CN-600 LED lights - anyone using these?

[Sam Renkin]

I recently completed a shoot with a videographer who had purchased a pair of these 600-LED fixtures. I've seen nothing here about them - not sure who makes them? They traveled quite well on the shoot, both packed in a Pelican case as checked baggage (six cities in six days, interviews in each location). I've seen them for sale on eBay at prices ranging from $290 up to $500. They have an AC power supply, a wired remote dimmer and a set of hard plastic "gels" to adjust color temperature. Some have V-mount battery brackets and others don't.

Anyone using this product who can attest to the quality, durability etc or lack thereof?

[Nicholas de Kock]

They are readily available also sold under the brand ePhoto, great light I've had mine for over a year now and still works perfectly besides the flimsy barn doors which I took off the second I got my light. I power my light with V-Mount batteries great for portability can go all day without worrying. Must use minus green filter at all times has a nasty green spike and included tungsten gel isn't that great I use my own gel which I tape to the light. Great value for money, I've even dropped it from a light stand and survived.

[Jeff Anselmo]

Hi Nicholas,

Are these the ones? LED PANEL 600 LED LIGHT PANEL CN600 DIMMABLE 14-240V WITH SONY V MOUNT LIGHT KIT | eBay

[Jeff Anselmo]

Originally Posted by Nicholas de Kock

I power my light with V-Mount batteries great for portability can go all day without worrying.

Also, how much did you get for the batteries (including charger)?

Thanks!

[Nicholas de Kock]

That's the light, I use these batteries...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/341314-REG/Switronix_XP_L90S_XPL_90S_V_Type_14_4VDC_Lithium.html
You get a $50 charger for it under accesories that charges it over night. I get 3 hours of full brightness with one battery.

[Chris Harding]

Hey Nicholas

I getting tired of trying to assemble huge softboxes so I'm also looking for something easier. Over here I have the option of getting either one light with 29 x 3W power leds and barn doors with a 8560 lumen output and use it next to the camera (our speeches at weddings are always at a lectern) OR maybe better for a little more I can get TWO 520 LED panels that are 6000 lumens each .....I often will have an issue that the venue will have the lectern with a window behind so often the softbox I currently use is in my frame!!! Using two panels left and right will solve this but I need to know is the light soft enough not to create the hard shadows that halogens create??? Do you guys use lights on one person position at the standard 45 degree setup without any issues?????

I also have some guests complain about the "big white light in my eyes" even though it's pretty high up!!!
so 45 degree setups would also solve that too!!!

How do you setup for speeches at weddings with your panels????

Chris

[Robert Turchick]

My friend has a pair of these and I have a pair of Cool lights that are similar. I like them both but the CoolLights seem better built with better cases.
I use Rosco's Cinegel * #3026: Tough White Diffusion (216) clipped to the barn doors. Beats lugging a softbox! Works really nicely. And the talent doesn't complain about the brightness as the light is very soft. The LED's aren't quite as harsh as a tungsten but can still get a hard look if that's what's needed.

[Nicholas de Kock]

Chris this light is perfect for portable reception lighting, I sometimes set-up two 800W Redheads in the corners of a venue to act as a little fill light and then place one 600 LED about 2-3 meters away on a high light stand from the speaker, this way I light the speaker perfectly and only bother the speaker with light and not the guests. LED's are soft but not as soft as a softbox.

[Jeff Anselmo]

Thanks Nicholas!

I have used Cool Lights' 600 and 256, both at work a year ago, and found them very portable and easy to use. (Especially during inside factory shoots where safety and being unplugged was an issue.) And I do have to mention that Richard at Cool Lights delivers excellent customer service.

I've wanted LEDs for my personal use, and I thought I'd buy 2 600s on ebay. But I may just have to bite the bullet and order the Cool Lights :)

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Nicholas

I'll take a look tomorrow as it's 1:30am here now..just got back from another wedding!!
The big pain for me is the physical size and assembly of a softbox and then you have to screw in all the CFL lamps too... and at the end the reverse applies!!!
We also have a supplier here with an 8500lumen light that uses 3W power LED's rather than individual ones...their light has just 21 power LED's and measures only 210mm square!!!
I use power leds on my on camera lights and despite having only 6 power leds they work better than my other on-camera light that has 160!!! They are somewhat more expensive though!! Anyone used the ones with power leds yet???? Are they better than 500 individual leds?????

I was thinking of using two lights at 45 degrees to the speaker so they don't get the "looking into the light" that a softbox or LED directly in front of them gives them. But I guess you could also get away with one if it's high enough so it's squirting light down on the speaker instead of blasting his/her's eyes ???

Chris

[Harry Simpson]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

I getting tired of trying to assemble huge softboxes so I'm also looking for something easier.

That's one thing I love about the cool lights 600 is the softbox is collapsable and very portable. Attaches to the light within 5 seconds. And their responsiveness is awsome.

[Jonathan Plotkin]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Thanks Nicholas
We also have a supplier here with an 8500lumen light that uses 3W power LED's rather than individual ones...their light has just 21 power LED's and measures only 210mm square!!!
Chris

Sounds cool. Who makes these? Do you know if they're available in the U.S.?

[Chris Harding]

Hi Jonathan
I would suspect that they are made in China!!! Most of our stuff comes from there . The manufacturer might advertise on EBay worldwide????

The local link here to their shop is : PROtog Photographic Equipment items - Get great deals on items on eBay Stores!

I was purely asking about power LEDS as they seem to be more efficient than multiple ones and are a lot more compact!!

It's certainly a lot more compact unit and I see than Comer also use power LED's in their lights. With this you are looking at a unit an mere 8" square compared to what I'm using now which is a 32" square softbox and on low ceilings it does tend to block views.

I need to scrap/store the CFL softboxes and move over to LED but I'm sitting on the fence at the moment whilst deciding whether I should go for the 21 power LED units or the 500 led units?????

Chris

[Jonathan Plotkin]

Chris, I'm interested in power LEDs, but I'm also interested in the larger 1W and 3W LEDs in general because it seems like they would produce a smoother, more diffuse light. Maybe I'm wrong. The 500 LED panels that I have aren't as smooth as I'd like to see but on the other hand, it seems like the 23/3W light you're looking at is too compact to provide the kind of softbox-like spread I'm looking for either...

[Chris Harding]

Hi Jonathan

I will probably grab one of these power LED lights next week and see how they work??? I can let you know the results....Actually that has 21 x 3W modules in it.

Physical size did worry me a bit cos the average 500 or 600 panel is closer to 12" wide or more, HOWEVER, I also have a selection of on-camera lights. I have a 12W light with 6 x Power LED light that has a MUCH smaller "face" (in fact the leds are crammed into a 3" diameter circle) than my CN160 "normal shape" LED light which has much the same layout as a big light panel.

When in use, the results are actually quite amazing!!!! The power LED light produces the same coverage as the much wider CN160 and with my camera at full wide there is absolutely no difference between them at all. Both provide light cover in excess of the cams wide angle setting... actually quite amazing as I expected a sorta "spot" effect from the power light since it looks more like an overgrown flashlight and the 160 led light configuration was the more expected one BUT both give even and wide coverage.

Despite the fact that the PowerLED light is only 2/3rd's of the size of the 600 LED panels I doubt will make any difference to the light throw at all. However seeing is believing so I'll get one and try it out. It does have the extra advantage that it's more than 2000 lumens brighter than most 500 or 600 panels too.

Besides, my attitude nowdays is, if I don't like it, it goes back onto ebay!!!

Your input and others is much appreciated!!!

Chris