Fluorescent on-camera lights? at DVinfo.net

Heiko Saele · June 4th, 2007, 02:18 PM

I'm interested, are there any fluorescent on-camera lights on the market (12V belt-powered, 10-20 Watt)?
I haven't found any... the closest I came up with was the Mini-Flo from Kinoflo which could probably be made into an on-camera light, but it's not made for that purpose. Wouldn't a fluorescent on camera light have many advantages? Low power consumption compared to halogen, high output, very soft light.

I just bought a E27 reflector lamp with a 9W fluorescent tube inside which isn't considerably larger than a halogen on-camera light - I guess with a little engineering the size of a 10-20W fluorescent could be made acceptable. What do you think? Would there be any major disadvantages compared to halogen?

Bob Grant · June 4th, 2007, 03:53 PM

Photon Baird make one such light, their Hyperlight. We have around six of them. Quite nice but fairly bulky due to the size of the reflector.

Alex Leith · June 4th, 2007, 03:54 PM

Photon Beard do the dimmable Hyperlight 471. It's fairly bulky, but only consumes 8 watts, doesn't need a diffuser and just lasts forever!

-----

You beat me to it, Bob!

Richard Andrewski · June 4th, 2007, 06:17 PM

Bulky is the key with a fluorescent on camera light. I think LEDs make much more sense for this application than fluorescent unless you don't mind the extra weight.

Rohan Dadswell · June 5th, 2007, 03:53 AM

I've been running around for the last couple of years with a Kinoflo on my camera.
Yes it is large (large = soft) but the fill it gives is great. Not a lot of distance/punch.

Richard Andrewski · June 5th, 2007, 05:16 AM

All of the "soft" on camera solutions like fluorescent and LEDs simply won't have the distance throw of a harder light. They're really for close work. Now, put a 35w metal halide in a small fixture and you'd really have something that could put out an impressive amount of light. Someone demonstrated a small 35w HID spotlight recently on this forum. Just need a smaller fixture than that...

Bob Grant · June 5th, 2007, 06:04 PM

Zylights new Z90 will have quite a lot of throw without any hotspots and still give good coverage for 16:9. Power consumption is still only 30W. I've looked at HID on camera lights, generally expensive and get really hot and don't cover too well however for things like ENG they're still hard to beat when your on camera light might be the only light source.
LED lights such as the Zylight give adjustable CT, in fact any color you like and dimmable etc. But they're not the ultimate solution for every need, they don't have the punch of the HIDs or the diffused source of the Hyperlights. The latter can make a difference in some situations when the 'talent' might object to a bright light shining in their face. One solution is to mount the Zylight on a Noga arm.

Giroud Francois · June 6th, 2007, 04:22 AM

for cheap you could try this

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-LED-RING-LIGH...QQcmdZViewItem

June 4th, 2007, 02:18 PM	#1
Heiko Saele Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wurzburg, Germany Posts: 316	Fluorescent on-camera lights? I'm interested, are there any fluorescent on-camera lights on the market (12V belt-powered, 10-20 Watt)? I haven't found any... the closest I came up with was the Mini-Flo from Kinoflo which could probably be made into an on-camera light, but it's not made for that purpose. Wouldn't a fluorescent on camera light have many advantages? Low power consumption compared to halogen, high output, very soft light. I just bought a E27 reflector lamp with a 9W fluorescent tube inside which isn't considerably larger than a halogen on-camera light - I guess with a little engineering the size of a 10-20W fluorescent could be made acceptable. What do you think? Would there be any major disadvantages compared to halogen?

June 4th, 2007, 03:54 PM	#3
Alex Leith Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 500	Photon Beard do the dimmable Hyperlight 471. It's fairly bulky, but only consumes 8 watts, doesn't need a diffuser and just lasts forever! ----- You beat me to it, Bob! __________________ Alex

June 4th, 2007, 06:17 PM	#4
Richard Andrewski Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shenzhen, China Posts: 781	Bulky is the key with a fluorescent on camera light. I think LEDs make much more sense for this application than fluorescent unless you don't mind the extra weight. __________________ Richard Andrewski - Cool Lights USA - RED #114 http://www.coollights.biz

June 5th, 2007, 05:16 AM	#6
Richard Andrewski Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shenzhen, China Posts: 781	All of the "soft" on camera solutions like fluorescent and LEDs simply won't have the distance throw of a harder light. They're really for close work. Now, put a 35w metal halide in a small fixture and you'd really have something that could put out an impressive amount of light. Someone demonstrated a small 35w HID spotlight recently on this forum. Just need a smaller fixture than that... __________________ Richard Andrewski - Cool Lights USA - RED #114 http://www.coollights.biz

June 4th, 2007, 03:53 PM	#2
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Photon Baird make one such light, their Hyperlight. We have around six of them. Quite nice but fairly bulky due to the size of the reflector.

June 5th, 2007, 03:53 AM	#5
Rohan Dadswell Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Canberra Australia Posts: 228	I've been running around for the last couple of years with a Kinoflo on my camera. Yes it is large (large = soft) but the fill it gives is great. Not a lot of distance/punch.

June 5th, 2007, 06:04 PM	#7
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Zylights new Z90 will have quite a lot of throw without any hotspots and still give good coverage for 16:9. Power consumption is still only 30W. I've looked at HID on camera lights, generally expensive and get really hot and don't cover too well however for things like ENG they're still hard to beat when your on camera light might be the only light source. LED lights such as the Zylight give adjustable CT, in fact any color you like and dimmable etc. But they're not the ultimate solution for every need, they don't have the punch of the HIDs or the diffused source of the Hyperlights. The latter can make a difference in some situations when the 'talent' might object to a bright light shining in their face. One solution is to mount the Zylight on a Noga arm.

June 6th, 2007, 04:22 AM	#8
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	for cheap you could try this http://cgi.ebay.com/48-LED-RING-LIGH...QQcmdZViewItem