Most powerful LED for use as a soft key light?

L

Lkorver

Well-known member
Looking to find the most powerful bi-color 1X2 LED to mimic what I got from the Diva 401, which was a bi-color, relatively powerful light that I could diffuse the hell out of and still have enough pop for most interior interview situations. I like my key light as soft as possible so I really need a good amount of pop out of my next key light. Considering the Diva 401 was just powerful enough for this application, and was rated at 3000 lux at 1 meter, that's pretty much my low end output threshold since that's already a somewhat soft light coming in at 3000 LUX. I should mention that I fly to nearly all my jobs so I need something relatively portable. Also not looking for any crazy DIY setups, needs things to work, and work quickly in high pressure situations.

The Westcott Flex 1x2 has very powerful specs, 3500-3900 LUX at 1 meter, whereas the Kino Select LED, at the same 100w power and size, is rated at only 2740 LUX, but thats after running through the built in diffusion panel, whereas the Flex is a bare hard light at that LUX rating. Without the ability to test these out side by side, how best should I compare the output between natively diffused and undiffused light sources?

Which other lights should I consider in addition to the Westcott Flex and Kino LED lines? Cost is certainly a factor but if I can check off all my boxes with one light, i'm willing to bite the bullet.

Checklist:
Bi-color
Portable (under 15lbs so I can put on standard light stand, max 1x2 in size to fit most suitcases)
3000 LUX @ 1 meter bare minimum output
Reliable and fast set up
Battery power is a bonus not a must
Softbox pairing is important
 
Aladdin Bi-Flex 100 spec:

Aladin Bi-Flex 2 | 100W [TABLE="width: 568"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 568, colspan: 6, align: left"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]60cm/2ft[/TD]
[TD]1m/3ft[/TD]
[TD]2m/6ft[/TD]
[TD]3m/9ft[/TD]
[TD]CRI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daylight 6000K[/TD]
[TD]8300lux[/TD]
[TD]4000lux[/TD]
[TD]1290lux[/TD]
[TD]450lux[/TD]
[TD]98[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]BiColor 4200K[/TD]
[TD]7000lux[/TD]
[TD]3200lux[/TD]
[TD]900lux[/TD]
[TD]420lux[/TD]
[TD]97[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Tungsten 3000K[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]5500lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]2200lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]640lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]320lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]97[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
Thanks Rob, its funny when I started my search to upgrade from the Diva 400, Area48 was the first place I looked, looks like I may be circling back in that direction. Surprised they haven't come up with a replacement for this model, it's been over 4 years since they were launched.
 
Westcott Flex would give you the bi-color option and maintain above your 3000 lux requirement across all color temperature settings. In addition you could add the softbox and other accessories without killing your budget. Westcott's Flex is a US patented (patent number 9,395,068) product so you can rely on the product and current and new accessories to be available in the future.
 
Yeah, I wonder what they have in the works. It's an expensive light no doubt but no regrets on my end - build quality is outstanding, barn doors this good on LEDs are few and far between. Changing from panels from daylight to tungsten is very easy but you still can't dial in a temperature, which is what DPs sort of expect these days, if used in a traditional production environment (I have some smaller bi colour panels too for this reason).

As far as your criteria of fitting in a suitcase, the Area 48 is probably a stretch - it'd probably fit but will take up some decent space.
 
You say you want a bi-color to match 3000 Lux from a Diva. But unless you are 4100 a bicolor will give you about half of that at 5600 or 3200.
Personally I prefer the output of 5600 K LED's and figure carrying a few gels is a cheap price to pay.
 
I've narrowed it down to the Aputure LS 1c + Area48 (used). The LS 1c has more power on paper 7500 lux @ 3m vs the Area48's 4147 lux @ 3m (albeit the Area48 is already a little soft at that reading, so it would need less diffusion)

The big question is what are the LS 1c's numbers at 5600k and 3200k? Are we only getting the 7500 lux power at the mixed color temp?
 
Osslund said:
Aladdin Bi-Flex 100 spec:

Aladin Bi-Flex 2 | 100W [TABLE="width: 568"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 568, colspan: 6, align: left"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]60cm/2ft[/TD]
[TD]1m/3ft[/TD]
[TD]2m/6ft[/TD]
[TD]3m/9ft[/TD]
[TD]CRI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daylight 6000K[/TD]
[TD]8300lux[/TD]
[TD]4000lux[/TD]
[TD]1290lux[/TD]
[TD]450lux[/TD]
[TD]98[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]BiColor 4200K[/TD]
[TD]7000lux[/TD]
[TD]3200lux[/TD]
[TD]900lux[/TD]
[TD]420lux[/TD]
[TD]97[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Tungsten 3000K[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]5500lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]2200lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]640lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]320lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]97[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Click to expand...

Needed a small documentary lighting package for travels so picked up two of Aladdin's Bi Flex 2 kits (1x2'), & one of Kinotehnik's 602 LED fresnel. They'll live in a Samsonite 28" S'Cure suitcase along with four Matthews MERF stands, AC cables, collapsible reflector, fly-away sandbags, 12x12' silk, & other odd bits.
 
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That sounds like a very travel friendly kit. Please report back on those Kinotechnik's. I've been wanting to try one out on a job - and would love to hear a guesstimate on output equivalent to hot fresnel or hmi fixture.
 
Osslund said:
Aladdin Bi-Flex 100 spec:

Aladin Bi-Flex 2 | 100W [TABLE="width: 568"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 568, colspan: 6, align: left"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]60cm/2ft[/TD]
[TD]1m/3ft[/TD]
[TD]2m/6ft[/TD]
[TD]3m/9ft[/TD]
[TD]CRI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daylight 6000K[/TD]
[TD]8300lux[/TD]
[TD]4000lux[/TD]
[TD]1290lux[/TD]
[TD]450lux[/TD]
[TD]98[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]BiColor 4200K[/TD]
[TD]7000lux[/TD]
[TD]3200lux[/TD]
[TD]900lux[/TD]
[TD]420lux[/TD]
[TD]97[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Tungsten 3000K[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]5500lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]2200lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]640lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]320lux[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]97[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Click to expand...

I'm assuming this table is without the diffusion fabric. How much light can I expect to lose with diffusion layer on top? 1 stop?

Also, the chart assumes a certain light spread angle which I am assuming is somewhat narrow. With diffusion fabric it would turn it into a 180 degree spread which would really bring down that lux rating.

Please let me know if my logic is off.
 
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The diffuser does take away some power. I'll be picking up the Aladdin softbox today and that'll make the beam more narrow. If this makes the light more concentrated in power I have to check.
 
I have both the Bi-Flex (1x1) and Bi-Flex 2 8 (1x2) but not the Bi-Flex4(?). All of them came in a kit with poweradapter, control box and diffuser. I've added softboxes and grid and for the Bi-Flex (1x1) I purchased V-lock battery plates.
 
Last edited:
I took time this evening to measure my Bi-Flex 2 (1x2) panel with the different options at hand and also did a comparison with my DLED7 Bi-Color.

Aladdin Bi-Flex 2 at 1 meter distance using V-lock battery as power source.

With softbox, grid and grid diffuser:

3200k - 1650 lux
Mid - 1790 lux
5600k - 1770 lux

With softbox and diffuser:

3200k - 2340 lux
Mid - 2620 lux
5600k - 2540 lux

Only softbox. No diffuser:

3200k - 3770 lux
Mid - 4160 lux
5600k - 4040 lux

Just the panel without anything:

3200k - 2930 lux
Mid - 3240 lux
5600k - 3140 lux

Only with the stock diffuser:

3200k - 2230 lux
Mid - 2470 lux
5600k - 2380 lux

Dedolight DLED 7 at spot at 1 meter:

3200k - 15230 lux
Mid - 19800 lux
5600k - 17560 lux

Dedolight DLED 7 at flood at 1 meter:

3200k - 2400 lux
Mid - 3470 lux
5600k - 2760 lux
 
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