# Lighting for videos? Any suggestions?



## SlimJim (Mar 16, 2015)

What do people use for lighting their videos? I'm having massive trouble properly lighting some locations and I'm a bit opposed to paying £100 for the Knog Qudos thing from America for my GoPro. There's got to be something sub £50 that'll belt out a ton of diffused lumens to fill a room? Any suggestions welcome!

Cheers,

SJ.


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## cogito (Mar 16, 2015)

These are really good: 

http://www.7dayshop.com/products/7d...deo-and-camcorder-uses-160-x-led-model-DS-008


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## krela (Mar 16, 2015)

Ask on a video forum...


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## Dirus_Strictus (Mar 16, 2015)

cogito said:


> These are really good:
> 
> http://www.7dayshop.com/products/7d...deo-and-camcorder-uses-160-x-led-model-DS-008



Yes they are, got one as soon as 7dayshop started to advertise them and another two followed soon after. Good value and very, very useful.


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## SlimJim (Mar 16, 2015)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> Yes they are, got one as soon as 7dayshop started to advertise them and another two followed soon after. Good value and very, very useful.



Thanks for the suggestion! What's the distance/throw like?


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## DarkMagpie91 (Mar 16, 2015)

the sun is a pretty good light source and it's free


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## onebadpuppy (Mar 16, 2015)

*cheap video light.*

For £50 you can get a cheap video light, or if you want really cheap get an LED work light, you can get some powerful ones nowadays, wrap a piece of clean white paper round it, and the light is more than useful.


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## mrtoby (Mar 17, 2015)

I film a bit of stuff, not UE but skate stuff. I use 2 of the Z-Flash LED lights mounted on a bracket. Bloody bright.
[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vibesta-Z-Flash-Light-Headlight-DSLR/dp/B005R4K1CQ[/ame]

Smaller, more compact LED lights are cool if you're tight for space but not good on performance and brightness.


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## SlimJim (Mar 17, 2015)

mrtoby said:


> I film a bit of stuff, not UE but skate stuff. I use 2 of the Z-Flash LED lights mounted on a bracket. Bloody bright.
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vibesta-Z-Flash-Light-Headlight-DSLR/dp/B005R4K1CQ
> 
> Smaller, more compact LED lights are cool if you're tight for space but not good on performance and brightness.



Pricey!  Leaning towards importing a Knog...


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## cogito (Mar 17, 2015)

SlimJim said:


> Pricey!  Leaning towards importing a Knog...



I've had a bit of a play with them as a friend of mine picked up a couple about a month ago. Thing with the Knog video lights is that they are a relatively small light source so the light they produce is a lot more harsh than the larger LED panels. Plus they take their own propriety (and very small and expensive) battery packs, so you have to buy more as opposed to just popping in a fresh set of AAs if they run flat.

They're good if you need something small/light/tough/waterproof for example if you're using it with a GoPro while caving, but for filling rooms of derelict buildings with a more natural looking light for video then the cheap, large LED panels are your best bet.


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## SlimJim (Mar 17, 2015)

cogito said:


> I've had a bit of a play with them as a friend of mine picked up a couple about a month ago. Thing with the Knog video lights is that they are a relatively small light source so the light they produce is a lot more harsh than the larger LED panels. Plus they take their own propriety (and very small and expensive) battery packs, so you have to buy more as opposed to just popping in a fresh set of AAs if they run flat.
> 
> They're good if you need something small/light/tough/waterproof for example if you're using it with a GoPro while caving, but for filling rooms of derelict buildings with a more natural looking light for video then the cheap, large LED panels are your best bet.



Aye, a friend of mine has one too. Shockingly powerful and yeah, pricey devils! The older I get, the more I focus my funding on travel expenses and gaining experiences! Just went for a budget lighting panel that seems to be quite popular on youtube and other forums [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer%C2%AE-Dimmable-Digital-Camcorder-Panasonic/dp/B004TJ6JH6[/ame] It claims 600 lumens at max output, but I'm doubtful  Hopefully it'll do the job! It's always a roll of the dice with the cheap-o stuff, but I've been having some success with it as of recently. I still have my hardy old Peli lights on me for reassurance whatever I do anyway. Many thanks for everyone's help and suggestions!


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## cogito (Mar 17, 2015)

SlimJim said:


> The older I get, the more I focus my funding on travel expenses and gaining experiences!



I hear you on that one!


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## krela (Mar 18, 2015)

To be honest I reckon a cheap job will suit your needs better. Expensive video lights are designed to light up a near field subject with high quality even, good colour light, which isn't what you're after. A cheap LED flood will be a bit harsher, but will cast light much further into rooms etc.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Mar 18, 2015)

As usual, Krela offers sound advise here. One certainly does not want 'studio' quality lighting to get the best out of many of the images seen on this forum - sometimes lighting that is a bit 'off beat' or 'harsh' can produce wondrous images.

I think I use the panel in a different way to what others might - because I have three. They are placed, out of camera sight, around the room to produce good even illumination of the subject. Have even attached one (with velcro tape) to the inside face of a window situated in a deep reveal, so as to give the effect of sunlight streaming through into a semi darkened room. As the camera is always attached to some form of tripod, actual exposure times take second place to depth of field requirements. There is no way I would equate the interior architectural photography I do now to Urbex - I am not pushing my equipment down the 'coal hole' to gain access for a start! However, some of the dark and dingy roof spaces and cellars etc are not much different to what many of you find - a lot tidier in general, because the property is not abandoned, but all having very poor natural light.


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## addictedmedia (Mar 24, 2015)

Same as what i have got and use my loads as film music events and also do film work. Its very handed really due to the fact of the Rotate switch to adjust the brightness.


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