Tiffen Introduces Lowel GL-1 Power LED Light
Being a photographer who loves using off camera lighting, I am always intrigued by new and innovative lighting gadgets. Tiffen unveiled the Lowel GL-1 Power LED Light at PDN this week, and it is definitely something different in comparison to the types of lighting I am used to.
From the official press release:
About the New Lowel GL-1 Power LED Light
Designed in conjunction with world-renowned wedding and event photographers Brian Marcus and John Solano, the Lowel GL-1 is the perfect complement to today’s DSLR cameras. It lets shooters harness the creative potential of high ISO shoots.The Lowel GL-1 Power LED is a battery-powered, focusable and dimmable, photo-quality tungsten color LED light. This means users can control the diameter of the light beam, focusing from a tight spot to a wide flood. The beam is very even, from edge to edge, with no hot spots.
GL-1′s dimming ability lets users vary the amount of light output from 5-100%, without any shift in color temperature, to perfectly match the atmosphere of the location. With the integrity of the atmosphere maintained, photographers and videographers can see the exact effect the light has on their shot.
The New Lowel GL-1 Power LED Feature and Benefit Highlights Include:
Powerful Output – State-of-the-art LED provides a wide focus range, from spot to flood; allows shooters to create that dramatic Hollywood-style lighting either close up or from 20 feet away
Tungsten Color – Flatters skin tones, outputting a very high-quality photo image
Self-Contained DC Power – Gives shooters maximum portability and speed in lighting placement
Two Ways of Dimming – 1) Use the adjustable Dimming Trigger to quickly achieve the perfect light level for short-term handheld use; 2) Lock the light ON and dial in intensity for longer-term constant output at any level, perfect for mounted use or time lapse “Light Painting”
Silent Diaphragm Cooling – Eliminates distraction while shooting in quiet moments
1/4-20 Screw-Thread on GL-1 Base – Provides option for tripod/stand mounting for longer term lighting setups
Lowel GL1 Power LED Specifications
• Dimmable focusing LED fixture
• Dimming Range – 5-100%
• Color Temperature – 3000K
• Color Rendering Index – 90
• Focus Range – 5:1 (approximate)
• Output Reading at 5 feet, full spot: 398-foot candles
• Output Reading at 5 feet, full flood: 73-foot candlesPricing and Availability
With an MSRP of less than 800.00 USD, the Lowel GL-1 Light will be released in Q4 2012.
To me this all seems really interesting, but generally when a company says “an MSRP of less than ____” it normally doesn’t tend to be much less than the number they state. With that being said, paying $700+ for this seems like a big chunk of change for one light. Time will tell the uses and efficiency of this guy once it hits the market. What do you all think? Let us know in the comments below.
