Lights for green screen allow you to get the best results when making photo and video editing. They are used to maintain consistent and uniform illumination for green screen. When it comes to choosing the best products for your green screen shooting, you may find it challenging since there are a lot of options on the market. In this article, we will recommend some COLBOR video and photography lights to you and offers some choosing tips so you can decide which is the best for you. Besides that, you can also get the steps to light a green screen.
Top 3 best lights for green screen at COLBOR and their reviews
In this part, we recommend 3 COLBOR video lights that feature different power outputs and list their features and pros & cons. You can also check the review video to get more details and see if they are suitable for your needs.
COLBOR CL60: One of best lights for green screen studio that support multiple power supply
The COLBOR CL60 is the best studio light for video that offers constant output at 65W, which can be combined together to create higher output up to 650W. It features 97+ CRI and 2700-6500K color temperature. It can be controlled by an App installed on your mobile device. When you use more than one CL60 fixture, you can also use one fixture as a controller for other lights. In this way, you can create consistent illumination for green screen, which is really important for easy post-production.
Features
- Constant 65W power output
- Bi-color LED light at a high CRI of 97+
- PowerCube design for combining more fixtures to create higher power
- Accepts multiple power supplies such as PD adapter, PD power bank, NP-F battery, and V mount battery
- Comes with a light base, Bowen mount adapter, and carrying bag
- Can be controlled by App
Pros
- The price is affordable
- Easy to move around
- Good choice for beginners
Cons
- The cost may be high if more fixtures are needed
COLBOR CL60 review video
This is the CL60 review video by Richard Wong that includes unboxing and introduction to power options, compatibility with light modifiers, PowerCube design, and wireless App control.
COLBOR CL100X: Provides lighting for green screen streaming at constant 110W
The COLBOR CL100X is one of the LED lights for streaming. It provides constant 110W lighting for green screen at home and studio. Like the CL60, it also features 97+ CRI and 2700-6500K color temperature and comes with PowerCube design to combine more fixtures together. Its brightness is adjustable from 0 to 100%.
Modifiers are frequently required to direct and shape the light in order to get the desired effect. A Bowen mount adapter is included with the CL100X. This enables it to function with the vast majority of modifiers on the market.
Features
- Constant 110W power output
- Bi-color LED light at a high CRI of 97+
- PowerCube design for combining more fixtures to create higher power
- Comes with a light base, Bowen mount adapter, and carrying bag
- Can be controlled by App
Pros
- Simple to use
- The price is affordable
- Easy to move around
Cons
- The cost may be high if more fixtures are needed
CL100X review video
A review video by Andrei Dima in view of build quality, cooling system, specs, App control, and some drawbacks.
COLBOR CL220: Professional option of lighting for green screen photography and videography
If you want to upgrade your green screen studio and look for lights for green screen that are more professional, the COLBOR CL220 is a good choice. The revolutionary bead assembly technique, sturdy metal material, and reliable power supply allow for a constant output of 220W at all color temperatures.
Unlike the CL100X, which requires an adapter to accommodate modifiers, this LED constant light for photography has a universal Bowen mount that can accept a broad range of modifiers. The NATO groove lets it to function with NATO attachments, giving you more options for green screen lighting.
Features
- Constant 220W power output
- Bi-color LED light at a high CRI of 96+
- Accepts a wide range of light modifiers and photography accessories
- Two versions to choose from according to your needs
- Can be wirelessly controlled by App and physical controller
Pros
- Simple to use
- Perfect for photography and videography
- Good option for beginners and professionals
Cons
- Two V mount batteries are required for full power output if not use AC power
CL220 review video
The CL220 review video by Wes Perry discusses build quality, features, and light quality and compares the CL220 with similar lights on the market.
How to choose lights for green screen video, photography, etc.?
When choosing the best lights for green screen, you need to consider your budgets, product durability, using purpose, weight, and quality.
Durability
Check the quality of components to ensure you have a durable light for green screen. There are a variety of lights for green screen on the market. The material used to make them varies from brand to brand. So you should check the product details and customer reviews to see if they are made from durable material.
The COLBOR lights are manufactured of aluminum alloy and ABS material. This gives them durable build quality but lightweight, so you can use them conveniently even in outdoor shooting.
Using purpose
What will you do with your equipment? Battery support is optional if you require green light for studio shooting. When filming indoors, however, longer cable versions are recommended. This will make moving the equipment about the studio easier. Battery-powered models are an alternative if you shoot both in the studio and on the street.
Weight
When looking for the best lights for green screen, consider the weight of the equipment. When shooting outside, use a lightweight gadget that you can simply transport. Because heavier models are difficult to move, choose for lightweight equipment for outside shoots.
Performance
Green screen lighting is typically purchased for specific applications. To attain the Hollywood quality of video production, you must invest much on a complete set. If you want to use the kit for simple projects or personal vlogs, you may focus on more cheap versions because the majority of them give good quality.
Budget
Lights for green screen are available in a variety of brands on the market today. The costs of these brands differ from one another.
Before deciding on a brand, make sure you have a specific amount in mind that you are ready to invest.
You may adjust your search to your budget once you've decided on one. Surprisingly, there are several low-cost manufacturers of green screen kits on the market today.
How to light for green screen: Five steps to follow
The following are some steps to follow if you want to light the green screen properly. It is simple but quite important since bad illumination can make editing difficult.
Step 1: Set up green screen equipment
Correct any creases, rips, or scratches on the green screen material. When light is shined on the green screen, these flaws might cast shadows, which makes it more difficult to capture a uniform and smooth color.
- If you're using fabric, smooth out any wrinkles by steaming or ironing the fabric. Stretch the cloth out extra tightly if it's still bunching to get rid of the wrinkles.
- if using paint, look for any places that have chips or scratches and repaint them. To achieve color uniformity, you should repaint the entire surface if there are many chipped or scratched areas.
Remove any reflecting elements from the space. Glasses and jewelry, for example, can reflect light and make it more difficult to isolate one solid hue for the green screen. To prevent light from bouncing, make sure your subject isn't wearing anything reflective, and hang dark curtains throughout the space.
Make sure your camera produces files in a computer-compatible format. Nothing is worse than capturing a whole sequence only to discover that you can't export it for editing on your computer. To save time, check your camera before you start shooting. Less-compressed picture file types, including RAW and ProRes, are larger in size but maintain all the minute features of your video clip, giving you a higher-quality image.
Step 2: Use identical lights for green screen to ensure even color balance
Ensure that all of your lights are the same kind. Different lights will have varying color temperatures, which will cause an unbalanced color scheme. The green screen should at the very least be lit with the same lighting. If you're utilizing two different lights, you can have exposure problems or, worse still, color temperature problems, which could complicate the editing process.
Step 3: Setting up lights for green screen on either side and a few feet away
One light should be placed on either side of the green screen. Keep the lights at a 45-degree angle and a few feet away from the green screen. Don't place it in front of the green screen directly. This will result in a hotspot, or a region where light is highly concentrated.
If your screen is large and the side lights can't reach it all, put two more lights at the bottom of the green screen, pointing up. Because each green screen is unique, start with this basic setup and experiment with the light positions as needed.
Ensure that all parts of the green screen are illuminated. Take a step back and look for spots where the light hasn't reached or where there are shadows. The goal is to see only one color. You may add more lights if necessary, but doing so increases the quantity of light that is reflected back, or overflowing, onto your subject. This will make it more difficult to separate the subject from the green screen.
Step 4: Use 3-point lighting for green screen to illuminate the subject
Place the subjects away from the screen. This will limit the quantity of light reflected from the green screen onto them. In general, a distance of 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3.0 m) is ideal. If your green screen is too small, move the subject as far away as feasible. Place a contrasting color mat below your subject if they are standing on part of the green screen to avoid light from bouncing up at them.
A key light should be used to illuminate your subject. It is the primary source of illumination for your subject. Consider where the light will come from in the final scene when positioning it and ensure that it is several feet higher than the subject. Do not illuminate both your green screen and your subject at the same time. To avoid shadows and light leakage, illuminate the subject separately.
Position a fill light opposite the key light. It is a softer light that is used to remove any shadows cast by the key light. Begin by positioning it on the opposite side and adjusting it until there are no shadows on your subject.
Backlight the subject from behind and to the side. The lighting will cast a halo around the subject, separating it from the backdrop. This will make the subject appear more three-dimensional.
Step 5: Expose your green screen correctly
Examine the exposure on your camera's display. The amount of light captured by the camera, or the brightness of the image, is referred to as exposure. To prevent catching colors other than green, go for a slightly lower brightness than you would for a typical video.
To acquire the right exposure, change the aperture on your camera. The aperture of your camera lens is the opening that permits light to enter the camera. Increase the aperture if your green screen is underexposed or excessively dark. Narrow the aperture if it's overly bright.