On camera LED for portraiture

Happened to see a photographer doing what appeared to be a commercial portrait at a workplace. She was using an on camera LED panel. They were inside another building at a fair distance, or I would have asked about it on the spot. This seemed like a very compact device - a quick search shows them to be quite inexpensive. I have several flash units which I use on occasion, but these look like handy devices - for people photos, or some of the close ups I enjoy doing. Any feedback on these, particularly the smaller lower priced ones will be much appreciated. Edited October 2, 2019 by Sandy Vongries

Smaller, lower priced units don't put out many lumens. Compare Lumen output to get real comparisons.

I got a really inexpensive LED macro ring light (FC100 e.g., https://www.amazon.com/Meike-FC-100-Olympus-Camcorder-Adapter/dp/B01DVHS6CC)

It works fine for its intended purpose, but with today's ISOs it would do, I think, for close-up portraits as well.

Smaller, lower priced units don't put out many lumens. Compare Lumen output to get real comparisons.

Thanks, have done a little research. Interested in any hands on evaluations and opinions, or even sample images.

I got a really inexpensive LED macro ring light (FC100 e.g., https://www.amazon.com/Meike-FC-100-Olympus-Camcorder-Adapter/dp/B01DVHS6CC)

It works fine for its intended purpose, but with today's ISOs it would do, I think, for close-up portraits as well.

Have a recollection of very strange circles in eyes - may be wrong. Thanks in any case!

very strange circles in eyes

 

Hey, remember that I have something like a dozen catadioptric lenses.

Like a policeman, I LIKE doughnuts:rolleyes:

Actually as bokeh in the right kind of photo, that works for me! Have just one - Nikkor 500 F8 - can't be beat if size & weight are critical and light is good.

Happened to see a photographer doing what appeared to be a commercial portrait at a workplace. She was using an on camera LED panel.Any feedback on these, particularly the smaller lower priced ones will be much appreciated.

 

I haven't seen any on Camera LED that would be the most suitable tool for that job. Flash is superior.

 

Any Continuous Light for Stills Portraiture, means that the Photographer is relying on Shutter Speed to arrest Movement Blur.

Additionally, any LESS light output (relative to Flash), means that the Photographer needs to bump the ISO to maintain an equivalent RANGE of Apertures for any given Shutter Speed.

 

Is it possible that she might have been shooting Video?

 

WW

I haven't seen any on Camera LED that would be the most suitable tool for that job. Flash is superior.

 

Any Continuous Light for Stills Portraiture, means that the Photographer is relying on Shutter Speed to arrest Movement Blur.

Additionally, any LESS light output (relative to Flash), means that the Photographer needs to bump the ISO to maintain an equivalent RANGE of Apertures for any given Shutter Speed.

 

Is it possible that she might have been shooting Video?

 

WW

Certainly possible - I was roughly 100 yards away. She did have him look at the camera monitor, could have been for photo or video. Thanks for the input!

Doug Gordon was doing this years ago. At that time, the video lights were, out of necessity, much brighter. Today's cameras would do well with much dimmer daylight balanced lights and higher ISOs aren't a big deal. All you are looking for is some fill.

He (Doug Gordon) also sells, or sells his name to endorse the sale of on camera LED Lights for Stills Work, definitively a skilled Photographer, just noting there is also a definitive vested commercial interest.

 

Yes agreed, good quality High ISO Digital allows more scope for using LED for Portraiture, especially if it's being used as Fill, in this case the Shutter Speed is determined mainly by the Key, which would be the Room/Outdoor Ambient.

 

WW

Doug Gordon was doing this years ago. At that time, the video lights were, out of necessity, much brighter. Today's cameras would do well with much dimmer daylight balanced lights and higher ISOs aren't a big deal. All you are looking for is some fill.

 

If all you are looking for is fill, then yes. But as a key light or to bounce off a ceiling/wall/panel, not so much.

If all you are looking for is fill, then yes. But as a key light or to bounce off a ceiling/wall/panel, not so much.

 

If you are looking for more than fill in a portrait, you shouldn't be using on camera light anyway . . .

 

But, as a wedding photographer, I have seen MANY videographers with reasonably small on-camera lights that have been bright enough that I have to pay attention to them when shooting on the dance floor. They are bright enough that I have, sometimes used them as off-camera key lights by turning my on-camera flash off.

 

He (Doug Gordon) also sells, or sells his name to endorse the sale of on camera LED Lights for Stills Work, definitively a skilled Photographer, just noting there is also a definitive vested commercial interest.

 

Doug SOLD the light that he USED . . . but he used it first . . .

My yearly "burst" of portraits is for the local theater group. I have used available light, flash and the stage lights. The LED might be particularly useful as "gentle" fill.

I think if they make very powerful LED like 100W (real 100W) and turn them on only during the exposure (to conserve battery and to keep them cool) it would be nice.

I think if they make very powerful LED like 100W (real 100W) and turn them on only during the exposure (to conserve battery and to keep them cool) it would be nice.

 

Watts are not a valid measurement for brightness. When you say "real 100W" you are saying "a panel that consumes 100W of power" which is meaningless in terms of brightness. A panel consuming 100W would be expected to put out about 6000 lumens, which would be the equivalent of about 400 incandescent watts.

Watts are not a valid measurement for brightness. When you say "real 100W" you are saying "a panel that consumes 100W of power" which is meaningless in terms of brightness. A panel consuming 100W would be expected to put out about 6000 lumens, which would be the equivalent of about 400 incandescent watts.

But I don't say anything about brightness yet I expect a 100W LED are brighter than 400W incandescent. I have seen 100W LED fixture which is rated at 18,000 lumen.

https://www.bigassfans.com/docs/lighting/cutsheet-sbl1.pdf

It doesn't really matter, for this discussion, what measurement we use. Lamar is simply talking about an LED flash of decent power and proper curve. His point is valid.

 

While researching high speed flash systems a few months ago, I did come across a design that used LEDs and was able to get a duration as short as one millionth of a second. Looking at the brightness of some of the video lights that I have seen, what we are talking about should be doable.

Thanks all, as stated I have a variety of flashes that I can use alone or together, no thought of replacing them. My idea in seeing the LED is that it could provide a simple, portable way`get gentle fill light for portraits, and also for some bugs & flowers. The units that might serve my purpose are inexpensive enough that I can afford to experiment.

I really haven't been keeping up with LED panels. The last I saw one 'up close and personal' was at a trade show some years ago.

 

Those pro panels have (had?) a mixture of white and red/amber LEDs that can be tuned to match whatever ambient light there is. That sounds like an essential feature for an unobtrusive gentle fill.

 

Modern LED COB lights can be immensely powerful, but I don't think the CT can be regulated. So maybe you need to still carry a selection of gels to make the LED light match ambient?

 

I don't know. Like I said, I haven't been keeping up. My speedlights and modifiers are doing the job for me right now, but I'd be interested in hearing any recent hands on experience with using LEDs.

Happened to see a photographer doing what appeared to be a commercial portrait at a workplace. She was using an on camera LED panel. They were inside another building at a fair distance, or I would have asked about it on the spot. This seemed like a very compact device - a quick search shows them to be quite inexpensive. I have several flash units which I use on occasion, but these look like handy devices - for people photos, or some of the close ups I enjoy doing. Any feedback on these, particularly the smaller lower priced ones will be much appreciated.

While that sounds like a terrible idea try lumicube. You should never put anything heavy in your hot shoe unless you’re okay with it not working ever again.

The term "portrait" takes in a large territory, from selfies to studio shots. I don't think anything will replace 3-4 lights for a studio portrait, but ad hoc photos under available light is another matter. There are several LED "flash" systems which will turn on for a brief period for still photos. They can be amazingly bright without draining batteries nor overheating. As a flexible fill light, they would work admirably, especially if their color temperature could be adjusted to match that of ambient light.

 

I don't think a Lume Cube would over stress any camera shoe. I've seen two mounted on a small drone (DJI Mavic Pro), and used to illuminate a waterfall in Hawaii (multi-shot pano at fairly close range). A point source can be rather harsh, even for fill. I've bounced my panel lights for better distribution. The Lume Cube 2.0 has a "flash" duration as short as 1/8000. Unlike a strobe, the Lume Cube is just as useful for video.

 

My panel lights are adjustable from 2400 K to 5600K. I use that feature to shoot video in a room illuminated by large windows during the day and ceiling floodlights in the evening. I use a Lumu Power meter which plugs into my iPhone for a color match.

Edited March 10, 2020 by Ed_Ingold

I guessing you must mean something like these: https://www.amazon.com/GVM-Video-3200-5600K-Photography-Interview/dp/B07HJ1VQ1K

I purchased this unit a while back, but have not gotten a chance to use them very much. The light is great but not very powerful, I only used them for small products and online interviews.

Some are even smaller than this one and you can attach them to the hot shoe on your camera. ..

Edited May 13, 2020 by hjoseph7

I guessing you must mean something like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0779DTLRC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I purchased this unit a while back, but have not gotten a chance to use them very much. The light is great but not very powerful,t I only used them for small products and interviews.

Some are even smaller than this one and you can attach them to the shoe on your camera. ..

Thanks for that, what I saw seemed simpler and more compact. Really don't need one, it would only come in handy a couple of times a year.