Cool lights 600 or Zylight 90?

Tai Lyon

Tai Lyon

Well-known member
If you were only able to afford one or the other and wanted a portable solution for interviews which of the two lights is the most versatile: Cool lights 600 or Zylight 90?

I've heard great things about both so I thought maybe somebody has had the chance to try them both out.
 
Cool Lights 600.

I have both, and the CL600 has a wider pattern and is better suited for interviews.

I mainly use the Zylight for putting a colored light on the backdrop/wall.
 
I can't think of two more different tools. I love the Zylight but as a single light for an interview, it is a small hard source, pretty unflattering for most people.

The LED 600 with a Chimera or a piece of diffusion in front of it would allow you to do a lot more, you could get key and fill with the addition of a Flexfill or piece of foamcore.

So if you want your interview to look like ugly news camera look, go for the Zylight.
If you want to have some shape, modeling and depth, the LED 600 with a piece of diffusion and a piece of foamcore would do the trick.

Dan
 
Cool lights 600

Cool lights 600

Thanks guys, that's what I was thinking but great to hear from both of you that have the experience with both lights.

Looks like some diffusion and possibly -1/4 -1/2 green will help with the overall feel of the light.

Next question concerning batteries. As I don't own AB batteries and they don't come cheap do you recommend a different battery source or is that pretty much the way to go? I know you get what you pay for and the Dionic 90 seems like the one but just wondering if there are other options.

Dan, nice job on the home made speedring!
 
Tai Lyon said:
Thanks guys, that's what I was thinking but great to hear from both of you that have the experience with both lights.

Looks like some diffusion and possibly -1/4 -1/2 green will help with the overall feel of the light.

Next question concerning batteries. As I don't own AB batteries and they don't come cheap do you recommend a different battery source or is that pretty much the way to go? I know you get what you pay for and the Dionic 90 seems like the one but just wondering if there are other options.

Dan, nice job on the home made speedring!
Click to expand...

I believe someone had gotten the Tekkeon MP3450's to work with the lights but I can't say for sure. That's the option I will be looking into when I get around to it...
 
Ned Soltz reported 1 hour with the Tekkeon battery. Diconic 90 should give about 1 hour and 35 minutes or so...
 
To use the Tekkeon 3450, you will need to buy their straight cable ($8), cut off the tip, and solder to a 4-pin XLR power cable. Very simple job. And yes, 1 hour on the Tekkeon.

Ned
 
Guys, hate to be practical here but let's think this out.

Purpose of a battery source for the LED 600 - so that the light can be used handheld and where this is no AC power available, correct? As someone who has won a few bar bets in my time, I liken holding the LED 600 at arms length for long periods in time as a demostration in isometric exercise. It is the same as the beer mug bet (even the strongest person in the world cannot old a full mug of beer in each hand, with both arms extended, level with your shoulder, for more than a minute or two). Easiest bet to win because it is simple physics and physiology. Holding an LED 600 all day is the same thing, why would you want to add weight by placing an AB brick battery on the light that your poor HL (human light stand) needs to hold in his/her poor arms? Seems counterintuitive. The only advantage would be if you already own a pile of AB-type batteries, then I could see the plate for convenience. But for the consideration of the HL, I want to distribute the battery weight as evenly or a practically as possible. What could be more practical than holding the battery with your back or your shoulder rather than your arm? Not much.

Tekkeons, a one hour run time? Who shoots for an hour? Yes, you can buy stacks of the Tekkeons but I have a better idea.

I just purchased a Bescor BES-018XLRA Shoulder Pack Lead-Acid Battery . It weighs a lot (I think about 12lbs) BUT, it comes in a nice canvas case with an attached shoulder strap. I have plenty of backpacks laying around I can just as easily locate the Bescor in the backpack. Now, 12 lbs on your back is nothing, you will barely feel it there. Run a male to female 4 pin XLR cable from the backpack to the LED 600.

Now for the payoff.

1. Cost - Bescor Starved Electrolyte Panasonic cell battery system. $124.95
2. Run Time - At full power, will run the LED 600 for FOUR, that's right, FOUR hours!!! Two of these sets you up for a full shooting day with full power light. $250.00
3. Versatility - With the Bescor in the backpack, you can plant it on the ground, even use as a sort of sandbag when you have the LED 600 on a light stand. Run around with the backpack, put it on the floor of the car when shooting car interiors.

AB batteries are fine but drawbacks are cost (at least $250.00 to $350.00 per battery to get any kind of decent run time) and isometric weight that you are making your poor HL carry.

Tekkeon is fine but ultra wimpy run time, therefore a lousy value. To get equal run time to one Bescor, you would need four ($500.00 worth) of the Tekkeon 3450s. If you carry the weight on your shoulder or back, as I said, 12lbs is negligible.

The answer seems clear to me.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/228191-REG/Bescor_BES018XLR_BES_018XLR_Battery_Pack.html

Dan
 
Hey some great ideas and thanks for keeping the thread alive as I'm sure I'm not the only one interested in how to best make this system work both practically and financially.

I like the versatility of the Bescor and considering I'll be using a stand most of the time the fact that it can double as a sandbag is an added bonus.
 
This is why we don't sell batteries yet. I want to see what ends up being the predominant solution out there. For instance, I found this sometime back:

http://www.powerportstore.com/DC%20Prod-AR.htm#PowerPort%2073


and thought it could be a great economical solution too. Particularly the "Powerport 312" with an overnight charger for about $109. Just need a cigar lighter to 4 pin XLR cable to capitalize on it. Its untested though so some brave soul needs to get one to check out.

All we can do is supply all the different options through various means: 4 pin XLR, D-Tap, battery plates, etc. That allows you to choose the best power options for your use.
 
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I'll be using my LED 600s this week for some interiors with this battery Richard. Will let you know how it works out and will have our set photographer get some shots of the lights at work.

Dan
 
Cool. As far as I know, you're the first to use that particular type but it should work fine. The input to this panel is well protected so I am confident that most of these solutions should cause no problems as far as damage goes to the panel itself. Everyone should leave the LED600 external power supply completely off the unit though if using a battery of any kind. The external power supply itself, not the panel, could be damaged by some solutions.
 
Dan, Looking forward to hearing what your thoughts are on this setup as I'm about to make an order for the light and would like to go with the Bescor battery if it seems to work out.

Tai
 
My battery solution

My battery solution

I'm happy to have the 4 pin xlr on the led600 for when i have access to pro solutions, but most of my battery solutions are using those typical "laptop/12v appliance" round connector w/ the 2.1mm pin in the middle.

So, I bought 2 of the tekkeon 3450 bundled with the 3450-10 new on ebay for $167 a "pair". The 3450-10 is a second battery the same size as the 3450 that clips onto it and doubles the duration (and size) of the 3450. I can see how the bescor or some other option might last longer, but i've found the tekkeons to be amazingly useful for other things too. I've charged my phone w/ it when shooting away from power, powered an external drive while on location, and even run a AA battery recharger off it when we ran out of fresh batteries for the wireless mics. I love being able to set the voltage to what i need.

I also have a stack of 7ah 12v sealed lead acid batteries i got from a commercial shoot. They are the same kind used for "spotlighting" hunting, so you can buy neat little bags designed specially for them complete with a cigarette lighter socket you can plug stuff into.

My solution for the tekkeon and the lead acid batteries was to make a 4 pin to female "12v" appliance adapter. I bought a pair of right angle 4 pin xlr and a pair of female inline 12v connectors. To my surprise and joy, the guts of the 12v connector screws securely and tightly directly into the cable strain sleeve of the xlr jack. This means i was able to solder up the adapter as a single fixed object with no loose cables. Now, if i want to use the 4 pin xlr, i use it as it is, and if i want to use the 12v appliance connector, i plug my right angle adapter in and i have my desired connection with no chance of accidently hooking up the power and battery at the same time.

I haven't done any tests of the tekkeon 3450 with 3450-10, or with the lead acid batteries, but i'm optimistic i'll get a couple hours off each. My xlr adapter gives my led600 the best of both worlds (and i can use the tekkeon with the included tips), and also, with a cigarette to 12v appliance cable, the lead acid batteries should provide more low cost power than i'll ever need. Plus, i can use it to plug the light directly into the car's cigarette adapter and run as long as the petrol lasts. hehe.

I think the led600 is pretty sweet. I just wish it was bright enough to use in sunlight. Maybe someday. hehe.
 
Floop:

Based upon the watt hours ratings, you'll be doing well to get an hour each or a total of two hours on your Tekkeon combo. I will report back what we get with the Bescor, I will be charging it and discharging it as soon as it arrives tomorrow to prep for my shoot Thursday.

Dan
 
So far, I am at 3 hours 27 minutes with the Bescor powering the LED 600 spot at 100%, still going strong. Very impressive.

Dan
 
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Sounds like you're on track to beat my Chinese made 190WH Vmount battery which is quite expensive compared to what you've got. I got about 3:45 out of that one as I recall.
 
Wow, now I am really impressed. I began at 3:00 PM PST, it is now 7:47 PM and it is still going, granted it has lost some output. Not bad. 4:47 and it would still be useful. Very impressive. I bet with rests in between takes, this thing could cover an entire shooting day.

Best $124.95 I have spent in a long time.

Dan
 
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