Sony unveiled that new hotshoe-mountable LED battery light. As you can see from the video on top it’s actually a super nice gadget you can tilt and angle. There is a dimmer you can adjust from 10% up to 100% power (1800 LUX maximum at 5500 Kelvin). There is even a filter slot for the use of a 3200 conversion filter. The It weights 250g and is priced at $250. One moge thing: you can use AA and Sony V or M batteries, the same used for the A77. Can’t wait to use that LED light on my future A99 🙂
By the way, the A77 is in Stock at Expanys USA (Click here), Expansys Canada (Click here), Expansys UK (Click here).
38 Responses
I don’t think this is a flash …
yeah it doesn’t seem to be a flash at all…
Wondering if it will work properly on a NEX-7
you would really consider mounting this giant thing on a tiny nex body?
Very nice item, indeed.
Way too expensive, similar can be found for under 100 Eur.
Show me!
light colour static at 5500K? Bringing LEDs to an exact light colour is not that easy and makes the product expensive.
With 3200K filter?
Takes Sony Lithium accus?
same strength?
same build-quality?
mounts for alpha and iso-hotshoe?
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/aputure-amaran-led-light-panel-al-126.html
It’s continuous lighting. An array of LED lights that will be rated to daylight and ideal for video lighting or photographic work. Some call it a modelling lamp. Check out the 7-day shop online for something similar for only £15. I have one and it’s very handy.
You mean this:
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=109451
Reviews here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/7dayshop-Stackable-Camcorder-Photograhic-Modelling/dp/B003YGMSNY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326551035&sr=8-1
More useful than a Flash if you are using macro (you can’t focus as well with a Flash because then its dark until you actually take the shot).
Here for US: http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-LED-Video-Light-SYD-0808/dp/B003J080RS
PMA was boring, any news on Sony’s plans for CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging shows in Feb.?
When would Sony make one for the NEX-7?
This one is much bigger and heavier than the NEX-7.
Any CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging show rumours??
Expansys–anybody ever bought from them before?
I’ve only ever heard of them on this site, and their Canadian address is a PO box.
On the upside – it is pretty cheap. I have the Litepanel Micropro (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/616394-REG/Litepanels_LP_MICROPRO_MicroPro_LED_On_Camera_Light.html) – a lot more costly. But highly recommended … if you are serious about video it is a must-have.
I want a A99 too!!! More news about it?
And that light acessory could be handay as well 😀 eheheheh
Actually not a bad price at all for a dim-able unit down to 10%. I wonder if that is continuous ratio or preset values.
I also hope it has 110v adapter besides just being battery powered.
Two mounting systems make it an even greater value. And the ability to carry one set of batteries that also work with the cameras is very nice indeed.
Great job Sony. Is this with or without the recently announced 30% price increase?
If only they’d combine it with the CLM-V55 external monitor…
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/01/11x0113uob34.jpg
Now that would be a trick to get the light and the monitor mounted simultaneously.
SONY!!! You’re still missing the big picture… Hurry before somebody else gets there first.
With this light, and the CLM-V55 external monitor, you could (SHOULD) make it all integrated, and EVERYTHING controllable REMOTELY.
It is beyond me why Sony doesn’t allow their video cameras to be operated with full functionality by remote control. It just seems so obvious.
I’ll be glad for the day when Sony actually looks to professionals for tips on which features mean something of value. It’s 2012, and we still don’t even have tethering capabilities. Are they waiting for the end of the world before engaging a useful feature that everyone wants?
Who cares! Sony announces novelties but has NOTIHING to deliver really! Still not seen A77 kit in stock. And I already have a LED flaslight.
You aren’t looking hard enough, call Newtonville camera , google them if you are a real buyer.
Thanks guys for sharing, my only concern as in the past with Sony camera lights is the hotshoe attachment is made of a brittle plastic and not of metal, very strong plastic or resin. Previous lights the hotshoe connector would chip or break off. Forcing you to buy another light as the hot shoe attachment wasn’t replaceable. So I hope that the HVL LE1 is more robust for repeated use.
If you use this, on camera, as your main light, it will give you a TV News or Snapshot look. If you want a dramatic Hollywood look it would be useful as a Eye Light (also called an Obie Light).
Wait so could I use this for general photography (as well as video) on a Nex-7?
Yes, you can use this for general photography just as you can buy continuous lighting for studio use as well a flash units.
Thanks for that!
Could anyone enlighten me about the advantages of this LED lights over normal flashes (besides being continuous)?
For video usage maybe ?
The main use of a light mounted on the camera is for filling in shadows.
A continuous, dimmable lamp like this could be adjusted more easily than a flash to give the amount of fill you want. So, it would be useful for portraits where the main light is daylight.
Possibly also for shots of statues.
Thanks, Don.
It would ge great if you could make some colored gels to use with the light and use it off camera for model shoots. As I’ve said earlier you can buy something cheaper for £15. The one I have is either full or half power and if I want a softer light then I place a peice of tissue over the light with a rubber band.
What would be great is to offer a changeable color temperature for video as some IKAN lights do. This is very helpful for doing videos (e.g. product videos) at a customers place where you have not ideal light conditions. I am not a fan of these filters.
Nearly all Sony acessories are manufactured in China and can be found on Alibaba. I bought tons of “Sony” gear right now for a fraction of the Sony price: Six NPF 970 batteries in original packaging with stickers and documents for the price of one. The sony camcorder shoulder mount for a third of the original price,… The same applies also to some IKAN LED lights. You can buy them on ebay from the company that manufactures the lights for IKAN for about a third or a fourth of the price. And again, they are EXACTLY the same….
Since you mentioned the a99, any information regarding its specs and/or anticipated performance.
Have a look at this one on eBay UK, lookup “Yongnuo YN-160 LED Video Light”.
What caught my eye was the number of power levels and it takes a Sony NP series battery!
Nice! At 1/3-1/4 the price, you get 1400 lux vs 1800 lux for max output.
Like that it can use the existing NP batteries as well.
I am using a similiar LED light (Dörr 126) http://www.colorfoto.de/news/doerr-led-video-light-126-fuer-foto-und-video-1115920.html (retail is abround 90 Euro, tHey also have a bigger one) which is giving around 1000 Lux , dimmable, and uses the Sony NP-FM batteries (the A77 one or the ones used in many older video cams (e.g. PC110) . Comes with 3 different filters . THe constant light is nice for stills and video in general but i found it problematic when photographing “live” subjects (animals and people :-)) . THe light is really bright, animals will immediately blink their eyes and humans complain about that bright light. Try catching a cat with nice big eays using an LED light , impossible.
However that little extra light often makes the difference between “noise or no noise” especially when you dimm down so that you just have that amount of light you need the use the one ower ISO setting. Thanks to the EVF and the cosntant light it’s easy to adjust for the right amount of light. THe LED light is imho best to be fitted on a flash bar like the VCT-55LH since other wise my SAL16-50 throws a visible shadow on the image.
This has turned up some useful information. The 7dayshop one is much less powerful but far cheaper at 15GBP. It has had very good user reviews and one guy reports 1/50th at f2.8 and 100ISO from 60cm. I want it for fill in, backlight or highlighting with macro work so it should be fine. I have ordered one and will report back.
This is of course just a Daylight-balanced LED “video light” with a dimmer – Can get similar on eBay for $70. Mine actually takes either AA or an Alpha battery.