My Cool Lights Experience

[Richard Andrewski]

The 1/4 minus green is about .3 stop loss. The 1/2 minus green is about .5 stop loss. Yes, the full CTO is about 1 stop loss.

[Allan Tabilas]

Jem Schofield at thec47.com has posted a gearbox video episode with the led 600 (spotlight, flood, and flood with softbox) here. It helps illustrate the differences.

theC47: learn... camera » lighting » audio » post » tech - gearbox - MessingAround

In this link, here demonstrates the Sunlight Supply Tek-lights, a flo solution cheaper than the kinoflos.
theC47: learn... camera » lighting » audio » post » tech - gearbox - Feeling GreenPt.3

[Richard Andrewski]

Yeah, Jem is a fan, super prolific in his VLOG and has a lot of our equipment. I think he's done at least 5 or 6 segments on Cool Lights equipment alone. Thanks to Jem and to Allan for posting those links.

[John Knight]

I'm looking to compliment my existing MicroPro light for talking head interviews. I'm thinking of buying 2 600 coollights (1 spot and 1 flood). Using Flood as my keylight, Spot as a fill, and MicroPro as a backlight. Would that be the best option?

[Dan Brockett]

John:

I have the two 600s, one spot, one flood as the basis of my travel/interview kit. The Coollights LED256 would be the superior and logical choice as your third light in the kit. In that way, you would know that the color rendition and balance between all three lights would be pretty much the same. Mixing manufacturers may find that the Coollights 5mm LEDs render colors differently than the LEDs in your MicroPro.

The LED 600s rock and the LED 256 is a dream of a light. Small, powerful, simple to use. I really, really love my Coollights, they have changed the way I light.

Dan

[Adam T. Davis]

Hi Richard,

I live in the UK and am looking at getting some LED CoolLights (when you have some in stock). How does it work with us overseas types? Do I need to get a power adaptor to plug it in? How much would delivery be roughly? Just trying to work out the overall cost. Also will you be doing any bundle kits for the LED lights, say if I wanted to get a couple of 600s and a 256?

Thanks

Adam T. Davis

[Richard Andrewski]

Hi Adam,

Thanks for your interest. They are in stock in China now and its about the same to ship from China as it is from the USA. No power adapters needed other than perhaps a UK plug adapter or replace our cord entirely (which you can) with a UK IEC type (like those used on desktop computers). Voltage already adapts though.

Why not contact us now at info@coollights.biz and we'll give you all the details.

[Randy Panado]

I've been using these amazing lights for the past 2 months for all my wedding filmmaking needs. Really, really fantastic stuff. Coupled with sony batteries, it's really a versatile and portable lighting solution. I bought one pro-light prior to these lights and the pro-light never leaves the bag unless I need more than 2 lights. If there's an interest, I'll link a film or two in which the LED256 was used.

Thanks for all the great support Richard!

[Michael Liebergot]

Randy I would love to see some LED256 wedding samples.
I have been playing with the idea of using two LED256 lights for dance reception footage. My only concern with them was how the throw woudl be on a dance floor compared to my two 75w tungsten lights.

I normally use two NRG Varalux lights on 12 foot light stands, and large Bescor battery belts at the base for power purposes as well as added weight support for the light stand itself. The only reason I might consider still suing battery belts with the LED256 lights is that I would get much longer battery run times with more power. As well as the ability to use a remote control to power the lights on and off remotely. The remote control sits between the power source and the light itself. The remote simply turns the current on/off via a remote.

The only way around this using Sony batteries at this time is using a Sony battery sled. This way I could attach the battery sled to the light stand, and place the remote in between the sled and LED256 (which would plug in via XLR).

[Randy Panado]

Hey Michael,

I get about 45mins to 1hr of battery life off of the large sony batteries that Taky sells thru lacolorshop. I've found that it's been enough to suit my needs as I have four of them that I bring. The coollights are very light so I don't have a huge worry of them falling over during indoor weddings as I did with my arri 650s.

This first film, the cool light was used during the photosession at night. During the first dance, two cool lights lit the dance floor, they were a bit too hot as it was a small floor but we needed to stop down so I didn't adjust them.

Sharon ‘ Luis – Highlights // Tis the season! Colour Craft Media

This second film, the cool lights were used as side lights on each side of the bride and groom while a pro-light was the main during the ceremony :

1,000 Paper Cranes // Brandi ‘ Reid – Same Day Edit Colour Craft Media

I have a love story that I shot using these and really love the look it gave. Once that is finished, I'll be sure to share it.

Thanks,
Randy

[Michael Liebergot]

Randy thanks for the samples.
One quick question...
Are you shooting with DSLRs only. I ask because this will make a difference in light sensitivity, especially compared to what I am shooting with Sony FX1's.

How does the light throw compare to a 75-100w tungsten bulb?

And my comment about adding weight to the base of the light stand was to add weight to prevent the light stand from moving or tipping over easily. I'm not too worried about a small on camera light tipping over, but don't need light stands being kicked or tipped over easily on to people.

What I might have to try is seeing if I can find a good battery sled for the lights, maybe dual would be cool. this way I could place the sled on the light stand itself, and thus avoid having to lower the light stand in order to swap out batteries.

[Simon Denny]

Hi guys,

I'm looking at the Cool Lights as an option instead of tungsten lighting.
The kit I think that would suitable is: Led 2 x 600's and 1 x 256.
I would use theses on interview and also I do a lot of product info commercials.
What is the light throw on led's vs Tungsten. At times I need to light up products on a wide shot so I would need to keep the lights out of frame but also lighting my scene.

The Cool Lights look great but wondering for my needs are they an all rounder?

Any feed back would be appreciated.

[Richard Andrewski]

Hi Simon,

Lots of people are using the LED 600 in a similar use. I would say the throw on LEDs is better than fluorescent but not quite as good as tungsten. You've got a mirror, bulb and lens all working well together on fresnels to give a good hard light. The LEDs do quite well at putting out a kind of "medium" hard light if that makes some sense. I think the decision is often based around ease of setup and whether battery use is important to you. And of course whether the "hot" lights are an issue for heating up the studio area as well as the power they use.

If those aren't a consideration then perhaps tungsten is a better choice in some cases.

[Randy Panado]

Originally Posted by Michael Liebergot

Randy thanks for the samples.
One quick question...
Are you shooting with DSLRs only. I ask because this will make a difference in light sensitivity, especially compared to what I am shooting with Sony FX1's.

How does the light throw compare to a 75-100w tungsten bulb?

And my comment about adding weight to the base of the light stand was to add weight to prevent the light stand from moving or tipping over easily. I'm not too worried about a small on camera light tipping over, but don't need light stands being kicked or tipped over easily on to people.

What I might have to try is seeing if I can find a good battery sled for the lights, maybe dual would be cool. this way I could place the sled on the light stand itself, and thus avoid having to lower the light stand in order to swap out batteries.

I followed you on your comment about the weight from your post earlier, no need to explain yourself on that.

I shoot with all DSLRs now but have shot with FX1s for years. With that said, the power of the cool lights should be more than enough if you know how to light an area rather than just trying to brighten the whole room with the FX1, depending on how large of an area you're working with. A large 20x20 dance floor and I think you would have a little bit of an issue but still manageable. I had to use my arri 650s for a dance floor that size a while back when still shooting with my HMC150, but the 5dmk2 footage from that same situation was well lit so I could have done with the LED256s if need be.

As far as throw compared to a 75-100w, couldn't tell you in direct comparison as I use the 250w pro-lights. I've had to use bescor/nrg lights in the past as on camera lights when I was shooting for another studio and it "lit" the scene ok, but I'm not so much into lighting a scene for it to be bright rather than shaping.

[Harry Simpson]

I've read about everything i can about these lights here and on the web site. I shoot with a 5Dmk2 and a 550D and was wondering if DSLRs may do better with only the LED256 would make more sense for fill while keeping the other light ratios the same if that make any sense. I noticed that they are out of stock now....or is a LED600 just a better deal and dial it down (turn banks off as needed) I really refer well lit without the talent looking lit. And I know with the DSLR like the 5Dmk2 i may have a higher ISO range than with other cameras such that less light may be desirable.

Moslty used for interviews and some music video too.