
- SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL SKIN
- SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL FULL
- SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL PORTABLE
- SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL PROFESSIONAL
In other words, they will have two separate sets of LED bulbs (one tungsten color, one daylight color), and you can not only choose to use either of them, but you can use both in unison with each other. Many newer LED panels today give you the option of mixing color temperatures between tungsten and daylight.
SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL PROFESSIONAL
Image from Professional Photographer Magazine Avoid mixing color temperatures unnecessarily You might be able to get away with buying knock off or cheap versions of tungsten lights, but when it comes to LEDs, you really do get what you pay for. Do your homework online before buying an LED kit and make sure that you get something that’s quality. Color correction can fix this to some degree, but if you are shooting with LED panels regularly it would be far better to actually have panels that don’t suffer from this issue.
SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL SKIN
Much like fluorescent lighting, LED panels are often prone to outputting light with a slight color cast that can make skin tones and other elements read strangely on camera. Let’s focus on that last point (color casting) since it seems to be another major issue for many panels. That same notion applies to other aspects of the lights as well, such as build quality, features, and color casting. Do your homework before buyingĪs I mentioned in the previous point, all LED panels are not made alike – especially when it comes to flickering. Always test your LED panels as much possible before a shoot to know if and where the breaking point is. Sometimes the effect is so subtle that you almost don’t even notice it while shooting, but then in the editing room it becomes apparent. Some of the higher end LEDs do a phenomenal job of maintaining consistent brightness when dimmed down to any level, but at the same time, a lot of LED panels do suffer from this issue.


SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL FULL
The problem however, is that dimming doesn’t always work well and many LED panels are prone to flickering when they aren’t running at full blast. Most LED panels these days have the option of dimming down the brightness, which is an excellent feature to have when it works. This can be said about most light sources, but I find it to be especially relevant with LEDs since some of them aren’t very powerful and could theoretically be used straight on from an exposure perpective. Here’s Tom Antos discussing affordable and easy-to-use soft boxes and the perks of working with them:Īs long as you aren’t going direct, you should be able to achieve nice results. You might want to get a softbox system for your LED panels, or you can simply use some silks or bounce the light. Instead, be sure to always use a modifier to soften up the light. Many corporate videos, events, and other lower budget productions mistakenly shoot this way with LED panels, and their footage can look very cheap. In other words, if you were to simply flick on your LED panel and point it at your talent, the overall quality of the light probably isn’t going to be what you’re looking for. LED panels (like many other light sources) don’t typically generate very pleasing results when used directly. Throughout the rest of the article, I’m going to outline my top few tips for working with LED panels. So, for those of you that enjoy working with LED lighting, but still want the cinematic look - this post full of LED-based filmmaking tips is for you. Not to mention they stay cool when you’re working with them, making adjustments and teardown a breeze. LED panels, on the other hand, can be powered with a single V-Mount battery, which in turn solves the sound issue. On small sets, I really have never enjoyed working with generators as they are cumbersome to deal with, costly, and they can be very noisy - which of course is a problem for sound. In years past, if you needed to capture a night scene in a really dark exterior environment (let’s say a forest or a beach) you would have no choice but to rent a generator.
SOFTBOX VS LED PANEL PORTABLE
They are so light and portable and can effectively allow you to shoot well in nearly any situation. With all that said, I really do think the benefits of shooting with LED panels outweigh the negatives.

But at the same time, there are some undeniable downsides to working with them.Ĭertain LED panels can cause color casting in footage, they are prone to flickering, and the quality of light itself isn’t as pleasing to the eye as tungsten or HMI lighting (in my opinion), until it is modified. On one hand, they are extremely convenient, efficient, and easy to set up. I have mixed feelings about shooting with LED panels. Make sure you’re using them effectively by following these filmmaking tips. Thanks to their ease of use, LED panels are becoming more popular than ever.
