Aputure Light Storm LS 1s Review

Your frames look good. Two questions?

1. What kind of light modifiers were these done with?
2. Are you sending your defective LS 1S back for an exchange? Yours is the first I have heard about this issue and it does sound like an issue. If you've only had them a few weeks, I would exchange that unit. If you are past exchange date, let us know how Aputure handles the repair.

Sorry for you going through that, I've been through stuff like that and it is a PITA that can quickly turn a great shoot into a nightmare.

QuickHitRecord said:
I shot a micro budget short last weekend. During the week prior, the gaffer and I tested out my daylight LS1s against my Alzo 3200s and his Alzo fluorescents (kind of like Divas). The CRI of these lights really shines when looking at them side by side with lower CRI lights. We all know this, but seeing it was something else.

We used my pair of LS1s plus one that he bought after our test as our keylight for most shots. The remote controls were really handy for dialing in ratios when the lights were mounted to the ceiling (though it seemed like they needed to be turned on once before the remote became active).

A few screen grabs:

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The only problem that we experienced was that one light was getting exceptionally hot and started cutting in and out. This also affected the ballast/controller, which became too hot to touch. Even though the other lights were cranked up to 90% plus as well, we only had any trouble with the one. The only way that we could get through a take was to drop the light intensity by 1% via remote. That would buy us four or five minutes before the light would start cutting out again. Then we'd have to drop it by another percentage. I'm wondering if we were working with a bad outlet, or if it was just a bad unit (this was the brand new unit that the gaffer had just purchased). Has this happened to anyone before?
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@puredrifting

Thanks. We had some 1/2 CTS along with a few sheets of the diffusion paper that Aputure supplies clipped to the barn doors of the sofa overhead. We flew in a silk for close ups and sometimes a half and half gold and silver reflector for fill. A really minimal approach but it was just the two of us for camera and lighting.

There wasn't any diffusion on the LS1 that we had rigged up inside the lampshade. I just raised, lowered, and tilted the shade for the CU shots, varying how the light was being bounced from the table.

This was actually the gaffer's brand new light. Mine were both solid. I think he's on a travel shoot at the moment but I'll check in with him when he gets back. He was going to return the light anyway because they sent him an AB mount instead of V-lock.
 
This is for Erik Naso. Erik, how do you like those inexpensive Chinese batteries you are using, the Rolux? How long do they power the LS 1S for your shoots in the park with your reporters, etc.? You look to be using the 90WH model, Rolux also has the 130WH and 150WH models too? Thinking about picking some of those up, would like your feedback on how you like them and how they are performing with the Lightstorm.

Thanks!
 
puredrifting said:
This is for Erik Naso. Erik, how do you like those inexpensive Chinese batteries you are using, the Rolux? How long do they power the LS 1S for your shoots in the park with your reporters, etc.? You look to be using the 90WH model, Rolux also has the 130WH and 150WH models too? Thinking about picking some of those up, would like your feedback on how you like them and how they are performing with the Lightstorm.

Thanks!
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I've been using the 130WH Rolux with the LS 1S. It performed well enough, I'd guestimate we'd have the light running for a total of 30 minutes on max brightness before it began to noticeably dim down and we'd swap it out. We also had a couple of rental Blueshape BV150 on set that gave us about 20 minutes - Though I do think this was due to the rentals having been way more frequently used than the almost brand new Rolux batteries. Quality wise they felt like any V-mount batteries I've ever used and not once did I fear they'd blow up in my hands (which is always a bonus).
 
Thanks for the feedback Tolin.

Two Light Storm LS 1S arrived this morning, first one tested fine but second one, one of the tiny pins on the power connection on the light control box looked as if it had been made incorrectly and was out a place just a tiny bit, the cable wouldn't lock into the control unit at all. Tried switching cables, etc. but it looks as if the cable connector was made defective. Returned it just an hour after it arrived and ordered another one to replace it for a shoot on Monday. Kind of bummed, the listing on Amazon was for the Anton Bauer Gold Mount controller but they sent to V-Lock plated units. I am beginning to see the beauty though of buying a couple of Gold Mount to V-Lock apdater plates because then I will be able to use either type of battery. So I probably won't send them back. Seems like a nice light, I played with the working one this morning. Good output, the wireless remote is too cool and the overall build seems decent. Looking forward to using these on a paying project Monday.
 
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Anyone aware of the full photometrics of the LS 1S C? I see only the 1 meter numbers listed on B&H. Also, what are the specific reading at 3200K vs 5600k? Curious if we'll get more pop from this than the Area48 once you match the softness?

323 fc/ 25000 lux at 1.6' / 50cm
697 fc / 7500 lux at 3.3' / 1m


 
Can't share any production stills yet but I put my two new Aputure LS 1S through their paces yesterday. Daylight exterior shoot, the weather was insane, swinging perhaps 8-10 stops every :30 to 2:00, it was a rare sunny/cloudy day in LA. I had an 8x8 Scrim Jim and ended up using a China Silk for most of the main interview. Used two bare LS 1S, one as a rim and one as a fill with a 1/2 peach gel as we were shooting people of color and I like how the peach gel reacts to black skin tones. Shots looked very good. Working with the LS 1S, overall was a good experience althogh a couple of observations for those contemplating buying them.

1. The power cable situation is stupid. Having the large power supply sitting on the ground is not great for outdoor shoots with the power supply possibly sitting in dirt, mud, etc. Then to have to run that XLR cable up to the control box is just another step. I kind of dig the quick detach cables from the control unit to the light head, they seem to work well. For indoor shooting, this cable situation is merely a nuisance but for exteriors, in the dirt, mud and dust, Aputure needs to go back to the drawing board. I appreciate that the lights themselves are slim and small, they are much thinner than any competing panels and than goodness for the aluminum heat sink versus a fan on other LEDs. Perhaps an easy fix would be to have some sort of spring loaded clamp on the actual power supply block, allowing you to actually clamp the power suppy to the base of the light stand? That would be killer, when you move the entire light and light stand, the power supply is already attached to the base, also serving as a light counterweight to anchor the stand. How about it Aputure? Then you don't have to shrink or re-engineer the power supply itself, just get it up off of the ground? The way it is now, when I had a gaffer move the light, he had to pick up the light stand with the light on it, and the power supply and carry both to the new position or more likely, the light on the stand will get picked upped and moved and the power supply will just get dragged on the ground, getting scuffed up and dirty and the AC lead getting pulled loose. Not an elegant solution.

2. The other things that really bugged me was that while the "number" correlating to how high you have the light turned up is visible indoors, in bright sunlight, it is useless, even cupping hands around it to try to shade it, I couldn't see anything so I just turned the knob several times to make sure the lights were at 100% output. Aputure, how about putting a much brighter LED readout into the control unit for the numbers? The channel indicators were bright and showed up great in direct sunlight but the numbers? Not so much.

Other than these two beefs, the lights worked great, the output was amazing for an LED panel working outdoor in slightly diffused (from the China Silk) sunlight. My shots, while I cannot yet share them here, looked very much akin to Erick Naso's tests he shot in the park in tree shade with the newcasters. I would say that Aputure definitely has a hit with the LS 1S but with some slight improvements, could be just about the perfect light. They have to do something about the power supply/control/box/cable to light head mess, and to be able to see the power levels you are actually using when outside would be helpful but the quality and color temperature of the light is extraordinary for a $700.00 light.
 
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Good observations and tips all around. There's a Facebook group called "Aputure User Group" where they respond to suggestions and comments directly.

One thing you could do in the meantime is hang the power controller box around one of the light stand's knobs, rather than placing it on the ground. Then it would move with the light/stand. But that doesn't solve the separate AC adapter dragging through the mud. Perhaps you could get a very long power cable that goes from the AC adapter to your outlet, so the AC adapter could hang on the light stand too.
 
You kids crack me up. In my day (cue grumpy old man voice) we'd solve this oversells.

A trip to Home Depot will get me a hook for 50 cents to mount the controller/battery to the light. A clamp to hold the AC power supply to the stand is less than $5.
 
Haha I understand what you're saying. But I didn't buy one and am now complaining. It's just the reason I probably won't buy one. I own an Area 48 panel so these would be for a lighting fast, lightweight bi-colour option to have. The extra cable is another thing to lose, carry and not all production assistants wear cargo shorts anymore. The unit itself is not ridiculously light like a flex mat etc. in which case a separate unit would then become a requirement in my eyes. Aputure's soon to be released 888s (or whatever they're called) look pretty good to me at this point. I might have to pick up a couple then complain about no barn doors though...
 
Mitch Gross said:
You kids crack me up. In my day (cue grumpy old man voice) we'd solve this oversells.

A trip to Home Depot will get me a hook for 50 cents to mount the controller/battery to the light. A clamp to hold the AC power supply to the stand is less than $5.
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The nylon web strap that comes with the light is fine for mounting the controller/battery to the light mount yoke. It's the rather large and bulky power supply that is a problem. I will be buying some kind of clamp to affix it to a light stand but this was the first time I had even used the lights since buying them just a couple of days ago so I hadn't really even worked out how all of this would unfold in a run and gun situation yet. Only had to time to just turn them on to make sure that they were working since we have been in intensive pre-pro. Sometimes you just have to put gear through the wringer to figure out what is needed to make it work for you. The power supply looks and feel like the case is pretty densely packed, probably not going to be convenient to crack it open to drill through to affix the mounting clamps, will have to work out something that can grip the power supply and grip the center column or leg of a light stand or C-stand. Might even try some heavier Velcro straps, it's not like the power supply has to stay affixed to the stand for hours or being carried up trails or being ran with.

Anyone else make the Home Depot/Lowes pilgrimage to affix the power supply to a light stand or C-stand yet? I already ditched the 4' long AC cables and replaced with some 15' long OSHA cables.
 
Mitch Gross said:
Here, if you don't want to figure out your own solution, Ikan has done it for you.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/868276-REG/ikan_PWRGP_1_Power_Grip.html
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OSCURO said:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/832642-REG/Tether_Tools_SSMRST_StrapMoore.html

The fit is also snug and secure around a standard light stand as well, and the rubber grip that lines the straps holds onto my LEDs power supply and doesn't slip when moving it around.
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Thanks Mitch & OSCURO!

Been looking for a solution for strapping my LEDs' AC Bricks to lightstands, & would have been happy with either of these options, but went the StrapMoore to save space, & weight.

The StrapMoore Extender shows promise too.

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