This is one of the most important videos out there... don't care about the actual light.... but all the gear reviews always talk about camera or lens because it's the sexy topic... and i see so many videographers and photographers who just have no idea about lighting... and little known fact.... cameras capture light.... it's literally THE most important aspect of photography and videography.... anyone can press a shutter.... anyone can frame.... the light is what makes the difference
Hey Brandon I always enjoying seeing you throughout your lmg days and was stoked when i found your channel just focusing on your expertise and passion.
I laughed out loud at this. This looks like a million dollar fully equipped studio with a small team of grips helping out. Good info, nonsensical premise.
Does Smallrig have RGB lights? I thought that they only had bicolor lights? Their RC series is bicolor, if I'm not mistaken. What is their RGB lights called?
That Mirror shot in the music video is so beautiful. Also really love the grade! I need to look into a softbox that I can bounce into the actual silver.
Amaran has amazing pro-sumer lights but goodness do their accessories lack. We have the panels and they make no replacement softboxes or any yolk mount options. Still best bang for the buck
I have a p60C, that is sitting low to the floor to add color to my backdrop... is it better to mount it to the ceiling or will that fundamentally change how the light hits the backdrop? and what is biggest difference between an led panel vs a cob light rgb ?? Thanks!
When amaran first released their 200d I got one of those and since then I’ve loved amaran lights. Since aperture became increasingly more expensive and focused on high end, amaran really became the goat
Hi Brandon. You've done a beautiful job with the video, the production quality and editing are excellent. While I trust your expertise on the technical side, I think you might want to put more thought into your discussion of budget. You referred to this project as a Zero Budget test, but it was a week long shoot in a studio with several people and multiple cameras on multiple rigs (including a huge slider and a stabilizer rig). Even with rentals and begging for help from friends to work for free, that is a big budget. In that context, your conclusion that the $570 (usd) light is perfect for all budgets carries less weight. To say that the light is good value for money would be very reasonable. If this was presented as "I am going to go big and see if this light can keep up in a professional environment" that might have made for an excellent demonstration of the light's value. Suggesting that this is the one to get for everyone's first LED light has got a little bit of a "Let them eat cake" vibe. To be fair though, it is possible that my perspective is not part of your target audience. While I am a camera and video nerd with disposable income, I have often been turned off by your boss's brand of "Conspicuous consumption of a rich guy who drops things". Whether you find this feedback valuable or not, I hope things keep going great for you and your family 🙂.
It's not nearly as expensive as it looks. High quality sliders, stabilizers, and such are FAR less expensive than they were 5-10 years ago. Zero budget probably means zero budget for anything other than the hardware itself. All in all, the total cost of all the hardware used in the shoot was probably less than ten grand retail. This light barely costs $600. That's STUPID cheap for what you get.
...10 years ago? mmmm Hive lighting or Arri ? I still have those Kino flo Diva lites, they are old, but awesome!!! Also,I really dig the white color of the Amaran, really cool for weddings...for production, aputure still doesn't cut it for me.
I just like to say that the video production on this is great and love what you’re doing. (Tiny suggestion from a guy who barely knows what he is doing. For me the titles felt a little weird. Maybe keeping the song play through the title screens. I don’t know but it felt a little bland to me.)
This is still a great option but if not this. Something closer to 600W power draw just so you can make up for the output necessary for studio photography.
I think you've sold me. Currently in pre-production on my 2nd short film and looking to move up from paper lanterns to a proper studio light, this looks fantastic. Great review!
I recently bought it while trying to shoot a feature film in 7 days with no crew. I love it at first I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the same light quality as the apature 1200's Im used to but the color flexibility and weight when haveing no crew really helps. and yes the App is great I shot a dance video at a club and being able to record music FX was awesome effect.
Jokingly threatening a content creator isn't going to be taken as a joke. Calm down and remember you're talking to a stranger. If you wouldn't say it to someone you just met for the first time don't say it to a content creator.
This is one of the most important videos out there... don't care about the actual light.... but all the gear reviews always talk about camera or lens because it's the sexy topic... and i see so many videographers and photographers who just have no idea about lighting... and little known fact.... cameras capture light.... it's literally THE most important aspect of photography and videography.... anyone can press a shutter.... anyone can frame.... the light is what makes the difference
Hey Brandon
I always enjoying seeing you throughout your lmg days and was stoked when i found your channel just focusing on your expertise and passion.
Let's not call this level of setup "zero dollar budget".
I laughed out loud at this. This looks like a million dollar fully equipped studio with a small team of grips helping out. Good info, nonsensical premise.
I love the delivery of this product review. Nice work!
Wow, what an amazing video, it's insane how every video you make is a clear 11/10
The best!
Video quality and production is always amazing. Even if I don't understand what I'm watching it was fun
This is exactly the light I needed a review for.
Thanks Brandon been looking at these for a minute
fantastic review
Got mine, love it.
The shots from the music video look so good!!! This light looks really solid I might have to order it 👀
Love thisssss.
Nice Diffused volumetric lighting! What did you use for the Haze?
Your 0$ budget and my 0$ budget seem to be pretty drastically different 😅
Where's the music video?
I wanna see it to
what lense was on that projector? 18 or 26
It was the 36 degree with an iris
Did you use a fog machine or canned atmosphere haze?
I really wish this thing had a DMX adapter for theater use.
Another good video.
7 days tight timeline??
sorry but, using a studio for 7 days with equipment and crew , cant be called , no budget, otherwise great video and work!
🎉🎉
Have you used the smallrig equivalents to these lights? If so, how do they compare?
Does Smallrig have RGB lights? I thought that they only had bicolor lights? Their RC series is bicolor, if I'm not mistaken. What is their RGB lights called?
Yes all the equipment, crew and studio really screams "zero budget" ...
As someone who is just been getting into video productions this past year this may be the light for me. Thanks so much for your knowledge as always!
Same
That Mirror shot in the music video is so beautiful. Also really love the grade! I need to look into a softbox that I can bounce into the actual silver.
Thanks Brandon, here's some engagement
Amaran has amazing pro-sumer lights but goodness do their accessories lack. We have the panels and they make no replacement softboxes or any yolk mount options.
Still best bang for the buck
So great to see a new video from you! Super smart to lead with the LMG background!!
I have a p60C, that is sitting low to the floor to add color to my backdrop... is it better to mount it to the ceiling or will that fundamentally change how the light hits the backdrop? and what is biggest difference between an led panel vs a cob light rgb ?? Thanks!
A Brandon Y Lee post on my birthday? The best gift a guy could ask for!
I’ll take 2!
When amaran first released their 200d I got one of those and since then I’ve loved amaran lights. Since aperture became increasingly more expensive and focused on high end, amaran really became the goat
Hi Brandon. You've done a beautiful job with the video, the production quality and editing are excellent. While I trust your expertise on the technical side, I think you might want to put more thought into your discussion of budget. You referred to this project as a Zero Budget test, but it was a week long shoot in a studio with several people and multiple cameras on multiple rigs (including a huge slider and a stabilizer rig). Even with rentals and begging for help from friends to work for free, that is a big budget. In that context, your conclusion that the $570 (usd) light is perfect for all budgets carries less weight.
To say that the light is good value for money would be very reasonable. If this was presented as "I am going to go big and see if this light can keep up in a professional environment" that might have made for an excellent demonstration of the light's value. Suggesting that this is the one to get for everyone's first LED light has got a little bit of a "Let them eat cake" vibe. To be fair though, it is possible that my perspective is not part of your target audience. While I am a camera and video nerd with disposable income, I have often been turned off by your boss's brand of "Conspicuous consumption of a rich guy who drops things". Whether you find this feedback valuable or not, I hope things keep going great for you and your family 🙂.
It's not nearly as expensive as it looks. High quality sliders, stabilizers, and such are FAR less expensive than they were 5-10 years ago. Zero budget probably means zero budget for anything other than the hardware itself. All in all, the total cost of all the hardware used in the shoot was probably less than ten grand retail. This light barely costs $600. That's STUPID cheap for what you get.
To support Brandon's claim, I donated my Feiyutech Scorp Pro gimbal to the project.
What is the reflector you used with this light? Like at 2:37
...10 years ago? mmmm Hive lighting or Arri ? I still have those Kino flo Diva lites, they are old, but awesome!!! Also,I really dig the white color of the Amaran, really cool for weddings...for production, aputure still doesn't cut it for me.
That shot at 2:50 is ❤
I just like to say that the video production on this is great and love what you’re doing. (Tiny suggestion from a guy who barely knows what he is doing. For me the titles felt a little weird. Maybe keeping the song play through the title screens. I don’t know but it felt a little bland to me.)
Looks awesome - does anyone know which haze machine was used?
It looks very consistent.
Yeah for under $600 that's actually an amazing deal
Which kind of light would you recommend over this for a photography first user?
This is still a great option but if not this. Something closer to 600W power draw just so you can make up for the output necessary for studio photography.
Seems like you guys got quite a bit for zero dollars lol. Must be the exchange rate…
I think you've sold me. Currently in pre-production on my 2nd short film and looking to move up from paper lanterns to a proper studio light, this looks fantastic. Great review!
hi! Thank you for the advice, very useful. Can you please share the link to the softbox you use? Thank you
I got 2 Amaran 150C and loving them! Nice video dude BTW!
I have a quick question... what case do you recommend for them?
Music at the beginning way too loud.
eyelight ?
If you are asking what the eyelight is throughout the music video it's just the same umbrella softbox I used as my key. No extra eyelights used.
Great video! Will there be a follow up video going into the details of the no budget music video shoot?
how much?
Linked in the description for most recent pricing
Nice vid, but the price is crazy for what you get.
That intro was sexy
06:10 Brandon Lee lol
No barn doors? How well does it work as a hard source? Gobos, flags, scrims etc.
I'd recommend the Fresnel 2X if using it as a hard source unless it's directly behind talent as a back light then that works fine too.
Subbed coz I miss you on the LMG channels but given all that's happened of late...I guess your departure was well warranted.
I recently bought it while trying to shoot a feature film in 7 days with no crew. I love it at first I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the same light quality as the apature 1200's Im used to but the color flexibility and weight when haveing no crew really helps. and yes the App is great I shot a dance video at a club and being able to record music FX was awesome effect.
What fresnal/barn door combo did you have @ 5:55?
The Fresnel 2X from Aputure and the barn doors they also offer.
The desktop full of icons triggers me dear Brandon and I think it would be better for your dear kneecaps if it was cleaned up :)
Jokingly threatening a content creator isn't going to be taken as a joke. Calm down and remember you're talking to a stranger. If you wouldn't say it to someone you just met for the first time don't say it to a content creator.