OT: new LED light from Rosco

rs170a wrote on 11/7/2007, 8:27 AM
I just had a sales rep show me something called LitePad from Rosco.
I can see a lot of potential uses for it, especially in tight product shots.
It's a thin piece of translucent acrylic that has built-in LEds.
Sizes range from 3" x 3" to 12" x 12".
Here's the specs from the site:
Color Temperature: 6000° Kelvin
Thickness: .3" (8 mm)
Operating Temperature: -30C - +85C
Lamp Life: 100,000 hrs.
CRI: 93
Power is 12V. DC which means it'll easily run off a battery belt or a car battery.
Light output at 12" ranges from 13 foot candles for the 3" x 3" to 113 fc for the 12" x 12" model.
Canadian list price ranges form $49 for the 3" x 3" to $415 for the 12" x 12".
BTW, the full kit (2 of each of the 6 sizes plus a bunch of accessories) is a mere $3600 Cdn :-(

Mike

Comments

MUTTLEY wrote on 11/7/2007, 10:16 AM


I'd be interested to hear from anyone who's used these. The seem kinda awesome but can't imagine they put out much light. Only guessing they would only really work for closeups.

- Ray
www.undergroundplanet.com
JackW wrote on 11/7/2007, 11:10 AM
I had an opportunity to play with the panel at Hollywood Lights in Seattle a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately the fall-off of intensity is very abrupt. After about 18 inches there isn't much light useful light. I think it might be very useful for an under-dash or map compartment light in a car shot, or in a location in which you had a very tight shot and could put the panel within a foot or so of the talent or product.

Jack
farss wrote on 11/7/2007, 11:22 AM
Pretty much limited to specialised applications, don't forget to checkout Ikea's lighting dept. They have a range of LED light sources that run off 12V at a moderate price that can be pressed into service for under dash lighting etc.

Bob.
rs170a wrote on 11/7/2007, 11:38 AM
Jack pretty much nailed it. These things do fall of fairly quickly but, depending on the intended use, that's not an issue.
For example, I work at a local community college and have done numerous videos working with various surgical types of instruments on both people and animals.
Being able to drop one of these lights in a tight spot will be a big help to me.
YMMV.

Mike
rmack350 wrote on 11/7/2007, 1:42 PM
My employer just took a set of Lightpanels down to the Galapagos islands. He seemed pretty pleased with the output of those, especially the 12" unit.

These are a bit cheaper but maybe a little less finished.

Personally, I'd use them for products, in cars, things like that. I wouldn't buy them as a general purpose light, but maybe I'd be surprised.

For portraiture, I like to have 5 or more feet of throw. If the light is too close people can gain a stop on their foreheads just by leaning forward.

Rob Mack
rmack350 wrote on 11/7/2007, 1:46 PM
Ahh yes. Good times. Shining a hand-held light in the cavity under someone's face. Please don't smile for the camera, please don't wake up.

Loved those plastic surgery shoots!

Rob
farss wrote on 11/7/2007, 3:06 PM
If you want a very useful but rather expensive light checkout the new Z90 from Zylight. This is the ducks guts, variable everything, including CT with many presets, linkable via Bluetooth as well with upto 10 groups. Took us a while to get one but I think supply is now good.
Much more light (3X) than the original Zylight.

Downsides:
Not cheap but very competitive with Lightpanels and more flexible.
Draws 30watts i.e. 3 amps at 12V. You cannot run this off most camera powertaps, you need a direct battery tap like IDX make.
Not really for anything smaller than Z1, really only for shoulder mount cameras unless you run power from shoulder / belt batteries.

rmack350 wrote on 11/7/2007, 4:17 PM
Those seem like pretty good metrics. I used to look for about a hundred FC at a reasonable working distance, that's allow me to bounce, diffuse, color, or scrim and still have usable light. These days you can probably do with about half that.

One thing I always want is enough throw so that the talent has a bubble to move about in that won't drop more than a half stop from edge to edge. That means the light needs to be back a little. Seems like these would do it.

The Roscos would fill a different need and seem like they'd be helpful for tabletop setups, inside tight spaces, things like that.

Rob Mack