When planning a small video production, lighting equipment photography can make or break the quality of a film or video. You’ll need professional equipment lighting that works with each scene to achieve compelling shots. Moreover, you’ll also need to make sure to find your lights are perfectly angled to achieve the desired effect. For example, lighting in a static interview studio only requires one setup, whereas lighting a narrative or a show on the road requires constant planning and setup.
We at PixaPro, have put together a handy guide that over everything you need to know about equipment photography for small video production.
Video Production Lighting Equipment Photography Setup:
How do you set up video studio lighting equipment? Depending on what you’re filming, video production studio lighting setup can be simple or complex.
How do you set up video studio lighting equipment photography? Depending on what you're filming, video production studio lighting setup can be simple or complex. Here are different types of video lighting that help you arrange video shooting better.
1. Soft Lighting
It is lighting with a soft cover over it to evenly distribute the light across the subject rather than directly shining on your subject, it almost glows around it. Soft lighting usually uses in a shot while not casting shadows. It creates a romantic, dreamlike or magical atmosphere. Some video producers can help smooth wrinkles, hide acne and bring out the light in actors’ eyes.
2. Hard Lighting
Hard lighting creates intense shadows on its subjects and is best suited to dramatic settings. In video production, it helps to focus attention on the subject rather than the background. In fact, the high contrast of the hard light creates a strong sense of drama in your photos and videos. Therefore, most honour movies are made by using hard light to make their subjects appear powerful and serious.
3. Key Lighting
The key light is the main source of illumination in a scene. Its results in brightly lit subjects with more fill light and softer shadows. In video production, placing the key light behind an actor or subject, for example, creates a much darker and more suspenseful atmosphere than putting it in front of your subject. It is used to increase the amount of ambient light in a scene and reduce the contrast.
4. Fill Lighting
A fill light to eliminate shadowy areas on your set, purposing to fill the missing light for your video. Fill lights are softer than key lights which creates a more natural and visually appealing set. It is often placed in front of your subject to bring out detail on the other side of your subject.
5. Motivated Lighting
Motivated lighting is commonly used in scary or horror films when the subject is the shadow. This type of lighting frequently employs a natural camping light and tunnel lighting. Motivated light sources are important for creating cinematic videos. One of the most common applications of motivated light is to replace natural light as it fades into the evening.
6. Practical Lighting
The technique of using light sources visible within the frame of a shot is known as practical lighting. It uses natural lighting from a distance within a scene to capture the perfect video with just the right amount of gloom. Practical light sources are useful for establishing motivated light sources in a scene and giving the audience a sense of realism giving the scene’s atmosphere a more natural appearance.
Invest In Necessary Video Lighting
1. SZ150R 150W Ultra Zoomable Bi-Colour LED Light
The Godox SZ150R is a Zoomable Bi-Colour RGB LED which is specially designed for video production, broadcasting and photography. The SZ150R is an RGB LED Light with 36,000 colours to help enhance the mood of your videos and photos. Moreover, It has become increasingly popular due to the ability of swissing army knife-style. It enables a variety of lighting scenarios. Moreover, by adjusting the zoom knob, you can change its beam angle from 20 to 65 degrees for a soft spread or stronger focused light. It offers adjustable colour temperatures from 2800K-6500K which can make skin tones look natural. The Godoz SZ150R also features a high number of CRI of 97 and TLCL of 96. Additionally, the SZ150R comes with 37 built-in presets for creatives who want to explore lighting effects. Users can control the Godox SZ150R with the Godox App through Bluetooth via a smartphone device. Thanks to this app, you can adjust the brightness and change three different modes. The Godox SZ150R Zoomable RGB LED COB Light is a multi-function light which is the ideal kit for both video producers and professional filmmakers. It is versatile enough just to make a short video with a small crew and can increase your work efficiency.
| Max. Power | 150W |
| Colour Temperature | 2800 – 6500K |
| Brightness @ 1m | Max. Diffused Light of Focal length – 19,000 lux Min. Diffused Light of Focal length – 26,000 lux |
| Power Range | 0 - 100% |
| RGB Hue | 0 – 360° |
| CRI | 97 |
| TLCI | 96 |
| Zoom Range | Beam Angle 20° - 65° |
| Power Supply | AC 100V-240V (50/60Hz) |
| Display | Colour Display |
| Special Effects Modes | 37 |
| Control Methods | 2.4GHx Wireless Remote, Godox Light Smartphone App, DMX console |
| Wireless Remote Range | Approx. 50m (with RC-R9 Remote) |
| Number of Channels | 32 |
| Number of Groups | 16 (A, B, C, D, E and F, 0-9) |
| Operation Temperature | -10°C – 40°C |
| Dimensions | 336mm x 190.6mm x 165mm |
| Net-weight | 2.65kg |
| Accessory Mount | Bowens S-Type |
2. LED S500D MKII Pro 500W Daylight Super-Powerful Stduio Video Light
The Godox LED S500D MKII Pro is one of the ideal tools to create amazing videos. power range is available from 10% - 100% enabling you to control the brightness of the unit and give you the light shaping you want. The LED S500D MKII is a powerful LED light thank 500W maximum consumption that is kept cool through a built-in super-quite cooling fan. With the purpose create for professional video producers, the Godox S500D MKII boasts an accurate colour temperature of high CRI (95) and TLCI (95). In addition to accurate colour, the light offers flicker-free operation up to 12,000fps, making it the perfect light for super slow-motion video work. As for performance, the LED S500 MKII features an absolute brightness of 45,000 lumens and relative brightness of 15,000 lux at 1m. The best part of this light is their ease to set up using the onboard DMX or Godox app to remotely control your lights using up to 99 channels at a range of up to 50m in an open area. Even, if you already have existing lighting equipment on hand with Bowens S-mount, you can combine it with the Godox LED S500D to obtain some creative effects. It runs on portable 4x V-Lock batteries which are perfect for on-the-go video producers.
| Max, Power | 500W |
| Power Range | 10% - 100% |
| Luminous Flux | 45,000 lumens |
| Brightness | 1m: 1,5000lx 2m: 3,970lx 3m: 2,060lx |
| CRI | 95 |
| TLCI | 95 |
| Max. Framerate | Up to 12,000FPS |
| Remote Frequency | 2.4GHz |
| Remote Channels | 99 |
| Battery Plate | 4x V-Mount Battery Plates (≥180W) |
| DMX Support | Yes (RG45 Interface) |
| Power Input | AC100-240V 50/60Hz |
| Accessory Mount | Bowens S-Type |
| Lighting Effects | Paparazzi, Fireworks, Faulty Bulb, Lightning, TV, Pulse, Fire, SOS, Police Car (Alarm), Ambulance (Alarm) |
3. LD150R RGB LED Panel Light
The Godox LD150R LED RGB Panel with Barndoors is a powerful LED panel. It can be adjusted to fit any scene. With a CCT range of 2500 to 8500K and a high CRI/TLCI rating of 96/97providing precise colour rendition and accuracy. Moreover, the RGB mode can generate over 16.7 million colour combinations. It allows you to change the green/magenta balance The LD150R LED Panel Light has a power output of 150W and 17500 lux at 1m, making it for creatives looking. Additionally, the LD150R RGB LED Panel Light features a built-in battery that provides sufficient power for studio photographs and on-location shoots. Moreover, the LD150R LED Light supports firmware updates allowing tweaks and innovative features. It is an essential addition to the kit for both budding and professional filmmakers and video producers.
| Power Output | 150W |
| Brightness (@1m) | 17,500 LUX |
| CRI | 96 |
| TLCI | 97 |
| Colour Temperature | 2500K ~ 8500K |
| Brightness Range | 0% -100% |
| Tone Range | -50 ~ 0 ~ +50 |
| Hue Range | 0 – 360° |
| Saturation Range | 0% - 100% |
| Beam Angle | 60° |
| Silent Mode | Yes |
| FX Mode | 14 Categories (39 Kinds) |
| Channels | 32 (1 ~ 32) |
| Group | 16 (A, B, C, D, E, F & 0 – 9) |
| ID | 99: OFF / 01 – 99 |
| DC Adapter Power Supply | 24.0V 8.33A |
| V-Mount Battery (Optional) | 26V |
| Control Method | Smartphone APP, 2.4GHz Wireless Remote Control, DMX Control Panel |
| Bluetooth Transmission Range | ~30m |
| Frequency Range | 2402.0 – 2480.0MHz |
| Maximum Transmission Range | 5dbm |
| 2.4GHz Wireless Transmission Range | ~50m |
| Working Temperature | -10°C – 40°C |
| Dimensions | 748mm x 430mm x 107.5mm |
| Net Weight | Approximately 6.3KG |
4. Glowpad 350D Slim-Profiled Bi-Colour Five-Head LED Kit
The PixaPro Glowpad 350D Five Head Kit has been designed as a lightweight portable, slim profile solution for achieving the versatile five-point lighting setup. This kit can be used in a variety of industries including videography and photography. With a colour temperature of 3200-5600K, it can be used to provide both warm and cool lighting effects to either indoor or outdoor shoots. This kit features a CRI rating of 95 and is flicker-free allowing high colour accuracy for your videos and photos without any fear of introducing flicker. It also has built-in two Sony NP-F batteries (sold separately) and a main power cable which is suitable for working on location. Overall, if you are a professional or a beginner. this kit is practical for the on-the-go photographer, videographer, and much more.
| LED Quantity | 272 LEDs |
| Max. Output | 45W |
| Colour Rendition Index | ≥95% |
| Colour Temperature | 3200-5600K |
| Brightness | 920 lux (1m) 3400 lux (0.5m) |
| F-Stop (at 1m) | f/2.0 (1/80 Sec @ ISO 100) |
| Power Input | 15V DC 3A |
| Power Cable Length | 3.2m (10.5') |
| Battery Plate | 2x Sony NP-F Series |
| Average Lifespan | 50,000 Hours |
| Dimensions | 25cm x 44cm x 4.2cm |
| Weight | 1.1kg |
| Mount | Standard 5/8 inch |
5. LECO500S II Twin Interview Kit with White Foldaway Background
The LECO500S II Twin Interview Kit is a brilliant LED panel that brightens any scene with vibrant light. It is considered a lightweight and portable solution for lighting video interviews. This kit included two LECO500S II 36W daylight-balanced LED panels with broadcast-quality CRI, ideal for illuminating your subject. The LECO500S II kit also includes a set of removable metal barn doors, allowing you to control the angle of the beam while also protecting your LEDs from damage transit. This kit is ideal for on-the-fly videographer who needs to set up and pack away their lights without wasting time.
| LED Quantity | 272 LEDs |
| Max. Output | 45W |
| Colour Rendition Index | ≥95% |
| Colour Temperature | 3200-5600K |
| Brightness | 920 lux (1m) 3400 lux (0.5m) |
| F-Stop (at 1m) | f/2.0 (1/80 Sec @ ISO 100) |
| Power Input | 15V DC 3A |
| Power Cable Length | 3.2m (10.5') |
| Battery Plate | 2x Sony NP-F Series |
| Average Lifespan | 50,000 Hours |
| Dimensions | 25cm x 44cm x 4.2cm |
| Weight | 1.1kg |
| Mount | Standard 5/8 inch |
If you're new to videography, you might not get your lighting equipment photography right away - and that's okay! You'll get better at experimenting with lighting equipment photography for film and knowing what works for different situations as time goes on. Keep at it, and don’t be afraid to ask we at EssentialPhoto.
