Brent Thale , Jun 18, 2009; 01:35 a.m.
I recently purchased a LitePanels MicroPro LED light for use on a digital SLR camera (Nikon D700) and possibly video in the future. I tried it out for the first time at the 2009 E3 video game conference in Los Angeles with good results. I like the smooth look, how it wraps a head-and-shoulders subject with even light, how it balances with ambient light more easily than flash, and its inherent WYSIWYG-ness. Lack of flash recycle time is nice too, and the catchlights in eyes are sometimes unique enough to be noticeable in a good way.
I wish it was another stop more powerful. Although one model said she was pretty sure she was getting a tan from the MicroPro’s light, it isn’t as powerful as a good flash and is nearly useless much past 10 feet. It’s definitely a closeup light. Also, with strong ambient light, like daytime outdoors, the MicroPro’s light is drowned out easily.
I did need a flash bracket to avoid eyeshine with some subjects like cats, not really a negative since it fits in the flash shoe of most brackets.
With a continuous light there are some etiquette issues that are different than flash since your light will be visible in other photographers’ shots, possibly angering them, especially video shooters. I just had to be reasonably polite using the light and I only got growled at a couple times.
After looking at my photos another photographer asked me what type of light I was using, which I took as a validation that the MicroPro has a different look than the usual flash. You can see the pictures from the event, most using the MicroPro, here: http://www.wingedmammal.com/e3_2009/e3_2009.shtml
Overall I give the LitePanels MicroPro a thumbs-up for low ambient light closeup people shooting.
Michael Seto , Jun 18, 2009; 09:51 p.m.
Brent,
Thanks for this - it was a piece of gear I was looking at for some wedding photography. Can you give us a sense of what ISO/aperture/speed you were shooting at where the Micro threw off enough light to be the main? How low can you get ISO with the thing cranked full power? How was power use with it? Do you think it's powerful enough to be a fill light outdoors under the sun (assume you're pretty close to someone doing a head and shoulder portrait?)
Would appreciate any other feedback you have on this item, especially if you use it off the hot shoe for more directional lighting.
Brent Thale , Jun 20, 2009; 01:50 a.m.
Hi Michael, I haven't done much testing in bright light outdoors yet, but my impression is the MicroPro's light is not strong enough to be very good as a fill under those circumstances. It should be pretty easy for me to verify that by just taking the same picture with the light on and off and seeing how much impact the light has. Indoors it makes a huge difference, and maybe outdoors in overcast conditions, but I suspect bright light is too much for it.
I did have to use wide apertures like f4 and high ISO's like 3200, the convention hall was very dark and I didn't want black backgrounds, I wanted some ambient exposure. Maybe if exposing only for the subject a lower ISO could be used? I was testing the Nikon D700 at the same time, specifically its 3200 and 6400 ISO quality so I was ok with those settings.
