Microbeam early impressions

Lukas Siewior · April 19th, 2009, 08:11 AM

Just a reminder for those who wants to buy this light - price goes up after April 25th by $50. At the same moment there is new model coming out - 256 LED's unit (twice the size) for $560. I'm curious to see how this one will perform.

Jack Walker · April 19th, 2009, 02:51 PM

I see PrompterPeople is located in California.

Is there a source for the MicroBeam outside California?

Khoi Pham · May 28th, 2009, 04:01 PM

I would not recommend this light, poor quality workmanship, the intensity control knob get stuck 3/4 of the way but if you keep turning it will go all the way but the brightness doesn't get any brighter, I called support and they said that is the way it is, there is lump on the plastic knob and I need to grind it down or send it back to them and they will fix it, also they advertised it as equivalent to 100watts, that is not true at all, maybe 35 watts top, also there is a very bad green tint that you have to use the 1/2 -green filter and if you want it to be 3200K you need to put the 3200K filter on it and by this time the ouput is way down, this company is bad, they want 25% restocking fees, so you guys should stay away from them. I'm telling it like it is, now if any of you still want this light, I'm selling it in the classified section.

Ethan Cooper · May 28th, 2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khoi Pham

I would not recommend this light, poor quality workmanship, the intensity control knob get stuck 3/4 of the way but if you keep turning it will go all the way but the brightness doesn't get any brighter, I called support and they said that is the way it is, there is lump on the plastic knob and I need to grind it down or send it back to them and they will fix it, also they advertised it as equivalent to 100watts, that is not true at all, maybe 35 watts top, also there is a very bad green tint that you have to use the 1/2 -green filter and if you want it to be 3200K you need to put the 3200K filter on it and by this time the ouput is way down, this company is bad, they want 25% restocking fees, so you guys should stay away from them. I'm telling it like it is, now if any of you still want this light, I'm selling it in the classified section.

You seriously need to work on your sales technique.

Khoi Pham · May 29th, 2009, 06:39 AM

I don't really care about selling it now, I'm so pissed at this company, they suck, and they lie and don't stand behind their product, I'm thinking I will keep if as a back up.
BTW I was in sale for 15 years and always in the top 3 of my company. (-:

Chris Li · May 29th, 2009, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khoi Pham

I don't really care about selling it now, I'm so pissed at this company, they suck, and they lie and don't stand behind their product, I'm thinking I will keep if as a back up.
BTW I was in sale for 15 years and always in the top 3 of my company. (-:

Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel : )

Dan Burnap · June 3rd, 2009, 04:47 PM

I used my new Microbeam 128 with my DVX100 on Saturday for an evening wedding. All in all I was very pleased.

Previously I used a PAGlight C6 with a 30w bulb. A quick test in the house with the lights off showed that the Microbeam was a touch brighter. I agree with the other comment it's about the equivalent of 35w. To confirm that I compared with my 50w halogen job and that was way brighter.

What I really like about this light is its portability and stamina. When using my Paglight I had to charge up and lug around 5 heavy batteries to last an a full event. Not to mention having one hanging off my shoulder all night and changing them every 90 minutes or so.

My Microbeam has the Panasonic battery mount and one Hanel 3600mAh battery lasted me all night (switching off when not using and occasionally dimming from full brightness).

I did do a test at home running the light on full brightness with a fully charged battery and it lasted for 3.5 hours.

For the event I used only the diffusion filter. Any colour tint hasnt shown up in the footage, I did manual white balances, one at the church and one at the reception.

I live in Brazil and my order went through Prompter People's Latin American rep. Had no issues whatsoever and all of my queries where answered quickly. A very good service in my opinion, I shall be buying another soon I hope, maybe the 256 version.

Josh Bass · June 3rd, 2009, 04:53 PM

I'm certainly biased 'cause I have one, but I think it's silly to compare these lights to some of the things people have been comparing them to.

Obviously there are more powerful, nicer lights out there. But if you want a sun gun (or similar), you need an AB battery setup on your camera, or you have to lug around a shoulder battery. If you want a more powerful or correctly colored LED, you're going to spend way more than $300ish.

After researching all the lower cost options, it was either something like a $40 bescor with shoulder mounted brick, a rig that lasts for 80 minutes on a charge, or one of the lower cost LED options. So microbeam won. Maybe that new LP light is better, who knows? It wasn't out at the time.

Seems like in this price range, the "beam" or something close is the best compromise.

Jack Walker · June 3rd, 2009, 09:40 PM

I recently got a Microbeam. I think it is excellent for my use. The batery mount, the dimmer, etc.

I don't use it on camera, but as fill light, accent, etc. It is quick and easy for situations where otherwise you probably wouldn't use anything.

Yunisbel Marrero · September 2nd, 2009, 06:41 PM

do you guys have any problem with the battery, I'm using a Canon bp-950G and it won't work. any recommendation. I need this for this weekend. It work fine with the Elipz adapter

Sean Seah · September 11th, 2009, 08:02 AM

FloLight MicroBeam :: Digital Juice

great deal going on here.I wonder if the green tint is still there?

Josh Bass · September 11th, 2009, 01:22 PM

It better be. Otherwise I want a trade in.

Pat Hughes · September 16th, 2009, 03:56 PM

Wikipedia says that an incandecent light bulb of 100 watts is roughly 1700 lumens. So think twice when someone rates an led of 100 watt equivalent but only shells out 250 lumens ???

Taky Cheung · September 16th, 2009, 04:57 PM

The light casts a soft circular spot. It needs a diffuse filter but that will also lower the overall light intensity output.

Sean Seah · September 16th, 2009, 06:52 PM

But the 256 LEDs are pretty powerful even with the gel i guess.

May 28th, 2009, 04:01 PM	#33
Khoi Pham Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dallas Posts: 747	I would not recommend this light, poor quality workmanship, the intensity control knob get stuck 3/4 of the way but if you keep turning it will go all the way but the brightness doesn't get any brighter, I called support and they said that is the way it is, there is lump on the plastic knob and I need to grind it down or send it back to them and they will fix it, also they advertised it as equivalent to 100watts, that is not true at all, maybe 35 watts top, also there is a very bad green tint that you have to use the 1/2 -green filter and if you want it to be 3200K you need to put the 3200K filter on it and by this time the ouput is way down, this company is bad, they want 25% restocking fees, so you guys should stay away from them. I'm telling it like it is, now if any of you still want this light, I'm selling it in the classified section. __________________ Khoi Pham www.proeditproductions.com

May 29th, 2009, 06:39 AM	#35
Khoi Pham Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dallas Posts: 747	I don't really care about selling it now, I'm so pissed at this company, they suck, and they lie and don't stand behind their product, I'm thinking I will keep if as a back up. BTW I was in sale for 15 years and always in the top 3 of my company. (-: __________________ Khoi Pham www.proeditproductions.com

June 3rd, 2009, 04:53 PM	#38
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	I'm certainly biased 'cause I have one, but I think it's silly to compare these lights to some of the things people have been comparing them to. Obviously there are more powerful, nicer lights out there. But if you want a sun gun (or similar), you need an AB battery setup on your camera, or you have to lug around a shoulder battery. If you want a more powerful or correctly colored LED, you're going to spend way more than $300ish. After researching all the lower cost options, it was either something like a $40 bescor with shoulder mounted brick, a rig that lasts for 80 minutes on a charge, or one of the lower cost LED options. So microbeam won. Maybe that new LP light is better, who knows? It wasn't out at the time. Seems like in this price range, the "beam" or something close is the best compromise. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

September 2nd, 2009, 06:41 PM	#40
Yunisbel Marrero Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 62	do you guys have any problem with the battery, I'm using a Canon bp-950G and it won't work. any recommendation. I need this for this weekend. It work fine with the Elipz adapter __________________ Please excuse me for any miss-spelling, English is my second language. www.hydreamsproductions.com

September 11th, 2009, 01:22 PM	#42
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	It better be. Otherwise I want a trade in. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

April 19th, 2009, 08:11 AM	#31
Lukas Siewior Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lyndhurst, NJ, USA Posts: 408	Just a reminder for those who wants to buy this light - price goes up after April 25th by $50. At the same moment there is new model coming out - 256 LED's unit (twice the size) for $560. I'm curious to see how this one will perform.

April 19th, 2009, 02:51 PM	#32
Jack Walker Trustee Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Burbank Posts: 1,811	I see PrompterPeople is located in California. Is there a source for the MicroBeam outside California?

June 3rd, 2009, 04:47 PM	#37
Dan Burnap Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 335	I used my new Microbeam 128 with my DVX100 on Saturday for an evening wedding. All in all I was very pleased. Previously I used a PAGlight C6 with a 30w bulb. A quick test in the house with the lights off showed that the Microbeam was a touch brighter. I agree with the other comment it's about the equivalent of 35w. To confirm that I compared with my 50w halogen job and that was way brighter. What I really like about this light is its portability and stamina. When using my Paglight I had to charge up and lug around 5 heavy batteries to last an a full event. Not to mention having one hanging off my shoulder all night and changing them every 90 minutes or so. My Microbeam has the Panasonic battery mount and one Hanel 3600mAh battery lasted me all night (switching off when not using and occasionally dimming from full brightness). I did do a test at home running the light on full brightness with a fully charged battery and it lasted for 3.5 hours. For the event I used only the diffusion filter. Any colour tint hasnt shown up in the footage, I did manual white balances, one at the church and one at the reception. I live in Brazil and my order went through Prompter People's Latin American rep. Had no issues whatsoever and all of my queries where answered quickly. A very good service in my opinion, I shall be buying another soon I hope, maybe the 256 version.

June 3rd, 2009, 09:40 PM	#39
Jack Walker Trustee Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Burbank Posts: 1,811	I recently got a Microbeam. I think it is excellent for my use. The batery mount, the dimmer, etc. I don't use it on camera, but as fill light, accent, etc. It is quick and easy for situations where otherwise you probably wouldn't use anything.

September 11th, 2009, 08:02 AM	#41
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	FloLight MicroBeam :: Digital Juice great deal going on here.I wonder if the green tint is still there?

September 16th, 2009, 03:56 PM	#43
Pat Hughes Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Teaneck NJ Posts: 28	100 watt = roughly 1700 lumens Wikipedia says that an incandecent light bulb of 100 watts is roughly 1700 lumens. So think twice when someone rates an led of 100 watt equivalent but only shells out 250 lumens ???

September 16th, 2009, 04:57 PM	#44
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	The light casts a soft circular spot. It needs a diffuse filter but that will also lower the overall light intensity output.

September 16th, 2009, 06:52 PM	#45
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	But the 256 LEDs are pretty powerful even with the gel i guess.