Hello the forum

I am looking for an on camera light for my HV20 / XH A1 and could use some help choosing.

Naturally I'm looking for a good balance of performance, cost and bulb changing ease.

It seems pretty hard to gather this info from the specs of on camera lights I've been able to find online (so hard that I don't even have a shortlist) so does anyone have the experience to guide me?

Though very much still a beginnger, I figure a key factor is the cost / benefit ratio of using an on camera light at all. I'm not going to be filming in pitch dark, but I may be filming in low light situations where the only reasonable solution is on camera lighting.

Thoughts?

Donal x

Hello the forum

I am looking for an on camera light for my HV20 / XH A1 and could use some help choosing.

Naturally I'm looking for a good balance of performance, cost and bulb changing ease.

It seems pretty hard to gather this info from the specs of on camera lights I've been able to find online (so hard that I don't even have a shortlist) so does anyone have the experience to guide me?

Though very much still a beginnger, I figure a key factor is the cost / benefit ratio of using an on camera light at all. I'm not going to be filming in pitch dark, but I may be filming in low light situations where the only reasonable solution is on camera lighting.

Thoughts?

Donal x

The PAGlights (I use the C6 on an A1 and HV30s) are certainly easy to change lamps and are well tried but against that they are rather old fashioned and the battery is seriously heavy and bulky (think WW2 gas mask). A diffuser is helpful but any on-camera light is likely to give you the "rabbit in the headlights" effect so don't expect it to solve all your lighting problems.
Also remember the inverse square law and avoid getting "disposable camera with flash" results.

PS I hope you don't mind, but I've added you to the Brits on DVinfo list:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=900962#post900962

Donal,
Search is your friend. Do a search with "on camera light" and you'll find plenty of times this question has been discussed. If you have questions after doing that, add them to a similar thread or return here.