want to add just 1 Video light on still camera gear

I want to add just one video light for shooting video clips besides stills on my Nikon D3s on a Subal housing with 2 Subtronic Nova strobes. When being recently in the Maldives the pilot lights from the Subtronics were really not strong enough and hotspotting.

Therefore I was thinking to add just one bright video lights on top of the housing using a short arm with 2 ball screws. I am currently using the new Nikon 16-35 /f4 VR II which has an zoom angle of 63 to 106 degrees. Right now I am looking at either

- L&M Sola Video 1200

- L&M Sola Video 4000 (newly announced, but still pretty unknown, supposed to come in April 2011)

- Keldan LUNA 8 LA-V

When I was in the Maldives during the last 2 weeks the divemaster and tour operator was using 2 Keldans on his video gear. It was pretty impressive how bright (2x2100 Lumen) , easy to use and robust-built these are. They give a 2 x 90 degree anlge through the diffusor and dome, 5000 Kelvin, 5 power settings, 2 x 0.14 Kg negative in water only, but at a steep pricing.

On the other hand, the new Sola 4000 might be an even better alternative.

Concering the Sola design (and I am assuming that the new sola 4000 will have a similar design characteristics like the 1200) I have a question which I could not figure out myself from the specs: is the lamp unit and/or the battery unit separable during air transportation? This is for me very important since here from Zurich airport they don't let you go anymore since 3 years if a diving lamp or a flashgun cannot be divided into an independent battery/energy and bulp unit. You even need to sign a document each time when flying that this is the case and that the passenger is committed not to assemble these items during the flight.

Any suggestions in general for using just one video light, albeit bright (2100 Lumen if Keldan or 4000 Lumen if Sola 4000) instead of 2, but with a 90 degree beam angle for covering most of my actual lens?

thanks

I want to add just one video light for shooting video clips besides stills on my Nikon D3s on a Subal housing with 2 Subtronic Nova strobes. When being recently in the Maldives the pilot lights from the Subtronics were really not strong enough and hotspotting.

 

Therefore I was thinking to add just one bright video lights on top of the housing using a short arm with 2 ball screws. I am currently using the new Nikon 16-35 /f4 VR II which has an zoom angle of 63 to 106 degrees. Right now I am looking at either...

 

 

Any suggestions in general for using just one video light, albeit bright (2100 Lumen if Keldan or 4000 Lumen if Sola 4000) instead of 2, but with a 90 degree beam angle for covering most of my actual lens?

 

thanks

There are many good products available now and sorting though all the specs can get confusing. Also, every videographer / VidDSLR user has their own priority of requirements. As a VidDSLR user (the Panasonic GH1/hacked) I would list the features I'd look for as:

1) Beam angle (120 - 90 degrees)...to cover a very wide angle lens that a VidDSLR can use.

2) Lumen power output (2000 - 3000 Lumens) to provide enough light to take still photos as well as video. Also, when comparing Lumen ratings of different units it's important to equalize them in terms of considering stated Lumen power at the specified beam angle...i.e something that puts out 4000 Lumens @ 60 degrees is roughly equivalent (power wise) to 2000 Lumens @ 120 degrees.

3) Size/weight vs power/burn time. Since the bulk of the weight is due to the battery pack size consider the minimum FULL power burn time you require for your purpose. Also consider air safety regulation implications of the battery pack technology a given design uses. The main battery types are NiMH; Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer.

On the other hand, the new Sola 4000 might be an even better alternative.

Hi buddy,

The Sola 4000 looks to be a pretty impressive piece of equipment. I got a chance to see it in person at DEMA. It's quite a bit bigger than the Sola 600/1200. The dimensions on the website show 57mm x101mm for the 600 series and 85mm x 143mm for the 4000. It's visually much bigger and may not be to goto answer for a still camera video light that you only plan to use occasionally. Recommend you get a good look before you plunk down the credit card. As always, it depends on how you plan to use it and your specific needs.

Cheers,

Steve

Hi buddy,

The Sola 4000 looks to be a pretty impressive piece of equipment. I got a chance to see it in person at DEMA. It's quite a bit bigger than the Sola 600/1200. The dimensions on the website show 57mm x101mm for the 600 series and 85mm x 143mm for the 4000. It's visually much bigger and may not be to goto answer for a still camera video light that you only plan to use occasionally. Recommend you get a good look before you plunk down the credit card. As always, it depends on how you plan to use it and your specific needs.

 

Cheers,

Steve

Steve,

did you notice whether the sola 4000 (or 1200) can be separated for air travelling; i.e. can you detach the bulb unit (the burner) from the battery/energy unit?

regards

There are many good products available now and sorting though all the specs can get confusing. Also, every videographer / VidDSLR user has their own priority of requirements. As a VidDSLR user (the Panasonic GH1/hacked) I would list the features I'd look for as:

 

1) Beam angle (120 - 90 degrees)...to cover a very wide angle lens that a VidDSLR can use.

 

2) Lumen power output (2000 - 3000 Lumens) to provide enough light to take still photos as well as video. Also, when comparing Lumen ratings of different units it's important to equalize them in terms of considering stated Lumen power at the specified beam angle...i.e something that puts out 4000 Lumens @ 60 degrees is roughly equivalent (power wise) to 2000 Lumens @ 120 degrees.

 

3) Size/weight vs power/burn time. Since the bulk of the weight is due to the battery pack size consider the minimum FULL power burn time you require for your purpose. Also consider air safety regulation implications of the battery pack technology a given design uses. The main battery types are NiMH; Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer.

which one does have a beam angle of 120 degrees on one unit? the max I have seen was 90 degrees....

Steve,

 

did you notice whether the sola 4000 (or 1200) can be separated for air travelling; i.e. can you detach the bulb unit (the burner) from the battery/energy unit?

 

regards

Both are sealed at the factory and never need to be opened. Recharging is done thru gold plated contacts on the rear.

You can checkout the website at http://www.uwimaging.com/video.html

Good luck,

Steve

I suggest you read up on the Sola lights (and every other light!) before you make a decision:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=38589

Unless your subject is 2-3 ft away from your lens, having one light, even one at 4k lumens, won't do much good for wide angle in bright ambient daylight conditions. Since you are using a D3s, then you are limited to almost auto video only, so an adjustable light is probably best to give you flexibility.A single light is compact but you lose flexibility with how you can play with the light and of course, if you are in turbid water, there's less ability to avoid backscatter.

which one does have a beam angle of 120 degrees on one unit? the max I have seen was 90 degrees....

LOL...the ones I use...

....and that's based on CREE's beam rating ( due to the micro lens on each emitter). Being a 7 LED/PCB cluster design the beam is actually wider on land...but 120 degrees underwater is an accurate, conservative spec. You've not heard of them because they were only released this week!

If you Google "LED underwater video lights" you'll find them!

I'll comment that beam angle relative to your lens is critical. I've been playing with a fair few lights and building our own DIY ones. Without any optics/diffusers we're getting some very wide beam, but then using the Tokina lens a single light is not wide enough. This is what happens when you don't have a wide enough light, so select the appropriate angle for your needs.

Test video with single ~1600 lumen head, ~120 degree beam with tokina 10-17 @ 17mm. http://vimeo.com/17779777

another test dive with the tokina (as above) and L&M Sunray 1000 (single head) - http://damiensiviero.blip.tv/file/3382219/

I've come to the conclusion that two heads are a must for my shooting requirements. On land it appears that one head will be enough, but I presume refraction or similar brings it in underwater and they're a fair bit narrower (anecdotally anyway - perhaps someone can offer science here).

So its true - 2 heads are better than 1

I've come to the conclusion that two heads are a must for my shooting requirements. On land it appears that one head will be enough, but I presume refraction or similar brings it in underwater and they're a fair bit narrower (anecdotally anyway - perhaps someone can offer science here).

I completely agree. I always use two lights for several reasons:

1) Makes life easier in terms of covering the total FOV of very wide lenses. Even a light with a very wide beam (say 120-90 degrees) will be a challenge to consistently align to cover the full area during a hectic shoot...particularly when moving in/out on the subject. The VidDSLR's I'm now using provide unheard-of wide angle FOV (for video) when used with a dome port. The 7-14mm LUMIX is about 114 degrees; the FOV of the LUMIX FISHEYE 8mm / F3.5 is diagonally 180-degrees.

2) Two lights can be positioned to eliminate shadows for closer subjects...or they can be positioned to give some shadowing IF required. Thus greater flexibility of lighting control.

3) Bring two lights close together and you will boost overall light intensity on the subject (but it won't necessarily be double intensity).

4) I sometimes...actually quite often...take one light off and hand it to the "model" for certain scenes. This usually works even with a day-boat "allocated" dive buddy who might not want to carry a light around for the full duration of a dive.

5) Two lights...especially if they are of a larger design...can actually help improve the stability of a relatively un-ergonomic VidDSLR type housing for video work.

6) Fantastic coverage at night!

Both are sealed at the factory and never need to be opened. Recharging is done thru gold plated contacts on the rear.

 

 

You can checkout the website at http://www.uwimaging.com/video.html

 

Good luck,

Steve

So then I wonder how people are actually allowed to air travel with these lights if not being able to separate the battery from the lamp base? if that is the case then these L&M designs are totally out of questions, at least for me. Mybe different in the US (?) but here in Sitzerland (total Europe?) no chance for carry-on in flights.....I just wonder how they can make such a "shortsighted" design

From the L&M link:

"Light and Motion turned some heads when they started scientifically testing the actual lumen output from their lights AND publishing them. Not surprising, many companies were hyping up their lighth (sic) with false claims. Check out the other tabs to see how the Light & Motion products stand up to the other brands."

Then they show a chart comparing with several small, low powered lights...what exactly is the point of this? Why don't they compare with the compact yet powerful LED lights that are already currently available from various good manufacturers?

So then I wonder how people are actually allowed to air travel with these lights if not being able to separate the battery from the lamp base? if that is the case then these L&M designs are totally out of questions, at least for me. Mybe different in the US (?) but here in Sitzerland (total Europe?) no chance for carry-on in flights.....I just wonder how they can make such a "shortsighted" design

Well L&M is a US company and I'm pretty sure the biggest slice of their market is the US. Presently travel with sealed flashlights is allowed in the US and pretty much everywhere else except the EU, even with lithium batteries, although that could change. The premise of a sealed design does remove user error. It does remain to be seen how the longevity and overall serviceability of the lights fare over time, since everything has to be done at the manufacturer.

From the L&M link:

 

"Light and Motion turned some heads when they started scientifically testing the actual lumen output from their lights AND publishing them. Not surprising, many companies were hyping up their lighth (sic) with false claims. Check out the other tabs to see how the Light & Motion products stand up to the other brands."

 

Then they show a chart comparing with several small, low powered lights...what exactly is the point of this? Why don't they compare with the compact yet powerful LED lights that are already currently available from various good manufacturers?

Tests like that, which requires the availability of the other lights, paying for a test facility, all costs money. On top of that, marketing is also key and L&M have done a pretty good job of marketing their product.

As a manufacturer yourself, why do you have to disparage how other manufacturers are marketing their products? You are again tenuously (and tediously) close to breaking our rules about industry comments but I'll continue on your direction of questioning. Why don't you, as a manufacturer, gather all the lights you think are equivalent and pay for the tests at an independent facility yourself? If you get verifiable results from a test facility, I'll gladly post it on the front page and give you a thread of your own.

Tests like that, which requires the availability of the other lights, paying for a test facility, all costs money. On top of that, marketing is also key and L&M have done a pretty good job of marketing their product.

As a manufacturer yourself, why do you have to disparage how other manufacturers are marketing their products? You are again tenuously (and tediously) close to breaking our rules about industry comments but I'll continue on your direction of questioning. Why don't you, as a manufacturer, gather all the lights you think are equivalent and pay for the tests at an independent facility yourself? If you get verifiable results from a test facility, I'll gladly post it on the front page and give you a thread of your own.

Excuse me...I don't remember disparaging anyone. There's a big difference between questioning and "disparaging". Predictably, you once again seem to over-react to what I'm saying.

I was questioning their need to invoke a vague claim that "...many companies were hyping up their lights with false claims." Is this negativity "pretty good marketing"? More like "disparaging" to me...

As far as specific model comparisons go I have no problems with that ...as long as they are meaningful comparisons.

I'm not the one making direct comparisons of products...so I'll decline your generous offer.

....Presently travel with sealed flashlights is allowed in the US and pretty much everywhere else except the EU, even with lithium batteries, although that could change. The premise of a sealed design does remove user error. It does remain to be seen how the longevity and overall serviceability of the lights fare over time, since everything has to be done at the manufacturer.

I didn't know that and I am pretty surprised....as far as I know the "US" is ususally more concerned about air travel safety, sometimes also on an exagerated level IMHO. And off course it is also clear to me that the sealing at production stage does remove user errors, which can happen any time to anybody.

(BTW: I had a flooding on the D3s in the new Subal; fortunately only little water went inside and the cam was not affected. My face was more wet from the sweat than the camera.... Could not figure out what caused this "accident").

Awaiting the new Sola 4000 and hope to read some tests. But for now I am tending on the Keldan Luna 8 LED.

Thanks for the information!

Juerg

Excuse me...I don't remember disparaging anyone. There's a big difference between questioning and "disparaging". Predictably, you once again seem to over-react to what I'm saying.

 

I was questioning their need to invoke a vague claim that "...many companies were hyping up their lights with false claims." Is this negativity "pretty good marketing"? More like "disparaging" to me...

As far as specific model comparisons go I have no problems with that ...as long as they are meaningful comparisons.

 

I'm not the one making direct comparisons of products...so I'll decline your generous offer.

Let me put it another way. You are a manufacturer, questioning the way another manufacturer's marketing policy, in a thread that has nothing to do with that. That's something WP wants industry members to refrain from doing so, and thus they are held to a higher standard in terms of what they post when it concerns other manufacturers. It is really simple.

I'm sure I speak for all members when I say that your knowledge is highly appreciated, but your role as a manufacturer, however small, takes precedence. I hope you can respect that.

I didn't know that and I am pretty surprised....as far as I know the "US" is ususally more concerned about air travel safety, sometimes also on an exagerated level IMHO. And off course it is also clear to me that the sealing at production stage does remove user errors, which can happen any time to anybody.

Juerg, for Lithium battery travel policies:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22191

Funnily, the EU went one step further and banned all batteries contained underwater flashlights, which I assume is due to the risk of fire more than security. As for security at airports, I'm thinking how much more radiation we have to be exposed to just to get on a plane nowadays, and that's on top of the cosmic rays at altitude!

Juerg, for Lithium battery travel policies:

 

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22191

 

Funnily, the EU went one step further and banned all batteries contained underwater flashlights, which I assume is due to the risk of fire more than security. As for security at airports, I'm thinking how much more radiation we have to be exposed to just to get on a plane nowadays, and that's on top of the cosmic rays at altitude!

Thanks for the info.

And yes, in the EU and especially from Zurich airport, the focus is not on the lithium content as such. As a matter of fact, they don't care if it is lithium or other battery material. It is more a policy on fire prevention in the plane. That's why the strict policy is to seperate the battery part from the lamp base. They don't let you go on to the flight when -for example- you cannot take out the bulp from a simple underwater torch.

A side story: many years ago (befor this policy was enforced) I remember that I carried an uw torch (Hartenberger) within the hand luggage. This toch had a security lock in order to prevent the torch being activated unintentionally. Unfortunately, the security lock was broken. When I unpacked my stuff after the flight I discovered that the torch was accidentially activated and it did melt my Aladin dive computer a bit which was next to the torch inside my hand luggage. Glad nothing more happened!

This is why they want to make sure that the energy (battery) part of any UW torch or flash gun is not assembled with the lamp base during the flight. They even make you fill in a declraration form that you are not allowed to assemble the items during the flight, which form has to be declared and undersigned.

Wow, I am a bit shocked. So I guess using the Sola lights when traveling would be out of the questions since it is a self contained light and can not be seperated from its power source. Am I reading and stating this correctly?

Steve

PS Just had to turn down a free fam trip for 2 to Raja Ampat in Feb because 1)Singapore Air is no longer a partner of Delta with whom I have lots of miles, 2) They wanted 3495.00 each for round trip air from LAX and that would only get me to Jakarta where I would have to pay another $750 to hop on over to Sorong. These travel costs are getting absurd.

Steve - I just returned from Raja Ampat. Jakarta/Manado/Sorong cost about $215 one way on Garuda/Wings. Are you shopping for domestic airfares in Indonesia or in US? Best to ticket with local agent for cheaper fares.