Light weight portable "500" LED Panel at DVinfo.net

Craig Seeman · December 22nd, 2014, 11:09 AM

I often have to travel extremely light so I'm looking for light weight portable "500" LED Panel.

So far the lightest seems to be the Digital Juice MiniBurst 504 - $649
At 24oz or 30oz with battery, I haven't found anything else close.
There's no barn doors but that might not be critical given LEDs don't play well with barn doors.
The battery, is actually proprietary though. Mounts one battery. There's no charger for the battery!
CRI>90
MiniBurst 504 LED Lights :: Digital Juice

The closest outside of that is the Genaray SpectroLED Outfit 500 Daylight LED Light - $420
At just over 2 lbs (32oz) this would be a close second.
CRI>85
Uses standard Sony batteries. Mounts two batteries
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/979330-REG/genaray_sp_o_500d_spectroled_outfit_500_daylight.html

There's the iKan ID508v2 - $499
At 3.1lbs it's already on the heavy side for what I'd like. Yet their demo video for original 508 says it's only 2.2lbs.
Has barn doors.
Uses standard Sony batteries. Mounts two batteries.
No mention of CRI which does have me concerned.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1069046-REG/ikan_id508_v2_ib508_v2_daylight_led_studio.html
I've looked at some of the other well known brands and I haven't seen anything else quite as light weight as these. I'm curious if anyone can make recommendations or otherwise comment on the above.

John Nantz · December 22nd, 2014, 01:58 PM

The light that I use for travel is a Comer CM-LBPS1800 and it is available in a couple different models depending on which battery you want, f.e., Sony, Canon, and Panasonic. S = Sony?

Got it from LA Color (sponsor here). It has bi-color capability and has a pleasing color compared to some other LEDs I've seen because of the mix of warm and cool LEDs.

It specs out at 420 grams (14.8 oz) without the battery.

1800 Lux @ 1 m (is the MiniBurst 3000 Lux @ 1 m? I couldn't understand the spec)

The light color for me is an important factor that really doesn't show up in the typical specs.

edit: and one other thing, from the talent standpoint, this looks really bright. if the MiniBurst is 3000 Lux then .... that would be really, really bright!

Craig Seeman · December 22nd, 2014, 04:29 PM

Thanks. Comer CM-LBPS1800 looks interesting but I'm looking for something more like a "half panel"
MiniBurst 504 is about 3000 lux at 1 meter.
The other two are about 2500 give or take.

Regarding brightness. Dimmer is important. I'd also use a soft box in some cases which will result in some lose.

I already have two DigitalJuice MiniBurst 128s and a LitePanels Sola ENG for that fresnel like quality when needed.

Dracast, Cool-Lux and Flolight make higher CRI 500 style lights but at 4 lbs and up, they're heavier than I want. Nothing from Kino-Flo, Litepanels or Alzo although Alzo does have an interested 312.
F&V is also a strike out as far as I can tell. Came-TV has a 576 but again at 4 lbs it's heavier than a I want.

Don Bloom · December 22nd, 2014, 05:05 PM

Craig,
There are a number of lights that go by different brand names that look like the Genaray. I have one that I got a while back that's a 312 bulb, bi-temp, dimmable and works with Sony type batteries but I also have a cable that works with a small Bescor NiMH 50 watt battery that will power the light for a very long time. Here's the only thing I can say about these lights. While overall they work well especially for fast paced need it now hurry hurry type stuff they won't work well outside as fills since they aren't strong enough and they are really 1/2 of what they say. By that I mean if it's a bi-temp light and it has 500 bulbs 1/2 the bulbs are 3200 and half are 5600 so you don't have all 500 bulbs going at once. Having said that I like the light and when I was working I would use it ON the camera on a magic arm just about on the lens hood as a really nice fill and I used my CN160s that actually put out more power as my key light on a stand. I also have a cable to power the 312 off a D tap on my HM700 so I didn't always need an external battery although if I was on a tripod I used the Sony types.
Just wanted to let you know my experience even though it's not exactly the same light. For the money, I think it's a good light.

Craig Seeman · December 22nd, 2014, 05:45 PM

Thanks Don. I'm avoiding the bi-temps because, as you mention, they're not bright enough. Daylights are a bit better since they're not splitting the bulbs. 500 is also a bit better than the 312s.

Mostly I'm going to use these as indoor interview setups in indoor tight spaces where I have to travel light. I've seen 500 types used on camera as well. That and an Airbox softbox might work well.

My concern about the Genaray is a CRI of 85. BTW I saw one test of the iKan I'm looking at, at 79 CRI.

Oren Arieli · December 25th, 2014, 01:08 AM

Have you considered the Aputure Amaran 672? I did a review of it last week.

Craig Seeman · December 25th, 2014, 07:53 AM

Thanks Oren. I stumbled across them the other day and entirely forgot.
I was thinking of the 672W since it's a little brighter. My intentions are to use as a key light in small locations.

I had some concern about light modifiers given the unique style such as using an Airbox Softbox.

The high CRI and extreme light weight, both important to me in my traveling, is very impressive.

December 22nd, 2014, 11:09 AM	#1
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Light weight portable "500" LED Panel I often have to travel extremely light so I'm looking for light weight portable "500" LED Panel. So far the lightest seems to be the Digital Juice MiniBurst 504 - $649 At 24oz or 30oz with battery, I haven't found anything else close. There's no barn doors but that might not be critical given LEDs don't play well with barn doors. The battery, is actually proprietary though. Mounts one battery. There's no charger for the battery! CRI>90 MiniBurst 504 LED Lights :: Digital Juice The closest outside of that is the Genaray SpectroLED Outfit 500 Daylight LED Light - $420 At just over 2 lbs (32oz) this would be a close second. CRI>85 Uses standard Sony batteries. Mounts two batteries http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/979330-REG/genaray_sp_o_500d_spectroled_outfit_500_daylight.html There's the iKan ID508v2 - $499 At 3.1lbs it's already on the heavy side for what I'd like. Yet their demo video for original 508 says it's only 2.2lbs. Has barn doors. Uses standard Sony batteries. Mounts two batteries. No mention of CRI which does have me concerned. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1069046-REG/ikan_id508_v2_ib508_v2_daylight_led_studio.html I've looked at some of the other well known brands and I haven't seen anything else quite as light weight as these. I'm curious if anyone can make recommendations or otherwise comment on the above.

December 22nd, 2014, 04:29 PM	#3
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Re: Light weight portable "500" LED Panel Thanks. Comer CM-LBPS1800 looks interesting but I'm looking for something more like a "half panel" MiniBurst 504 is about 3000 lux at 1 meter. The other two are about 2500 give or take. Regarding brightness. Dimmer is important. I'd also use a soft box in some cases which will result in some lose. I already have two DigitalJuice MiniBurst 128s and a LitePanels Sola ENG for that fresnel like quality when needed. Dracast, Cool-Lux and Flolight make higher CRI 500 style lights but at 4 lbs and up, they're heavier than I want. Nothing from Kino-Flo, Litepanels or Alzo although Alzo does have an interested 312. F&V is also a strike out as far as I can tell. Came-TV has a 576 but again at 4 lbs it's heavier than a I want.

December 22nd, 2014, 05:05 PM	#4
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: Light weight portable "500" LED Panel Craig, There are a number of lights that go by different brand names that look like the Genaray. I have one that I got a while back that's a 312 bulb, bi-temp, dimmable and works with Sony type batteries but I also have a cable that works with a small Bescor NiMH 50 watt battery that will power the light for a very long time. Here's the only thing I can say about these lights. While overall they work well especially for fast paced need it now hurry hurry type stuff they won't work well outside as fills since they aren't strong enough and they are really 1/2 of what they say. By that I mean if it's a bi-temp light and it has 500 bulbs 1/2 the bulbs are 3200 and half are 5600 so you don't have all 500 bulbs going at once. Having said that I like the light and when I was working I would use it ON the camera on a magic arm just about on the lens hood as a really nice fill and I used my CN160s that actually put out more power as my key light on a stand. I also have a cable to power the 312 off a D tap on my HM700 so I didn't always need an external battery although if I was on a tripod I used the Sony types. Just wanted to let you know my experience even though it's not exactly the same light. For the money, I think it's a good light. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

December 22nd, 2014, 05:45 PM	#5
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Re: Light weight portable "500" LED Panel Thanks Don. I'm avoiding the bi-temps because, as you mention, they're not bright enough. Daylights are a bit better since they're not splitting the bulbs. 500 is also a bit better than the 312s. Mostly I'm going to use these as indoor interview setups in indoor tight spaces where I have to travel light. I've seen 500 types used on camera as well. That and an Airbox softbox might work well. My concern about the Genaray is a CRI of 85. BTW I saw one test of the iKan I'm looking at, at 79 CRI.

December 25th, 2014, 01:08 AM	#6
Oren Arieli Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Jose, California Posts: 919	Re: Light weight portable "500" LED Panel Have you considered the Aputure Amaran 672? I did a review of it last week. Aputure Amaran 672c LED Video Light - YouTube

December 25th, 2014, 07:53 AM	#7
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Re: Light weight portable "500" LED Panel Thanks Oren. I stumbled across them the other day and entirely forgot. I was thinking of the 672W since it's a little brighter. My intentions are to use as a key light in small locations. I had some concern about light modifiers given the unique style such as using an Airbox Softbox. The high CRI and extreme light weight, both important to me in my traveling, is very impressive.