Who has tried the Nanguang RGB88?

puredrifting

puredrifting

Major Contributor
http://www.nanguang.cn/product/showproduct.php?lang=en&id=346
I may add one of these to my lighting kit, mostly as a hair/edge source and to paint BGs when my Luxli Cello is being used as a hair light.
A few YouTube reviews like it, impressive output, a lot of flexibility in it's settings and supposedly built really strongly. Pretty cheap and I know,
caveats about buying another Chinese light that if it breaks will be a PITA to get service for.

Anyone?
 
I’ve had two of their cn900 panels for years. They’ve been banged around a lot of places, only issue was I had to change the v-lock plate on both...
 
Run&Gun said:
Dan, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear you've had a touch of GAS lately...
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Perhaps a bit but everything I have bought has been to actually solve some specific challenges for two large ongoing projects.
This light, at $239.00, isn't a big investment. But yes, at the end of the year, it was "this money will go to the IRS or I can buy a few of these problem solvers".
While I won't make any extra money with this and Cello, it is allowing me to sell off my tungsten Arris, which I have been holding onto and using here and there
as hair/rim/BG lights, they are too large, cause too much heat in some cases and don't have the output to allow me achieve deep, bright, saturated colors for BGs
just using gels.

The thing I am in love with on the Cello is I can dial in "Deep Blue" gel with no heat and it takes :10 whereas as you know with working with
tungsten, setting up an Arri 650, dimmer, baby floor plate and breaking out the gels takes time and the end result isn't as good. Plus the Cello is running off of
a battery, saves time over plugging in a 650. So definitely not making me money per se, but saving me time, hassle with a better result and when working with a small
two or three person crew, time is money just like with a bigger crew.
 
puredrifting said:
Perhaps a bit but everything I have bought has been to actually solve some specific challenges for two large ongoing projects.
This light, at $239.00, isn't a big investment. But yes, at the end of the year, it was "this money will go to the IRS or I can buy a few of these problem solvers".
While I won't make any extra money with this and Cello, it is allowing me to sell off my tungsten Arris, which I have been holding onto and using here and there
as hair/rim/BG lights, they are too large, cause too much heat in some cases and don't have the output to allow me achieve deep, bright, saturated colors for BGs
just using gels.

The thing I am in love with on the Cello is I can dial in "Deep Blue" gel with no heat and it takes :10 whereas as you know with working with
tungsten, setting up an Arri 650, dimmer, baby floor plate and breaking out the gels takes time and the end result isn't as good. Plus the Cello is running off of
a battery, saves time over plugging in a 650. So definitely not making me money per se, but saving me time, hassle with a better result and when working with a small
two or three person crew, time is money just like with a bigger crew.
Click to expand...

Yep. I do wish I had a little more of some people’s discipline with regards to buying equipment(or at least less expensive equipment), but I love what I do and if something can help me do it a little better in any regard, then sometimes that’s worth as much or more than will ‘item x’ generate $X on its own.

Lord knows most of my TV clients aren’t paying me one red cent more for my gear package vs. the next guy that may have spent half the money on his, as long as they get what they want in the end. But I’m willing to pay a little more to make that journey to the end easier on me.
 
That looks a lot like the YONGNUO YN360.

I have a YN360 and it's pretty good, the bluetooth app is particularly useful.
There are options for creating flickering fire effects and lightning, although I haven't worked them out properly yet.

There's a 1/4inch thread in the end and it happily mounts at any angle.

The output is good for it's size and the beam is quite narrow so if you use it as a backlight it doesn't spill much.
970 batteries seem to last for hours, and I can fit two 970 batteries in the bag with the light as well.

I will say that it's a shame you can't mix the RGB in with the other LEDs.

Screen Shot 2019-02-03 at 19.22.11.jpg
 
Hey puredrifting, did you purchase the Nanguang RGB88? If so, how does it compare to the Luxli Cello? I am debating whether or not I want to try the Cello's again(both of mine were defective) or try the Nanguang's. Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.
 
metalheadlv said:
Hey puredrifting, did you purchase the Nanguang RGB88? If so, how does it compare to the Luxli Cello? I am debating whether or not I want to try the Cello's again(both of mine were defective) or try the Nanguang's. Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, I did buy the Naguang RGB88. So far, so good, I am using it as a fill source on some interviews, a big soft key on one side and the Naguang mounted vertically on it's soft setting as a bit of fill. I will be producing a :90 review YouTube video for HD Video Pro soon but in the meantime, observations:

1. The features all work as advertised although the RGB and soft modes have far less output than the hard light mode
2. Build quality is really impressive for such a cheap light
3. I have Wasabi and Watson L Series Sonys and the larger NPF-950 sized batteries won't run it but the smaller 750 sized ones will? The batteries fit onto the battery plate fits pretty loosely, not like they'll fall off, they click in, but there is some slop
and for some reason, only the smaller batteries will light it up?
4. The Cello is a different kind of light in my mind. It is more refined, has more gel colors that are much more precise to control and select. FWIW, I am having some of the same battery issues on the Cello, certain batteries just won't light it up and
it's battery to body fit is much tighter than secure feeling than the Naguang? These are brand new Watsons too although the Wasabis are a bit older but not "old" or used much?
5. The mounting adapter than comes with the Nanguang works well to affix to the light but the opposite side is also a 1/4" 20 thread which means out of the box you can only mount it
to cheapo photo stands that have a male 1/4" 20 thread at the end of the spud. I much prefer a 5/8" standard light mounting as I use mostly Matthews and American Grip real light stands
not crappy, flimsy photo stands. You can, of course, buy a 5/8" female to 1/4" 20 male adapter but extra money, hassle, etc. So just beware of this if you use real light stands/grip equipment.
6. The Cello has about a third more of regular light output as the Nanguang, about 1,500 LUX versus a 1,100 at 1m, same story with RGB output, the Cello has significantly more.

Overall, I am glad I bought the Nanguang but I may eventually add another Cello to the kit but I wouldn't add a second Nanguang. I bought the softbox for the Cello and it works surprisingly well, I could key a very tight interview with it, like a CU or ECU where
I could get the source in really close to increase the realtive size of source to subject. Couldn't do that with the Nanguang as well.

Overall, both good lights but different tools for different purposes. With it's higher output, the Cello is also better for painting BGs with color washes, the main reason I bought it. If you can afford the Cello, I'd get it. If not, you can still find use for the Nanguang although in
my mind, it's not as versatile.
 
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