Continuous light recommendations?

[Ryan Mack]

Anyone have a recommendation for fanless RGB video lights that can use Bowens S mount modifiers? Need them for two projects: 1. Stylized on-location portraiture along with Godox RGB tube lights and 2. Classical music recording sessions along with some daylight LED panels.

 

[jlafferty]

I'm not sure about fanless entirely... some lights turn the fans off at 50% power or less. The VL150 from Godox does this.

I'd look at Godox, Nanlite and GVM.

 

[Ellis Vener]

Nanlite or Aputure.

Higher priced lights tend to use better quality - AKA tighter binning- LEDs.

since you asked about RGB LED units have you seen this?

--
Ellis Vener
To see my work, please visit http://www.ellisvener.com
I am on Instagram @EllisVenerStudio
“It's not about the f-stop." -Jay Maisel

 

[tugwilson]

What power are you looking for?

What's your budget?

Classical music is an unhelpful description. Is it a single musician or a symphony orchestra? The lights don't care what the music is.

 

[Ryan Mack]

What power are you looking for?

What's your budget?

Classical music is an unhelpful description. Is it a single musician or a symphony orchestra? The lights don't care what the music is.

Don't honestly know the answer for power. I'm coming from a stills background trying to get into video and looking to re-use my existing modifiers with some continuous lighting for the first time. On the rare occasions I've done video in the past I've used 4 LED panels which are rated at 3880 Lux at 3.3' (60°).

I'd like to get 3 lights for under $1500 but can be flexible if needed.

Classical would be 1-3 people, most often cellos.

 

[Ryan Mack]

Nanlite or Aputure.

Higher priced lights tend to use better quality - AKA tighter binning- LEDs.

since you asked about RGB LED units have you seen this?

I'm OK with getting RGBW LEDs or I guess just bi-color or daylight and then gelling them. Gels haven't been awesome to work with in the past because my studio strobes used incandescent modeling lights so I had to turn off the bulb to avoid melting the gels. As long as the LED video lights aren't going to melt or immediately fade the gels I can go that route if you think that's a better idea.

 

[Ryan Mack]

I'm not sure about fanless entirely... some lights turn the fans off at 50% power or less. The VL150 from Godox does this.

Ah, that's interesting. Yeah, some of the time I'm going to be using these for stills when I want some motion blur in which case I don't mind the fans. But other times I'll be recording audio. So the optional fans sounds great.

 

[Nikonparrothead]

A friend (who does have a significant budget) has been moving into Nanlite because he’s shooting both stills and video.

 

[Ellis Vener]

Nanlite or Aputure.

Higher priced lights tend to use better quality - AKA tighter binning- LEDs.

since you asked about RGB LED units have you seen this?

I'm OK with getting RGBW LEDs or I guess just bi-color or daylight and then gelling them. Gels haven't been awesome to work with in the past because my studio strobes used incandescent modeling lights so I had to turn off the bulb to avoid melting the gels. As long as the LED video lights aren't going to melt or immediately fade the gels I can go that route if you think that's a better idea.

The choice between RGB or daylight balanced LED lighting instruments depends on what you are lighting and how critical accurate color is for your projects

 

[tugwilson]

I;d suggest you'd stick with panels. Godos, Aputure and Nanlight have ~$500mpanalsnwhic wold fit your application

 

[jlafferty]

I just came off a shoot using the GVM 650 and 300w fixtures... I think they're bi-color, but my intention was to balance with sunlight, so I went their daylight setting all day.

I'm not sure if I heard the fans kick in at all, and was often working at ~70%. I'll have to check this again to be certain.

Really well constructed lights, some nice features like an included superclamp with ballast attachment (on the 650) so you can sit the ballast on a stand column and not rely on another clamp. There's a phone app but I didn't even bother to dive in yet, the UI on the light was already pretty straight forward. The 300 has a receiver for its power brick built into the yoke, something that might be common on constants but I geeked out a bit on.

They also both include a Bowens reflector - my Godox VL series lights do, too, so I guess this is common practice on mid range to higher endCOB/monolight style LEDs.

I intend to be shooting a lot more with constants in the coming year and I think these GVM lights hit a nice sweet spot of cost+features. For reference, these are the two units I used:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1774306-REG/gvm_gvm_pro_sd650b_bi_color_cob_led_video.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1766628-REG/gvm_pro_sd300b_bi_color_spoltlight.html

I paid about $300 for my Nanlite FS300 when it went on steep sale a few years ago, and the GVM is, I think, a much better light for nearly the same price. The FS300 has been wonderful already, so I'm really happy for anything that matches or betters it.

Once the images go to print I'll circle back with some examples. I'd brought my strobe kit, but it sat in the car the entire time, the GVM's performed wonderfully.

--
http://jimlafferty.com
Evocative beats academic.

 

[Merrill Shea]

I just came off a shoot using the GVM 650 and 300w fixtures... I think they're bi-color, but my intention was to balance with sunlight, so I went their daylight setting all day.

I'm not sure if I heard the fans kick in at all, and was often working at ~70%. I'll have to check this again to be certain.

Really well constructed lights, some nice features like an included superclamp with ballast attachment (on the 650) so you can sit the ballast on a stand column and not rely on another clamp. There's a phone app but I didn't even bother to dive in yet, the UI on the light was already pretty straight forward. The 300 has a receiver for its power brick built into the yoke, something that might be common on constants but I geeked out a bit on.

They also both include a Bowens reflector - my Godox VL series lights do, too, so I guess this is common practice on mid range to higher endCOB/monolight style LEDs.

I intend to be shooting a lot more with constants in the coming year and I think these GVM lights hit a nice sweet spot of cost+features. For reference, these are the two units I used:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1774306-REG/gvm_gvm_pro_sd650b_bi_color_cob_led_video.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1766628-REG/gvm_pro_sd300b_bi_color_spoltlight.html

I paid about $300 for my Nanlite FS300 when it went on steep sale a few years ago, and the GVM is, I think, a much better light for nearly the same price. The FS300 has been wonderful already, so I'm really happy for anything that matches or betters it.

Once the images go to print I'll circle back with some examples. I'd brought my strobe kit, but it sat in the car the entire time, the GVM's performed wonderfully.

I've been considering buying a pair of the Nanlite 300s. Could you go into a bit more detail on why you feel the GVM 300 is a better light?

 

[Edoardo L]

I recently bought two Godox ML60 and I can say that they are absolutely silent, despite having a fan.