FloLight LED500 Light Review

[Spartacus]

Hey what is the diameter on that screw mount that Spartacus showed there?

1/4"?

Looks like a gooseneck pipe in the middle which makes a lot of sense and is just what I would do. As for mountings, where do you want it to mount on the camera? As a hot shoe mount (but not drawing power through)?

Otherwise, what would be the best mounting hardware for something like this on the camera itself?

The gooseneck can have 1/4" screw mounts.
I use them as a cheap Noga alternative for mounting the VidLeds on stands or for easier positioning a mic on a boom.
I even use a big one to hang my Totevision 7" on the sid of the HVX, the gooseneck would hold it rock solid, but the weak point is the screw mount, when you move the gooseneck swings loose...

I also like Kelly Olsons idea of the foldable LED panels, I think we talked about a setup like this, when you where developing the portaflos a while back.
Maybe you find a way to make the panels both stackable (like the 1x1 Litepanles) and "closable", two panels forming a protective shell when put away for transport...

Way to go!

 

[Cool Lights]

I suppose a wish list could go on for a long time but I just thought of something which was kind of touched on before in a way. It was requested that there be a way to clip many of these together to build a larger light.

My idea is one light that is actually two panels hinged so that they fold together when closed, and open up to make twice the light. Kind of like a laptop.

Since the description of the prototype resembled an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper, when closed it would still be small for transport and when opened you would get 1000 lights. Assuming that it has switches or a dimmer you would still get a lot of control.

The 1000 lights with a heavy diffusion filter put in front of it would be great for talking head interviews and have enough light to make up for the heavy diffusion and this would give a softer, almost Flo like look.

Then simply fold it up and pack it away in any of a million laptop carrying cases

Still would be a bargain at $375 to $399. This I know I would buy and forget about the Rifa.

Maybe two versions, one with just one panel of 500 LED's and the other a double with 1000 LED's.

This is good stuff. Way to go Kelly!

I like the folding together idea pretty well but don't have a great visual picture yet of how to accomplish it. I think it would be tough to come up with a hinge that you guys could just buy two of the 500 and hinge them together yourselves. It would probably be best as two different products, the 1000 and the 500 with a permanent hinge on it as you have the barndoor issue that two of the side barndoors would need to be detached in the middle to make one big light and thats something thats better not done out in the field. Much nicer to have it all done for you with the barndoors on just 4 outer sides of the 2 that hinge together.

 

[Barry_Green]

Now that's just genius. That is the perfect solution. It gets you a larger overall light source when open, which makes for softer light, yet it takes up about the same amount of space (double the thickness, yes, but the same amount in L & W). I'm liking this idea!

 

[metrospace]

Richard-
If the light is smallish (12x12) and and fairly spotted, would it be possible to integrate holes in the face for a softbox, kinda like a built-in-speedring?

 

[Cool Lights]

Now that's just genius. That is the perfect solution. It gets you a larger overall light source when open, which makes for softer light, yet it takes up about the same amount of space (double the thickness, yes, but the same amount in L & W). I'm liking this idea!

I don't think we've seen anything like that before have we? A light that folds in half.

 

[Cool Lights]

Richard-
If the light is smallish (12x12) and and fairly spotted, would it be possible to integrate holes in the face for a softbox, kinda like a built-in-speedring?

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I do think its possible then its kind of like one of those CFL box lights which do the same thing usually. A 12 x 12 square speedring would be a pain to create anyway so if we can just figure out how to include the holes for the speedring we've got that accommodated too.

 

[Kelly Olsen]

This is good stuff. Way to go Kelly!

I like the folding together idea pretty well but don't have a great visual picture yet of how to accomplish it....

Richard, I have total confidence in your ability to put this 1000 light folding panel together. You can figure out anything!

I'm so confident that you can do it I'm willing to put down a deposit right now just based on the idea. Ttell me how much you want and it's yours.

Barry liked the idea and he'll buy some and most of the rest here will as well and you'll probably have so many interested once the word gets out that you'll have to start a waiting list!

 

[Kelly Olsen]

I don't think we've seen anything like that before have we? A light that folds in half.

I haven't actually, but I'll tell you how I got the idea.

I was really thinking that this was a replacement for my Rifa 55 and I could use your LED 500 instead of a flo because it would be a real easy set up and no bulbs to deal with etc. You mentioned that the LED 500 would be a harder light than a flo but one could put diffussion to soften it a bit.

Then Barry said that in order to get a soft light like my Rifa 55 you need a larger source of light than the proposed LED 500.

I sat and looked at a sheet of 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper (which was mentioned as the possible size of the light) thinking that it was a small source as Barry said and the only way to really soften that size of light would be with a real heavy diffusion, which in turn would cut the light output way to much.

So I thought that I needed to up the amount of light by double to 1000 LED's so it could be really heavily diffused and still have enough output and also double the size of the source to address Barry's point.

Then I thought about the portability issue and I thought that since these are pretty thin to start with, why not just hinge two together at the factory so they could close and open like a laptop. This would be better than having two 500's set up on two separate light stands knocking into each other taking up more room.

Again, I'm certain that you can work this out but if you decide it is to much trouble, I'd buy 1000 LED light that did not fold.

Still not that big to carry, thin, larger light source for softer light and enough light so you could put heavy diffusion on to soften even more.

I'd still pay $350 to $400 for a light like this - with hopefully a little brainstorming DVX discount

OK, I'd even pay full price. Where do you want me to send the deposit?

 

[muroshi]

What's the equivilent for this 1000 LED light in watt again?

 

[Barry_Green]

It'll probably be about equivalent to a 4-bank 220w fluorescent fixture, but drawing about 80 watts.

 

[Cool Lights]

I'm skeptical about that kind of output but we'll know soon. The lumens per watt don't add up when you consider what LEDs are capable of.

One other thing came up while I was thinking about Kelly's design (CL-LP1000-KO version of our panel) and I haven't solved it yet. Normally we put whatever kind of stand adapter on a fixture in the middle. Whether it be the middle of a yoke, the middle bottom for an adapter (like they have on the Lishuai panel and is kind of similar to an Umbrella adapter) or a lollipop. They all go in the middle somewhere on the fixture. And why? Because we want it balanced on the stand, grid, or wherever its going. As I imagine this split 1000 LED panel, its hard to imagine how the stand adapter works.

Its awkward to put it on the middle split between the two panels, whether that be on the back or on the bottom (I think a yoke is out for this kind of fixture for sure--yokes won't go along well with something that folds up). I guess we could use a removable lollipop type but where to put it so we don't lose it when we fold the panel up to move on?

If we use the umbrella adapter on the bottom, we can't just leave it there when we're carrying it around so again, its a piece that has to attach to the fixture and easily come off and store somewhere when its time to fold up and go on. The obvious answer about where to store it is inside of the panel somewhere but I like the idea of keeping the fixture thin so that would preclude putting it inside of the fixture somewhere.

While I'm sure I'll come up with a solution to this, any thoughts about it would be appreciated and probably speed up the process.

 

[Barry_Green]

I'm skeptical about that kind of output but we'll know soon. The lumens per watt don't add up when you consider what LEDs are capable of.

Basing it off Bill Pryor's review where he measured the 2-bank CaseLite at an f/2.6 and the LED500 at f/2.9 in the same setting. So it seemed reasonable to extrapolate forward that two 500-LED fixtures would about match a 4-bank flo.

 

[muroshi]

It'll probably be about equivalent to a 4-bank 220w fluorescent fixture, but drawing about 80 watts.

Wow, that would be great. Costs?

 

[Cool Lights]

Too early to tell. The hinged case to fold in half will be a bit more complicated to make and figure out so we'll have to see how it shakes out and what it costs before I can commit to that.

 

[muroshi]

And what's the timeframe for this?

 

[NonFiction]

Too early to tell. The hinged case to fold in half will be a bit more complicated to make and figure out so we'll have to see how it shakes out and what it costs before I can commit to that.

Couple thoughts on mounting: When you build it, tie in sturdy female 1/4-20 threads on the bottom of each panel, about 2" outboard of the hinge--this way when it's open, you've got two holes about four inches apart, one on either side of the centerline.

Then you build a five inch long bar or hunk of angle with two captive 1/4"-20 bolts in it, four inches apart. Give that bar a stud in the middle and it'll mount up on any swivel (because I'm a stills guy first, I think of something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Bogen-Manfrotto-Umbrella-Adapter-Lite-tite/dp/B0000AE64T )

Takes about 20 seconds to assemble. You could hang it from this mount as well, and the relative light weight of the panels wouldn't stress good quality bolts too much.

Then, I think something along the lines of the Ram Mount hardware could be useful in this application: www.ram-mount.com/

Can't wait to see what happens!

 

[Cool Lights]

Good suggestions. Thats an umbrella adapter and I thought it might be a good choice to use with the 500 led panel as its similar to what they use on the lishuai panel.

Not sure if it would work as well on the 1000 model. Those don't work well with more weight. I also thought about a plate along the bottom but worried that its an extra piece and where will we store it? I guess no matter what we do, lollipop, umbrella adapter or whatever, it will still need to be stored in some other bag which is a shame because if you forget that other bag, you don't have your mount for this fixture. So much better would be some clever way for the adapter to incorporate into the fixture and "hideaway" when in carrying mode.

On timeframes. I think unless some of these fixture and mounting issues are solved pretty quickly, the 1000 will take a couple of months longer to get going than the 500 LED panel which should be pretty straightforward from a fixture standpoint.

 

[Kelly Olsen]

I guess no matter what we do, lollipop, umbrella adapter or whatever, it will still need to be stored in some other bag which is a shame because if you forget that other bag, you don't have your mount for this fixture.

How about a sticker on the light that reads:

"Don't forget the other bag!"

Where's Matt? He is often great at ideas regarding engineering. I'm certain he'll have something better than a sticker!

But again, I have total confidence in you Richard and your ability to come up with a solution.

 

[filmat11]

How about making an attache case type exterior that opens up into two lights...?
The case would have room for the cord(perhaps a swing away door where this cord would reside) and mounting hardware. Or the carry handle could perhaps swivel, lock and be part of the mounting hardware. Each side of the open attache case could contain 800-1000 leds each, and the hinge of the case could be released to make two seperate lights.
The case itself, would protect the leds during travel..
Kinda James Bondish. Close it up and go. Who ever make this, I get the first one....at cost..lol P.S. Yes, I have seen caselites, and Roll lites, but this takes it to a different delivery and set up level. My 2 cents

 

[MattinSTL]

How about a sticker on the light that reads:

"Don't forget the other bag!"

Where's Matt? He is often great at ideas regarding engineering. I'm certain he'll have something better than a sticker!

But again, I have total confidence in you Richard and your ability to come up with a solution.

Thanks Kelly... I was hoping that you guys out on the coast would forgive me for the LA fiasco... the next time I come out to Cali it will be alone... and there won't be any problems meeting up with our LA DVXusers...

I'll catch up on the thread and get some juices flowing... but back when I wanted to do a light like this I figured the most basic way to make the light modular would be to offer a frame. I was looking at extruded aluminum channel to accomplish this (cheap, easy)... so that basically you could slide the lights into a track in order to build a single larger light. If the light structure itself is very solid then you wouldn't need a full track (for say, 4 lights or less) but perhaps just a channel connector at each union (from the sides) and then perhaps a "cross" at the center. The outer channel track could simply be U channel... shaped like this l_l and that would slip over a couple inches of each fixture. 2 of those to put two lights together and 4 for 4. The cross center support could slip in at the center, and attach to each of the 4 lights strictly from the back... unifying the assembly of 4.


Hey about the attache' style light... I worked on that also. I like the caselight concept for the travel protection it provides. I looked into laptop attache' cases to accomplish this... as well as regular aluminum briefcases. This is how I ended up with the look of the DIY LED light that I built for myself... thinking along those lines. I guess it's about time to post a picture... Since members are starting to think along the same lines. As you'll see my fixture doesn't open up into two sides... but attache' style LED light is a good way to describe what I was going for. Pictures coming... gotta' go snap a couple.