Inconsistent skin tones with Godox SL60W and Aputure MC – need a reliable lighting setup

Hey pixelflow28, I feel your pain – inconsistent skin tones are the worst. First off, the Godox SL60W is a daylight-balanced LED, but its color rendering isn't perfect. It has a CRI of around 93, but TLCI is more important for video, and it's typically around 94, which is decent but not amazing. The Aputure MC has a CRI of 96 and TLCI of 97, so it's actually better, but mixing them can cause slight color shifts because they don't match perfectly in spectral output. That's likely why you're seeing magenta/green tints – it's a color temperature mismatch, not necessarily a white balance issue.

A few things you can do without spending money:
- Set your camera's white balance manually using a gray card (like a WhiBal) or a white balance card under your lighting setup. That will neutralize the tint for the overall scene.
- Use a color chart like the Datacolor SpyderCheckr to correct in post – it's a one-time purchase and saves tons of time.
- Also, make sure your softbox is large enough relative to your subject. A 35cm softbox on the SL60W is small for close-ups, so consider moving it closer to the subject (but watch for falloff) or using a diffusion panel to soften it.

If you do upgrade, the Aputure 120D II is a solid choice with a TLCI of 95+ and better color consistency. But honestly, you might not need to if you fix the matching. I'd also skip the Sekonic C-800 unless you're doing high-end commercial work – it's overkill for YouTube. Instead, get a cheap color meter like the CineMeter Pro app (if you have an iPhone) or just use the gray card method. Hope that helps!

Thanks studioclub41 for the detailed response! I actually tried using a gray card today, and it helped a lot, but I still see a slight shift when I move my head or lean in. I think the issue might be that my Aputure MC is set to a slightly different color temperature (I had it on 5500K by accident). I set it to 5600K now, and the tint is much less noticeable. I also realized my RGB panel was adding some green spill – I've turned it off for now.

I think I'll follow your advice and get a SpyderCheckr for post, and maybe invest in a larger softbox for the SL60W (I saw a 60cm one that fits). Also, I'll keep my current lights for now – they seem fine after proper calibration. Thanks again, you saved me from buying a color meter I don't need!