OT: LED Cam Lights for use in poorly lit room ??

will-3 wrote on 9/21/2010, 1:31 PM

We are starting to evaluate camera mounted lights for real time use in poorly lit environments.

What is the status of LED lights for such?

Can any suggest any particular make and model we should look at?

Any other suggestions for camera mounted lighting devices?

Also would like some idea of what we should put in the (modest) budget :)

Thanks for any help.

Comments

jrazz wrote on 9/21/2010, 2:06 PM

I use this brand and like them very much for the cost. Of course if you need a specific color range of lighting then this won't be the best usage of your money. However, if you just need to throw some light in the direction you are filming, these are great.

A quick story: I was going to crawl under our house to set up a heater to ensure our pipes didn't freeze. I took one of these lights with me under the house and used it as a flash light. A few weeks later I was going to film an event and couldn't find one of my lights. I had no idea where it was. Well, several months later (after snow, ice, rain, etc.) my wife saw the arm attachment sticking out of the snow on top of our A/C unit. I didn't even go get it as I thought it was dead. That spring I was spraying around the house for weeds and finally picked it up off the a/c unit. I took it inside, plugged it in to charge it up and what do you know, it worked! I still use it (although the screws in the back are rusted).

j razz

farss wrote on 9/21/2010, 2:27 PM

Comer 1800 :http://lacolorshop.com/products/item.asp?id=cm1800
Consistently voted best bang for the buck on camera or off camera light.

If you want something cheaper then check these out: http://gadget.brando.com/mergeable-cordless-96-led-dc-dv-light-with-magnet-color-filters_p01373c067d003.html . So cheap they're pretty well disposable. Don't buy their cheap knockoff of the Comer 1800, I hear it's a bad copy.

Bob.

LReavis wrote on 9/21/2010, 3:20 PM

As an experiment, I removed the filter element from a cheap 37mm ND filter and glued it into a 48 LED "flying saucer" light http://cgi.ebay.com/Portable-48-LED-UFO-Camping-Tent-Lantern-Flash-Light-/150496060974?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230a43a62e. Provides really cheap lighting, around 6000 K, as I recall, tolerable color rendition, up to a few feet from the lens - if you're using a cam with good low-light performance.

I know you're using the Panasonic TM700, so you'll need an adapter for the larger diameter threads; and it doesn't do quite as well with low light as some other cams. But, still, it may be sufficient if you plan on getting up close and personal.

I also set up a pair of plywood panels, each with 8 sets of bike lights; each panel had around 700 leds. But before I could test them with video, I mounted them on our electric scooters. Still, you might experiment with them - they were quite bright and should have the same CR index as the above-linked light.

If you get a bunch with a multi-function switch (for 1/4th, 1/2, of total lights, blinking options, etc.), then you'll need to bypass the switch and put the light banks in series-parallel. In order to balance voltages, you'll need zener diodes (I bought 100 3.2v zeners). It all becomes too much of a project to be worth it, in my opinion, unless you like to experiment (I don't and I'm sorry I started that project).

Probably a better deal would be something like http://cgi.ebay.com/500-LED-Light-Panel-Portable-Video-Portrait-Light-/310251204992?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483c69b180; but you'll need to improvise cam mounting.

Must you use a light on the cam? That's OK for an eye light, but is pretty limiting for general lighting.

richard-amirault wrote on 9/21/2010, 5:46 PM

I use this brand and like them very much for the cost.

I also have a couple of the Sima lights. I have the SL-20LX and the infrared version as well. If you go to the Sima website, they say the SL-20LX is $79.95, but you can get it easily for much less.

BH Photo has it for $29.95
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/512089-REG/Sima_SL_20LX_SL_20LX_Universal_LED_On.html

richard-amirault wrote on 9/21/2010, 8:29 PM

We are starting to evaluate camera mounted lights for real time use in poorly lit environments.

How "poorly lit" ? That does not really say much. How sensitive is your camera? What distance are you shooting? What is a "real tme enviroment"?

Many LED lights aren't up to matching a 10 watt incandescent .. and some consider *that* too little.

I seldom use my lights but I own a 3 watt and 10 watt incandescent as well as the Sima LED (see above) They each have thier uses.

UlfLaursen wrote on 9/21/2010, 9:04 PM

Comer 1800

Look nice Bob - I think I'll get one of theese - like that they use Sony batteries.

/Ulf

bsuratt wrote on 9/22/2010, 5:48 AM

Take a look at this: http://www.alzovideo.com/alzo_on_camera_video_light_730l.htm

Not bad for the money.

megabit wrote on 9/22/2010, 8:24 AM

I second Bob with the Comer 1800.

BTW, you Aussie guys have them available locally:

http://mxmexpress.com/?page_id=1310

Marek Bilski of MxM Express is a Polish guy living in Australia, whose most known product has been the MxM ExpressCard->SDHC adapter for the XDCAM EX cameras (branded as MxM and Hoodman) - but he is also a reseller for Comer. First class customer support - recommended!

Piotr

will-3 wrote on 9/22/2010, 1:12 PM

Great response from all. Thanks everyone !

farss wrote on 9/22/2010, 1:48 PM

"Many LED lights aren't up to matching a 10 watt incandescent .. and some consider *that* too little."

We have a Creamsource LED light, designed and manufactured down here:

That is one friggin bright light. I should add it's also expensive, even by pro lighting standards.

We've also got the Zylight iS3:

Much cheaper and more versatile than the Creamsource but nowhere near the output.

At the smaller end of the spectrum we have both the Comer 1800 (cheap and versatile) and the Frezzi 15W HID on camera light. Both of those totally blitz anything tungsten photon per watt. 10 watts of LED or HID light is about the equivalent of 50 watts of tungsten light. The change from tungsten to daylight alone gains you around 1 stop and then add in the increased efficiency of the device itself.

Of course there are cheap, junky LED lights with quite bad green shifts. You have to be careful but even the cheap stuff has its place in the scheme of things. Tungsten lights are less relevant today than 1/4" tape and a Nagra.

Bob.