The importance of proper lighting for your visuals cannot be understated. Even if you have the greatest camera and the greatest lenses, without effective lighting techniques as well as solid light sources, producing and capturing compelling imagery becomes even more challenging. Today, we'll be looking at some on-camera light sources that can help bring your imagery to life.
Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light
The MC RGBWW is an extremely popular choice among videographers looking for compact on-camera light sources, and for good reason. This palm-sized LED comes stock with several useful features, from full 360° hue control, a color-temperature range of 3200-6500 Kelvin, a run time of two hours at maximum brightness, and more. For extra immersion, the light has nine built-in special effects that can be used to add flavor to your visuals. These effects allow you to emulate fireworks, party lights, fires, police car lights, faulty bulbs, paparazzi flashes, TV screens, lightning, and pulsing lights. While it comes with the standard ¼"-20 mounting screw, the RGBWW also has two built-in magnets, which allow it to be slapped onto any surface with magnetic properties easily. More lights should be designed with magnets for mounting.
Godox RGB Mini Creative M1 On-Camera Video LED Light
Here we have an extremely powerful and spec-packed light from Godox: the RGB Mini Creative M1. This light boasts an impressive 2500-8500 Kelvin range, a maximum run time of about 2.5 hours, a high CRI/TLCI of 97, and even a built-in microphone for sound-responsive lighting effects. On top of all of that, this light has 15 different special effects and 40 unique presets, allowing for extremely unique lighting scenarios. One of my personal favorite features of this light is the articulating mounting bracket on its side; it can be left flush alongside the light's edge to create a sleek form factor, or it can be swiveled to several angles to allow for extremely accessible mounting options. The multiple ¼"-20s on this arm makes it an exceptional choice for normally difficult rigging setups.
Kelvin Play RGBACL Full Spectrum LED Creative Pocket Light
The Kelvin Play RGBACL Full Spectrum LED features an insanely wide Kelvin range of 1700-20,000, and impressive CRI of 98 and TLCI of 99. The built-in battery allows for a maximum run time of three hours at full power, making it the longest running LED on this list with an internal battery. This light can be controlled via a Bluetooth 5.0 connection over a distance of 328 feet (Kelvin Narrator App is required). For mounting, it boasts dual ¼"-20 mounting threads, as well as a fully magnetic back panel (yay magnets!), allowing it to be mounted virtually anywhere there's a magnetic surface available.
Zhiyun FIVERAY M40 Powerful 40W Pocket LED Light
As you may have gathered from the name, this tiny number from Zhiyun packs a punch with its 40W output capabilities. For its size, this thing is bright. The power does come at the cost of its battery life however, pulling in a maximum run time of 29 minutes at full power; however, with how much power this light is outputting, this shouldn't come as a surprise. Spec-wise this light has a 2700-6200 Kelvin range, a built-in swiveling mounting bracket, ¼"-20 mounting screw, and a built-in fan to keep it cool when running. For those moments where you need a quick and powerful fill light without sacrificing space, this light certainly fits the mold.
Genaray Ultra-Thin Bicolor 288 SMD LED On-Camera Light
This on-camera wraparound light from Genaray has a temperature range of 3200-5600 Kelvin and a TLCI and CRI rating of 95. It features a built-in diffuser for extremely soft and pleasing light making it an excellent choice for a variety of applications. For further control, barndoors have also been included to allow you to shape and control the projected light. This light can either be powered by two NPF batteries or an AC power cord for continuous power.
Aputure Amaran AL-MW Mini LED Light
Just finished reading Underwater Videography: The Basics? Then check out this nifty little light from Aputure, the Amaran AL-MW Mini LED. It's a pocket-sized LED that's fully waterproof up to depths of 33 feet. Its color temperature is set to 5600K for daylight, can run up to 80 minutes at full power, and has built-in lighting effects for when you want to have a party with a school of shrimp. Its internal battery can even operate for a full 24 hours if used at the minimum brightness and its aluminum design ensures a rugged yet lightweight form factor.
Just like the many lenses and cameras that are on the market, there are plenty of LED choices to go around. Maybe you need something that has an incredibly vast range of temperature like the Kelvin Play LED or maybe you need something that'll hold up in a rainstorm like the Amaran AL-MW?
Regardless of the application, there is sure to be a light that fits your needs. Which of these lights do you find the most applicable for you? Let us know in the Comments section!
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