led lighting

back alley

back alley

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anyone use led lights for their table top shooting?

i see these lights that slip into a hot shoe, various prices and number of leds, and i think they would be a good source of constant additional light for some close up work.

any experiences shared would be appreciated!
 
Never used LED's. I use light bulbs or "flood lights" and dish reflectors on light stands, for table top pictures.

EDIT: I have also used a lightbox as the light source. Similar to how you would use an LED light. For small objects, sidelighted, this is a neat arrangement.
 
Kirk Tuck, who blogs at http://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/, is a big proponent of LED lighting for portraits and product shots. His top pick for value is the Fotodiox 312 AS, which is pretty cheap on Amazon.
I've never used it, but its so tempting to buy, on the theory that if I have the equipment I'll find opportunities to use it, rather always being an available darkness shooter.
::Ari
 
back alley said:
nothing yet...thinking about small items for table top shooting when the weather turns ugly here.
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You'll soon run into issues with the reflections there - these LED matrix lights look nowhere like the sun or any other natural light source, and once you start to disguise that with multiple layers of gauze or the like, their relatively low light output makes itself felt.

For ENG video, and even for some applications where'd formerly have used on-camera flash, but want to see what result the illumination creates, battery powered LED lights have become seriously useful. In other (grid powered or powerable) applications, they are just another kind of fluorescent source, with all their disadvantages (except for a faster start-up time and lower heat generation)...
 
I wouldn't say they're just another kind of fluorescent source, because their color temperature(s), while not natural, isn't nearly as ugly as most fluorescent lighting.

sevo said:
For ENG video, and even for some applications where'd formerly have used on-camera flash, but want to see what result the illumination creates, battery powered LED lights have become seriously useful. In other (grid powered or powerable) applications, they are just another kind of fluorescent source, with all their disadvantages (except for a faster start-up time and lower heat generation)...
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I've used a variety of LED panels on location shoots. They've ranged from very small battery operated units that can be tucked behind things to larger panels that are both AC and battery. In all cases the have balanced very well with 5000k daylight and some are switchable between 3200 & 5000k. In both cases the color is excellent and very controllable. Some are even have dimmers. You get a lot of light with excellent color from a very small and efficient cool running source. The pro units shouldn't be confused with the ugly cold blue consumer LEDs.
 
For table-top, it should be great. The only complaints I hear are sometimes about skin tones, but I think even those are exaggerated. Unless you are into hi level Cinematography (features, TV series), you should be fine. One tip, if you buy cheap brand ones, get them all at the same time, and the same model (size). If not, test them all in the store. I did, and there are variations in color, even within the same (cheap) brand.
 
furcafe said:
I wouldn't say they're just another kind of fluorescent source, because their color temperature(s), while not natural, isn't nearly as ugly as most fluorescent lighting.
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That might be a US specific problem, hereabouts we can get a wide variety of CFLs and flourescent tubes with a CRI in the 80-100 range.
 
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I use a Waferlight - designed by a friend here in Vancouver. It has 23 high-powered LED's and, on table top will give you 2.5 stops over - and without diffuser about 4 - 4.5 stops. Comes with a battery pack that will run it for 2.5 hours at intermediate level. Also a remote control, 1/6 of a stop adjustment. Works very well, light enough to carry. Solidly built - all machined alloy.
 
I may be a bit biased here, but I'm a big proponent of LED light.
I switched over my home fixtures to LED bulbs about a year ago. I now run a small business called Radlux selling them myself..

Generally I'd describe the light quality as being closer to Incandescent than CFL, using less electricity than CFL. Additionally, the bulbs generally run cooler (particularly below 60W equivalent), so are easier to work with for table top shooting.

I do some table top shooting for product shots using a simple work/clamp light like this
and a standard shape LED light bulb.
 
Stephen G said:
I may be a bit biased here, but I'm a big proponent of LED light.
I switched over my home fixtures to LED bulbs about a year ago. I now run a small business called Radlux selling them myself..

Generally I'd describe the light quality as being closer to Incandescent than CFL, using less electricity than CFL. Additionally, the bulbs generally run cooler (particularly below 60W equivalent), so are easier to work with for table top shooting.

I do some table top shooting for product shots using a simple work/clamp light like this
and a standard shape LED light bulb.
Click to expand...

i actually have that set-up already (great minds)...i was looking at the smaller ones as they can fit in a camera bag, are portable, can be set up close to a small subject at the same level on a table...
 
You might want to check out the manfrotto leds. They come in various sizes, are dimmable and some have flash capability (4 x max output). Not cheap, but pretty sturdy.
 
Quite possibly, a wide variety of CFL bulbs are available here in the colonies, but they're expensive & not common in homes, etc.

sevo said:
That might be a US specific problem, hereabouts we can get a wide variety of CFLs and flourescent tubes with a CRI in the 80-100 range.
Click to expand...
 
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