Battery powered DIY (no soldering, please) or fully built LED/CFL ring light/panel/etc... for $100 (or cheaper)

[Lockless]

Please read the specs page next time. But as the specs tab on the link shows, 1,170 lumens and 9 watts. We can't tell if it is brighter than the one diy video you keep linking because we don't know the actual lumens output, so it's entirely impossible unless we had the exact same thing the guys in the video has and measure how many lumens his is compared to the B&H one.

Exact specs from the specs page:

Lamp Type LED Color Temperature 5600K CRI 95 Wattage 9 W Lumens 1170 Lumens Illumination Strength 1 Meter: 2030 lux 

2 Meters: 500 lux 

3 Meters: 250 lux 

4 Meters: 150 lux 

5 Meters: 80 lux Mount Type Shoe Mount Power Source 100-240 VAC input (adapter available separately) 

Rechargeable and AA Battery plates Rechargeable Battery Type Panasonic CGR-D series 

Sony NP-FH, NP-FM, NP-F series Power Consumption 7.2 - 12 VDC Dimensions (L x W x H) 5.6 x 1.7 x 3.7" / 14.2 x 4.4 x 9.5 cm Weight 0.5 lb / 200 g

 

I'd reccommend you scour eBay for about an hour to see if you can find something, or buy the B&H one mentioned.

I'm just asking as a point of reference. 

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1114778-REG/aputure_amaran_al_h160_160_bulb_on_camera.html

 

Something like this as an example, which I own a few and they can be connected together to form a larger panel, can be bright enough to shine on a subject who is located about 3-5 meters away from the camera.  I wouldn't use it to light something beyond 5 meters.

 

Keep in mind that the number of LEDs is not always a good indicator of brightness, some video lights use fewer but larger and brighter LEDs.

 

According to the specs on B&H, my Aputure 160s which cost half the price of the Ledgo 150s are brighter.

Nevermind, the Ledgo are brighter.  Was reading the distance symbols incorrectly.

 

Aputure

2,860 lux @ 1.6' (0.5 m)

750 lux @ 3.3' (1 m)

210 lux @ 6.6' (2 m)

 

Ledgo

1 Meter: 2030 lux

2 Meters: 500 lux

3 Meters: 250 lux

4 Meters: 150 lux

5 Meters: 80 lux

Well, this helped out alot. And yeah, what's your usual ISO, shutter speed, and aperture when using them? Since I'm gonna get just one, I kind of need a point of reference when using them.

[ALwin]

Well, this helped out alot. And yeah, what's your usual ISO, shutter speed, and aperture when using them? Since I'm gonna get just one, I kind of need a point of reference when using them.

 

FYI, for the price of 1x Ledgo, you can get 2x Aputure.

 

Anyway, camera settings when shooting video I never go above 1/4th to 1/3rd of my camera's rating and try to keep it as low as possible.  E.g. if my camera was rated for ISO 100-6400 (without going into Hi 1, Hi 2, extended values), I never go above ISO 2000.

 

Aperture will always depend upon the DOF I need.

 

Camera shutter speed will, 99% of the time, be double that of recording frame rate.  So if I record at 1080@60p, my shutter speed is 1/125 as this is the closest shutter speed to 1/120.  So because shutter speed is a fixed value based on the recording frame rate and aperture is semi-fixed depending on the DOF I need, it is the ISO that I need to adjust if I do not have enough lights.  But obviously if I am at the limit of the max ISO I am willing to go, I need more lights.

[Lockless]

Here's a video I did a few years ago using the Aputure 160s. The lights were dimmed to about 50% and placed about 1 meter away from the person.  But videos are not a good way to compare brightness of different lights.

I just need a point of reference so I know what I'm working with. For photo usage, I don't wanna end up having to use a low shutter speed (under 60) at max brightness at 5pm after purchasing it, since I'm not a fan of how Fuji's noise reduction works when going above 800 ISO (since it can't be turned off at all, and I've set it at its lowest setting, and that Fuji's shutter is kind of a cheat in which its actually kind of slower than its mentioned... so, motion blur is my main problem with it since their lenses with IS is pricy for what it offers and I can't be bothered to go for them). In video, thats much, much, MUCH less of a problem since I'm sure as hell I won't use Fuji for video. I'm just gonna be using a 5D MK3 (company owned, but won't budget for any external lighting for some reason I do not know, but I need one due to lighting) which handles noise the way I'm comfortable with.

[Lockless]

FYI, for the price of 1x Ledgo, you can get 2x Aputure.

 

Anyway, camera settings when shooting video I never go above 1/4th to 1/3rd of my camera's rating and try to keep it as low as possible.  E.g. if my camera was rated for ISO 100-6400 (without going into Hi 1, Hi 2, extended values), I never go above ISO 2000.

 

Aperture will always depend upon the DOF I need.

 

Camera shutter speed will, 99% of the time, be double that of recording frame rate.  So if I record at 1080@60p, my shutter speed is 1/125 as this is the closest shutter speed to 1/120.  So because shutter speed is a fixed value based on the recording frame rate and aperture is semi-fixed depending on the DOF I need, it is the ISO that I need to adjust if I do not have enough lights.  But obviously if I am at the limit of the max ISO I am willing to go, I need more lights.

What about for photo use?

[ALwin]

What about for photo use?

 

I personally prefer using a speedlight for photos, as the sudden flash of a speedlight can freeze movement.  However for photo it should be good enough as long as you are not expecting to use one small LED panel like that to take a group photo of 100 people together.  Additionally, as you saw in the specifications, the brightness will fall off quickly with distance.

 

If you can get a speedlight (flash) that is compatible with your camera, the TTL functionality is much better than LED lights.  Yongnuo and Nissin are third party speedlights that are often cheaper than branded (e.g. Canon, Nikon, Sony) speedlights.

[Lockless]

I personally prefer using a speedlight for photos, as the sudden flash of a speedlight can freeze movement.  However for photo it should be good enough as long as you are not expecting to use one small LED panel like that to take a group photo of 100 people together.  Additionally, as you saw in the specifications, the brightness will fall off quickly with distance.

I do portraits, never group photos of people even consisting of 2 people together. So, group photos aren't much of a problem for me, and working around its distance is good enough of a trade-off for me.

 

If you can get a speedlight (flash) that is compatible with your camera, the TTL functionality is much better than LED lights.  Yongnuo and Nissan are third party speedlights that are often cheaper than branded (e.g. Canon, Nikon, Sony) speedlights.

I'm no longer gonna use flash and I'd rather have the trade-offs of even my iPhone's torchlight (exaggerating on the torchlight, but you get what I mean) for the sake of flexibility than having an LED and a flash in the same bag, when that space could've been used for a lens or two, or food.

[ALwin]

 

I personally prefer using a speedlight for photos, as the sudden flash of a speedlight can freeze movement.  However for photo it should be good enough as long as you are not expecting to use one small LED panel like that to take a group photo of 100 people together.  Additionally, as you saw in the specifications, the brightness will fall off quickly with distance.

I do portraits, never group photos of people even consisting of 2 people together. So, group photos aren't much of a problem for me, and working around its distance is good enough of a trade-off for me.

 

If you can get a speedlight (flash) that is compatible with your camera, the TTL functionality is much better than LED lights.  Yongnuo and Nissan are third party speedlights that are often cheaper than branded (e.g. Canon, Nikon, Sony) speedlights.

I'm no longer gonna use flash and I'd rather have the trade-offs of even my iPhone's torchlight (exaggerating on the torchlight, but you get what I mean) for the sake of flexibility than having an LED and a flash in the same bag, when that space could've been used for a lens or two, or food.

 

 

 

Should be ok for portraits.  What camera do you have again?

 

EDIT: Let me put some batteries into one of my Aputure LEDS and go outside and test shutter speeds in low light.  I'll see if I can get a good exposure with a fast shutter speed.

[ALwin]

What about the usage of kapton tape like how its showed in this video?

 

Oh and about this, yes if you can use something to protect the areas you do not want heating up, it should be OK I think.  I am not sure as I never used a heat gun to do something like what you are thinking of before.

[ALwin]

Should be ok for portraits.  What camera do you have again?

 

EDIT: Let me put some batteries into one of my Aputure LEDS and go outside and test shutter speeds in low light.  I'll see if I can get a good exposure with a fast shutter speed.

 

OK, with only the LED panel as the source of light shining onto an object about 1m away from the camera+light, here is the shutter speed I get.

ISO 100

f/1.4

85mm

shutter speed = 1/160

[Lockless]

Should be ok for portraits.  What camera do you have again?

 

EDIT: Let me put some batteries into one of my Aputure LEDS and go outside and test shutter speeds in low light.  I'll see if I can get a good exposure with a fast shutter speed.

Just to answer the question, its a Fuji X-E2.

 

Oh and about this, yes if you can use something to protect the areas you do not want heating up, it should be OK I think.  I am not sure as I never used a heat gun to do something like what you are thinking of before.

Well, I guess its worth a shot.

 

OK, with only the LED panel as the source of light shining onto an object about 1m away from the camera+light, here is the shutter speed I get.

ISO 100

f/1.4

85mm

shutter speed = 1/160

Was that indoors or outdoors? 

[ALwin]

Was that indoors or outdoors? 

 

Outdoors, in the dark.  It's nearly 22:00 where I live.  I have a X-E2 too with the kit lens, I can do an exposure test with that also.

 

ISO 200

55mm (long end of a kit lens)

f/4

Shutter = 1/30

 

ISO 800

shutter = 1/125

 

Small LED panels like these just don't have the brightness of a good speedlight when it comes to photography.  They are great for video and good enough for photos... but you get the idea.  In studios shoots, we use more than one panel, and the panels we use are much larger.  But obviously they are AC powered and not very compact for putting in a camera bag.

 

Also keep in mind, my Aputure are about 1/3rd as bright as the Ledgo ones at a distance of 1m.

[Lockless]

Outdoors, in the dark.  It's nearly 22:00 where I live.  I have a X-E2 too with the kit lens, I can do an exposure test with that also.

 

ISO 200

55mm (long end of a kit lens)

f/4

Shutter = 1/30

 

ISO 800

shutter = 1/125

 

Small LED panels like these just don't have the brightness of a good speedlight when it comes to photography.  They are great for video and good enough for photos... but you get the idea.  In studios shoots, we use more than one panel, and the panels we use are much larger.

 

Also keep in mind, my Aputure are about 1/3rd as bright as the Ledgo ones at a distance of 1m.

Good enough for me. Now I just have to decide between DIY vs the ones you recommend.