OviedoPhotos

There is a wide variety of LED type lighting available for photo/video work. Amazon, ebay, Adorama and such. For video work I do use a small one, 32 leds. I also have traditional strobe and continuous lights.

I can see the advantages of the technology, as they are lightweight, run cool and have low power consumption.

The number of leds can span a small number to 1,000, with filters, barn doors and even battery power available.

I'm now seeing models that offer light temperature adjustment for 3200K to 5500K, is this extra feature of value?

Thanks for any help, the choices are staggering now and looking to understand it better.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I've been watching the technology progress and the prices going down. the question is, where do you jump on board? As soon as you decide, another feature packed model comes out. I was looking at ring lights and they range from $50 to $900 depending on what you need. So for now, I guess I'll keep watching.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

That's exactly where I am - no rush for me.
As far as the value of adjusting for different Kelvin temps - that would help create different moods - 5500 for traditional portraits with positive aspect and 4500 or lower for somber/colder moods. Of course the adjustment can be done in pp so I wouldn't spend significant additional $ for that capability.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

In Real estate or Architectural photography it would allow you to match the supplemental lighting to the light temperature of the existing lighting for a natural fill.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

4500 is a Warmer light in Kelvin than 5500, 6500 is more bluish, FYI.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

Have you seen the "doctors eye"? That is a nice looking outfit but it cost as much as a Nikon macro light set up (R1C1).

art pear Loc: North Dakota

I use led for video and love that you do not to plug them in. I just use gels with magnets to change color temp and it works great and they are cheap. When I was buying the lights that adjusted color did so by having seperate leds for each color so you lost out on half of your light.

Picdude Loc: Ohio

If I were going to spend the money for LED lights I would definitely want the ability to adjust temperature. LEDs produce a very bright light for the power requirements, but tend to be very cold (just look at the difference the next couple months in incandescent and LED Christmas lights).

As has been pointed out, you can probably adjust lighting to an extent in PP, but why add that extra work if you can get the desired effect when the shutter is released?

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Yes, you are correct, my error.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I've been tempted to get a half dozen cheap LED worklights from Harbor Freight and see what they would do. It seems to me that a gray card would get the white balance right.

This one has a magnetic base: http://www.harborfreight.com/led-worklightflashlight-27-led-portable-69567.html

RaydancePhoto

I have built a couple LED lights with these modules. http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-BA9S-Adapter-Dome-lamp-T10-White-Light-Panel-48-SMD-LED-Interior-Bulb-12V-/330976597159?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d0fbe14a7&vxp=mtr

They are very cheap and run on 12 volt. If you put together 10 to 20 of these on a panel, you get some bright light and you can run them on a car battery. 5000K light temp.

myts10 Loc: SE Ohio

I've been using LED's for a couple of years now, experimenting with LED bulbs. The A, Globe, PAR 36, and a few odd balls. All are 5000K or 5500K. I don't us any that require correction with a minus green gel, as the LED banks do, I have 2 of them.
This weekend I'll be using 4 7.5wt bulbs in one soft box as the key light and 2 7wt in a 2nd soft box for the fill light. I'll replace the ugly CFLs in table lamps to give me more ambient light. The room lights are all 4 foot florescent, I turn those out.
The key is to keep the same color temperature be it 5000K or whatever. A lot of the big banks that are dimable do not. Changing color temperature as they are dimmed.
As for those that have color temperature adjustments, most of those also change the green spike requiring a different magnet gel for each setting.
I've been able to test each bulb by placing it in a reflector of some sort and shining it on a wall in a dark room, that is no daylight or any other lights influencing the test bulb. Pass a one half minis green gel in front of the bulb. If there is a green spike you will be able to see the change. You might not see green but the change will be evident.

gemlenz Loc: Gilbert Arizona

I think you have it backwards, 4500k is colder, 6500k is warmer.

gemlenz Loc: Gilbert Arizona

Can you show us a picture of what you built?

johnnievegas

4500k is a cooler temp but a warmer color.