Lighting LED or Flash

paulr

With the development and increase in new LED lighting are members starting to change from traditional Flash and Monoblock studio heads, to the ever increasing LED light systems where size ,colour, temperature control and of course a more comfortable heat/temperature control in a studio environment is welcome.

Vipmediastar_JZ

I bought one from B N H a while (their brand). It is a decent 312 light with color temp adjustments and two batteries . I have used it several times and the most recent for a dinosaur/bird shot. Watching the light change live view before taking the photo helped get what I wanted. I have ordered a second light from yongnuo. You do have to get a battery and charger separately. It is slightly cheaper in price and it has built in barn doors.

haroldp

If I were setting up a studio, I would go for LED rather than modeling flash, but for mobile work where stopping action matters, flash (never direct) is hard to beat.

Pistnbroke

Flash (always direct) is hard to beat but I have a couple of venues that you cannot use flash ..old country houses with oil paintings and I have a couple of Yongnuo led lights for that ...dont usually carry them but have considered using them for fake window light as they have a variable output

spraynpray

Weird that they won't let you use flash and yet they will let you use constant LEDs?

paulr

LEDs will never replace Flash especially when you need to freeze the action but they are very useful for pre lighting a subject in as much that you can get correct exposure readings and control light shadow fall. plus you are not bothered by heat that conventional lights throw out.

Pistnbroke

Spraynpay...the owners are baseing the flash ban on a 1932 test of a bare flash tube used thousands of times to fade an oil painting ..they forgot the line that said when placed in a glass dome the effect was negligable....still if the goon standing by you says the rule says no flash but it does not say no led (or QH lamp) then you can use them ....I also lent my steps against a wall and it was removed and laid on the grass!!!

niemeyjt

For those who have gone down the LED route, are there any recommendations for makes / models - e.g. any that use Nikon batteries instead of AA cells?

PB_PM

Never seen any LED kits that take Nikon batteries, they seem to take: 1) AA batteries, 2) Canon batteries from the 5D series, or 3) Sony/Panasonic video camera batteries.

WestEndFoto

For those who have gone down the LED route, are there any recommendations for makes / models - e.g. any that use Nikon batteries instead of AA cells?

I am seriously considering investing in Westcott Icelights or something like that.

Vipmediastar_JZ

Westend I hear good things a out the icelight but they are pricey.

Pb_pm look at the yongnuo on amazon. I just received mine and it uses the Sony batteries. I ordered the wrong one for this model but it works and the capacity is 2-3 times higher.
The other one i have is the generay 312 and they use a smaller battery pack.

For the price i would probably go with the yongnuo. It comes with a handle, hot shoe mount barn doors remote and app to control light woth your phone.
The generay comes with batteries and walls outlet but can be purchased seperate for the yongnuo.

If i start doing more video work I'll probably get the 600 yongnuo led.

paulr

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The Fotodiox Ring light will last all day with 2 Sony rechargable batteries fitted

Vipmediastar_JZ

Do you have samples with the ring light?

WestEndFoto

That ring light is interesting. I love the effect it produces. Is it portable enough to walk around with?

paulr

This was taken in a pich black Cave in Yorkshire It was a 3 mile hike from civilisation so pretty portable , comes in a handy carrying case

Vipmediastar_JZ

I may get one for my wife since she does makeup. There's a few on amazon that I looked at one is 300 led 9" and one is 240 led 18" Any thoughts if the smaller or bigger would be better for the portrait? Im thinking bigger and I will most likely not use it for macro but that could change.

paulr

I got the bigger version The light can be adjusted for brightness so you can set it how you want, I converted an old soft box so I can use it to soften the light and place coloured Gels on it. Works really well and the batteries last all day and are of course rechargeable. I set it up on a light stand and bounce the light off reflecters. Its a lot easier then the Bron studio lights I used to have!!.
If I want controlled light I use my little Octopus light.

Vipmediastar_JZ

I'm enjoying continuous Light or LED lights for products vs guessing until I get it right with flash

two 300 Led lights left and right adjusted to desired effect and fill for the top with Rogue Flash bender. I will redo this shot with a ringlight that I got my wife but will have to test it out first.

Msmoto

I can see where the LED lighting might be good for high speed objects..... allows the adjustment of shutter speed so as to see motion, yet have the object essentially racer sharp. As seen here...but with LED's could be done with lower ISO