I’m considering a small, cheap LED panel to help me with the light when photographing insects and flowers in the garden; something like this: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1638682-REG/godox_led6bi_bi_color_pocket_size_led.html
Does anyone have any experience with this type of light? I’m worried about the LEDs introducing hard-to-correct color casts (since they don’t produce true white light but R+G+B). Thanks!
I think that an important factor for a LED panel is the CRI, though it seems not to be ideal for photography.
I don’t know about the psecific panel you mentioned, but I would expect Godox to provide something reasonably good for photography.
W-el-l…
They state a CRI / TLCI ≈96 / ≈97
which isn’t bad, and fully correctible in
post production.
Presently, there are only three good light sources
available, i.e. having a CRI/TLCI of 100:
a) The sun
b) A candle
c) An incandescent light bulb (be it of the old type or a Halogen).
Have fun!
Claes in Lund, Sweden
Yeah, sounds good (at least on paper), but they don’t specify at what temperature they measured.
No. Not good. OK :-)))))
For “home use” they even market CRI/TLCI = 80
as good.
For more info, see Some light experiments [data added]
he also has some good reviews on specific lights.
Horrible thing is when they market an Ra 92 light source
as perfect for professional light boxes.
TM-30-18_report_full._cconf.tar.gz (285.9 KB)
Brrrrrrr.
with lower CRI LED’s you can use a quarter minus green gel to compensate for the green spike, it seems like most of the LED’s sold by photo stores now are 95+ CRI which are fine.
I got some high CRI COB LED’s from an electronics supplier for about $4 each but haven’t done anything with them yet, they need heatsinks and some kind of case, and a power supply (constant current LED driver), suitable off the shelf items are available, they are 2700k or something when photographic “daylight” is about 5600, there aren’t many high CRI 5600K COB’s available off the shelf, there is one supplier who’s name eludes me
anyway DIY isn’t too hard, if you want cheap and ridiculously bright, just don’t shine them in your eyes, more like laser light than a lamp
Thank you all for your comments and advice! I decided to order the Godox light. Once I have a chance to try it I’ll post some shots.
I think you’d be better off with a little speedlight to be honest. Better colour accuracy and waaaaay more power.
the good LED panels are good though.
I’m sure you’re right, but for $20 I thought it wouldn’t hurt to experiment. I will mostly use the panel to add a bit of light to my macro photos, and I’m hoping it will be good enough for that.
LEDs by their nature are narrow-band, but the manufacturers have done a lot recently to get them to cover more of the spectrum, e.g., arrays. What I worry more about them now is the propensity to modulate the output, causing all manner of exposure shenanigans with our rolling shutters.
I think your use case is fine for them.
Macro photography is probably the one discipline I’ve dabbled in the least, but I’m imagining apertures of f/8 or higher (as in smaller opening) and possibly extension tubes that further reduce light.
What is working in your favour however is a small subject and a tight frame, which means you should be able to get the light nice and close. It’ll be interesting to hear how you go!
I’d never thought I’d like macro, but I got a lens (Olympus m43 60mm), spent some time in the back yard shooting insects, and I was hooked.
I’ve shot some pictures that’d be pretty good except that they’re blurry and have infinitesimal depth of field. So far I’ve done all my shooting with natural light and handheld. Hence the small LED light (along with a tripod – first time I have one).
I’ll make sure to report back once I have a chance to test the new kit.
I’ve shot some pictures that’d be pretty good except that they’re blurry and have infinitesimal depth of field.
Personal experience: very often the problem isn’t motion blur. But between the time where the camera takes the focus and the time where the photo is actually taken you may have moved a bit longitudinally and wrecked the focus. Also, even slight wind-induced moves maybe be more a problem with focus that with exposure duration.
Hence the small LED light (along with a tripod – first time I have one).
When shooting bugs a monopod is a better idea. The tripod will keep you too far away.
You’re right, but in my case I’ve found it’s one or the other, and in some cases both in the same picture: I have very sharp pictures with missed focus, and blurry pictures where the focus seems to be fine.
Luckily the tripod I got has a center column that doubles as a monopod 
