Re: anything new on LED?
 

Hey Mark long time no talk.

Yeah the color temp on the Z96 is a little green, which is the norm for these cheap Chinese LEDs.
This is why I like the 209AS and 312AS, as the color temp is adjustable.

The throw on the 209AS is a little stronger than the Z96 in my opinion.

For my remote control setup, I am using my original Receptionlight remote controls. Which I know you're familiar with. I used to use the following setup with my Coolight LED256 lights and instead of a miniplug to XLR4 male cable I simply used a XLR to XLR cable for this. But the 312AS takes a 2.1 mm miniplug for power, so I had to get a custom cable made for this purpose.

This is my configuration...
1. Dolgin V-Doubler with 2 Sony NP batteries (Usually Lenmar make)
2. miniplug to XLR cable fed into Receptionlight remote (Remote was setup to take XLR plug)
3. XLR to minplug cable used to go from remote to LED312AS light
4. Remote control keychain powers the light on/off


This is the equipment setup.

1. Dolgin vDOUBLER
2. 2.1mm to XLR4 (female) cable 6' [XLR4-2.1mm_cable] (This goes from the vDoubler the Receptionlight remote.)
3. 2.1mm to XLR4 (male) cable 6' [XLR4-2.1mm_cable] (I had Alex make me a male XLR4 instead of a female XLR4. This goes from the Receptionlight remote to the 312AS light.)

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Hey Nigel the LED lamps on those lights seems to be similar to the ones used by Comer for the Comer1800. Comer CM-LBPS1800 On-Camera LED Light

The Comer has a similar great throw that this light seems to have.

Re: anything new on LED?
 

I don't know if they are the same power LEDs but the Comer has ten bulbs & the 5010A has just six (there is another similar model that has eight). The 5010A is about one quarter the price of the Comer.

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Hi Michael,

Thanks for all of the info. The Z96 is just adequate for some fill light with DSLRs, but is usually not quite powerful enough with video cameras in a lot of scenarios so if I can get a little more power and the right color balance the 209AS may be a good fit. I still use the original Reception Lights for the dance floor, but the 312AS sounds like it may be a good replacement for longer run times.

Re: anything new on LED?
 

I've been using a 312AS for a couple of months now and really like it. Mine came with a power cable that terminates to a cig adapter so I use it with either 2 sony style 550s/770s OR more likely a Bescor NiMH 50W battery that is very small and will power the light at full power for almost 4 hours.
The light kit came with 2- 550 type batteries, power cable, dual battery charger,a diffusion lens and a case for about $150.00.
I've actually used it off camera as a key light for talking heads and it works like a champ.
In September I used it on a Z5 on my DVMultirig when I was running as a roamer camera at a community festival during an outdoor concert so when I did crowd shots I actually got an image instead of blackness. It put out enough power to cover a few rows back. As you can tell,
I'm quite happy with the 312AS

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Hi Don,

Thanks for mentioning that you use the 312AS on your video camera. Maybe it has been posted previously about mounting the 312AS on a video camera, but I was thinking that the 312AS may be a little too much as an on camera light, so I was considering the smaller 209AS for on cam lighting and the 312AS on light stands.

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Mark,
Yeah it's big but I use a small ball type mount that fits the cold shoe on my camera and that brings it up a bit and allows me to adjust the angle to get the light where I want it. I also don't use the Sony type batteries often, instead I use the Bescor witht eh power cable and I can hook the battery to my belt or my tripod if I'm using or hook it to the multirig with my wireless receiver. The battery helps counter balance the multirig almost like the old days of full sized cameras but yep, it's a big a** light. Covers great though!

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Guys I'm going to buy a 312AS but there seem to be a plethora of suppliers - are they all essentially the same unit or could I get stung with something cheap from China that falls apart in no time?

Here's an example of one that I am looking to buy

2nd Generation Model, LED312-AS Camera Light, DSLR Video Light; Camcorder Light | eBay

Pete

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Hi Pete

The 5080 light on eBay is a lot cheaper and far neater and more effective using 8 x PowerLED's ..I just got one and the lumen rating is actually 1540 so it's a tad brighter. Just search for 5080 video light on eBay and you will find them ..Mine was $76 only and I now have three and they are super reliable!!

I moved on from multipanels and the PowerLED;'s same as Comer lights are way nicer!!!

Chris

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Chris I looked at the 5080 but does it throw more of a spot light than the 312AS? I currently use a couple of Wallimex 160s and I like the way the big panel throws more of a flood. I have a SWIT 2010 which uses 4 power LEDs, cost me £200 and is way dimmer then the Wallimex, (which was half the price) and has a noticeable hotspot. It also gets pretty warm - I've been less than impressed - it's well made though!

I primarily want a couple of battery powered lights that I can stick on tripods and light a top table for dimly lit speeches.

Pete

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Hi Pete

Certainly doesn't look like a spot when I use it!! The LED's have an angle of 60 degrees which is the widest you can get....it lights wide and very even too!! Remember the comer has a spot facility but that uses convergence lenses over each LED!

I get very even lighting over a wide area ..certainly as wide, if not wider than my old 160 LED lights. Their big asset is that the Sony FP batteries last all night for me and the cold shoe mount is really rugged. They also come with a handle that also has a 1/4" thread in the bottom for a light stand.

Chris

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Peter,
that 312AS looks exactly like the one I got from Amazon, case and all and it seems fairly well built. I wouldn't want to drop it from 10 feet but I wouldn't want to drop any of my gear from 10 feet or any feet for that matter.
Having said that, I did order a 5080 on Chris's recommendation, it seem's like a decent light and appears to have more lumens that the 312AS. I'll receive it in a few days and I'll run a comparison of the 2 lights. Very scientific. Point the lights at a white board some 10 feet away in a dark room, check the iris setting on one of my cameras. Shoot 5 or 10 seconds of footage of each light, look at it on my timeline, put the scopes to it see what if any differences there are and I'll send it off to the journal of vido-lighting so I can say I'm published. ;-)
BTW, the 312AS is a pretty big light but honestly I do like it alot. I'll let you know about the test when I get the 5080!

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Don that would be great if you could - I'm looking to purchase something next week.

Pete

Re: anything new on LED?
 

As soon as I get the 5080 I'll do it. Hopefully it'll be here by then

Re: anything new on LED?
 

Well Don for £50 I can buy 2 of the 5080 lights for the same price of one 312AS!!!


Pete