If you are a hybrid shooter who shoots both video and photos, then you may have considered using LED lights as your main light source. In this article will have a look at a few options from Falcon Eyes.
The first light we will cover is the Falcon Eyes RX 24 TDX which is a 24 inch by 24 inch flexible LED panel with 756 bi-colored LED lights. You can mount the light to various surfaces using the supplied Velcro strips or you can use the x shaped mounting bracket to attach the flexible LED panel to a light stand.
One of the many advantages of the Falcon Eyes RX 24 TDX is that you can choose a Kelvin temperature between 3000 Kelvin and 5600 Kelvin. The temperature range comes in handy if you want to mix the LED light with other existing light sources in the room or mix it with daylight from a nearby window for example.
You can also use the supplied soft box and grid to soften the light and to prevent the spill of the light for interviews. Another advantage of using a LED light like this one is that it doesn't get hot like a tungsten light source and there is no loud cooling fan that can create noise and interfere with your audio when you are recording interviews on set.
If you have the light mounted up high out of your reach, you can use the supplied remote to adjust the light from your shooting position or to control multiple lights. Another feature is that the LED light can be used with an optional v-mount battery for use in remote locations without a power source. The light can also be used for photography which is helpful because it will allow you to see the light in real time compared to using a strobe light.
Although if you are going to be taking photos outdoors you would be better off with a portable strobe because the battery life is rather short when the light is at the full brightness setting. For a hair light or rim light you can use the Falcon Eyes P-5TD mini Fresnel light which is also a bi-color light with a range of 3200 Kelvin to 5600 Kelvin. To restrict the light you can use barn doors or a snoot with a grid for more control.
If you are considering using LED lights these are two versatile lights that you can use for both photo and video that offer quite a few options for their price point. The only downside of these lights in my opinion is that you have to purchase the v-mount battery separately and with the lights at full brightness, you will have to bring multiple batteries to get through a day of shooting.
I would just like an led light series with swappable accessory mount attachments so that you can but the mount for whatever modifiers you already own and a frosted dome attachment to mimic the light dispersion of normal strobes.
I don't use Bowens or Profoto so it sucks to have to buy new modifiers if i want to get video lights.