Yongnuo YN-300 LED

[Noa Put]

I"m getting fed up when they shut down the lights almost completely during a first dance and I have had to deal with that a few times the last weddings I did, I use a steadicam at that moment with a 550d and a 14mm f2.8 lens which is not that fast and have to shoot at 3200 iso just to get something usable. I could mount a on camera light but because it's so dark I would blind the couple and the guests with it. So I was thinking of getting myself a remote controlled light that I would place in the corner of the dancefloor on a high lightstand so it wouldn't blind that much. Below light can be found for around 75 dollar and is remotely controlled, you can turn it on or off and control the light intensity and to Belgium it's even free shipping. From what I have seen so far it doesn't cause any strobing, runs on sony batteries and seems to output a quite high light intensity. Anyone have used this one and is it any good?

Yongnuo YN-300 LED Video Light Review - YouTube

[Kyle Root]

I use a small Sony light on my NX5 that was about the same price. But, this looks like a good solution to your issue. I have the same problem and this seems like something worth looking into.

[Noa Put]

Last year I saw a photog using a similar set up with a light on a high lightstand, it was the first time ever I saw a photog using this at a first dance, it was also a very dark venue where they only used this kind of horrific neon kind of light that makes your teeth and eyes glow. Just about as bad as it can get for video but his light made quite a difference. I always have been reluctant to use any additional light and I always have managed so far but I don't know what it is but lately I"m getting more and more venues that almost kill the lights completely starting at a first dance. So I figured it's time to do something about it, whether the venue, dj or couple likes it or not. I always ask if they can give me some more light but they never do. If a first dance starts and if I would then remotely trigger that light it would be too late for anyone to do something about it anyway and I can get home with good exposed footage. :) I also like the fact that you can dim the light remotely. Wasn't thinking on spending too much on it and 75 dollar is quite cheap, but I need to be sure it's not a piece of junk.

[Don Bloom]

I have a couple of the CN160s that I installed remotes on. Can't dim but on/off. I have used them when necessary at receptions, on stands to help the dark as a cave dance floor. I generally keep them to about half power and still use my on cam light but turned down as well. It actually works out pretty well.
Also, at some venues I work at, they seem to feel that the lights need to be turned down for introductions and even speeches so I simply place a light by to help light up the entrance of the bridal party. Being on a remote, I can turn it off from where I'm at after they come in and have another one at the ready for speeches if necessary.
Maybe I can get a robot to shoot for me too and use a remote to control it. Hmmmmm.

[Alister Chapman]

They are not bad lights. Quite bright and no particularly nasty hot spots as the light just floods out all over the place. There is a slight green spike in the light spectrum that can make faces look a little sickly, but if your just using this as a gentle fill or to supplement other lights this may not cause to much of a problem. If it is your primary light source a bit of 249 quarter minus green gel will remove the green spike.

[Arthur Gannis]

Placing a light stand anywhere near the dance floor is asking for a disaster to happen. Placing it farther against a wall will render the brightness useless, especially if you want to light up anywhere bear the center of the action. I don't know about what size reception rooms you are working in, but the majority of the one's I am used to have approximate distance from the nearest wall to the center of the dance floor like 30 feet away. I sometimes place my stand right next to the DJ's speakers where they would be obvious to all, with permission. Taping down the feet to the floor or carpet is a very good idea. Nothing can be worse than a light stand injuring someone. Even when I tape down the feet, I make sure they don't jut out so someone can trip on them. This can all be eliminated if they would just brighten up the lights a bit. At distances of 25 feet or more from light to subject, the 160 or 320 led panels will hardly make a dent.

[Don Bloom]

I put my lights (when I use them) next to the DJs speaker stands unless I need one for intros, then it's off to one side about 8 to 10 feet from the door and yep, it's taped down. If I do use one for the speeches it's pretty much next to my me and is helping me to either kill the backlighting from a window or helping me pump up the lumens. I've actually only used one for speeches maybe 3 times but for intros and dancing a lot more than that.
If the room is that big that I see it's not going to help in any way I don't set them up. If I set them up and then I see they aren't helping I move them out of the way back to where my bag is.

[Craig Chartier]

Maybe switch over to IR camera for that dance... '-)

[Noa Put]

Thx for the info so far

Originally Posted by Arthur Gannis

Placing a light stand anywhere near the dance floor is asking for a disaster to happen

I plan to put it next to the dj's light installation or soundsystem and tape it to the ground, my mayor concern is the first dance only but last week the mother of the bride did a speech on the dancefloor and her husband had to use a flashlight to light the paper she was reading, it was that dark, so a extra light would have made a bigger difference.I think I"ll just go ahead and order one.

[Giroud Francois]

for the price (and add 40$ for a generic NP-f7xx battery), it is a great light to have.
got the YN160 before, switched to the YN300, no regrets

[Giroud Francois]

and new there is the YN300-II with 3200-5000K led mix, so you can even change color temp.

[Dave Partington]

I hate resurrecting old threads - but Noa, did you buy one of these (or even the mk II) and if so how did it work out?

Bright enough for your dance floor or not?

Have you used them for anything else?

I was looking for a couple of extra lights for doing interviews in relatively tight spaces. My Comer 1800s are not so good because there isn't enough surface area on the barn doors for adding diffusion if I want. These seem just about big enough to do that.

[Noa Put]

Well, talk about timing, I just ordered the light today, I"m glad I have waited because I found a Dutch camerastore that sells them too, if I order directly from ebay the light (version 2) is 50 euro shipping costs included, with the Dutch supplier I pay 80 euro but I get a 2 year warranty which I think is worth the small extra cost, wedding season is about over now, 2 more weddings to go this year so I"ll test the light probably mid December when I have my last wedding.

[Dave Partington]

Thanks Noa. I'm kinda torn between the mkI (and use gels) and mkII (using the built in colour adjust) because the bi-colour LEDs usually mean you get less output, so I'm interested to hear what you think of it when you get it. Please let me know your thoughts.

I'm also a little concerned (so again would appreciate your feedback) about the following:

1) Does it have that mild green cast, and does a filter actually fix it enough ?

2) If you were filming under (say) 4500K lighting and you use the bi-colour LEDs, while you can set the bi-colour to "average" 4500K (using the mix of 3200K + 5500K), aren't you actually now just getting three different light temperature sources, being 3200K, 4500K and 5500K all mixed, which I would have thought is the absolute worst of al worlds!

Tell me I'm wrong here….

[Alex Pineyro]

Hi. Please let me chime in:

I was thorn too at first between the YN300 I vs II model. At the end, went with the I model. It is brigther (what I needed) as the other model because it uses those 300 leds at the same time. The II model have 150 leds @ one color temp and the remain 150 @ the other one, and you get your variable color temp dimming ones and getting the others brigther, so they will never be at the same power level.

I have two of them. Used on light stands placed as you say, in places that may be hard to knock them by accident. The remote is a Godsend. A little lower on the stands I put a go-pro camera to have a bird´s eye angle and the light helps this camera a lot. Put a np960 knock-off battery from ebay and they´ll last all night.

I also have a couple of the lesser known but nevertheless well worth their cost YN1410 and a couple of YN460II flash units with RF triggers for my photo needs. All of them work flawlessly.

I´m not a youngnuo employee nor a cheerleader. Just a satissfied customer. Go ahead and buy them. Unless they are deffective you may not regret the purchase.

My two cents

Alex