Comments on: Lowel id-light – The Lovegrove kit specifications

By: damien

damien — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:26:36 +0000

Hi Simon,

I like to keep the Lowel as a hard light. You can clip a frost gel to the barn doors or attach it to an umbrella as you describe with this simple bracket. I hope this helps,

Damien.

By: Simon RC

Simon RC — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:15:05 +0000

I’m aware that this light does give off heat and shouldn’t be covered, but do you ever use this with a light modifier, such as a shoot through umbrella, to increase the overall size of the light source and generally diffuse?. Or have you not found that necessary?.

By: Barry Dawson

Barry Dawson — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 17:45:26 +0000

Got it, love it! never really use it as the main light but use it a hell of a lot as a kick light or accent light in the background.

Its a beautiful little tool that I am glad I bought.

By: Clare

Clare — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:59:10 +0000

Quick question – if you are shooting with a long lens do you tend to go for a faster shutter speed in the scenarios you talk about in this post ? (ref. 60th, f4, ISO 800)
Thanks
Clare

By: damien

damien — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:08:34 +0000

Excellent stuff. Cheers, Tobiah.

By: Tobiah Tayo

Tobiah Tayo — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:05:50 +0000

Wonderful product your offeing. I’ve used on for the ring shots with a macro lens and live view and it works great

By: damien

damien — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 10:20:59 +0000

Hi Wendy,

The Lowel is 100w, We can supply it with a 7Ah battery in a shoulder pack that is just 2550g. The exposure is always set by the ambient light level you are working in usually ISO800, 1/60th at f/4 or something like that. The light is then rigged on a stand or held by an assistant between 2m and 4m from the subject to be illuminated. The flood and spot control and the barn doors are used to shape and control the light. The dimmer is used if the shoot location is a little darker, like a dimly lit restaurant etc.

I hope this helps. Damien.

By: wendy board

wendy board — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:34:33 +0000

yes I have brought a similar light a R-3 it has all the above but a smaller battery , more like for use with a camcorder, brought so i could take it abroad with me, have used it and and happy with it, but would like to know what setting you can use the lowel lite , I am debating to buy this, just the battery puts me off as i work on my own and being small , my camera bag alone weighs me down without a added wieght, please advise, in what strenght this is and what distance i can use it please

By: karl bratby

karl bratby — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:42:59 +0000

the secret is out, now everyone will have one….they do have limitations though.

By: Crash Taylor

Crash Taylor — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:47:11 +0000

Love my Lowel id Light and Bescor battery!

By: damien

damien — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:25:24 +0000

Cheers, Chris.

By: damien

damien — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:42:55 +0000

Hi Fergus,

Just the sort of question we should all be asking. I’m currently reviewing an exciting new panel light from a company called Brightcast.

Having disregarded one of their units as unsuitable for stills photography (perfect for colour washes on stage etc) I’ve been drawn to another with a fantastic feature set: the LR432-345 is a 15 degree spot light with variable colour temperature. This is also available in 60 degree flood.

There are two sets of LEDs in the one lamp. one with a correlated colour temperature of 3200k and the other with a correlated colour temperature of 5600k. The great thing is the colour temperature is completely variable between the two sets of LEDs by means of a cross fader. There is also a dimmer and the unit runs off 12v or mains.

I have the spot version on trial and I can say that the beam in 3200k setting is similar to a Lowel 100w lamp in full spot. The light level and beam pattern are nearly identical.

At the 5600k setting the light panel is as powerful as my 300w Arri with a Lee 401 full CTB gel. Very impressive indeed especially as it will run for several hours when powered by our 10Ah battery pack.

So what are the pros and cons:

Pros:
1. Low voltage, low wattage take anywhere
2. Cool running
3. No spare bulbs needed
4. Variable colour temperature

Cons:
1. Expensive at £1400+ per light
2. Delicate, needs its own custom case
3. Not perfect spectral response

I have yet to put the light through its paces but I will have it on our stand at Focus for you all to see. Just come and ask for a demonstration. You won’t find this light anywhere else, it’s a Lovegrove exclusive (for now).

Cheers, Damien.

By: Fergus Morley

Fergus Morley — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:22:52 +0000

How do these compare to the range of multi LED lights that seem to be proliferating?

By: Will Pateman Photography

Will Pateman Photography — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:21:48 +0000

Hi Damien,
I have been using this bad boy for the last 2 years ever since seeing Jerry Ghionis in action..i have the push in connecter a spare bulb and a spare battery i leave in
the car…i do like the idea of your telescopic handle great
for added height…great marketing just in time for Focus

By: damien

damien — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:56:16 +0000

Hi Phil,

As you know the light fall off is inverse square law governed. So if you double the distance between the light and the subject you get just one quarter of the light. Having said that it is nearly always at 1/60th second, ISO 800 and @ f/4 that is used with this light. It is most common to have to expose for the ambient then add the light from thew Lowel to taste. There are 4 ways to control the light quantity from the Lowel:
1. The built in dimmer
2. The flood and spot control
3. The barn doors
4. Move the light nearer or further from the subject.

I hope this helps.

Damien.