If you pay attention to Nanlite for some time, you will undoubtedly notice one of our main characteristics: we are always refining, adjusting, and improving as we go. When we figure out a way a product can be better—or when we hear about it from our community, we always refine, adjust, and improve. The NANLINK mobile app was first launched in 2021 and has received 24 version updates on iOS alone (it's also on Android), and we've just released the biggest update yet, NANLINK 2.0.

What's different in the NANLINK 2.0 app?

First of all, no functionality from the previous version has been lost. You can still control both Nanlite and Nanlux fixtures, create Groups and Scenes, and just like the last version, you can always log in as a guest if you don't want to log in or create an account (just tap "Guest Mode" under the Log In and Sign Up buttons when you launch the app). However, using an account lets you access your saved presets, scenes, and groups, and a powerful new feature...

When you first open NANLINK 2.0 and start tapping around, you'll notice more color where previously the design had been minimalist. The modes have colorful logos with graphics that further communicate what they do, and the faders now use color to intuitively communicate function: the CCT fader is a warm orange at one end and transitions to a cool white at the other, G/M faders do the same with green fading into magenta, and so on.

And yes, in the Speed section, those are icons of a rabbit and a turtle to visually represent Fast and Slow. While they do not have official names, I refer to the rabbit as "Lil' Bun Bun" and the turtle as "Turt."

These sorts of user interface niceties are found throughout NANLINK 2.0. Overall it's more pleasant looking, colorful, and significantly easier to use. However, the most innovative new feature can be found by going into a Scene, tapping the hamburger menu in the top right corner, and then tapping on Light Plot in the menu that slides out from the right.

NANLINK Light Plot: Plan and Control Your Sets

This new feature lets you plan and arrange your scenes by placing and positioning lights, modifiers, subjects, props, furniture, walls, roads, staircases, etc. It's an organizational tool that makes it easy to share your plots with other members of the production team.

However, it's not only about pre-production. You can have your Light Plot open on your mobile device when you're shooting and use it to directly control the lights you're running on set. Instead of just looking at a text-based list of lights to control, the visually focused NANLINK 2.0 lets you adjust the lights directly in your Light Plots.

Performance Boost: Everything is Snappier

In the spirit of always refining and improving, one thing you'll notice about the NANLINK 2.0 if you used previous versions is an overall improvement in speed. Older versions of the app weren't slow, but in 2.0 when you do an action like turning off a light, it happens nearly instantly with almost no latency.

Major advancements have also been made with memory management, which means NANLINK 2.0 does a great job of remembering fixtures that have been paired with your mobile device. The plot above is my actual desk setup, and every day I open the same Desk Scene and instantly I'm able to control all of the lights without needing to reconnect any of them. Refine, adjust, and improve. :)

NANLINK 2.0 is available now on iOS and Android. Versions for iPadOS and Android HD (for Android tablets) will be available in Q2 of 2024. Every version of NANLINK has feature parity, so they will all have Light Plots and the other upgrades.

Hopefully this introduction to NANLINK 2.0 has been helpful! If you have any questions, please contact us and we'll respond as soon as we can. Taking care of you is our top priority.