Aputure Light Storm COB 120t LED Light Review
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- Опубліковано 20 лип 2024
- Aputure just started shipping a new LED light for filmmakers called the Light Storm COB 120t. This is a tungsten color balanced single LED flood light which has a Bowens S mount so it can accept all sorts of light shaping tools like a soft box, barn doors, beauty dish, snoot and even a fresnel lens. This makes the 120t an incredibly flexible light. It also has great color rendering with a CRI of 97 and puts out plenty of light to use as a key light for interviews or talking head video or still photos. Here we review the 120t in detail.
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Gear mentioned in or used to record this episode:
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Aputure Light Storm COB 120t LED Light (with Sony V-mount Battery Plate)
Amazon: geni.us/VZi7
B&H Photo: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product...
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Aputure Light Storm COB 120t LED Light with Soft Carry Bag (Sony V-mount Battery Plate)
Amazon: geni.us/nSk8u
B&H Photo: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product...
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Aputure Light Storm COB 120t LED Light (Anton Bauer Gold Mount Battery Plate)
Amazon: Coming Soon
B&H Photo: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product...
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Aputure Light Storm COB 120t LED Light with Soft Carry Bag (Anton Bauer Gold Mount Battery Plate)
Amazon: geni.us/6t8fR
B&H Photo: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product...
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Umbrella (Shoot through for Soft Light - Great for Interview or Talking Head) Westcott
Amazon: geni.us/fVtbp
B&H Photo: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product...
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Aputure Light Dome Soft Box
Amazon: Coming Soon
B&H Photo: Coming Soon
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Aputure Beauty Dish and Grid Spot
Amazon: Coming Soon
B&H Photo: Coming Soon
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Aputure Fresnel Lens (To hard spot the light)
Amazon: Coming Soon
B&H Photo: Coming Soon
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Copyright 2016 by Curtis Judd
Ethics statement: Some of the links above are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, or other affiliate links.
Seriously, your videos are the most time-well-spent I spend on UA-cam.
Thanks!
I just got two LS1s based on your great review, and I am thinking about picking up a few of these as well. Love the quality of the LS1s, they really flatter the Blackmagic Ursa Mini 4.6k senor! Cheers!
Hey, great to hear they're working well for you!
Curtis, I so appreciate the quality and thought that goes into everything you put out. Just subscribed. I was about to order a Light Storm LS1C but I literally see no advantage in owning it over the daylight model of the COB when it eventually comes out except for the variable color temperature. Thanks again Curtis for the awesome review!
+Shane A thank you Shane. I really appreciate the feedback.
Thank you for all the videos you make. They are clear well thought out and concise....
+Nik Andrews thanks Nik!
Great review Curtis! I am eager to get my hands on some of these myself. Definitely hoping they get a daylight balanced one out soon!
+Bart Johnson Productions thanks Bart, agreed, I'll probably buy the daylight models once those hit.
Once again, great video Curtis, thanx. Thinking about getting one :)
+JLVPictures thanks!
Great review hoping they release a daylight balanced one in the future.
Agreed! Ted @ Aputure said to expect it in the next couple of months.
Oh, yessir! That's the one. I bought a few light that are daylight balance. Two of these will confidently complete my lighting setup.
+James Anderson wait for the daylight version of this to match your other lights. 😀
+Curtis Judd No, I want the tungsten balanced led lights. I have 9 daylight balanced led lights and I've had two that are bi-color but they aren't as intense as my daylight balanced lights.
+James Anderson ok, that makes sense!
Really cool little light, the Bowens mount makes it most interesting - the range of existing cheap fixtures makes it a pretty versatile light. My wish for the next product in the range is a daylight option or even more power out of the tungsten to make it usable outdoors in bright daylight with CTB.
+Cal “Calomile” Hallows I agree, can't wait for release of the daylight model later this year.
You're the best. Thanks for the videos you make. :)
+HerbertCSilva thanks Herbert!
Can't wait to get this in the daylight balanced with barndoors
I agree! They don't have any plans to make their own set of barn doors but there are a bunch for Bowens S mount available.
Honestly most of the time I don't really get what you're saying because I'm not a practitioner in this field. I just enjoy the way you review these things.
Haha! Thanks Rizta!
Finally picked one of these up! I have to say, right out of the bag, I'm a little surprised by how much I can hear the fan in a quiet room. Every review and even their website seems to indicate that it's dead silent which I'm not finding although it is quiet. Just really hoping I don't pick it up in audio where everything else is really quiet.
Also from what I saw, it didn't seem like my Juicebox 95Wh, 3.2A v-mount was going to be able to work with the 120d but to my surprised threw it on there and boom, it's working. I'm running it at 70% right now to see if it will stay on but I suspect that if I run it at 100, the battery will shut down. I'll have to see but that was a nice bonus. Of course I just started the test so it might give out on me as I type this;) That said, thanks for the reco on that battery, I'm loving it and it's so nice to be able to get into a v-mount solution that doesn't break the bank.
Hi Ray, congrats! I'll be interested to see if you run into issues with the fan. I run mine about 6 feet from the talent and haven't had issues picking up a lot of the fan noise from the 120 (the 300d is a different story but that's not generally something I would not use in that close as a key for an interview or talking head).
Fantastic video! I truly appreciate the help you provide on all of your videos. One quick question: how do you feel that an umbrella would be compared to a softbox? I see that you are using an umbrella on this video. Thanks again!!
Thanks Pedro, Umbrellas have a few advantages and downsides: Very soft light without a lot of contrast, usually smaller and easier to transport to location, cheaper. However, soft boxes can produce a different type of soft light which still retains a bit more contrast and they don't spill light everywhere like an umbrella. So its a trade-off. If you want a low-key lighting design, it is easier to accomplish that with a soft box.
@@curtisjudd Great answer, thanks a bunch!! I shoot guitar instruction videos, so I think that an umbrella will be good to have a soft light on the whole scene. Thanks again and congratulations on your amazing videos!!
Thanks for all the awesome content, Curtis!
I'm between this and the LS1, I really want to get the LS1 just because I love all the features on that, would you recommend paying the extra $100 and going with that as my first light? For interviews and short films mostly. Thanks again!
I've had very good luck with my LS1s panels after a year of use. They're holding up well and the color quality is great, they're resonably easy to transport. The only downside is that they're panels and come with all the usually challenges of LED panels - not great for flooding, not great if you need to cut hard lines. But for interviews where you're likely going to soften the light, I'm very, very happy with the LS1s.
At first I felt 600 was a bit much but after watching this it isnt that bad man. Perfect review
+Eric Rossi thanks!
Thanks Curtis!
CAME-TV recently released their Boltzen 55w and 30w compact LED Fresnel lights. They look interesting. Would love for you to review them.
I appreciate your videos!
I would love to review them as well! Let me see if I can get my hands on them. Thanks!
This looks like very good quality for lighting and might try this, we've always used Ikan and would like to see you do a review on them.
+john erwin thank you John. Are you happy with the Ikan lights? Which model do you use?
Curtis: For portable and quick use Ikan LED312AS and for green screen use or bigger lighting use Ikan LED500AL
Oh yes, I have a friend who bought one of these several years ago and he said that with his (not sure on the exact model) the color was problematic - very little red. Are you finding good results with yours? Curious to hear your experience.
Do you have a link or video on what backdrop you use? Thanks so much again for all your work, Curtis!
Yes, it is just a white paper seamless: amzn.to/2aIPCJB And for the product shots on the table: ua-cam.com/video/x3o2e5efn00/v-deo.html
Wonderful review Curtis! Very informative and professional, it made me interested in this light, and it made me want to get an Aputure light kit. I'd like to get a kit of 3-4 lights for making a narrative web series, and for interviews, should I get LS1 panels or COB 120, what are the pluses and minuses of both? Which are more versatile? Also, should I wait for the COB 120 daylight version or get tungsten and use CTB gels? Thank you in advance!
Hi and thanks for the questions. The COB 120 will be more versatile once all of the accessories are available. If you need daylight color, I would wait for the daylight version rather than try to gel. You lose quite a lot of power when you gel from tungsten to daylight. That said, I really like my LS1s kit for interviews. They only downside is that their beam angle is fixed. Thanks and best wishes!
+Curtis Judd Thank you so much for your quick reply! I think I'll wait for the daylight version, I hope it arrives quickly! I think it will be more versatile in general. I just hope that it's going to be possible to add a softbox or barn doors on top of the fresnel add on. How about brightness? Is COB120 brighter than LS1s when on 100%? Or is LS1S brighter. I need one light to simulate moonlight or sunlight coming in the room from the window, so I'm wondering what light is better for that. Thank you once again! You're channel is a treasure trove!
"brightness" has partly to do with the beam angle. Out of the box, the beam angle on the COB is very wide so that you can use it as a floodlight but if you measure the light at 1 meter, it would read less than the LS1s at the same distance. However, once you put the fresnel lens on the COB, will will show more output than the LS1s. If you need a shaft of light, the COB will be a better choice.
Thank you for taking the time to reply! I appreciate this a lot! :)
I thought they were on a roll with the LS1. This is pretty sweet. Also for studio photoshoots with just a continuous light source. Though, I might prefer it daylight balanced opposed to tungsten. The Bowens S mount is a huge plus though.
+Shiznutsz I agree on all counts!
Hi, thanks for the videos. This light is gorgeous, it is possible to use it unplugged, just with batteries? Like the amaran series for example
Yes, but it uses much larger batteries than those used by the Amaran. This model uses Sony V-Lock or Anton Bauer Gold mount batteries. This is because this is more powerful that most of the Amaran models.
Fantastic overview of the 120. What do you use for your audio. It was really crisp.
In this case, a Sound Devices 633 recorder and an Audio Technica AT4053b microphone. But as an audio enthusiast and reviewer, I'm trying new mics and recorders all the time. :)
Do you like this better than the wescott skylux daylight balance light? I'm on the fence and like the idea of daylight balanced. Awesome video as usual and Thanks again!!
+JT Fore I prefer daylight as well. I haven't used the Westcott though they usually produce high quality products. Aputure announced that the daylight model of the COB will begin shipping in January. We had a review of it here: ua-cam.com/video/oYSaQbrIfts/v-deo.html Best wishes!
Hey Curtis,
Great reviews! I just order the Cob120T this morning. If you have any suggestions for accessories to go a long with it I'm all ears. I didn't buy the bag with it because I want a bigger bag to carry my other 2 small Aputure Amaran Led lights. Do you have any good padded bag you can recommend that can also hold 2-3 light stands?
Hi Kensly, I haven't bought any bags yet, though I believe that Ikan makes some padded nylon bags which may work. I really like the light dome and white silk umbrellas: ua-cam.com/video/S9JBirD5JGk/v-deo.html
another great review Curtis, thanks!
I wonder which one more versatile - this one or ls1? can I shape this light the same as ls1? which one will give me more options?
also, still waiting to see your review on relamp led converter.
Thanks! The LS1s is a great light but it is not as easy to shape (which is generally the case with LED panels). I generally shoot interviews and soften them by shooting through a scrim or umbrella. Controlling the spill can be a lot of work. That's where a hard/flood light is much more flexible. A softbox with a grid keeps the light from spilling everywhere but still softens the light nicely. A fresnel lens lets you spot the the light into a hard shaft when you need that type of look. You can do a similar thing with a snoot and barn doors (the effect of each is a little different). In short you can fine tune the shape and hardness of your light much more effectively.
Then there's the issue of daylight vs tungsten color balance. I'll probably wait for the daylight version of the COB 120 before I invest simply because all my LS1s are daylight and sometimes I need to mix with daylight.
thanks a lot!
Thank you.
Do you use a dimmer for your Lowel Tota Rim Light? I have that light and find it to be too bright in some interview situations. Also, how did you get the daylight balanced look in your clips? When I shoot with my Tota it's usually very warm and I fix it in post. Did you use gels, custom white balance, or post production to reduce the warm tungsten look for this video?
Thanks, your videos are the best.
Hi Brian, I didn't dim the Tota here, I shot it through an umbrella and placed it behind as a rim light, approximately 5 feet from me. I think that speaks to the power of the 650 Arri and the Aputure 120t. As for color, yes, I set a custom white balance and I did not have to correct it in post. I hope that helps!
Nice review!
Did you test the actual db it emits, is it as advertised?
Also how many Lumens at 1m?
Most spot and directional LED lights are not ok for interviews as with the fans blasting they are unsuitable.
My "test" was more practical. All of my videos over the last three months where I have a talking head shot was shot with this light either as the key light or as a rim light. In either case, the COB 120t was withing 5 feet of me and the microphone. I did not do any post sound noise reduction on any of the videos. I cannot hear the fan in any of them. If a fan can be heard, it is much more likely the fan in my Atomos Shogun recorder which is much louder than the COB 120t's fan. Aputure definitely got the fan right in this light.
Great job! Thank you very much for your reviews, I was really inspired by this channel :-) And for now I`m going to order two or three that COB 120t light, but still have a question about it`s working life, notably about lamp. I`ve read it has tungsten lamp inside. How many hours will it work? Is it comfortable to change the lamp? Which kind of lamp does it use?
I worked with chinese clone of Arri with fresnel, and it was main problem to have an extra lamps everytime, because lamps burned and burned again.
Thank you!
Hi, thanks! This is an LED light so it does not have interchangeable bulbs. However, LEDs typically have life spans in the tens of thousands of hours range so you should not have to change it.
Oh God, it probably was most stupid question in modern history! Shame on me. And many thanks you`re so polite )
It might came with my English, because I`ve read an review with "The first version of the CB 120t is due out at the end of May for $589. Initially it will be available as a tungsten light, with daylight and bi-colour versions coming later. Pricing for the daylight and bi-colour versions wasn’t given at the show, but expect them to be more"
and thought that means it has a bulb inside. Now I see it is about colour temperature of the light.
Yes, color temp. Sorry for the confusion on that! :)
Thanks Curtis, I was wondering about the stepped dimming. How many steps are there?
Hi! You can dim down from 100 to 10 in steps of 1.
Looks good, seems to me that intensity could be like a Lowel Omni light since you say is 750 tota and omni 500 watt is 50% more intense than the tota. Of course with convenience of Led besides the high CRI 90?.
Yes, good points.
In what situations would you say you would use the COB over an LS1s? Can you use the COB over the LS1s, or does the LS1s have a particularly important niche that it fills? COB likewise?
+Sergio Lorenzana good question. The LS1s is a great light but it is not as easy to shape (which is generally the case with LED panels). I generally shoot interviews and soften them by shooting through a scrim or umbrella. Controlling the spill can be a lot of work. That's where a hard/flood light is much more flexible. A softbox with a grid keeps the light from spilling everywhere but still softens the light nicely. A fresnel lens lets you spot the the light into a hard shaft when you need that type of look. You can do a similar thing with a snoot and barn doors (the effect of each is a little different). In short you can fine tune the shape and hardness of your light much more effectively.
Then there's the issue of daylight vs tungsten color balance. I'll probably wait for the daylight version of the COB 120 before I invest simply because all my LS1s are daylight and sometimes I need to mix with daylight.
What were your settings when you were using the COB 120T through the umbrella? When you did your talking head.
The COB 120t was on 100% and my camera settings were ISO 200, shutter speed 50, Aperture f/4. I also used a custom white balance using a Lastolite gray card.
CJ is the light punchy enough to use with windows in the background? Thanks!
Yes, depending on how intensely the light is coming in the windows. If the light is coming straight in toward the camera, it'll be tough for the 120t to overpower that. But if you've got a window in the background with diffuse light coming in, yes. **also depends on how well your camera rolls-off highlights.
great review. looks interesting. will it take a heavy softbox like the Elinchrom 135 octa, do you think? all my gear is EL fit, so it would have to be with an adapter, in which case would the adapter place the light badly in the modifier?
+Jenny FTOL good questions. I'll have another review when I get my hands on the softbox.
+Curtis Judd is the fresnel included in the package? I know that they be pricey. also wonder if they work well with diffuser panels.
why would you pick these over led panels?
In my interview with Ted at NAB, he said the fresnel will be $60 USD. $150 for their light dome (34 inch, deep dome). Details in the NAB interview (if you haven't already seen it): ua-cam.com/video/zMm0KxGLVFg/v-deo.html
For me, the ideal kit would be a mix of both the panels and the COB. The reason I like the COB/fresnel design is that you can tune it a little more for various situations - spot with the fresnel to concentrate the light and focus the beam, softbox with a grid to soften the light and manage light spill, beauty dish with grid for a soft/hard look, and umbrella for very soft light that goes just about everywhere. In each of these cases, you can mount it all on one stand. If I want to really soften my LS1s, I generally shoot it through a scrim which means I need another stand for the scrim. Same if I bounce it off of a bounce board. It isn't the end of the world, but can be a little more complicated, especially when shooting on location.
But then again, all of this is subjective. Different shooters/DPs/gaffers like to light different ways so definitely do what fits your style.
+Curtis Judd thank you, really appreciate your reply and great information. makes perfect sense. I do wish this product was a little cheaper, but can see all of its benefits.
One thing I find a little strange in lighting is that we have one rating for speedlites, another for mono lights and yet another for continuous. I saw you were getting an f5.6 reading at one point and it didn't seem like it was that powerful?
f/5.6 (at ISO 200, 1/60 shutter) is plenty for most interview and talking head pieces, particularly with most modern cameras. Even cameras that aren't that great in low light can generally go to ISO 800 without an issue which would put you at f/11.
My goodness Curtis, your production values have risen almost too high! You're going to start floating away soon, and leaving us mere mortals behind. :-) Very, very impressive product review. Wow.
Haha! Thanks, that made my day!
Curtis, can you let me know how well the Aputure LS1 Bicolor tungsten matches the COB120t? And if they send you a daylight COB120 how that matches, color-wise with the LS1 as well? I'd assume where they're both from Aputure the output should be close, but I'm always nervous mixing any two LEDs.
Hi, the COB120t is rated at 3000K and the LS1c is rated down to 3200K so they wont' match exactly, but could be used if one is a key and the other is a rim or background light, if you're ok with one being ever-so-slightly warmer than the other. If you need a perfect match, unfortunately they're not a perfect match. I don't have an LS1c to illustrate but will definitely consider doing a demo if I get my hands on one. Same with the daylight COB 120.
Thanks for your response. My COB120t measured just warmer than the 3000K spec so the difference could be a usable one. Testing the daylight LS1 and COB will be most interesting.
Yes, looking forward to it.
Hi Curtis....what is that Fresnel Zooming Lens @ 08:18 in this video?....its not the Aputure one is it?.....i like the look of this.....do you have any info on what make this one is please....thanks in advance Curtis!!!
That was a prototype fresnel add-on lens for the COB 120 lights from Aputure. The final version is now available here: amzn.to/2zmTPfR We used it in this video as well: ua-cam.com/video/cSyG-RhZrMU/v-deo.html
Many thanks Curtis for replying........i see ...thats a shame really...as the prototype does not have holes so that it would cause spillage........maybe for heat purposes.......but i did like it...shame they changed the design!!!
I know you touched on this a bit... but how does it compare power wise to the Ls1? About the same?
Yes, about the same. Just measured my copy of the 120t: at full power it pulls 150 watts. So on a 120v circuit, that's about 1.4 amps. You could power quite a few of these on a 15 amp circuit.
You said at 2:20 that a 90Wh battery gives you about an hour and a half running time? Is that at FULL brightness on the light? (appreciate this was on a different LS light) I guess I was hoping for a bit more energy efficiency. Any updates would be appreciated :) Thanks for the great review.
+Llamaland yes, that was full power. Dial that back a bit and you'll get much longer run times.
Great thanks. 95Wh should be a good balance of running time and portability then - especially for safe and hassle free air travel :) Thanks again.
I have a RPS Studio RS-5710 150c Watt Variable Color Correct CooLED which has more power and the ability change color temperature. Just waiting for them to make more powerful versions.
Interesting, I hadn't heard of these until now. How is the color quality? It doesn't look like the manufacturer cites a CRI or TLCI rating.
It's fine for me. I haven't used it enough to find flaws yet but I'm not a heavy user. Only really used it for headshots a time or two.
Good to know, thanks!
Hey I love your recommendations. I've come across this light $450 would it still be worth it or should I invest in a newer bi-functional light?
*I'll be using it from interviews, short films and a wide array of photo shoots.
I still use mine and $450 is a good price. The only thing to consider is will you need to mix with daylight sources? If so, that may be a challenge. I use mine in a studio where I can control all of the light and it is great for that.
@@curtisjudd awe yeah that may be a set back. My understanding is to use tungsten lighting to create or emphasize an orangey/yellowish gold layer to your image. That's the idea I have as I look to acquire this deal. Am I mistaken?
@@goochthegrip If you set your camera white balance to tungsten and use this light, the light appears white. If you set your camera white balance to day light and use this light, the light will appear yellow/orange. Is that what you meant?
@@curtisjudd Yeah in a nutshell. I have much to learn still. Thank you Curtis 🙌🙃🙌
thanks curtis
+Taylor Harrison Film you're welcome!
Great!
Thanks!
Hi, Curtis. Any word on when the beauty dish and fresnel are to be released?
No word. I talked with Ted at Aputure about 4 weeks back and they're still working on them.
I guess equipment shown at NAB takes a while before it becomes available. I was hoping the LSC20 would be out by now too, so that I can compare the options before choosing one or the other.
I totally understand. I'm dying to get my hands on the daylight version of the COB 120. They had a prototype of that at IBC and have delivered the light dome which is very nice (in case you hadn't seen that): ua-cam.com/video/S9JBirD5JGk/v-deo.html
Looking to buy an led for a key light for interviews. Was leaning toward the LS 1 but just found out about this little baby. Uve tried both, which do u prefer?
My ideal light would be the COB 120 with daylight color which is coming in a few months. If you want tungsten, my first choice would be this one, the COB 120t. I really like the LS1s (I have three of them) but because they are panels, they're not quite as versatile (light generally spills everywhere and they're not wide spotlights, no fresnel focusing or cutting with barn doors, again, because of the way panels work). I hope that helps and good luck!
It does help--may I ask why u would prefer to the daylight balance over the tungsten?
Absolutely: I sometimes have to supplement daylight in a room and gelling a tungsten balanced LED results in a lot less light output from the instrument. Also, my main light kit is daylight balanced. Thanks Blake!
What do you think of this light vs. Arri 650? Which one would you get?
+Braxton Klavins I would go with the Aputure at this point. Much more flexible.
Do you think they are as time efficient as Arri fresnels? The Arri's are more easily plugged and ready. They also have great build quality. From the video the Aputure's look a little flimsy and not easily prone to being thrown around in say a grip/electric truck?
Hmm, you have a point. I think these are aimed more at smaller budget projects like corporate video, indie docs, etc, where you'd hopefully have a soft carry case (which you can order for an additional $50 for the COB). They are probably less durable than the Arri Fresnels in terms of the casing (though just barely, the aluminum case is surprisingly sturdy though the plastic knobs seem like a weak point. Also, the fan will eventually fail even though it seems like a very high quality fan). But the Aputure is also more durable in from the standpoint that it doesn't have filament bulbs which can easily break when getting tossed around. So it seems like a bit of a tradeoff. In terms of efficiency of setup, yes, the Arris have a very slight advantage. But then they have the disadvantage of pulling a ton of wattage which sometimes requires calculating total amperage to make sure you don't trip the circuits. You also have the heat issues that come along with tungsten lighting. But then there's the color quality of tungsten which even high CRI LEDs still do not totally match (though these most recent LEDs are getting very, very close). I think there's still a place for tungsten lighting, but for smaller productions, now that the color quality has improved drastically in the latest generation of LEDs, there's definitely a place for $600 LED instruments like this.
I used it last weekend with a v-mount battery from Lan Parte 150(150wh) and after 1 hour the battery was done. 0%
Is this oke? because on my led panel i can use 1 v-mount battery for more than 4 hours.
I would avoid running the baterry to 0% if you can. That can damage some batteries. Is the light output the same on your panel? If so, that's really, really impressive! Which panel is it?
It would seem that the Aputure produces much more light than the Socanland and therefore used up the battery more quickly. You should be able to reduce the output of the COB and get much longer battery life.
The fotodiox look ready to go these and the aputure are by far at the front of these low cost units
You may have mentioned it when will daylight balanced light, why wouldn't they start with that?
+jared jaynes I was told by Ted at Aputure that the daylight model is coming later this year. Not sure why they went with tungsten color first. My guess is something to do with the supply chain.
Probably to sell people on the CRI. CRI cannot be close to 100 with a daylight version because of the high blue content.
Another good possibility.
is there a difference between using LED tungsten and the actual Tungsten Fixture?
Yes, the color quality is quite different. An actual tungsten fixture has a much smoother spectral output whereas LED "tungsten" typically has a massive blue spike. In practical terms, an LED "tungsten" light can result in blue color rendering issues though I don't generally find them to be a major problem for the mostly talking head video work I generally do.
Curtis Judd Got it. Thanks! I always wonder how it differs from the actual tungsten and also to the new LED Remote Phosphor ones
Hi Curtis. I watched your video about the LS1s panels and bought one as a result. Seeing as you own both, which would you rather use as a key light? Ls1 with a scrim or the cob120 with a softbox. And after being diffused, which ends up being brighter? I love the look in your ls1 review (ua-cam.com/video/t-XSi7YhMEk/v-deo.html) what other lights did u use?
Hi Jim, In terms of light quality for just a simple soft key, they're both great. We'll see how the intensity pans out once I get a softbox for the 120t. Through a scrim, the LS1s seems just a touch more intense, but that may change with the softbox as the light is concentrated. In the LS1s review, I used a fotodiox 308 LED panel as a rim light which has an extraordinarily magenta color cast to it and no amount of careful gelling seems to get it just right. Since then, I bought two additional LS1s panels. Thanks!
+Curtis Judd still looks great! Are you using the additional as a rim or 3/4 + hair? Diffusion on either?
Thanks! In most of my talking head shots I'm using one on the backdrop, usually with some black cinefoil to make as much of a spot as possible behind the talent, and then another as a rim, also shot through the scrim of a 5-in-1 reflector.
which one should i get, this or LS1 ?
My preference is for the daylight version of the COB we reviewed here: ua-cam.com/video/oYSaQbrIfts/v-deo.html Should start shipping in January.
Hi Curtis awesome video! I am thinking about making a small studio for UA-cam videos and interviews, but I have trouble choosing the correct light. I habe a $200-$300 budget for lights. I was thinking about getting leds (like the space saving and portability) and thinking about getting 4 Apurture H160 + stands + softbox (2 inside softbox, 1 key and 1 for hairlight),. I would really appreciate your input. What would you get with my budget (maybe even CFL?) Thank you a lot!!!!
Hi Emilio, I find that the Aperture LEDs produce beautiful color so you won't go wrong there. For a key light, I almost always use some sort of soft light. So that might be two or more LEDs shot through a scrim or umbrella or if you can fit them in a softbox, even better. The H160s are pretty small so depending on how well your camera does at high ISO settings, you may need to use three of them for the key light and maybe the final as a hair light. I hope that helps and best wishes!
Thanks! I will be getting a reflector octagon softbox and fit 2 or 3 in there, sounds good for key light? Then use one for fill, and one for hair. And just use CFL to light my solid background. thank you! Good look with your course, hope to try it our sometime.
Sounds good at a high level. The biggest problem you'll need to solve is how to get 2 or 3 LED panels into a single softbox since most softboxes are made for a single light source. You might be better off buying one of the larger Amaran panels and shooting that into a softbox vs 3 smaller panels.
But the h160 panels can connect themselves to form a "larger 320 or 480 led panel" no? I thought just connect 2 or 3, put them in one stand and use the reflector softbox. This because i have limited budget and 3 h160 are cheaper than the 528 led (less leds but 40% less money) Is there something I am not seeing?
Hi Emilio, I see, I didn't realize those could be connected together. That makes sense. Good luck!
What do you think is the benefit of buying the panels offer these?
The Light Storm panels and COB 120 are great lights with very good color quality. The LS1s has a more focused beam angle and is daylight balanced. The COB 120 is a better flood light. For a key light, I really like the panels shot through a scrim. For accent lights and once the fresnel lens and other accessories for the COB are released, the COB will be incredibly versatile. I will probably wait to buy until the daylight COB is available because I sometimes need to mix my light with window light. I don't think one is better than the other, they're sort of each better suited to different tasks. My dream lighting kit would have daylight balanced versions of panels and a couple of COBs.
I think I'm in the same boat.
+Curtis Judd I'm thinking I'll do one panel now and then do 2 of these when the daylight models come out
That sounds like a solid plan. Best wishes!
i wonder if that ferneslll lens can take barn doors hmm
Fresnel *** the answer is yes ,
Indeed, yes :)
Hi Curtis: We've never had a problem with the color, it sounds like your friend has one that should not of made it past inspection.
Yes, it could be. He bought it several years ago back when most LEDs were lacking in red spectrum. May be worth a look at the more recent models.
Tungsten balance is a mistake. I know where the thinking comes from--it comes from thinking of light production in "big cinema" terms where we block out all existing light and replace it with artificial light. But when you're talking about a small light with a mount to use still camera modifiers--battery powerable, no less--you're talking about WORKING WITH existing light. The form-format of this light is for people who will use a couple of them for things like interviews outdoors or at windows, not banking a dozen of them.
+Kirk Darling thanks Kirk.
no problem with flickering?
I haven't had any issues with flickering with video or still photos. I don't do super high speed photography so I cannot confirm on that front, but no problems with normal shooting up to 1/4000 of a second.
+Curtis Judd Thanks for answering my question. I ask because I've had trouble with flickering coming from some of Aputures cheaper lights.
Great question, thanks for asking!
but why so much for a light i have a 160 led panel that i got for 23.99 on amazon
+burgerboy gaming different leagues altogether. When you need a lot of light, the 160 LED panel isn't anywhere close to the Aputure.
+Curtis Judd oh thanks
Looks like another great product from Aputure. But at around $600usd, thats pretty expensive! imo
+markstanley2001 it seems like a lot but all the lights with similar features and color quality are much more expensive. From that context, this is somewhat innovative.
+Curtis Judd Agreed. I know there is more expensive out there, and I think Aputure is quite competitively priced. I just think for a solo film maker, $600 for 1 light alone is an expensive option. 1 light is never enough. then throw in stands, modifiers, reflectors etc, cost goes up even more. I understand in the scheme of things compared to a full commercial production, these cost are small... more of a grievance comment :)
Totally understand. :)