Need help! LED Spot Suggestions?

[Danny Winn]

Originally Posted by Mark Kenfield

Danny, I'd suggest you look into the Mole Richardson LED fresnels as well, they seem to offer a significantly lower cost per lumen ratio than the Litepanels.

Thanks Mark, I've actually just discovered the Fotodiox Pro DY-200 Daylight Fresnel LED (Link below), at just 1199.00 it looks like the best fit for me and my current budget. Thanks much!

LINK: Search results for: 'dy-200'

[Doug Jensen]

Look at that ballast you have to drag around with that Fotodiox light and the extra cables. The entire kit, just for one light, weighs over 20 lbs.

Why not spend an extra $300 and get a proven, high quality, easy to use, Litepanels Sola 4? No ballast required, runs for a couple of hours on a camera battery, and it weighs just 3.6 pounds. I have one and it gets used on every shoot. It's my favorite light.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=REG&A=details

[Danny Winn]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

Look at that ballast you have to drag around with that Fotodiox light and the extra cables. The entire kit weighs over 20 lbs.

Why not spend an extra $300 and get a proven, high quality, easy to use, Litepanels Sola 4? No ballast required, runs for a couple of hours on a camera battery, and it weighs just 3.6 pounds. I have one and it gets used on every shoot. It's my favorite light.

Litepanels Sola 4 LED Fresnel Light (120-240VAC) 906-4002 B&H

Oh wow, I don't know how I missed this one. Yes Doug this is a really good deal. I think I only went to Lite Panel website were they seem to be a little more expensive. Thanks so much!!!!

[James Kuhn]

Danny Winn...I also have a SOLA 4 and think it's an excellent light. Being a true Fresnel, it can be cut with barn doors allowing you to sculpt the light. Remember, the 'street price' is different than the LitePanels 'full retail'. Shop around and see what the actual price might be from a reputable retailer.

IHTH.

Regards,

J.

[Danny Winn]

Originally Posted by James Kuhn

Danny Winn...I also have a SOLA 4 and think it's an excellent light. Being a true Fresnel, it can be cut with barn doors allowing you to sculpt the light. Remember, the 'street price' is different than the LitePanels 'full retail'. Shop around and see what the actual price might be from a reputable retailer.

IHTH.

Regards,

J.

We'll do! Thanks much James!

[Taky Cheung]

I'm the Comer 1800 LED light reseller so I hope I don't sound too bias. The characteristic of LED light is the light fall off quickly. Which means it won't project far. Comer is unique in a way that the lower filter called condenser lens that can increase the intensity and form a stage style spotlight.

You can take a look at a sample here. There is a trick is to leave open the condense lens about half an inch, it will create a narrow beam shoot far away.

Condenser Lens Trick on Comer CM-LBPS1800 LED Light - YouTube

I'm also dvinfo sponsor, if enaybody interested in this light, I can offer a discount to DVINFO member,

Comer CM-LBPS1800 On-Camera LED Light (Sony Battery) | L.A. Color Pros)

[Kyle Root]

That's pretty impressive looking to me.

[Warren Kawamoto]

This one performs like a fresnel or PAR, only $308. Can do barndoors, light is hard.
ALZO 3000 High Intensity LED Video Light is a dimmable hard and soft light, ideal for video production

[Doug Jensen]

If it's not a Fresnel, then it can't perform like a Fresnel. I find it interesting that the Alzo video does not even show any footage of the light actually performing. That speaks volumes.

I highly recommend that anyone thinking of buying LED lights read the article about LED Fresnel technology in the February issue of Film & Video Times. Jon Fauer's Film and Digital Times

Unlike cameras that come and go, lights are investment that should pay you back for 10 years or more. Why cut corners just to save a few dollars? Buy decent gear and your work will be better, you'll enjoy your work more, clients who care what gear you have will be impressed, and the extra cost in the long run does not amount to much. My 2 cents.

[Shaun Roemich]

As someone who FINALLY after 15 years in the business went out and bought 2 KinoFlo Diva fluoros, I can say Doug is absolutely correct.

The only caveat I would put forward personally is that LEDs are still an emerging commodity for pro video and it is EASY to "spend too much" as an early adopter.

BUT... if you are making money as a working pro and new lights either:
- improve the quality of your work
- reduce set up time
- reduce heat on set/location
- allow you to work with DC power and not just AC to allow you to be more mobile
- pay for themselves by lowering consumables costs over the life expectancy of the instrument

then I say disregard the price and jump in!

Cost is only one part of the evaluation.

VALUE is what you should be looking at.

It's why I bought my Divas. I've NEVER been this efficient lighting interviews and medium sized spaces for scenarios prior to owning them.

And I AM looking at a fresnel LED for back/hairlight on location as well so I'm reading this with great interest.

[Shaun Roemich]

As well, lights seem to have taken on this strange "emotional buying" spectre.

I "knew" I needed LED lights when I bought my Dracast LED panels.

Well... they HAVE come in handy BUT for the core of my business (talking heads) they were EXACTLY the wrong choice for me in every way EXCEPT that they are lightweight, portable and battery powerable.

I knew I had outgrown tungsten due to power consumption issues and heat (most of my work is on location and I have blown a couple more circuit breakers in 15 years than I'm proud to admit... not by using more than 15 amps but because of poorly labeled/laid out electrical wiring) so I bought LEDs because they are sexy.

Rule 1: don't buy gear because it's SEXY - buy gear because it works the way you do or allows you to work in ways previously difficulty or impossible for you.