Litepanels LP-Micro

[Adriano Moroni]

>Litepanels Micro™ Photmetrics
>DISTANCE LUX
>2ft. / 0.6m 560 Lux
>4ft. / 1.2m 280 Lux
>6ft. / 1.8m 140 Lux

I'd like to know if with Comer 1800 I can do the same things like Litepanels Micro. For example clos to the sobject as interviews. Will it be impossible?

[Taky Cheung]

Comer 1800 includes a Tungstun/warming filter. The light is diffused by default without any filter. And there is a Condenser lens which condenses the light beam into a spot light. It has a full dimmer so you can use it for close up interviews. And it is strong enough to be used at wedding receptions.

The light output is much stronger on Comer but with a full dimmer, you don't have to worry about too much light. Here's the comparison again.

Comer 1800 = 1800 lux at 1 meter
CN-160 = 900 lux at 1 meter
Z96 = 800 lux 1 meter
LP-Micro = 3xx lux 1 meter

Also, LP Micro, CN160, Z96 are all NOT DIFFUSED. it will project a hot spot in the center of the screen like some cheap home video. You will need a diffuser to even the light out to fill a wide screen. For Comer, it works the other way around. It is already diffused. However, the bottom filter makes the light even brighter and cast a stage style spot light.

Another issue is all these lights are made with day light color balance. You will also need the warming filter to use the light indoor. Comer 1800 is diffused and 4500K color temperature. You can use it indoor without any filter.

However, Comer 1800 is bigger than those other lights. Check out this photos with the 1800 light on DSLR. They aren't too big.

http://lacoloronline.com/blog/images/1800onGh11.jpg
http://lacoloronline.com/blog/images/1800on7D1.jpg

[Taky Cheung]

Also check out this thread. I did some comparisons with 6 video lights before including LP Micro.Scroll down and you can see the YouTube videos embeded.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/photon-m...ml#post1455457

[Nicholas de Kock]

Litepanels Micro is over priced to say the least, I have two Z96 LED's that are a "lot" brighter and cost less than one Micro. In general these on camera LED's don't have that much light output but they fill the subject a little and give a pleasing image even in the daylight just gives your image that little extra sparkle. Works great for capturing party footage at weddings however they do have a slight green tint if you look very carefully at whites.

[Taky Cheung]

I also have to agree... LP Micro is really overprice.

That's why the Comer 1800 shines as it's not just a light that give extra shines to the object, it does light up the scene at wedding reception. Check out these videos

Comer CM-LBPS1800 LED Light Spotlight Mode at Wedding Reception on Vimeo

Using Comer CM-LBPS1800 LED Light On Stage on Vimeo

The Woow Factor of the Comer CM-LBPS1800 Light Spotlight Mode on Vimeo

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Taky Cheung

However, Comer 1800 is bigger than those other lights. Check out this photos with the 1800 light on DSLR. They aren't too big.

Thanks for the link, I have just seen the very interesting comparison tests with 6 video lights. I understand also Comer 900 look better than Litepanels LP-Micro. I think if I will replace Litepanels LP-Micro with Comer 900 I will get better videos.
I avail myself of the opportunity to ask you a suggestion between Comer 1800 and Comer 900.
I will use above all the light on my travels and a smaller and lighter video light is useful but I am afraid to mistake again. I did a mistake buying LP-Micro. In your opinion will be more useful Comer 1800 or Comer 900 for my travels around the world?
Thanks again.

[Taky Cheung]

I would suggest Comer 1800 as it's more powerful and flexible. In situation you need more light, 1800 can deliver. With a full dimmer, you can always dim it down. Comer 900 is a great light too but it only half the brightness of Comer 1800. Also it doesn't have a full dimmer, but only 2 levels of brightness.

[Nicholas de Kock]

Taky what's the green cast on the Comer 1800 like? I would really like to replace my Z96 LEDs in time to something better however for the price of a Comer 1800 I bought a 600 LED sometime ago but also with a green cast, the Comer looks very versatile though. One last question, is the BP-C190S Li-ion Battery any good?

[Taky Cheung]

I never notice any green cast of the Comer 1800 light. Comer manufactures professional lighting products compared to those inexpensive LED lights found on ebay. Also Comer light is 4500K color temp compared to 5600K or 5800K in other LED lights which is made for day light use.

BP-C190S is gooooood.. the price is good too =)

[Les Wilson]

@ Adriano,
I know what you mean about size and weight of the fixture and batteries. I use the Ledzilla and SWIT 8u62 batteries for my "rustic" travel.

You may like the Light Panels Sola 3 ENG. It's a new fresnel light with dimming, barn doors and focus controls. Unlike a 4500K light that you lose light gelling for indoor and gelling for outdoor, the Sola is a 5600K light so you only lose light when you gel it for indoor. I think it's the brightest per watt unit out there right now...but check out the specs for yourself and some of the threads here on DVInfo.

[Taky Cheung]

I use 4500K both indoor and outdoor without any gel.

I have another video here for our CM 5500 light (5500 lux). It can perform variable color temperature between 3200K to 5600K. You can see the comparsion to see 4500K is perfectly fine to be used indoor as well as outdoor.

Comer CM-LED5500K Illumination and Color Temperature on Vimeo

[Les Wilson]

Originally Posted by Taky Cheung

I use 4500K both indoor and outdoor without any gel. ... You can see the comparsion to see 4500K is perfectly fine to be used indoor as well as outdoor.

That is your opinion and you probably should say it that way. When I look at your (and other DVInfo folks) indoor footage shot with a 4500K light, the skin tones look unnatural and there's a bluish wash from your light. Similarly, I think your outdoor footage shot with a 4500k light has unnatural orange skin tones.

Of course, for situations when the color temperature is in fact 4500K, it should look fine. The blending approach taken by the Lowel Blender and now followed by Comer only underscores the higher production value of matching production lighting with the natural light.

[Taky Cheung]

I did say "I use 4500K ....". Yes that's my opinion. It's a forum here so everything we said are pretty much our opinion. =)

Ever since I start using Comer in 4500K 3 years ago, I love it. When I look at wedding skin tone and wedding gown, the white is natural. It's not too blue or too orange. Just like the video I posted above, I found the 4500K scene more natural. I like it. Some people disagree with me. Then don't shoot with 4500K. =)

Here's another video I did at open dance floor at wedding. There're 3 comer 1800 around the dance floor all in 4500K.

Wedding Open Dance Floor on Vimeo

[Les Wilson]

Originally Posted by Taky Cheung

I did say "I use 4500K ....". Yes that's my opinion. It's a forum here so everything we said are pretty much our opinion. =)...Here's another video I did at open dance floor at wedding. There're 3 comer 1800 around the dance floor all in 4500K.

I have to disagree. The DNA of DVInfo was to share information. Opinion comes along for the ride. Many posts here are seeking and dispensing information. Bad information needs to be corrected.

Statements such as "I use 4500K", "Sola is a 5600K light", and "4500K is perfectly fine to be used indoor as well as outdoor." are statements made as facts the latter which I feel is incorrect. That is only your opinion and examples of when it worked out (to your eye) will not change the physics.

It's clear you have a lot of experience shooting weddings and that you like shooting them with 4500K. Considering the mixed lighting and hectic environment, I can understand that. But, using your experience shooting weddings and then asserting 4500K is generally good for indoor or outdoor shooting is, in my opinion bad advice in general and specifically bad for Adriano who clearly stated he is shooting documentary.

It's one thing for you to travel across town, running in and out of buildings shooting a wedding for people who are 100% vested in the event and care more about Aunt Ethel showing up in the video and are kinda happy that you made her look like she has a tan. It's quite another thing for Adriano who is traveling across the planet to Camaroon, Columbia and Papua then hauling all his gear miles into the jungle. For all that effort, he's got to come back with footage that will pass muster in the documentary crowd who DO have an eye for the deleterious effects of punching a 4500K hole in the face of a tribal leader while his nearby 2700K family is huddled around a campfire.

[Taky Cheung]

I think you mix up facts with opinions. What you typed in the post is your opinion. I don't agree but I respect your opinion.