LED studio lights for video give you greater control over lighting to give the subjects proper amount of glow and pop. These tools make indoor and outdoor environments more manageable. In this article, we will go through some basics that you need to know if you want to improve your video quality.
- What are advantages of using LED video studio lights?
- How to choose the best one for your video creation?
- How to set them up properly for better illumination?
What are the benefits of using LED lights for video studio?
LED studio lights bring many benefits to video creation.
To begin with, LED lights make it easy to adjust and dim the light as desired. In comparison to the alternative, you can easily modify the brightness.
Another amazing advantage is that you can see precisely what the image will look like before you snap the photo. In essence, what you see is what you get. This may be beneficial for a variety of reasons, particularly if you're just getting started, as setup times can be dramatically reduced.
Lighting video studio LED VS fluorescent emits less heat. Continuous illumination is required for video and motion picture production. The lengthy time standards for continuous illumination generate a significant amount of heat. LEDs can stay cool when lighting up the scene. Some high-output lights are even equipped with cooling systems. LED lights are substantially cooler to operate for similar lighting setup.
Even though some LEDs are pricey, they really have a far greater rate of energy conversion than incandescent bulbs. Compared to the competition, they utilize more than 75% less energy. Compared to filament lights, the diode inside is more effective. Although the greatest and most professional-grade LED lights might be more expensive up front, over time you will save money on electricity and efficiency.
What to look for in LED studio lights for video?
There are several factors to take into consideration.
Power output
LED video lights come in various power outputs, ranging from pocket lights at 5W to 500+ watts studio lights.
If your lights are placed close to the subject, you probably won't need to use anything more powerful than 30 to 60 watts. It all depends on where you take video shooting. A 100w+ LED studio light may be required if you want to display a bright background, such as outdoor landscape, via a window.
Power options
Where and how you may use the professional LED studio lights will be determined by how they are powered. Typically, there are 3 types.
AC Powered
This is the most basic option. The simplest solution is to just plug an LED straight into an outlet. Most LED studio lights on the market today can be powered from the wall, however others don't have a backup power source. A mains-powered LED has the advantage that battery charge is never a concern. They will run continuously as long as you pay your power payment. The drawback is that they aren't portable. Your only choice is to purchase a portable power source if you ever want to use your lighting setup for a video outside without access to electricity.
Internal Battery
Compacter and lower-powered LED video lights usually have inbuilt battery. One advantage of having an internal battery is that it is hard to forget. You carried the battery with you when you packed the light. The disadvantage is that when your internal battery runs out of power, you must either connect it to an AC power source or wait for it to recharge before using it again.
NP-F Battery/V Mount Battery
The NP-F battery is by far the most prevalent battery option for smaller lighting setups. They provide electricity to LED lights, monitors, and cameras. They also come in a variety of sizes and capacities, so you can select based on how long you want your equipment to be powered versus how lightweight you want to keep it.
When it comes to LED studio lights for video that are more powerful than 40w, NP-F batteries will no longer suffice. Higher-powered LEDs, on the other hand, require a bigger V Mount battery. V Mount batteries have a higher voltage and a higher capacity.
The benefit of both batteries is that you may purchase as many as you need to last for extended periods of shooting. Unlike an internal battery, your light will not require any downtime to recharge in order to be used as a portable device.
Color temperature
Color temperature is measured in Kelvins. Lights in the 5,600 Kelvin range are typically used by video makers since they appear similar to daylight. Different color temperatures are conceivable, and their main aim is to alter the appearance of the subject for more creative photos. For a sense of reality, seek for a light in the 5,000 Kelvin range. Go for lower Kelvin temps if you want warmer tones.
CRI
The CRI score indicates how accurately an object's color will appear. It is measured from 1 to 100. The CRI of sunlight is 100 because the colors are always accurate. Generally speaking, the higher the CRI number is, the better lighting it offers. The better, the higher the number. For photography and videography, any light with a CRI higher than 90 is ideal.
Table: Quick view on specs of COLBOR studio lights
COLBOR LED studio lights for video feature different specs. We list their information according to the aforementioned factors. Check the table to have a quick view.
|
LED studio light |
CL100X |
CL100-M |
CL60R |
|
Output power |
≥ 100W |
100W (Constant Power) |
＞60W |
|
Rated Power |
120W (Max Power) |
/ |
80W (Max) |
|
Power options |
AC Powered/V Mount Battery |
AC Powered/V Mount Battery |
AC Powered/NP-F Battery/V Mount Battery |
|
Color temperature |
2700K~6500K(±200) |
5600K |
2700K-6500K(±200), full color |
|
CRI |
97+ |
≥ 97 |
97+ |
COLBOR has introduced a new launch, COLBOR CL220 to the market. It is a 220W COB light available at 2700-6500K and 5600K. Besides physical and App control, you can also adjust this LED video studio lighting with remote.
How to set up LED studio lighting for video: Five common setups explained
There are several approaches to setting up LED studio lighting for your video. Three-point lighting is a typical choice, however, there are other setups that you can use. Each option creates a slightly different look, so keep reading to find out which scheme is ideal for your video lighting.
One light
A video lighting system that only requires one light. A ring light is the ideal option.
- Pros: Minimal equipment required
- Cons: It creates less depth than other setups.
- Who should use it: Video creators who use their smartphones for video shoots
Two lights
This uses key and fill lights. It will assist to improve the video's face lighting whether it is utilized in conjunction with a natural light source or with your key light focused on it. For optimum results, put the lights over your subject's head.
- Pros: It is flexible within a filming location
- Cons: Reliance on natural light will limit the available time for filming.
- Who should use it: It works well for subjects who might want to stand up and move about.
Three-point lighting
It uses three LED studio lights for video, including key, fill and back light. The key and fill lights are on either side of the camera, aimed towards the subject. The back one is placed above or to the side of the subject.
- Pros: It distinguishes the subject from the backdrop and adds lovely highlights around it.
- Cons: It requires many pieces of equipment.
- Who should use it: This setup enables you to use studio LED lighting kit for YouTube videos, streaming, as well as for any videos that have a single speaker speaking to the camera.
Four lights
This adds a backdrop light and expands the three-point lighting setup for video. The wall or backdrop the person is in front of is lit from behind at waist height by the background light.
- Pros: Illuminates the background wall and provides more creativity for video recording
- Cons: LMore equipment is needed, setup and breakdown take longer.
- Who should use it: Video creators who are looking for more creative lighting solution
Loop lighting
It includes two light sources: a key light close to the camera and a backlight behind the subject on the opposite side of the camera.
- Pros: Less equipment is required.
- Cons: Movement is restricted.
- Who should use it: Those who are creating professional videos.