upgrading to 600 leds a question at DVinfo.net

Anthony Auci · April 1st, 2009, 12:39 PM

I have two lowel lights in 24x36 photoflex softboxes.One has a tota 500 watt and a 750 dp light in the other. Would two of the 600 led be able to replace them? I mostly shoot in regular sized rooms.

Bill Pryor · April 1st, 2009, 03:02 PM

I have three Flolight 500LEDs, and they put out about the same amount of light as a 500 watt tungsten light in a softbox. However, the softbox is broader and softer. The LED is a little more harsh and needs to be gelled if you're in close. The type of LED you get might be different. The Litepanels equivalent, for example, uses broader and softer LEDs in their fixture. I think you get a bit longer throw with the LED than the softbox. I'd guess that in terms of amount of light at the same distance, you'd be pretty close, but it'll have a different look.

Richard Andrewski · April 1st, 2009, 04:32 PM

There are several of our customers on here so I'm sure one of them with softbox experience will chime in. I would say that all other factors being equal, it should be very close to your current fixtures in output. We benchmark them as being similar to a 650w tungsten fresnel in output and that's before diffusion, so adding diffusion to either light may have about the same effects in cutting light.

Your 750 dp may be just a bit more strong and the 600 may be just a bit more strong than the 500 tota. You can see the lux output on our product page and compare that to what Lowel lists for those fixtures on their product pages for another sanity check as well.

Anthony Auci · April 1st, 2009, 04:58 PM

Thank you , Im confused and it sucks there is nowhere locally I can play with them before buying.

Richard Andrewski · April 1st, 2009, 06:16 PM

I would say when someone is confused, its best to do nothing and wait for more information. Perhaps spends some more time in research. We already have a lot of customers out there with this fixture and they are all very happy. One thing I think they all share though is that they were ready to try LEDs, had appropriate expectations, needed something super portable and/or that can run off portable power and were willing to experiment with how this light source could be adapted to the kinds of filmmaking they are doing. They were willing to relearn what they do to make LEDs work well in their environments. Sure key, fill and backlighting concepts don't change but how they are done with new fixtures may change a bit. Hope this helps.

Dean Sensui · April 2nd, 2009, 06:41 PM

I'm using the Cool Lights 600. Was doing an interview yesterday and softened the light with what I had on-hand: a white garbage bag. Attached it with C-47s.

Because they don't get very hot the plastic bag material doesn't melt. And it provided a decently diffused light. I'll get diffuser material later on.

The existing lighting in the room was fluorescent. To get a better match I took off the 1/2 minus green in the Cool Light. Overall results were good. My lighting was far from artistic but it's one of those interviews you can't spend much time doing lighting and production design.

Richard Andrewski · April 2nd, 2009, 07:18 PM

Thats a good one--never thought of it. Here's some pictures of a simple solution too. A flozier type arrangement. Suggested by customer Keith Moreau and a couple of others. We had one made and it looks like an oversized shower head cap. Polysilk material with an elastic band around the edges. Only problem is it certainly won't give you the big source you might want. The LEDs are too close to the diffusion so the spot is small and the barndoors can only open so wide and this solution depends upon the barndoors to give the large area. Softbox is still the best idea I think. You get that large surface area, the LEDs are farther back and therefore can make a bigger spot on the surface, etc.

April 1st, 2009, 12:39 PM	#1
Anthony Auci New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New York, New York Posts: 23	upgrading to 600 leds a question I have two lowel lights in 24x36 photoflex softboxes.One has a tota 500 watt and a 750 dp light in the other. Would two of the 600 led be able to replace them? I mostly shoot in regular sized rooms.

April 1st, 2009, 04:32 PM	#3
Richard Andrewski Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shenzhen, China Posts: 781	There are several of our customers on here so I'm sure one of them with softbox experience will chime in. I would say that all other factors being equal, it should be very close to your current fixtures in output. We benchmark them as being similar to a 650w tungsten fresnel in output and that's before diffusion, so adding diffusion to either light may have about the same effects in cutting light. Your 750 dp may be just a bit more strong and the 600 may be just a bit more strong than the 500 tota. You can see the lux output on our product page and compare that to what Lowel lists for those fixtures on their product pages for another sanity check as well. __________________ Richard Andrewski - Cool Lights USA - RED #114 http://www.coollights.biz

April 1st, 2009, 06:16 PM	#5
Richard Andrewski Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shenzhen, China Posts: 781	I would say when someone is confused, its best to do nothing and wait for more information. Perhaps spends some more time in research. We already have a lot of customers out there with this fixture and they are all very happy. One thing I think they all share though is that they were ready to try LEDs, had appropriate expectations, needed something super portable and/or that can run off portable power and were willing to experiment with how this light source could be adapted to the kinds of filmmaking they are doing. They were willing to relearn what they do to make LEDs work well in their environments. Sure key, fill and backlighting concepts don't change but how they are done with new fixtures may change a bit. Hope this helps. __________________ Richard Andrewski - Cool Lights USA - RED #114 http://www.coollights.biz

April 2nd, 2009, 06:41 PM	#6
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	I'm using the Cool Lights 600. Was doing an interview yesterday and softened the light with what I had on-hand: a white garbage bag. Attached it with C-47s. Because they don't get very hot the plastic bag material doesn't melt. And it provided a decently diffused light. I'll get diffuser material later on. The existing lighting in the room was fluorescent. To get a better match I took off the 1/2 minus green in the Cool Light. Overall results were good. My lighting was far from artistic but it's one of those interviews you can't spend much time doing lighting and production design. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

April 2nd, 2009, 07:18 PM	#7
Richard Andrewski Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shenzhen, China Posts: 781	Thats a good one--never thought of it. Here's some pictures of a simple solution too. A flozier type arrangement. Suggested by customer Keith Moreau and a couple of others. We had one made and it looks like an oversized shower head cap. Polysilk material with an elastic band around the edges. Only problem is it certainly won't give you the big source you might want. The LEDs are too close to the diffusion so the spot is small and the barndoors can only open so wide and this solution depends upon the barndoors to give the large area. Softbox is still the best idea I think. You get that large surface area, the LEDs are farther back and therefore can make a bigger spot on the surface, etc. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Richard Andrewski - Cool Lights USA - RED #114 http://www.coollights.biz

April 1st, 2009, 03:02 PM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I have three Flolight 500LEDs, and they put out about the same amount of light as a 500 watt tungsten light in a softbox. However, the softbox is broader and softer. The LED is a little more harsh and needs to be gelled if you're in close. The type of LED you get might be different. The Litepanels equivalent, for example, uses broader and softer LEDs in their fixture. I think you get a bit longer throw with the LED than the softbox. I'd guess that in terms of amount of light at the same distance, you'd be pretty close, but it'll have a different look.

April 1st, 2009, 04:58 PM	#4
Anthony Auci New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New York, New York Posts: 23	Thank you , Im confused and it sucks there is nowhere locally I can play with them before buying.