with a 45° reflector, so real-world output will depend on the modifier in front of the LED.

The native 90° beam angle is worth pausing on. A wide source of this power level is clearly intended to feed large softboxes, lanterns, and parabolic modifiers rather than to act as a hard punch light. NANLITE positions both fixtures for indie films, documentaries, multi-person interviews, large livestream sets, product photography, and portrait work, and says they can serve as a sun replacement on set, a job that at this output level typically means punching through diffusion or bouncing into a large frame.

Dimming runs from 0.0% to 100.0% in 0.1% increments on both models. At this output class, fine steps at the bottom of the range matter: a fixture that can sit at 0.3% is far easier to balance against practicals and ambient light than one whose lowest usable setting is already too bright for the scene.

Two color engines, two philosophies

The FC-1200B is the straightforward one of the pair. It covers 2700K to 6500K and offers two lighting modes, CCT and Effect, with 12 built-in effects. NANLITE claims an average CRI of 96 and TLCI of 98, with TM-30 Rf/Rg averages of 95 and 100. Those are the same rendition claims the company has attached to its bi-color FC fixtures since the beginning of the line.

The FC-1200C uses NANLITE’s Nebula C4 color light engine and stretches the color temperature range to 2400K to 12,000K, with ±150 green/magenta adjustment for matching mixed ambient sources. It adds HSI, RGBW, and Gel modes on top of CCT and Effect, brings a library of 460 digital gels, and expands the effects count to 15. The claimed rendition figures are slightly lower than the bi-color model, at an average CRI of 95 and TLCI of 94, with TM-30 Rf/Rg averages of 92 and 100; a familiar trade-off between color flexibility and white-light purity that runs through most full-color fixtures on the market.

The price difference between the two is $200. For productions that live in white light, the FC-1200B keeps that money in the budget and returns marginally better claimed rendition. Anyone who regularly matches sodium vapor streetlights, builds color effects, or lights music and event work will likely find the FC-1200C’s extra range worth it.

The ballast disappears into the head

The most consequential design decision here is not the output figure but the packaging. Both fixtures integrate the power adapter and control unit directly into the head, so a single AC cable is all that runs to the light. There is no external ballast to mount, no brick to gaff-tape to a stand, and less to lose or forget in the truck. NANLITE’s own FC-500C still relied on a separate power brick, so this is a meaningful step for the series, not just a spec bump.

The physical package measures 42.8 × 38.1 × 19.9 cm (16.9 × 15 × 7.8in), and the roughly 10 kg (22 lb) weight is a figure to take seriously when choosing stands. This is more than double the 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) of the FC-720 models, and once a large parabolic softbox goes on the front, a solid combo stand and sandbags stop being optional. The yoke provides 360° of tilt, with adjustable handles on both sides that NANLITE says are designed to hold position even with large accessories mounted.

Mounting stays fully standard: a Bowens mount at the front and an umbrella mount built into the yoke. Existing Bowens modifiers carry over directly, though it is worth checking the heat and wattage ratings of older softboxes before parking them in front of 1350W of LED output.

Control options for bigger setups

Onboard operation happens through a 2.4-inch display with two knobs and buttons, the same control layout found across the recent FC fixtures. Wireless control runs through the NANLINK App 2.0 on smartphones and tablets, while the 5-pin XLR DMX in and out ports connect the fixtures to a console for wired multi-light control, with DMX/RDM support. The NFC function is a practical touch for larger rigs: tapping a phone against the fixture allows rapid DMX parameter configuration through the NANLINK app, which beats scrolling through menus on a light that is already twelve feet up on a stand.

Fan noise, and what the quiet modes cost you

Four fan modes are available: Smart, Full Speed, Low Speed, and Off. NANLITE claims noise levels as low as approximately 26 dB(A) in Smart mode. The company’s published fan table is refreshingly honest about the trade-offs: Smart and Full Speed allow 100% output, Low Speed caps the fixture at 70%, and Off limits it to just 10%. In other words, a silent FC-1200B runs at a tenth of its maximum output, roughly the territory of a small on-camera fixture. For dialogue scenes where every fan matters, that math needs to be part of the lighting plan rather than a surprise on the day.

The FC series now runs from 78W to 1350W

With these two releases, the FC family spans everything from the compact FM-mount FC-120C end of the range up to the new 1350W flagships, with the Bowens-mount FC-300B, FC-500B/C, and FC-720B/C in between. NANLITE specifies the new fixtures at 1350W rated power with 1200W of output, so the model names track the output figure, the same convention used for the 750W-rated FC-720 models. The shared control logic, app support, and DMX/RDM implementation across the series make it realistic to run mixed FC packages from one console or one phone. That consistency, more than any single spec, is what makes the line attractive to small rental houses and owner-operators building up a kit over time.

The FC-1200B costs $1,290, and the FC-1200C costs $1,490, both excluding local taxes, and both fixtures are shipping now. NANLITE will also have them on display at IBC in Amsterdam this September. More information is available on the NANLITE website.

Would an all-in-one 1350W fixture replace a separate-ballast light in your kit, or is the 10 kg head too much for your stands? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!