need Help/info with Focus Lights (with or without Auto off ? ) and best placement

[globalmark]

HI


I am looking at getting a new Focus light as have cheap Fisheye fix and not always good enough- have read loads but cannot seem to find specific info up to date 2012
I like the Idea of the Auto off feature as I have read alot that those without can change shadows and not give you so much control over the light also can over expose your pictures .


So can anyone let me know the Pro's and Cons with the Auto off lights or non auto off lights .


Does anyone know or can list what Auto off lights there are in the market (i know Big blue, fisheye fix / fantasia 44) ARE there any other good ones available ?? let me know so i can have a look would be great (google auto off focus lights didn't really help)


I like the sound of the La Luz 800 light - does anyone know if thats auto off - as does not mention anywhere.


Last is where is the Best location for a Focus light , I make my own mounts from thin sheet Aluminium (- point being can locate anywhere pretty much next to strobe/hotshoe or somewhere else,

But where is the Best/optimal place for a Focus light and if on the hotshot mount how high above should it be ?


Thanks All
Mark

 

[smoore]

I have just ordered the Laluz. I have read everything available on the net and have seen no indiction that it shuts off when a strobe is triggered. There are a number of threads which discuss the issue of buying video lights instead of a second strobe and they indicate the the strobe will overpower the video light and that one doesn"t need to be concerned about a low power focus light affecting pictures. Can't help with positioning question.

 

[globalmark]

Hi Smoore
thanks for reply , yes the LaLuz looks the best for size and PRICE compared to those high priced light and motion and Fisheye's , etc (and think from what i have read i would buy one also) but would be perfect if had the auto off feature also.
And to be honest do not mind paying $500 for a video focus light - and did before , as have a set of Nightrider HID video lights but that has a massive battery pack which hands under camera.
I already have a 2nd and actually (older 3rd strobe, not on camera) and have read alot that you get a change in Exposure and shadows and even with the Expensive Sola's using red light can show up on pictures. I use my strobe often on lowest power setting so see how this would be the case.
Anyway thoughts appriciated
Cheers Mark

 

[bvanant]

Auto turn off for most instances is a giant marketing ploy. If you calculate for most scenes the contribution of the strobe and focus light to the scene you will see that the focus light is 0.01% or less of the total illumination. I mount mine on the side of my housing (it doesn't have a hot shoe mount). Solas are nice lights, as are the I-torch. The La Luz is more of a dive light (not as wide angle as the Sola) but the price is right. I use the sola and a cheap $60 light I got on ebay (1400 lumens) that I put a home made diffuser on.
Cheers
Bill

 

[coralcruiser]

I have just ordered the Laluz. I have read everything available on the net and have seen no indiction that it shuts off when a strobe is triggered. There are a number of threads which discuss the issue of buying video lights instead of a second strobe and they indicate the the strobe will overpower the video light and that one doesn"t need to be concerned about a low power focus light affecting pictures. Can't help with positioning question.

Did you order it off their site? If so, would like to hear if they're still shipping it with the extra battery and red filter. Might order one myself as I have a hotshoe mount.

 

[globalmark]

Hi Bill
thanks for that Bit of info, I guess I like the idea more than what it actually does, - several people mention the Sola's and seems like one of the best , but to expensive for just a camera focus light - as I just cannot justify spending that sort of money, already have a old set of expensive HID video lights (niterider) and several good expensive dive torches so the money for a Sola's or similar just to help focus is a bit much i think..
Cheers Mark

 

[bvanant]

It is trivial to mount one of your existing torches (ULCS) as a focus light.
Bill

 

[smoore]

Did you order it off their site? If so, would like to hear if they're still shipping it with the extra battery and red filter. Might order one myself as I have a hotshoe mount.

I actually ordered from the E Bay seller. I specified in the bid that I wanted the extra battery and the red filter. I also tried for the lower price but they wouldn't accept a lower bid. I received the unit 2 days ago (about 10 days from the order) and I got it plus 2 batteries, a charger, wrist strap and the red filter. It looks like a pretty solidly built unit. The beam is very even although I think the edge is sharper than the Sola (at least based on the beam tests at the Light and Motion website).

Contrary to bvanant's post I believe the LaLuz has an 80 degree beam and the Sola is only 60 degrees. I am using an EPL2 with a 9-18 lens behind a Zen port so the field of view can be up to 100 degrees. I expect that if I am happy with the light I may purchase a second for doing video. You can have two of these lights for the price of one Sola 800.

I noticed that there is a diffuser advertised at the website and on E Bay. I am wondering whether it makes the beam wider and how much it reduces the brightness of the beam. I may pose that question to the E Bay seller.

 

[Jak Crow]

I use 2 LaLuz lights for my camera, usually both mounted on the cold shoe, which my strobes on the tray arms. With one of my strobes being replaced right now, I've played with the strobe on the cold shoe and the lights on the arms, as well as the strobe on one arm and a single light on the other arm. On low and med, you don't see anything with a flash photo from the LaLuz lights, and very little from them on high.

I have the diffuser on both my Laluz lights and they break up the hard edge of the lights nicely. They may make the beam a little wider, but I haven't done any significant comparison though. I recommend getting them.

 

[bvanant]

I am not at all sure how each company measures the beam angle (1/e, 1/2 etc.) but in my hands at least the LaLuz without the diffuser appears to have a more narrow beam than my Sola. I haven't measured them very carefully on land but for shooting macro during the day I like the Sola better; at night I think the La Luz has more penetration.
Bill