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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

The "LED" light Group Buy

Hey Ketch...Just want to throw my name in as interested in the next group...thanks! Saw these at Alex Buono's workshop yesterday...wow!

Glad you had the chance to see them in action Ryan, this really need to be seen in action to be believed and seen the images they produce in turn, when properly used, and proper exposed, this are simply the best I have ever used, and happy to have you here, Ill be posting soon the new Thread , and announced here with link, so make sure to subscribe here Ryan, as the second run for this Group Buy, will be a short one, and a fixed one with a special RU Discount code were you guys will be ordering directly by the USA supplier or the European one accordingly to your location of shipping.

This will make things faster, and also they are already set up to take Credit cards.


Hi Ketch I'm interested as well, I didn't have the money before, but now I have a little to play with and this light looks fantastic! Thanks for setting this up!

Hi Jeremiah, my pleasure, and happy that we can bring a chance for you and those like you that for one reason or an other miss the chance the first time around, and also it seems that several of those that didn't miss it, wish to actually get more units, and I am happy they'll get a chance to do just that... ;)
 
They forgot to mention flicker free at almost any frame rate for still or high speed work..AKA slowmotion...

Vincent Laforet and Jonas Elmqvist (Visual Buddha) on the AREA 48. Watch the video first, then read my thoughts below and see if you agree.

http://vimeo.com/70287982#at=0



What struck me the most about this video was the model's makeup. Her face and about half of her neck are made up. The bottom of her neck and her chest aren't.

When they do the comparison between the AREA 48 and 1st gen LEDs (what look to be Litpanels), you can clearly see where the makeup stops. Not only that, her unmade up skin tone (and even a little bit on her made up forehead) is somewhat pink/magenta-y under the 1st gens, which causes her makeup to look yellowish by comparison.

The AREA 48 light gives her skin and the makeup a nice golden glow and actually helps blend the two areas together much better. Her makeup looks more even and she looks better overall.

One might argue that, since the 1st gen is maybe a little underexposed, the AREA 48 gives an illusion of better color rendition than what it might be in reality.

However, if you look at the :58 mark, when Jonas starts to move the light around her face, there are areas on her neck and chest that are fairly dark but still show a smoother transition and more pleasing skin tone.

At least, that's how it seems on my uncalibrated monitors.
 
They forgot to mention flicker free at almost any frame rate for still or high speed work..AKA slowmotion...


They did indeed Russ... In my forthcoming review of this fixtures will be sure not to forget to mention all reasons why to love so much the Area 48... ;)
 
Okay, I just had a nice talk with the guys from BB&S, and together with my units I'l have couple of Snap Grids and Snap Bags (soft boxes) plus couple of Remote Phosphor Panels in Chroma Green, so we'll test how they do illuminate a Green screen and how even and smooth that illumination is as to allow for best and more precise Chroma Keying without any artifacts, produced by some lamps when they don't allow for even illumination of your Green Screen, resulting in some of the most common issues in Chroma keying your subjects later on.

Also their BAGS are ready, and looks like I might be receiving one of each so that I can test them and make sure they are the best they can be for the transport of the Area 48 and we'll report here.

Additionally we are also looking in the possibility to offer a Battery Group Buy together with the Fixture, I believe with a limited number, but it could be a good saving if the deal goes thru, and can be made easily also for all USA Reduser participants.


Lastly, I was thinking of delaying this SECOND Run till I have been back in LA and made the short for "The RED dress" Movie, with them and also made my full video review of them as to better inform any one that might be interested. Unless all of you are ready to buy now and don't want o wait any longer, and don't need any additional info to be convinced of how truly BAD A^$&#^ are this Area 48 LED Fixtures... ;)


The ball is in your court fellow REDUSER so let me hear what you want me to do!
 
Personally, I'm up for a buy now option as I'm super excited to get my hands on one of these lights!

And you'll be very excited once you see the results of your images properly lit with this lights.


I can't wait any longer. These are BAD A^$&#^. I'm down for doing it now!

Ha ha, good to hear, we'll do my best to speed things up as much as I can.


That's good news on the bags but how about the Anton Bauer battery mounts? Any word?

Yes the Bags are good news indeed, as they'll allow for safe and comfortable transport of the Area 48, so that they don't get all scratched up and banged up otherwise.

As for the Anton Bauer Gold Battery mount option, I just sent an email to them and I'll update as soon as I have a reply with were they are with it.

I guess it turned out more difficult then anticipate to provide the Area 48 with one, but I look forward to bring good news.
 
We received our two Area 48 lights with Anton Bauer Mounts.
Happy to report very robust (as is the build quality of the rest of the light).

Great color rendition and very solidly made.

LitePanels were great, but we are now in a different era.

Thrilled.

Bill Maheras
Sight & Sound Studios, LLC
66 Queen Street, Suite 1705
Honolulu, HI 96813
 
Great to hear you think so high of this lights as well William.

An d thanks for reporting that the Anton Bauer mounts are also done, I never bother checking back with them since no one has asked me to, and I assumed that they were done and shipping, but then Geoffrey's question made me wonder that they were not done, so very happy to know that they are, and that any one has now that option as well in the upcoming Second Group Buy.

Also, many of you keep PM'ing me about how much they love this lights, and that is great I appreciate that very much, but since BB&S are also building a nice page presence for this lights, I would like for those of you that have anything to say abut them, to post it here in this thread so that not only BB&S might chose to quote your opinion and review of the Area 48 on their site and advertisement work, but also any other interested Reduser can read your experience and tough about this fixtures.


And one more thing... Don't be shy, do post some BTS pic of them in use, and absolutely share some Frame Grabs of what you have shot using the Area 48!
 
Sorry Geoffrey, I tough that every one in the group buy that wanted one were in direct contact with their provider and that once out they would have got them directly, and in fact tough they were out for a while now, and was surprise that you asked about it.

Let us know when you get it.
 
Please pardon my ignorance Ketch. I am a novice when it comes to lighting. I typically shoot everything with natural light. For product and simple interviews would one of these fixtures be sufficient with possible ambient lighting and a bounce or do I need multiple kits to properly light most indoor scenarios?
 
Hi Samir,

while you can certainly do a lot with just one unit, I always suggest strongly a minimum of 3 light Units as a lighting kit!


However...


There are also ways to Reflect and make use of just one light source in any set up, by the use of multiple reflectors, were the first one positioned below your subject will give the more lumens back and a second reflector up higher were it will give the secondary reflected light to a different direction, a hair light as an example.

But using a single light source, with no reflecting sources to add a multiple point of light, that I strongly disagree with, yet they are situation were it can be a necessity for a certain look, but not for me.
 
My pleasure Samir, and remember, if you can only afford on eight, it is okay, just make sure you get yourself couple of Bounce either Withe cloth or even cheap pieces of withe panels from any Hardware store, to me the key is to create a nice depth in your image and always insure that your subject is lit by multiple sources, so that on objects gives a nice fill of dimentionality and does not flatten it, and on Subjects will illuminate parts of the face from the bottom up not leaving darker areas under the eyes, and a third source to separate the head from BG and giving a bit of hair light.
 
Is there any place in NYC where I could take a look at these lights?
 
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