About ready to buy an LED light, suggestions? at DVinfo.net

Dave Allen · December 20th, 2009, 08:34 PM

I had the opportunity to see the side by side comparison of lights via [url=http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/photon-management/235277-six-camera-video-lights-shootout.html]this thread]. What a helpful thread, as it looks like the Comer 1800 wins hands down. Some of those others, had I bought them and seen the Comer results, I would have been TO'd.

The Zylight looks like it has a decent following, but for $1000 USD, I don't think I need the color temperature adjustment gizmos and associated cost when I can color correct in post, although that is slick. Strange how i cannot easily find a lumens rating on the Zylight site.

The Comer 1800 looks like it about $400.

However as of late there is some discussion on the Coolight LED256. I am not sure about pricing, but without a side by side comparison, or a comparitive lumens rating at standard distances, I don't want to go down the path of regretting the purchase.

The intended us will be for low light shots such as an animal under a huge shady leaf, and inside pitch black caves where the surfaces are no more than 7 meters away.

I do like how the Comer uses an existing Sony NP-970 battery.

My Sony FX1 craps out on low light, although I suppose it doesn't help that the one time I used it in those situation I left the default WB and lighting setting as is.

I think that videocam has a 2lux rating, but my crappy $300 Kodak digital pocket camera takes better low light 730p footage than my $3500 Sony FX1. You gotta love that!

So anything better, brighter and more even than the Comer 1800 for the same price range?

Thanks!

Marty Welk · December 20th, 2009, 08:53 PM

the brighter comer is very nice, saw it on a youtube.
but led light still scare me slightly, I invented one of the first LED video lights for myself before they ever used a high-powered led in any video light, and it was terrible colors.

quick tech stuff:
White leds are Blue Led gates with Yellowish phosphors plopped on top of them, even the really high "CRI" (if you like mostly usless cute abreviations) Leds have very poor total spectrums.

So my LEd light had "white" leds with yellow incan matching and warmer leds, plus loads of red leds added in to try and recover the hole in the spectrum, plus cyan leds to fill that dent in the spectrum.

now they have put very slightly better phospors on them, but still your looking for bright, but havent even seen the light spectrum yet, so that puts one more thing in you should check out.

I still use a 100W PWM halogen bulb incan, it can go from a 20w face blaster to a 100w room filler, and even if i had these slightly better led lights, i wouldnt leave home without a real light, and a real spectrum.

Ryan Mitchell · December 21st, 2009, 11:54 AM

I just recently purchased two LED 256's and an LED 600 from CoolLights. Very impressed with both units and just as important, very impressed with CoolLights as a company. Richard is very responsive via e-mail and is active on these forums as well.

That said, I believe Richard stated elsewhere in this forum (sorry if I'm putting words in your mouth, Richard) that his LED 256 is not designed as an on-camera light at all, so if that's what you're looking for, it's probably not the best choice for you. That said, it's small enough to have an assistant hand-hold or be moved quickly on a small stand - it really is an amazing piece of hardware.

It does appear to have a slight green cast to me but it comes with several hard plastic filters (and a carrying case for them - with a lanyard), including two minus green filters and a CTO filter - they slide in the existing frame and are held in place with the "retention bar" used to hold the barn doors. You can also put the barn doors in the frame at the same time as the filter, which is a nice touch.

Charlie Collias · December 21st, 2009, 12:45 PM

Hi Dave,

I just wanted to point you to our web page with photometric data. The link is here for our LED instruments: Zylight - Intelligent LED Lighting

Also, many people use our Z90 not just as a camera light, but as a backlight, colored rim or edge light, effect light on table tops, small fill, etc......Just thought I would throw it out there. Cheers!

December 20th, 2009, 08:34 PM	#1
Dave Allen Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Boston Posts: 497	About ready to buy an LED light, suggestions? I had the opportunity to see the side by side comparison of lights via [url=http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/photon-management/235277-six-camera-video-lights-shootout.html]this thread]. What a helpful thread, as it looks like the Comer 1800 wins hands down. Some of those others, had I bought them and seen the Comer results, I would have been TO'd. The Zylight looks like it has a decent following, but for $1000 USD, I don't think I need the color temperature adjustment gizmos and associated cost when I can color correct in post, although that is slick. Strange how i cannot easily find a lumens rating on the Zylight site. The Comer 1800 looks like it about $400. However as of late there is some discussion on the Coolight LED256. I am not sure about pricing, but without a side by side comparison, or a comparitive lumens rating at standard distances, I don't want to go down the path of regretting the purchase. The intended us will be for low light shots such as an animal under a huge shady leaf, and inside pitch black caves where the surfaces are no more than 7 meters away. I do like how the Comer uses an existing Sony NP-970 battery. My Sony FX1 craps out on low light, although I suppose it doesn't help that the one time I used it in those situation I left the default WB and lighting setting as is. I think that videocam has a 2lux rating, but my crappy $300 Kodak digital pocket camera takes better low light 730p footage than my $3500 Sony FX1. You gotta love that! So anything better, brighter and more even than the Comer 1800 for the same price range? Thanks! __________________ Dave -

December 20th, 2009, 08:53 PM	#2
Marty Welk Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: East Bay Cali Posts: 563	the brighter comer is very nice, saw it on a youtube. but led light still scare me slightly, I invented one of the first LED video lights for myself before they ever used a high-powered led in any video light, and it was terrible colors. quick tech stuff: White leds are Blue Led gates with Yellowish phosphors plopped on top of them, even the really high "CRI" (if you like mostly usless cute abreviations) Leds have very poor total spectrums. So my LEd light had "white" leds with yellow incan matching and warmer leds, plus loads of red leds added in to try and recover the hole in the spectrum, plus cyan leds to fill that dent in the spectrum. now they have put very slightly better phospors on them, but still your looking for bright, but havent even seen the light spectrum yet, so that puts one more thing in you should check out. I still use a 100W PWM halogen bulb incan, it can go from a 20w face blaster to a 100w room filler, and even if i had these slightly better led lights, i wouldnt leave home without a real light, and a real spectrum. __________________ ----------------sig----------------- Re-learning everything all over again, one more time.

December 21st, 2009, 12:45 PM	#4
Charlie Collias New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 6	Hi Dave, I just wanted to point you to our web page with photometric data. The link is here for our LED instruments: Zylight - Intelligent LED Lighting Also, many people use our Z90 not just as a camera light, but as a backlight, colored rim or edge light, effect light on table tops, small fill, etc......Just thought I would throw it out there. Cheers! __________________ Zylight Intelligent LED Light Instruments - http://www.zylight.com Twitter:http://twitter.com/Zylight Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/ybht2yl

December 21st, 2009, 11:54 AM	#3
Ryan Mitchell Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 120	I just recently purchased two LED 256's and an LED 600 from CoolLights. Very impressed with both units and just as important, very impressed with CoolLights as a company. Richard is very responsive via e-mail and is active on these forums as well. That said, I believe Richard stated elsewhere in this forum (sorry if I'm putting words in your mouth, Richard) that his LED 256 is not designed as an on-camera light at all, so if that's what you're looking for, it's probably not the best choice for you. That said, it's small enough to have an assistant hand-hold or be moved quickly on a small stand - it really is an amazing piece of hardware. It does appear to have a slight green cast to me but it comes with several hard plastic filters (and a carrying case for them - with a lanyard), including two minus green filters and a CTO filter - they slide in the existing frame and are held in place with the "retention bar" used to hold the barn doors. You can also put the barn doors in the frame at the same time as the filter, which is a nice touch.