Lighting Equipment Technology (page 2)
The LED
Light-Emitting Diodes, or LEDs, have been around for a while, but usually we think of them as the tiny bright lights that light up the buttons on our remote control switches and other such uses. However, in the past few years, these LEDs have grown up, literally. Today, LEDs can create large panels of light you can use just like any other lighting panel. These panels provide a large amount of light, using very little electricity, give off little to no heat and have a lamp life of years, not months. An added advantage is their ability to run on both DC and AC power, so that the light fixtures can be battery-powered to eliminate the need for power cords. This is a huge advantage when you are shooting on location. The LED lighting fixtures come in 5600K color temperature, so you can use them to supplement outdoor lighting. Even indoors, many HD shooters have found that 5600K light provides better color rendition, so they are beginning to move towards the LED technology.
Another distinct advantage of the LED lighting system is that the lights consist of a series of diodes. You can arrange these small brilliant light emitters in a variety of shapes. One very interesting fixture is the Litepanels Ringlite. This fixture features a ring of LEDs placed around the camera lens. This type of fixture is ideal for macro work and provides a beautiful light for actresses.
LED lighting fixtures are also lightweight and come in a variety of designs. Small fixtures for on-camera lights provide a soft light for the talent, and you can filter them for 3200K compatibility. You can create larger fixtures by combining a series of 1'x 1' or 4'x4' panels. Because of their low power consumption and low to no heat, these powerful little lights make for a comfortable and evenly-lit set.
LED technology is also pretty rugged. Documentary producers bouncing around Third World countries find them very reliable. Being battery-powered makes them a great choice for the documentary shooter on the go.
One concern with LED technology is that the lights are manufactured in lots that may vary slightly in color. If you are going to use the LEDs to create large panels of light, you need to make sure that you get the smaller panels at the same time and that they come from the same lot. While this may not be a factor in most lighting situations, it may prove problematic if color temperature is critical for color recreation, as when shooting commercials on HD.
Fading Out
One final distinct advantage of fluorescent and LED technologies over the tungsten-halogen bulb is that you can dim them with little to no color temperature shift. Most of these fixtures actually come dimmable. This is a distinct advantage when you're trying to create lighting setups that require less light with no room to move the light back.
Understanding lighting setups and lighting theory is very important in creating good lighting. Having good tools is also essential. Adding these new tools to your lighting equipment list may increase your lighting repertoire. Have fun, and enjoy your trek into the world of new lighting technologies.
Contributing editor Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D., is an independent video/film producer/director and teaches video production courses at the college level.
Side Bar: Case Study
In 2000, I shot a video on young-onset Parkinson's disease. This video featured Parkinson's patients dealing with the disease in their everyday lives. One of my primary concerns when preparing for the interviews was the heat of my lighting fixtures. Heat is one of the many things that Parkinson's patients do not handle well. I wanted my clients to be comfortable, so I called a lighting manufacturer to see if they could help with my problem. They sent me a new fluorescent unit that they were beta testing. The result was a fixture that gave a very soft, even light with little to no heat and therefore very comfortable interviewees (except for the fact that they were on camera!).
