Best onboard lighting?

D

Digital Angel

Active member
Hi, have to do a gig in a couple of weeks that will require some on camera lighting. Just filmin a party.

Any solutions?

I still only have one battery, i think i may have to buy annother, but lets begin with lights.

Lets hear some suggestions guys and gals..

Cheers :D
 
Jib,
What's the wattage on those? I couldn't find it (and "relative brightness" isn't cutting it for me). They look pretty sweet though.
 
The litepanel for the Panasonic states 60 foot candles at 2 feet.
http://www.abelcine.com/store/product.php?productid=11066&cat=289&page=1

The vidled states 62 Lux for the same color temp panel:
http://www.vidled.com/productspecifications.html

1 footcandle = 10.76 lux, so it would appear that the litepanel produces roughly 10x the amount of light.

Of course the Litepanel is 3x the cost. Can someone explain the difference aside from the $25 accessory included with the Litepanel? Is it really that bright?

There are non-LED alternatives that are cheaper but use up more power.
 
chakamonkey said:
...so it would appear that the litepanel produces roughly 10x the amount of light.
Click to expand...

Yikes.
One is at 2ft and one is a 6ft. That makes a difference! :)
 
I find that a couple Litepanels clamped onto a Fig Rig provide a nice fill light close in, but I still find that I need a lot more light much of the time. High def is like shooting still still with Ektachrome 64. Nice color if it's not too dark.
 
As many of you know, 2nd Unit got it's start on DVXUser.com and I still have many, many good friends here. In fact, Season 2 which starts filming on Sept 1 will find it's second home here as soon as Jarred and I find ourselves in the same city at the same time to make it happen!

LitePanels has been a great sponsor of ours since we began but only because we were using them for our three network shows well before 2nd Unit approached us with an offer of support. Since then, not only do we use them in network and webcast shows, so do a number of people better known than us. First and foremost is a good friend Rodney Charters who's the DP of "24". He invited me up to his shoot "Molly" during the summer where he was shooting in Port Hope, Toronto and I was impressed to see that he wouldn't let his gaffer work without a pair of them at hand all the time. A number of other productions are using them and ordering them so fast they can't keep them in stock including NCIS, The Unit where we shot 2nd Unit earlier this week, The Island and the upcoming Dukes of Hazard 2. Now this may sound like a plug for one of our sponsors but most everyone knows I don't endorse or push or spend the money to do a show on things that aren't first-class and won't help the independent fikmmakers. Jarred and I have been friends too long to let that happen here on DVXUser.com.

We're doing a special on LitePanels next week to address all of the important questions on them and, of course, to dispell some of the rumors relative to green tone, dimming ad a ton of others. Please check over with us at www.2nd-Unit.tv for that show and I'm certain you'll find a wealth of information as well as discount pricing on them for 2nd Unit viewers.
 
I have been working with litepanels for a couple of months now. All I can say is. Theeeere greaaat! They are worth the price because they do the "JOB" . Not to mention on set is A-LOT cooler. You can touch these lights at any time and won't get burned. Less watts too. You can dim them without a color temp change. Check them out when you get the chance!!!
 
Is the difference between the "DV camera lite kit" and the "DV camera lite kit tungsten" from Litepanels only the "gels" or are the LEDs also different?
From ENG point of view which one of the above do you need?
Can you supply power to the litepanel using the XLR connection of the HVX with the "XLR 4-pin Power Cable" which is included in the Litepanel package?
Does it fit onto the HVX using only the suplied hotshoe adapter or one get space problems when a external mic is on the HVX as well ?
What is the difference between flood and spot and can you do both with one lite panel?
A lot of questions and with all the experiences of the members of this forum we can get the answers :-)
 
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Here is what I know.
They come in Tungsten or daylight color Temps. and both come with color changing gels.
Yes you can run it on an XLR cable but you have to ask for it.
You can shoe mount it but it comes with (I Think) this really cool multi function arm. That lets you place the mini light just about anywhere.
Yes you can use it with a mic on the camera.
The Flood has a 50 degree footprint and the spot has a 20 degree footprint.
As far as ENG that would be a personal choice.
Either one makes a great eye light.
I've been working with them on the set of www.2nd-unit.tv for the last two months. Check out our interviews and see for yourself.
Just my 2 cents.
 
Elvis, I have been interested in Lightpanels but can't afford buying several of them to cover different situations. Even though you are not recommending the flood over the spot or vice versa, in practice what have you been using the most?

Also, I don't want to buy both tungsten AND daylight so what's better, buy the tungsten and gel it for dayight or buy the daylight and gel it for tungsten?
Would the CTO gel pass more light than the CTB and thus make for a brighter instrument?

I am wondering if, given the increased lighting needs of the HVX, that the spot may be a better choice for a first light?
 
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