PAR 64 RGB LED lights?

[starcentral]

Anyone try using these in their projects for creating some flashing color, or just to add some color in spots in scenes?

 

[starcentral]

Looking at specs from Chauvet Lighting or American DJ, some of these PAR cans with 1W to 3W LED's are putting out 5800 LUX or more at 1 meter at 30 degree spot. According to specs, this makes about equal in performance to a ARRI 200w-300w.

I don't know how "even" it is in comparison to a fresnel light like ARRI, but this is pretty good power for the cost, plus its dimmable and offers colors. I don't know what color temperature the "white" would be or CRI but this is worth looking at.

 

[Cool Lights]

I don't know about the unit in question but a lot of the LEDs used in stage lighting have a flicker issue. I saw a thread recently where someone was talking about the ruined footage from a concert all due to the LED stage lighting used. Some may have issues just while being dimmed and others may have the issue all the time. Its important to remember that there are differences between stage lighting and film / tv lighting and there is no hard and fast requirement of stage lighting that it work with video cameras. Maybe there should be and perhaps there will be as more people complain about their video being ruined at stage venues.

Otherwise, you'd have to test the unit in question to see if it has an issue or not.

 

[starcentral]

I remember reading somewhere about stage flicker, but I've also seen a lot of demo videos on youtube shot by amateurs of their lighting setup and so far haven't seen any flicker. I'm sure they are shooting 60i with prosumer cameras, but I think for between $80 - $250 tops it's worth testing.

Originally I was looking for a way to create some color onset for accent or splashes on walls. Gells always look so amateurish to me, but when I saw videos of these RGB PAR cans in wedding reception videos my light bulb started going off.

There are even blue white / warm amber adjustable versions so I'm thinking it might work as a some "fill" in specific outdoor setup. (providing the subject is in shade not direct sun as I doubt it's that bright)

 

[DaneCannon]

So how'd this work out for you?

 

[The Legend]

i was thinking the same, i'm looking to buy new lights but i don't know which one to get between flouorescent light panels and the led light panels. which one you think would be the best

 

[starcentral]

Here is some of the work I'm doing mixing tungsten, flos, and now LED light for its unique color ability.

 

[The Legend]

Here is some of the work I'm doing mixing tungsten, flos, and now LED light for its unique color ability.

Nice so you mixed them up. that's a cool look. did you use three point lighting for these shots.

 

[starcentral]

Here is a diagram of the lighting setup that I used that day. It was not traditional three point lighting, as I would have liked to have a rim light on the back of the artist as well but there was no means to suspend it overhead without damaging the ceiling.

Seen in the diagram, the key light to camera left is a 4 bank fluorescent fixture with daylight balanced bulbs, then gridded and flagged using barn doors to block spill. The fill light to camera right were actually tungsten flood lights aimed at the floor which also acted as some fill on the singer. The ARRI 150w behind camera right was used to light the opposite corner and create some balance with the light coming out of the table lamp. Lastly some blue LED lights were put behind the couch to light up around it which created a nice purple glow around the couch.

None of the tungsten lights used here were corrected, and the white balance on the camera was set in-between 3200 and 5600 at around 4400.

The image was further graded in post to re-expose the subject and small area around him.

 

[The Legend]

Thanks man for explaining your lighting to me. Great job. I only have been doing this for a year and this is the first time someone has explained something to me. Thanks again.

 

[starcentral]

Your welcome. I always wanted to document it myself incase I forgot how I did it that day, so this thread gave me an excuse.

As for the diagram itself, it might look intimidating at first with all the lights you see used but as always my lighting is an evolutionary process adding one light at a time until I like what I see. Its not like I walked into the place and knew "this is where all my lights need to go". I wish I was that good, but I'm not. I simply started with the practical lights in the room, added the key light and then used the ARRI 150w to project across the room and light up the left side of that wall so the back wall was balanced to the light on the right side where that table lamp was.

 

[dwiener]

I don't know about the unit in question but a lot of the LEDs used in stage lighting have a flicker issue. I saw a thread recently where someone was talking about the ruined footage from a concert all due to the LED stage lighting used. Some may have issues just while being dimmed and others may have the issue all the time. Its important to remember that there are differences between stage lighting and film / tv lighting and there is no hard and fast requirement of stage lighting that it work with video cameras. Maybe there should be and perhaps there will be as more people complain about their video being ruined at stage venues.

Otherwise, you'd have to test the unit in question to see if it has an issue or not.

I've worked with units by Altman and Color Kinetics. Maybe some of the cheaper mfg's have flicker issues. I know dimming an LED is not the same as dimming incandescent.