Sigma SL-20LX Video Light

Chris Swanberg · February 12th, 2009, 03:09 PM

Gee... I have to wonder if this thread has created a small run on these lights? I can just see the sellers wondering "what the heck" with orders flowing in...

Darren Griffin · February 12th, 2009, 03:28 PM

I wouldn't be at all surprised! I'm tempted to get at least one more. Even with postage to the UK and the useless 110v charger they are still a fraction of the price of anything similar and perfectly suitable for run and gun stuff.

I wish I'd bought a few when I was in Vegas earlier this year :(

Hubert Duijzer · February 12th, 2009, 03:30 PM

Testing cheap Sima SL-20LX led lights on Vimeo

Not a real test, but i charged them, put them on top of 2 camcorders and hit record.

Jay Gladwell · February 12th, 2009, 04:34 PM

Thanks, Hubert! That was just what I was looking for--shows exactly how they "look".

No, it wasn't rocket science, but it doesn't need to be.

Gary Bettan · February 12th, 2009, 08:42 PM

These lights have been great sellers for us. I have one and I love it. We've got them on the website for $34.95 each.

Videoguys - Sima Products -Hitch USB-101 $99.95, Sima VS-HD31 3x1 HDMI Switcher $199.95 (I know buy now price says $39.95 but they add to cart at $34.95)

DO you think it makes sense for us to offer a 3 pack of them for $99.95?

Gary

Dave Blackhurst · February 13th, 2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Bettan

These lights have been great sellers for us. I have one and I love it. We've got them on the website for $34.95 each.

Videoguys - Sima Products -Hitch USB-101 $99.95, Sima VS-HD31 3x1 HDMI Switcher $199.95 (I know buy now price says $39.95 but they add to cart at $34.95)

DO you think it makes sense for us to offer a 3 pack of them for $99.95?

Gary

They seem to work well in pairs, so 4 or 6 packs would be nice (I've got 6 floating around), 3 for $100 would be a nice deal.

Gary Moses · February 16th, 2009, 01:47 PM

I couldn't take it anymore. I found 4 very tiny screws in each corner of the back of the light. Upon removal, the frame and diffusion filter remove very easily allowing you to put color correction filters, more diffusion or leave it with out the original diffuser. The leds have a silver reflector with allignment holes as a back reflector. The battery is a flat 3.7 battery.
it all goes back together simply. If I can find room for a small switch, I think I can run it from an external supply.

Chris Swanberg · February 16th, 2009, 03:32 PM

I wondered how long it would be before we started re-engineering these little marvels. Keep us posted.

Janson Williams · February 21st, 2009, 05:27 PM

i just might purchase, i like the A1 demonstration

Tim Polster · February 23rd, 2009, 04:15 PM

The PDF on the website mentions 4500k for the color temp.

If an AC or separate DC hack could be made, these could be used for a hair light on a boom.

Chris Swanberg · February 23rd, 2009, 07:27 PM

Tim... While not exactly easy to find... some years ago I found a cold shoe mount and it can/could/might be adapted to thread onto a boom pole... Or you could adapt the threads to mount into the 1/4 threaded hole in the bottom of the shoe on the light itself... so it is a pretty versatile system mounting wise.

If you planned to use this as a hair light, I'd probably want to make a simple little paper or foamboard snoot for it, but you are right... kickers, hairlights, background lights, mini fill lights etc... these litttle lights are perfect for many applications.

Tim Polster · February 23rd, 2009, 09:28 PM

Thanks Chris.

Actually, I was speaking to the current, AC or DC since these lights only run on a rechargeable battery.

The 45 min runtime would be quite short for longer shoots and would not work.

If they could be modified to use external batteries or AC power they would be more useful.

Marcus Marchesseault · February 26th, 2009, 08:13 PM

I just got one of these lights and it is going to be my "fanny pack" light. It weighs nothing and is quite bright all things considered. It actually may be brighter than I like for an on-camera light so I'll probably get some diffusion as well as some 1/2 minus green. Of course, some 1/2 CTO and 1/2 CTB are probably a good idea to match daylight or tungsten.

With the use of some adapters like these:

Testrite | LSA-10 Light Stand Adapter | LSA10 | B&H Photo Video

Smith-Victor | Adapter 1/4-20 to Standard Shoe | 701955 | B&H

This light could be put atop light stands for use as quick interview lights. A tilt adapter would obviously be better but I had found these for some other LED lights I made that have their own swivel head.

P.S. Why can't the title of this thread be changed so people can find the light we are discussing?

Chris Swanberg · February 26th, 2009, 08:55 PM

Tim.... yes the runtime is an issue....no question - and I cannot wait for the DIY hack fixes for AC power adapters, or external DC for that matter. Meanwhile, if you had several of these in your arsenal, (and they are so cheap several are not THAT bad an investment - for this and other purposes) you could just keep swapping them out during a shoot. As an interview hairlight, 2 for swapping would probably handle 99% of the interviews you might be likely to do on a location where an AC powered Lowel Prolight (my hairlight), for example, might not work.

Chris

ps. I plan to do some interviews in Montana's backcountry this summer and plan to take half a dozen or more of these along for ALL my lighting needs (ok with a couple reflectors). I know I will be improvising snoots and barn doors, etc...

Tim Polster · February 26th, 2009, 10:23 PM

Good Point on buying a couple and swapping.

February 12th, 2009, 03:28 PM	#32
Darren Griffin New Boot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fleet, Hampshire, UK Posts: 11	I wouldn't be at all surprised! I'm tempted to get at least one more. Even with postage to the UK and the useless 110v charger they are still a fraction of the price of anything similar and perfectly suitable for run and gun stuff. I wish I'd bought a few when I was in Vegas earlier this year :( __________________ Darren Griffin Editor, PocketGPSWorld.com, Sony HVR-A1U

February 12th, 2009, 08:42 PM	#35
Gary Bettan Sponsor: Electronic Mailbox Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Glen Cove, NY Posts: 758	These lights have been great sellers for us. I have one and I love it. We've got them on the website for $34.95 each. Videoguys - Sima Products -Hitch USB-101 $99.95, Sima VS-HD31 3x1 HDMI Switcher $199.95 (I know buy now price says $39.95 but they add to cart at $34.95) DO you think it makes sense for us to offer a 3 pack of them for $99.95? Gary __________________ Check out http://www.videoguys.com 800 323-2325 We are the video editing and live video production experts! DV InfoNet members save 5%! Use Coupon Code DVINFO5OFF

February 26th, 2009, 08:13 PM	#43
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	I just got one of these lights and it is going to be my "fanny pack" light. It weighs nothing and is quite bright all things considered. It actually may be brighter than I like for an on-camera light so I'll probably get some diffusion as well as some 1/2 minus green. Of course, some 1/2 CTO and 1/2 CTB are probably a good idea to match daylight or tungsten. With the use of some adapters like these: Testrite \| LSA-10 Light Stand Adapter \| LSA10 \| B&H Photo Video Smith-Victor \| Adapter 1/4-20 to Standard Shoe \| 701955 \| B&H This light could be put atop light stands for use as quick interview lights. A tilt adapter would obviously be better but I had found these for some other LED lights I made that have their own swivel head. P.S. Why can't the title of this thread be changed so people can find the light we are discussing? Last edited by Marcus Marchesseault; February 26th, 2009 at 08:19 PM. Reason: P.S...

February 12th, 2009, 03:09 PM	#31
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Gee... I have to wonder if this thread has created a small run on these lights? I can just see the sellers wondering "what the heck" with orders flowing in...

February 12th, 2009, 03:30 PM	#33
Hubert Duijzer Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Posts: 177	Testing cheap Sima SL-20LX led lights on Vimeo Not a real test, but i charged them, put them on top of 2 camcorders and hit record.

February 12th, 2009, 04:34 PM	#34
Jay Gladwell Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,244	Thanks, Hubert! That was just what I was looking for--shows exactly how they "look". No, it wasn't rocket science, but it doesn't need to be.

February 16th, 2009, 01:47 PM	#37
Gary Moses Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	I couldn't take it anymore. I found 4 very tiny screws in each corner of the back of the light. Upon removal, the frame and diffusion filter remove very easily allowing you to put color correction filters, more diffusion or leave it with out the original diffuser. The leds have a silver reflector with allignment holes as a back reflector. The battery is a flat 3.7 battery. it all goes back together simply. If I can find room for a small switch, I think I can run it from an external supply.

February 16th, 2009, 03:32 PM	#38
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	I wondered how long it would be before we started re-engineering these little marvels. Keep us posted.

February 21st, 2009, 05:27 PM	#39
Janson Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 101	i just might purchase, i like the A1 demonstration

February 23rd, 2009, 04:15 PM	#40
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	The PDF on the website mentions 4500k for the color temp. If an AC or separate DC hack could be made, these could be used for a hair light on a boom.

February 23rd, 2009, 07:27 PM	#41
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Tim... While not exactly easy to find... some years ago I found a cold shoe mount and it can/could/might be adapted to thread onto a boom pole... Or you could adapt the threads to mount into the 1/4 threaded hole in the bottom of the shoe on the light itself... so it is a pretty versatile system mounting wise. If you planned to use this as a hair light, I'd probably want to make a simple little paper or foamboard snoot for it, but you are right... kickers, hairlights, background lights, mini fill lights etc... these litttle lights are perfect for many applications.

February 23rd, 2009, 09:28 PM	#42
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	Thanks Chris. Actually, I was speaking to the current, AC or DC since these lights only run on a rechargeable battery. The 45 min runtime would be quite short for longer shoots and would not work. If they could be modified to use external batteries or AC power they would be more useful.

February 26th, 2009, 08:55 PM	#44
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Tim.... yes the runtime is an issue....no question - and I cannot wait for the DIY hack fixes for AC power adapters, or external DC for that matter. Meanwhile, if you had several of these in your arsenal, (and they are so cheap several are not THAT bad an investment - for this and other purposes) you could just keep swapping them out during a shoot. As an interview hairlight, 2 for swapping would probably handle 99% of the interviews you might be likely to do on a location where an AC powered Lowel Prolight (my hairlight), for example, might not work. Chris ps. I plan to do some interviews in Montana's backcountry this summer and plan to take half a dozen or more of these along for ALL my lighting needs (ok with a couple reflectors). I know I will be improvising snoots and barn doors, etc...

February 26th, 2009, 10:23 PM	#45
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	Good Point on buying a couple and swapping.