Cheap on-camera LED for night exteriors

[Shiblon Wixom]

You also might consider getting a couple fast lenses for night shooting, Nikon 50mm 1.4 or Rokinons.

 

[Gabor D.]

Thanks, but I need a light right now

 

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I use the Litepanels micro. It has a dimmer and uses AA batteries. Works fine to throw some light to get catchlight in the eye, fill, kicker etc. For street shooting, I prefer these small ones. It is better that you don't mix brands. The manfrotto sounds interesting with the rechargeable battery. Haven't seen how it works.

 

[ignacio guzman]

I use the switronix torch LED. Amazingly powerful. High quality, high wattage LEDs

I agree with Chris. I've been using the torch led on night shoots. its powerful and cost effective. it's also bi color. the downside is that it taks sony l series bricks and it has a plastic casing.

 

[Dave Blackham]

The Z96 is same as Dedo Felini LED. If you get using these its essential to use a small Sony battery on the battery mount and not AA's to avoid flicker. They are supprisingly good for the money. Try searching ebay for them under Z96 generaly much cheaper for exact same item.

 

[Jimmy Gilmore]

I have an cheap LED. Keep it off faces and understand that it's CRI will be horrible and work within its limitations. They usually have a decent punch for their size/cost and are hideable. Unless you spend big bucks, skin tones will be disappointing.

That said, I use my Dedo lots and the LED rarely, for similar tasks. Not sure of your power situation but I'd think you could power a Dedo almost as easily.

 

[Mark K.]

Anybody?

I will happily swear by the Z96s, I have three and they come out on practically every single shoot I do. You can place them discretely on your set for practicals; blast them into reflectors up close (or through larger sheets of diff) for fill or a poor-man's key; cover them in a mountain of diff and mount them just off the side of your camera for an eyelight; hell, once I rigged one out from the back of an actor's belt to get him a backlight in a large nighttime exterior when I didn't have the lighting package for a proper backlight source!

They're probably the single most versatile piece of kit I own (and I own quite a lot!). As soon as remote phosphor units of a similar size and portability come out, I'll be all over them - the Z96's formfactor and dimmability, combined with high CRI and without the issues of LED multi-source shadows would be amazing.

 

[Jason Diamond]

Thanks, but I need a light right now

We have the Switronix Torches and they've been great. bonus is that they are a combo of 5600 and 3200 lights so you can balance them against each other fairly quickly.