puredrifting
Major Contributor
Hi all:
I have a radical idea, rather than using LED lights as only event/ENG lights mounted on camera, I am very interested in seeing if it is possible to light entire scenes and interviews with only 2, 3 or 4 of these lights on their own, sometimes supplemented with daylight, sometimes supplemented by practicals. I am hoping that some DPs like Evin and others who post on here can share their opinions on what you think about trying to shoot entire interviews and small narrative scenes using only LEDs.
I have been looking at and researching the LED lights and I find them to look to have a LOT of potential for the type of shooting that I do. While I am in the studio, regular tungsten instruments are fine but I am constantly having to go into people's offices at the studios, fancy, yet small homes, recording studios, etc. to shoot interviews, mix sessions and behind the scenes on features and television. Our clients expect fairly high production values so on-camera event light setup doesn't work, I must do very high quality lighting. I often work alone or with other producers and sometimes when I am lucky, an assistant.
As I was lugging about 450 lbs of gear up an elevator at Fox last week to shoot a simple greenscreen interview, I thought, "there has to be a more efficient way to light these setups." The gear I have works well, it's just massive and heavy and a PITA to lug. I am trimming my field gear way down in size and weight since I also have to fly to Colorado in a few weeks and I am flying LA to Denver, then from Denver to Gunnison on one of those little jets, you know the kind that won't take an bulky, heavy Arri kit and a bunch of equipment cases?
I have been researching the LED lights. The Litepanels are obviously the hot setup but are also almost as expensive as HMIs, too much money for me, at least to start with. I like the Kinos but even they are pretty expensive, especially to assemble a 3 or 4 light kit. The Kinos and the like are also still to big and bulky.
I am quite intrigued by the Vidled lights. They are cheap and while they are obviously not as versatile as the Litepanels, they are 1/3 of the price off the Litepanels.
1. What do you think of stacking 2 or 3 of the Vidleds as a key source for interviews? Would two or three of these have enough punch to key through a small Quartz Chimera? Is the output soft enough to use bare? (as a key?) Judging from the demo clips on their website, these lights seem to output a large, relatively soft wide spread of light, do you think that some sort of barndoors could control the light enough to give wrap on a face but not too much spill? If I have anough output, I can use the Chimera and an eggcrate to control spill but as you know, punching through a Chimera takes some output.
2. These lights seem to be perfect as a hair light/rim light? I normally use an Arri 150 fresnel but I am often dialing it down with scrims and diffusion so perhaps since these lights are dimmable, they would work out fine?
3. I typically use a flexfill opposite the key source as a fill source. Do you think 2 or 3 of these would have enough punch to fill in some of the opposing side via foamcore or a flexfill?
4. The ability to power the Vidleds with HVX batteries is VERY appealing. The size and weight are VERY appealing. Being able to pack an entire lighting kit in a small Pelican case rather than an 80lb four-foot long Arri kit would be a lifesaver when I fly to remote locations and internationally. In looking at the website, the Vidled lights are obviously heavy duty and well built. I am just curious about the output level and quality of light they put out. The one interview demo on their site doesn't look very impressive but I chalk that up to the user more than the lights.
I know my physics and lighting rules and I know that it is impossible to generate truly soft light from such a small source but do LEDs, since they are very different technology than incandescent and HMI somehow at least modify this rule? I prefer to use my Medium Chimera over anything but then I need a 1k, heavier light stand, sandbags, etc. Too much weight, bulk and hassle!
DPs, please chime in on this with your opinions and experiences with LEDs. I think that we are almost "there" in being able to use this paradigm shift in lighting technology. At least for what I do and the type of shooting I am involved in. In larger setups with "real" size lights, I can still see how these lights could be invaluable as nook lights, in cars, etc. But what about doing entire small scale shoots with just these tiny LEDs. Would it work? Would I have enough output to really do some killer lighting?
Best,
Dan
I have a radical idea, rather than using LED lights as only event/ENG lights mounted on camera, I am very interested in seeing if it is possible to light entire scenes and interviews with only 2, 3 or 4 of these lights on their own, sometimes supplemented with daylight, sometimes supplemented by practicals. I am hoping that some DPs like Evin and others who post on here can share their opinions on what you think about trying to shoot entire interviews and small narrative scenes using only LEDs.
I have been looking at and researching the LED lights and I find them to look to have a LOT of potential for the type of shooting that I do. While I am in the studio, regular tungsten instruments are fine but I am constantly having to go into people's offices at the studios, fancy, yet small homes, recording studios, etc. to shoot interviews, mix sessions and behind the scenes on features and television. Our clients expect fairly high production values so on-camera event light setup doesn't work, I must do very high quality lighting. I often work alone or with other producers and sometimes when I am lucky, an assistant.
As I was lugging about 450 lbs of gear up an elevator at Fox last week to shoot a simple greenscreen interview, I thought, "there has to be a more efficient way to light these setups." The gear I have works well, it's just massive and heavy and a PITA to lug. I am trimming my field gear way down in size and weight since I also have to fly to Colorado in a few weeks and I am flying LA to Denver, then from Denver to Gunnison on one of those little jets, you know the kind that won't take an bulky, heavy Arri kit and a bunch of equipment cases?
I have been researching the LED lights. The Litepanels are obviously the hot setup but are also almost as expensive as HMIs, too much money for me, at least to start with. I like the Kinos but even they are pretty expensive, especially to assemble a 3 or 4 light kit. The Kinos and the like are also still to big and bulky.
I am quite intrigued by the Vidled lights. They are cheap and while they are obviously not as versatile as the Litepanels, they are 1/3 of the price off the Litepanels.
1. What do you think of stacking 2 or 3 of the Vidleds as a key source for interviews? Would two or three of these have enough punch to key through a small Quartz Chimera? Is the output soft enough to use bare? (as a key?) Judging from the demo clips on their website, these lights seem to output a large, relatively soft wide spread of light, do you think that some sort of barndoors could control the light enough to give wrap on a face but not too much spill? If I have anough output, I can use the Chimera and an eggcrate to control spill but as you know, punching through a Chimera takes some output.
2. These lights seem to be perfect as a hair light/rim light? I normally use an Arri 150 fresnel but I am often dialing it down with scrims and diffusion so perhaps since these lights are dimmable, they would work out fine?
3. I typically use a flexfill opposite the key source as a fill source. Do you think 2 or 3 of these would have enough punch to fill in some of the opposing side via foamcore or a flexfill?
4. The ability to power the Vidleds with HVX batteries is VERY appealing. The size and weight are VERY appealing. Being able to pack an entire lighting kit in a small Pelican case rather than an 80lb four-foot long Arri kit would be a lifesaver when I fly to remote locations and internationally. In looking at the website, the Vidled lights are obviously heavy duty and well built. I am just curious about the output level and quality of light they put out. The one interview demo on their site doesn't look very impressive but I chalk that up to the user more than the lights.
I know my physics and lighting rules and I know that it is impossible to generate truly soft light from such a small source but do LEDs, since they are very different technology than incandescent and HMI somehow at least modify this rule? I prefer to use my Medium Chimera over anything but then I need a 1k, heavier light stand, sandbags, etc. Too much weight, bulk and hassle!
DPs, please chime in on this with your opinions and experiences with LEDs. I think that we are almost "there" in being able to use this paradigm shift in lighting technology. At least for what I do and the type of shooting I am involved in. In larger setups with "real" size lights, I can still see how these lights could be invaluable as nook lights, in cars, etc. But what about doing entire small scale shoots with just these tiny LEDs. Would it work? Would I have enough output to really do some killer lighting?
Best,
Dan
