I am looking for a decent high output 3200k LED light for on camera use. Looking for a standard 16:9 form factor (not the super-wide ones) that preferably uses Sony L batteries, or AA's. This light will be used in a 3200k environment, and I would like it to look as close to tungsten as possible without filters. There are so many brands out there it is hard to find something right for me. Most are bi-color, but obviously, only half the LED's will do 3200k, and the light output will be minimal.

I am currently using a Neewer CN-160 with it's drop in orange filter, but it casts a very magenta glow at 3700k. Great light for the $30 I paid for it though!

Paul

I have several Litepanels Croma lights that I ocassionally use on-camera. They run on AA batteries, are light weight, can be dimmed, and have a nice even spread that looks very good without any harshness that often comes with other on-camera lights. And don't overlook the benefit of being bi-color. Even if you mostly need tungsten, I'll bet you'll find there are plenty of situations where daylight-fill can be very helpful.

How to Set up and Shoot Awesome Interviews with LED Lights (http://www.vortexmedia.com/DVD_LEDDVD.html)


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Look into the Cineo Matchstix. Remote Phosphor technology so the colour rendering is superb, and you can power them directly from your camera/camera battery.

Flolight Microbeam 128

Thanks for your suggestions guys. I ended up going with a Neewer CN-304, simply because I wanted a MASSIVE amount of light output. The better CRI 3200k lighting options are just too darn expensive, and my Neewer was only $60. See my secondary post on color correcting the Neewer. :)

Paul

And now you are suffering the results of buying gear that does not meet professional standards. Good luck.

Perhaps that old adage about how folk eventually end up with a decent tripod could be applied to LED light panels. Said the man with a bunch of tripods that are unlikely to ever be used again :-(

A light may have that 3200K temp but if the CRI ( color rendering index) is on the low 70 - 85 side, you will be experiencing off color casts more likely in the light greenish tint and will be lacking the proper skin colors as well. Also to be aware of is if the unit has flickering or banding characteristics by many led units that use the PWM scheme of dimming also known as pulse width modulation that varies the length of the on-off cycle of the light. Not noticeable on low shutter speeds but may be problematic if you shoot slo mo frame rates in the 120-240 FPS. I used to custom built my own led on-camera units that have CRI figures in the upper 90's and constant current drivers for dimming. Good quality leds are only half the story, you also may want a sturdy extruded or die cast aluminum frame to last as long as the less do. Like around 50K hours. Quality ain't cheap.

This light looks sweet, too bad its not 3200k

Ledgo On-Camera LED Fresnel LG24F B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1074081-REG)

Did you say what you were using it for, and what camera you were using it on?...

I use the light for night news ENG work. It is used exclusively on a small Sony X70 Handycam. On my shoulder cameras, I use a Lowel ID light, 100 watts, dimmable, runs off huge Anton Bauer batteries. Obviously I need a self contained unit on my small camera, and 3200k is a necessity unless I want 50% of my visible light objects to be brown/orange, such as car headlights.

I am pretty happy overall with the CN302. The magenta cast is hardly noticeable unless you use a scope.
I mounted the light on a Manfrotto 429LCD shoe/ball head. Looks huge, but is very light, very sturdy, and easy to move the light head around while still "locked" down, just enough friction.

Paul

The magenta cast is hardly noticeable unless you use a scope

Until your clients notice it.

Aputure H198C. Maybe not the brightest but claims CRI95 and the reviews seem to be positive.
http://www.aputure.com/Amaran-H198-Spec

Unfortunately, I need a LOT of light. When trying to shoot things at a slight distance at night, ym Sony X70 drops to f4.0, and LED's being fixed wide beam, output is important.

I am just about to drop some dough on a 3200k Microbeam 256. Seems to provide at 3200k roughly the same light intensity figures as my magenta casting Neewer CN302 with CTO. I am a bit skeptical of the CRI93 rating, as pretty much every review I have read on the Microbeams states that they produce a GREEN cast. Right now I am dealing with a magenta cast, wouldn't make much sense to drop $400 on a green light to replace a $60 magenta light!

Maybe someone could recommend a valid and proper way for me to "gel" my bare Neewer, which puts out roughly 5800-5900k light. I have several versions of LEE LED specific gels, but none of them get me better than 3600k, and still have a magenta cast. Maybe the LEE filters are minus green? Are most LED's green casting, and my magenta hued LED is an odd Chinese source?

I have a DSC chart with a true white side, and a broadcast camera with a RELIABLE color temperature readout. Using these is it possible to shoot a clip of the bare light output using my 3200k camera preset, and looking at that clip determine the exact filtering requirements?

Paul

I would highly recommend against gelling LEDs (except for minor minus/plus-green) and against trusting CRI. My understanding is CRI measurements don't do a great job of telling you how sources with discontinuous or spiking spectral response will look on camera. Any spikes in the spectral curve of an LED will be significantly exacerbated by gels designed for lights with a smooth curve.

Definitely go for an LED that has LED emitters designed to be 3200k rather than 5600k that need to be gelled to 3200k. Personally I use the YN300II bi-color panel which I have been pretty happy with the color on. I'd definitely take that over a 5600k panel gelled to 3200k.

The cineo matchstix sounds pretty cool and probably on a whole other level for color rendition and softness, but at 20x the price and way less punch it likely isn't a good fit.

Well, I finally got my $60 CN304 to match an actual incandescent light source. Slid a cut piece of LEE 285 3/4 CTO film behind the included clear filter, and perfect 3200k light, centered on the vectorscope. Not a hint of green or magenta, and the light output is actually a tiny bit brighter than the 4000k the Neewer "magenta" CTO put out. The gel was only $7, so that makes for a very economical and very bright cheap light source for me at night. Couldn't be more pleased.....thank God I didn't spend $1000 on a DLED Bi-Color!

Some frame grabs. The SOT is being hard lit from behind me by the always on red/blue cop car lights from the crash frame, red+blue=magenta, very annoying issue I have to deal with in the field! Images were shot using the 3200k preset on my camera.