We have talked a lot on here over the years on lighting, and this year there are some new players in the market and looking to get something better than my Sony HVL-LBPA's (I have lost the filters)

I see this Ledzilla mentioned some
Dedolight Ledzilla Mini LED Daylight Camera Light DLOBMLSH B&H

and also the new LED from LitePanels
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/687491-REG/Litepanels_SOLAENG_SolaENG_3_LED_Fresnel.html

Lowel also has a new one
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/653888-REG/Lowel_BLN_10_Blender_LED_Fixture_120V_12VDC.html

One thing I really want is a built in filter to convert from 5500k to 3200k

Anyone tested these or others that are new, or even having great luck with something thats been around for a while.

Always looking for something that comes closer to being a one size fits all for under $1000.

Hey Denny,

This is what I use, I think its awesome.. Comer 1800

http://lacoloronline.com/product/?CM1800-Comer-CM-LBPS1800-On-Camera-LED-Light

Even with only 10 LEDs its stinking bright when on full power!

Hey Denny,

This is what I use, I think its awesome.. Comer 1800

http://lacoloronline.com/product/?CM1800-Comer-CM-LBPS1800-On-Camera-LED-Light

Even with only 10 LEDs its stinking bright when on full power!

My only concern is I read that the color temp is not 3200k, would think this would be a problem, I could be wrong.

Yeah it does have 3200k

here is a quote from the page

"Switchable color temperature at 4500K or 3200K using the built-in filter"

Oops! Just realized you were listing on camera lighting. But just for an interesting option ill continue writing...I just got a pair of coollights LED 600's (which can accept battery power) to see how they were and I'm impressed so far. Came with a few different filters and a carrying case. Super light (though not light enough for a camera mount but could mount to a tripod with creative grip hardware) and brighter than I had expected. Used them on two shoots last week and they worked out great. I believe they were about 3100k with the 1/2 minus green filter and the resulting video really looked nice. When they are back in stock I will pick up a couple more.

Oops! Just realized you were listing on camera lighting. But just for an interesting option ill continue writing...I just got a pair of coollights LED 600's (which can accept battery power) to see how they were and I'm impressed so far. Came with a few different filters and a carrying case. Super light (though not light enough for a camera mount but could mount to a tripod with creative grip hardware) and brighter than I had expected. Used them on two shoots last week and they worked out great. I believe they were about 3100k with the 1/2 minus green filter and the resulting video really looked nice. When they are back in stock I will pick up a couple more.

I am not only interested in on camera lighting, I very seldom use it on camera so interested in all lighting. I will always have an on camera light for emergency but prefer light on a light stand.

Just didnt want to jack a thread :) Definitely check them out. At around $400 it was a no brainer for me. As I mentioned, when they are back in stock I plan to get a few more. Even if you don't use them for primary light, you can hide them easily for fills on a set. Looks like they are going to offer a 1200 version as well!
Cool Lights LED Fixtures - Cool Lights USA (http://www.coollights.biz/fixture-series-fixtures-c-40_43.html?osCsid=2aab113c7872f6b5d4333cf159b02cf7)

I am not only interested in on camera lighting, I very seldom use it on camera so interested in all lighting. I will always have an on camera light for emergency but prefer light on a light stand.

Denny, what do you do if the DJ has a light show all night during the reception? Do you flood out his light show with you light stands or do you just record everyone with pink/blue (whatever color the DJ disco light are) skin tones? I can't see how you can flood out a disco light show that the bride has paid for, so if you don't have an on-camera light, everyone must be pink or blue.

Denny, what do you do if the DJ has a light show all night during the reception? Do you flood out his light show with you light stands or do you just record everyone with pink/blue (whatever color the DJ disco light are) skin tones? I can't see how you can flood out a disco light show that the bride has paid for, so if you don't have an on-camera light, everyone must be pink or blue.

I personaly prefer the pink and blue faces instead of blinding people with an on-camera light.

However for on camera lights, the best one I've found so far that doesn't cost an arm and a leg is the Z96 LED light. You can find it at around $300 at local stores or at around $60 on ebay HDV-Z96 96 LED Light Fr EOS 5D II 7D 550D Lighting - eBay (item 190447685400 end time Jan-20-11 02:45:06 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/HDV-Z96-96-LED-Light-Fr-EOS-5D-II-7D-550D-Lighting-/190447685400?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item2c57910f18)
It has very nice color (no green cast) it has a dimmer, and it is powerfull enough.

For lights on lightstands if you want domething more powerfull the 500 LED lights look good although I haven't tried them.
This one 500 LED Light Panel LED Video Light Panel Dimmer AC/DC - eBay (item 110637716749 end time Jan-19-11 12:28:06 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/500-LED-Light-Panel-LED-Video-Light-Panel-Dimmer-AC-DC-/110637716749?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c285950d) works with AC or DC and has a dimmer too for $50 more than the older AC only version.

Denny, what do you do if the DJ has a light show all night during the reception? Do you flood out his light show with you light stands or do you just record everyone with pink/blue (whatever color the DJ disco light are) skin tones? I can't see how you can flood out a disco light show that the bride has paid for, so if you don't have an on-camera light, everyone must be pink or blue.

I set up an LED light on a light stand off to the left side of Cam A, and if I have a cam B running it will be on the Left side of the LED light so one light will light for 2 cams.

It does not drown out the light show, but if a bride hired me to video her reception, I will do my best to get great video. I only use enough power to do the job, the rest of the dance floor is not affected by my lights, only what I am taping.

IMO the DJ's light show is not at the top of the priorities, For just random dancing, I often use only the DJ's lights to show the ambience of the night, but not the important dances like B&G, Father Daughter etc.

I see no advantage to on camera lighting to that same light on a light stand, only disadvantages.

[QUOTE=Spiros Zaharakis;1609027]I personaly prefer the pink and blue faces instead of blinding people with an on-camera light.

However for on camera lights, the best one I've found so far that doesn't cost an arm and a leg is the Z96 LED light. You can find it at around $300


I use a $35 light and it doesn't blind anyone. It's much better than having pink or blue guests.


bescor led-25 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=bescor+led-25&N=0&InitialSearch=yes)

I personaly prefer the pink and blue faces instead of blinding people with an on-camera light.

However for on camera lights, the best one I've found so far that doesn't cost an arm and a leg is the Z96 LED light. You can find it at around $300 at local stores or at around $60 on ebay HDV-Z96 96 LED Light Fr EOS 5D II 7D 550D Lighting - eBay (item 190447685400 end time Jan-20-11 02:45:06 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/HDV-Z96-96-LED-Light-Fr-EOS-5D-II-7D-550D-Lighting-/190447685400?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item2c57910f18)
It has very nice color (no green cast) it has a dimmer, and it is powerfull enough.

For lights on lightstands if you want domething more powerfull the 500 LED lights look good although I haven't tried them.
This one 500 LED Light Panel LED Video Light Panel Dimmer AC/DC - eBay (item 110637716749 end time Jan-19-11 12:28:06 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/500-LED-Light-Panel-LED-Video-Light-Panel-Dimmer-AC-DC-/110637716749?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c285950d) works with AC or DC and has a dimmer too for $50 more than the older AC only version.

I set up an LED light on a light stand off to the left side of Cam A, and if I have a cam B running it will be on the Left side of the LED light so one light will light for 2 cams.

It does not drown out the light show, but if a bride hired me to video her reception, I will do my best to get great video. I only use enough power to do the job, the rest of the dance floor is not affected by my lights, only what I am taping.

IMO the DJ's light show is not at the top of the priorities, For just random dancing, I often use only the DJ's lights to show the ambience of the night, but not the important dances like B&G, Father Daughter etc.

I see no advantage to on camera lighting to that same light on a light stand, only disadvantages.

I just can't see how a light stand will be able to light up just what you are shooting and not the entire dance floor. I really think you need an on camera light to follow the action. There must be a difference in our style of shooting. Turning on a 500 watt light stand seems to me to be more disruptive to the entire dance floor (heck, the entire room itself) than a 25 watt on camera light that is just pointed at the subject you are directly shooting. For the record, I try not to use a light at all. I only use it when the room is pink/blue.

We don't use external lights at the reception at all.

The link for the 500LED light I provided was just because the OP asked for it.

We use Sony Z5 and FX1000 with a Z96 on top just in case but we try not to use it at all. If the ambient light gets too low we will turn it on but we will try to keep it dialed down so not only it doesn't blind anyone but doesn't kill the ambient too.

If there are colored lights at the reception we also turn it on but most of the times it does almost nothing except to the people very close to the camera since these color lights are very often too bright to get overpowered by a small on camera light.

Personaly I prefer not to use the on camera light at all but sometimes there is no other way to take the shot.

With a 7D, a 5D and a Sony SLT A33 as our main cameras for 2011 we will probably leave that LED light in the bag

We have talked a lot on here over the years on lighting, and this year there are some new players in the market and looking to get something better than my Sony HVL-LBPA's...

Hi Denny,

It's been interesting to read all of the posts, on cam vs off cam, ruining the ambiance of the room vs. having a decent video...I know that your photography background has taught you more about light than the average videographer. You understand light and you know how unflattering on camera lighting is.

Having said that, sometimes we have no other choice than to use on camera light. It's better than an underexposed image, right.

We use a combination of on camera and off camera lighting. On the dance floor we use two Reception Lights. They are 75 watt lights and you can get the 75watt Bescor lights just about anywhere. What makes them so unique and such a good fit for us is that they run on batteries and the have remotes. Batteries saves us the time of not having to find electricity and then taping down the cords. The remotes are wonderful in that I don't have to be physically close to the light to turn it on. I can be on the other side of the room and turn the lights on.

I have found that two 75 watt lights about 10-15 feet in the air is ideal for adding light to the dance floor without removing the ambiance. I certainly do not want to light up the dance floor like NASA. I just want to add a little light to get a good image. The lights do not wash out the colored lights of the DJ or band.

So not only does off camera lighting make the subject look better, but since the lights are 10-12 feet in the air, they are much less offensive than a 20-50 watt light at eye level...even if the on camera light is diffused.

We use the Comer 1800 for on camera lighting...well to think about it, we also use the Comer 1800 for off camera lighting as well. We just don't place it on 10ft high light stands. I'll use it more on a 5-6 ft light stand when I need to have easy access to turning it on or off.

I have tested many on camera LED lights, and the Comer throws the farthest and widest and is the most versatile LED light I have tried. It comes with a built in CTO gel. In order to use the CTO gel, you just flip down the door. Easy, but it also adds diffusion, which I don't always want. So I ordered a diffusion door from them that only diffuses and does not have a CTO gel. I then cut my own CTO gel and mounted it to the light. That way it is always at 32k and I have the option to add diffusion or not.

I did a Von Real on the Reception Lights. Here are some links.
EventDV-TV (http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid9493665001?bclid=22328754001&bctid=60135038001)

The Wireless Wedding Reception Video Light - HOME (http://www.receptionlight.com/index.html)

Comer CM-LBPS1800 On-Camera LED Light | L.A. Color Online (http://lacoloronline.com/product/?CM1800-Comer-CM-LBPS1800-On-Camera-LED-Light)

So not only does off camera lighting make the subject look better, but since the lights are 10-12 feet in the air, they are much less offensive than a 20-50 watt light at eye level...even if the on camera light is diffused.

I find that 2 lights, 10-12 feet in the air will definitely ruin the ambiance of a room. Nevermind it's an insurance hazard. Plus, now you are blinding everyone on the dance floor. With an on-cam light, you're only blinding 1 or 2. ;-) Many banquet halls I work in, there is absolutely no room to even think about setting up 2 light stands. Believe me, I do not want to use on-cam lights and I only use them when the DJ is making the room pink/blue (which the bride is paying him for). But for people to say "never" use on-cam light, that is just not feasible at a wedding where you are covering the entire reception.

I find that 2 lights, 10-12 feet in the air will definitely ruin the ambiance of a room. Nevermind it's an insurance hazard. Plus, now you are blinding everyone on the dance floor. With an on-cam light, you're only blinding 1 or 2. ;-) Many banquet halls I work in, there is absolutely no room to even think about setting up 2 light stands. Believe me, I do not want to use on-cam lights and I only use them when the DJ is making the room pink/blue (which the bride is paying him for). But for people to say "never" use on-cam light, that is just not feasible at a wedding where you are covering the entire reception.

Hi Michael,

Here is proof that two 75 watt Reception Lights on 12ft lights stands do not ruin the ambiance of the room.
Chrissy and John - Dreams do come true - LSD Photography Blog (http://trippinwithlsd.com/weddings/chrissy-and-john---dreams-do-come-true.html)

Scroll about half way down until you see a room shot of the reception with a pink wash on the walls. Look center stage and then on each side of the stage you will see two larger light fixtures. Those are the lighting guys lights. Look closely at the outside of the two larger fixtures and you will see a smaller light. Those are my Reception Lights.

Then if you scroll down to a couple of the first dance shots, tell me if the ambiance of the room is ruined. You can see how in the 1st first dance shot that the Reception Lights acts as a hair light for the photographer. If you scroll down to a couple of the party dance shots and I can't honestly say if my reception lights were on or off at the time. Then scroll on down to the shot of the boquet toss. I know my Reception Lights were on for that moment.

In my opinion these pictures prove that using two 75 watt Reception Lights on 12 ft. stands does not ruin the ambiance of the room, and oh by the way, the photographers love the Reception Lights. We work some really high end events and I have never been asked to turn off my Reception Lights. Most people don't even notice that they are on.

Homemade dimmers really help to ease the transition from a dark dance floor and podium to a lit dance floor and podium. I never have had one person complain about having either my Arri 650s come on or my smaller pro-lights when dimmed up and dimmed down. Cost about $75 to build at home depot :). The HARSH turning on and off is what usually gets guests in an uproar.

Mark, totally agree with you. Off-camera lighting does not ruin ambiance if done right. The issue comes when videographers "flood" the dance floor rather than artfully light the dance floor. There are three camps here that the last discussion on lighting has shown, those who feel that on-camera lighting is the way to go, those who feel that off-camera lighting is the way to go, and those who feel using a combination of both tailored to the situation is the way to go. It got a bit heated when those who felt on-camera was the only viable situation due to a myriad of logistical and hazardous obstacles turned them away from off-camera lighting. I'm of the "use both" camp and found that there's no way to persuade the on-camera lighting camp otherwise as the hazard of lights falling on a guest is too much pressure for them. In the end, it was a whatever floats your boat ending : http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/wedding-event-videography-techniques/486464-dslr-camera-light.html

cheers

"Here is proof that two 75 watt Reception Lights on 12ft lights stands do not ruin the ambiance of the room.
Chrissy and John - Dreams do come true - LSD Photography Blog"

Definately better than with on camera light.

Hi Michael,

Here is proof that two 75 watt Reception Lights on 12ft lights stands do not ruin the ambiance of the room.
Chrissy and John - Dreams do come true - LSD Photography Blog (http://trippinwithlsd.com/weddings/chrissy-and-john---dreams-do-come-true.html)

Scroll about half way down until you see a room shot of the reception with a pink wash on the walls. Look center stage and then on each side of the stage you will see two larger light fixtures. Those are the lighting guys lights. Look closely at the outside of the two larger fixtures and you will see a smaller light. Those are my Reception Lights.

Then if you scroll down to a couple of the first dance shots, tell me if the ambiance of the room is ruined. You can see how in the 1st first dance shot that the Reception Lights acts as a hair light for the photographer. If you scroll down to a couple of the party dance shots and I can't honestly say if my reception lights were on or off at the time. Then scroll on down to the shot of the boquet toss. I know my Reception Lights were on for that moment.

In my opinion these pictures prove that using two 75 watt Reception Lights on 12 ft. stands does not ruin the ambiance of the room, and oh by the way, the photographers love the Reception Lights. We work some really high end events and I have never been asked to turn off my Reception Lights. Most people don't even notice that they are on.

hey Mark. I agree, these lights do not ruin the ambiance at this wedding and this was a very tight room, so this was a great example. Thanks for sending it! But what if the walls weren't so close to the dance floor, where would you set up the lights? Would they still be against a wall, maybe 30 feet away from the dance floor? Then the light would be shining on guests as they are seated at their tables.

Placement of off camera lights is key.
I also believe that Fresnel type lights would suit better for larger halls as they throw a narrow beam that will only light the dance floor without killing the ambience and if placed high and facing away from the guests (towards the dance floor) in a cross lighting configuration they are going to be excelent for large reception halls.
We usualy light the reception like this with remote speedlights for our photography (we do both and basicaly I'm the photographer) and leave video with natural light but fresnel lights could be the solution that will fit both photo & video.

Till lately fresnel lihgts were out of my budget but the latest Chinese copies come at the right price so I may end up getting a couple. fresnel light as arri items - Get great deals on Cameras Photo items on eBay.com! (http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=fresnel+light+as+arri)

hey Mark. I agree, these lights do not ruin the ambiance at this wedding and this was a very tight room, so this was a great example. Thanks for sending it! But what if the walls weren't so close to the dance floor, where would you set up the lights? Would they still be against a wall, maybe 30 feet away from the dance floor? Then the light would be shining on guests as they are seated at their tables.

Hi Michael,

You are welcome. The few times that I have had a dance floor away from the walls the DJ placed his speakers near the dance floor so I just placed my Reception Lights by his speaker stands. I even put the legs of the Reception Lights so they were next to the speaker legs and then gaffer taped them together.

Now in the scenario that you presented, the Reception Lights would not work well. In that case I would recommend the fresnel lights like Spiros recommends.

Denny, what do you do if the DJ has a light show all night during the reception? Do you flood out his light show with you light stands or do you just record everyone with pink/blue (whatever color the DJ disco light are) skin tones? I can't see how you can flood out a disco light show that the bride has paid for, so if you don't have an on-camera light, everyone must be pink or blue.If everyone in the disco has pink/blue skin tones isn't that what you want to film? The light show at the disco is part of the event you are recording.

If everyone in the disco has pink/blue skin tones isn't that what you want to film? The light show at the disco is part of the event you are recording.

Sure, you could film everyone pink/blue but I don't believe that is what the bride intended. When she is hiring a DJ to use those lights, it's for room effect, not for skin tones. Check out the sample photos that Mark posted on this thread, the photographer used a flash, therefore no one is pink.

Sure, you could film everyone pink/blue but I don't believe that is what the bride intended. When she is hiring a DJ to use those lights, it's for room effect, not for skin tones. Check out the sample photos that Mark posted on this thread, the photographer used a flash, therefore no one is pink.TBH I think that those photos are spoiled by the flash & other white lights as it looks like someone turned the house lights on full mid way through the dancing.

Sure, you could film everyone pink/blue but I don't believe that is what the bride intended. When she is hiring a DJ to use those lights, it's for room effect, not for skin tones. Check out the sample photos that Mark posted on this thread, the photographer used a flash, therefore no one is pink.

Michael, while I agree with you that the brides intention was not to make everyone look pink or yellow, she will have to agree that what you do is not simple "videography" but something more advanced closer to cinema. After all, have you ever seen a movie were they had on camera lights?

There is nothing else screaming "video" more than on camera lights.

If you don't want to market yourself as a videographer but rather as something more advanced you may have to back that up with your shooting style too.

Michael, while I agree with you that the brides intention was not to make everyone look pink or yellow, she will have to agree that what you do is not simple "videography" but something more advanced closer to cinema. After all, have you ever seen a movie were they had on camera lights?

There is nothing else screaming "video" more than on camera lights.

If you don't want to market yourself as a videographer but rather as something more advanced you may have to back that up with your shooting style too.

I think once the reception dancing starts, we are all pretty much just videographers at that point. In a movie, everything is set up around the camera's positioning, it doesn't work that way at a wedding.

Hollywood: "Lights, Camera, Action"!
Wedding: "Action, Lights, Camera".

If you don't want to market yourself as a videographer but rather as something more advanced you may have to back that up with your shooting style too.

Quoted for straight up truth.

Quoted for straight up truth.

Randy, we are talking strictly the reception. I think once the dancing starts, there's not much of a difference between a cinematographer and a videographer...is there?

Randy, we are talking strictly the reception. I think once the dancing starts, there's not much of a difference between a cinematographer and a videographer...is there?

There's plenty of difference to me. Just because the dancing has started doesn't mean I'm going to start to do dutch angles with creep zooms or have them start dancing at the camera. I'm still going to shoot in sequence as well as work with the light to the best of my ability. The differentiation comes from the approach. If you approach the dancing in a cinematic way thinking like a cinematographer would, I'm sure you'd get different results than someone who approached it as a videographer and just was happy to capture the moment.

Nothing wrong with the latter approach at all, just working from a cinematographer stand point requires more thinking and more work. Sometimes I just want to shoot it and "cover" it rather than try and do some story telling ;).

Cheers

I use the Comer light both on camera and off on light stand. Check out this video start at 0:45.

Lisa & Scott - The "Coming Soon" Video on Vimeo

Also check out this article contributed by Mark Von Lanken on using the Comer 1800 light off camera

Off Camera Lighting with the Comer 1800 on Light Stand | L.A. Color Blog (http://lacoloronline.com/blog/?10069-Off-Camera-Lighting-with-the-Comer-1800-on-Light-Stand)

Thanks Mark for writing up the article.

Not sure how I stopped getting emails about replys to this thread but I missed a lot until I found it again.

As always Mark and others your well thought out replies are really appreciated.

I need to go higher with my lights and use on camera lights for a little fill as needed.