Comments on: The Light at the End of the Tunnel http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/10/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel Photo/video thoughts from the largest rental house Fri, 24 May 2013 06:59:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Adam http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/10/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/comment-page-1#comment-24390 Adam Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:58:27 +0000 http://localhost:6081/news/2009.10.11/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel#comment-24390 I also have to add, that the idea that people are wearing sunglasses in a music video because a ring light hurts is afwully thin. A good ring light is fully dimmable, and a quality production will never relly on it as a sole source. There will be several sources all around with the ring light acting as soft fill to compensate for a steadycam operater stepping inbetween the talent and one of the sources for a close shot. (Very few cameras and even few operators are transparent.) The ring light has the added bonus of putting a "catchlight" in the talents eyes. If you watch the videos more closely you will see plenty with a ring light reflecting in the talents naked eye, and plenty of sunglass wearing performers WITHOUT a ringlight reflecting. The only time a ringlight would hurt someones eyes would be if it were being used a sole source in a dark room, and if you've only got one sources, and its surrounding the lens, you're going to have some of the flatest, most boring light in th world. I also have to add, that the idea that people are wearing sunglasses in a music video because a ring light hurts is afwully thin. A good ring light is fully dimmable, and a quality production will never relly on it as a sole source. There will be several sources all around with the ring light acting as soft fill to compensate for a steadycam operater stepping inbetween the talent and one of the sources for a close shot. (Very few cameras and even few operators are transparent.) The ring light has the added bonus of putting a “catchlight” in the talents eyes.

If you watch the videos more closely you will see plenty with a ring light reflecting in the talents naked eye, and plenty of sunglass wearing performers WITHOUT a ringlight reflecting.

The only time a ringlight would hurt someones eyes would be if it were being used a sole source in a dark room, and if you’ve only got one sources, and its surrounding the lens, you’re going to have some of the flatest, most boring light in th world.

]]> By: Adam http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/10/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/comment-page-1#comment-24389 Adam Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:51:24 +0000 http://localhost:6081/news/2009.10.11/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel#comment-24389 One thing to bear in mind with continuous lights is that there is a vast range of quality in fluorescents and LEDs. Many strobists buy a lower end fluorescent or LED to test the waters,are unhappy with the results, and decide that the technology is not ready. The problem with that is, coming from the world of strobes, one of the main things you look for in a lights specs is the total light output, so you might find a cheap fluorescent that's just as bright as a Kino Flo and decide that's the one to try. What most people who aren't familiar with continuous lighting are unaware of is that color rendering is an incredibly important factor, at least as imporant as output. You want a light with a CRI (Color Rendering Index) of at least 90 for most work. Without this, specific frequencies of light will be under or over represented, meaning specific colors in your subject will be over or under empasized in the final photograph. These are typically pretty fine "notches" in the overall curve of the ligths color profile, meaning the results are very difficult to predict or control. You can't simply add a red gel to fix the lack of red, because while one very specific redish hue might be under represented, another will be over represented, meaning one subjects lipstick will look awfully dark, while the others looks cartoonishly bright. If the light you're looking at doesn't list a CRI rating, it probably has a pretty crappy one, don't buy it! One thing to bear in mind with continuous lights is that there is a vast range of quality in fluorescents and LEDs. Many strobists buy a lower end fluorescent or LED to test the waters,are unhappy with the results, and decide that the technology is not ready.

The problem with that is, coming from the world of strobes, one of the main things you look for in a lights specs is the total light output, so you might find a cheap fluorescent that’s just as bright as a Kino Flo and decide that’s the one to try. What most people who aren’t familiar with continuous lighting are unaware of is that color rendering is an incredibly important factor, at least as imporant as output.

You want a light with a CRI (Color Rendering Index) of at least 90 for most work. Without this, specific frequencies of light will be under or over represented, meaning specific colors in your subject will be over or under empasized in the final photograph. These are typically pretty fine “notches” in the overall curve of the ligths color profile, meaning the results are very difficult to predict or control. You can’t simply add a red gel to fix the lack of red, because while one very specific redish hue might be under represented, another will be over represented, meaning one subjects lipstick will look awfully dark, while the others looks cartoonishly bright. If the light you’re looking at doesn’t list a CRI rating, it probably has a pretty crappy one, don’t buy it!

]]> By: Joe Horvath http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/10/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/comment-page-1#comment-2633 Joe Horvath Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:40:01 +0000 http://localhost:6081/news/2009.10.11/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel#comment-2633 I'm not so sure about continuous lights taking over in the fashion that you are suggesting. In addition to the points about freezing action and balancing with ambient, continuous lights have a myriad of other limitations. Led panels and Florescents are very bulky and the good ones are considerably more expensive than strobes for their lighting output. The cheap floros have CRI issues. Tungstens are heavy and have special power requirements when you get north of a few thousand watts. HMIs can be awesome on a studio environment, but are a pain to travel with and power on location. Finally, for anyone who has seen a music video lately that used a ring light, you will notice that the subject is always wearing sunglasses. It hurts to look into the camera. That being said, I know a lot of people who do the dual stills/motion game and there are definitely cost advantages to using continuous lighting in that sort of situation. I think strobes will be around for many years to come I’m not so sure about continuous lights taking over in the fashion that you are suggesting. In addition to the points about freezing action and balancing with ambient, continuous lights have a myriad of other limitations. Led panels and Florescents are very bulky and the good ones are considerably more expensive than strobes for their lighting output. The cheap floros have CRI issues. Tungstens are heavy and have special power requirements when you get north of a few thousand watts. HMIs can be awesome on a studio environment, but are a pain to travel with and power on location. Finally, for anyone who has seen a music video lately that used a ring light, you will notice that the subject is always wearing sunglasses. It hurts to look into the camera.

That being said, I know a lot of people who do the dual stills/motion game and there are definitely cost advantages to using continuous lighting in that sort of situation.

I think strobes will be around for many years to come

]]> By: Ben @ EnglishPhotographer.com http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/10/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/comment-page-1#comment-2373 Ben @ EnglishPhotographer.com Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:08:30 +0000 http://localhost:6081/news/2009.10.11/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel#comment-2373 Interesting article, I'd not properly considered this after some mediocre results using continuous lighting (poor colour and low intensity). As digital cameras function well with increasingly less light, photographers will be able to make more use of ambient lighting so additional lighting, strobe or continuous, won't be as necessary. The videographer point is important. Mr Digit is right; strobes freeze action in a way that continuous lighting can't, also because of the need to balance against the ambient lighting. One interesting side-effect of increased use of continuous lighting will be smaller pupil sizes as people's eyes have time to react to the additional light. Interesting article, I’d not properly considered this after some mediocre results using continuous lighting (poor colour and low intensity). As digital cameras function well with increasingly less light, photographers will be able to make more use of ambient lighting so additional lighting, strobe or continuous, won’t be as necessary. The videographer point is important.

Mr Digit is right; strobes freeze action in a way that continuous lighting can’t, also because of the need to balance against the ambient lighting.

One interesting side-effect of increased use of continuous lighting will be smaller pupil sizes as people’s eyes have time to react to the additional light.

]]> By: Digit Photography http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/10/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/comment-page-1#comment-2292 Digit Photography Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:20:23 +0000 http://localhost:6081/news/2009.10.11/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel#comment-2292 An important issue not addressed in this article is that strobes can freeze action, which continuous lighting does not. If you are shooting in near darkness and want to balance ambient and strobe lighting, a continuous light is useless unless your subject is stationary. There are plenty of shots that you just can't get with a continuous light. An important issue not addressed in this article is that strobes can freeze action, which continuous lighting does not. If you are shooting in near darkness and want to balance ambient and strobe lighting, a continuous light is useless unless your subject is stationary. There are plenty of shots that you just can’t get with a continuous light.

]]> By: piero ds http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/10/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/comment-page-1#comment-651 piero ds Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:55:47 +0000 http://localhost:6081/news/2009.10.11/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel#comment-651 Hello Roger, what is the situation now in 2011? Do you feel LED lighting has obeyed your prediction? What do you feel is the future of fluorescent now? Cheers, Piero Hello Roger,

what is the situation now in 2011? Do you feel LED lighting has obeyed your prediction? What do you feel is the future of fluorescent now?

Cheers,

Piero

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