Good affordable LED Lights

[BjornT]

Spoiled for options.

Recently moved to Germany from UK and sold lots of my lights. I like Aputure and I have an Aputure M9 and F7. Wanted an Aputure 120D Mark II but out of my budget so was thinking of the Godox SL60 as a cheaper alternative. Hear there are issues with fan noise though.

Then maybe falconeyes 12T or Medina 68A Im thinking off. The boltzen 55w seems intriguing too.

[IronFilm]

22 hours ago, Kisaha said:

If I have 2-2.500€/$ (which I haven't at the moment because I keep buying sound stuff!) to spend on lighting, what do you guys suggest?

I suggest you buy more sound stuff. 

 

[Kisaha]

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

I suggest you buy more sound stuff. 

 

Haha! I'm good for now. Maybe the Sanken CS-M1 with a Cinela Cosi later (almost a 1500$ investment) and then I am staying put for a little while.

Still can't decide on a bag that I need right now.

I am split between Orca 28, and Porta brace AO-ZoomF8S, or should I bite the bullet and go for a Stingray Small/Orca 30??!!

The latter are double the money, and I am not sure I need so much space (Zoom F8/and a few Sony UWP with a F970 battery).

I need some lights, as I do 50% sound - 30% video - 10% photos and 10% others(!).

[IronFilm]

9 hours ago, Kisaha said:

I am split between Orca 28, and Porta brace AO-ZoomF8S, or should I bite the bullet and go for a Stingray Small/Orca 30??!!

Own an Orca OR30 myself, and sometimes it feels like overkill, but sometimes it feels a bit small and cramped too. Thus, it is the perfect sweet spot for me?

I guess the OR30 isn't massively bigger than the OR28, but it is more expandable (with the wireless pouches you can add to the sides) and uses a metal frame for extra robustness.

Another thought is just keep an eye on eBay, and other secondhand sources. You can likely buy the bag then at a big discounted. Is how I got my Orca bag and my Petrol one before that. 

For example, this is quite the bargain:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/k-tek-kstgs-stingrey-small-audio-mixer-recorder-bag-READ-ENTIRE-DESCRIPTION/283177496597

 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Kisaha said:

Porta brace AO-ZoomF8S

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1398712-REG/porta_brace_ao_zoomf8s_silent_audio_organizer_bag.html

That looks surprisingly decent!

Ages and ages ago then Porta Brace was a major player in the audio bag market (my Tascam DR680 bag was a Porta Brace), but for years now they've lagged behind the innovation of the K-Tek and Orca brands. 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1178100-REG/porta_brace_ar_z8_case_for_zoom.html

For instance that bag! Ick, I'd never buy that for full price. 

However it seems with their latest bag they're now playing catch up. Good to see.

https://www.portabrace.com/organizers/ao-zoomf8s.html

However it is not even shipping yet, still is "pre order" status even on Porta Brace's own website.

 

[TheRenaissanceMan]

Aputure Lightstorms

Litepanels Astras

Quasar Science Tubes

All super solid, and within a price range that owner-ops can handle.

[TurboRat]

1 hour ago, TheRenaissanceMan said:

Aputure Lightstorms

Litepanels Astras

Quasar Science Tubes

All super solid, and within a price range that owner-ops can handle.

Any idea how to use these in the field, especially the Quasar science? I bought one and it has a short cord to 110v .I dont even bring it with me since almost all outlets I go to have a 220v and the cord is too short

[TheRenaissanceMan]

5 hours ago, TurboRat said:

Any idea how to use these in the field, especially the Quasar science? I bought one and it has a short cord to 110v .I dont even bring it with me since almost all outlets I go to have a 220v and the cord is too short

I have stingers (extension cords) on every shoot I do, so I generally just run power to them. But if that's not something you're willing to do, Quasar makes tubes with built in batteries now. 

[IronFilm]

2 hours ago, TheRenaissanceMan said:

I have stingers (extension cords) on every shoot I do

I'm a soundie, and even I bring along extension cords! Handy to run power to my cart, or if I want my charging station to be in a particular place which is slightly different to where the power point itself is. 

Having extension cords in your kit should just be totally normal if you're a DoP (or rather in your gaffer's kit). 

[TheRenaissanceMan]

4 hours ago, IronFilm said:

I'm a soundie, and even I bring along extension cords! Handy to run power to my cart, or if I want my charging station to be in a particular place which is slightly different to where the power point itself is. 

Having extension cords in your kit should just be totally normal if you're a DoP (or rather in your gaffer's kit). 

Or in whatever kit production rents on your gaffer's behalf. Regardless, if you're using lights, you need extension cords. Period. 

[LillaVictor]

Hi...I own a platinum p900 and a p450 plus a pair of california lightworks vegmaster 110's. I think the best light for the money right now is the mars pro series cree 128 without the remote. It's $380, it's 350 real watts, it's real 5 watt cree led's. 2 of them would smash a 4x4.