One of the reasons I decided to undertake a series on lighting for still and motion at different price points is to underscore the fact that there are lighting solutions for every wallet and pocketbook. While a lot of the outdoor footage which is being shot with HSLR/HDSLRs which include cameras such as the canon 5D markII and the 7D and Nikons D90 and D300s, makes use of available/ambient light, indoor motion recording often requires a different approach. While some of the products offered by the big names in professional lighting for stills and motion may cost more than many people can or are willing to spend, there are lots of options for those just getting their feet wet experimenting with the dual mediums as well as for the “seasoned” dual medium shooter.
For the under $500 off-camera solution while high power, low heat production, and low wattage were still priorities, I also wanted a solution that had multiple power options. I decided that I wanted to go with LEDs. The bad news was that I could not find a solution in my favorite brick and mortar stores in the target price range. The good news is that I found what I was looking for online! My search led (no pun intended) me to, Nevada-based, Cool Lights USA.
The lighting unit of choice was their CL-LED600. I choose the 5600k flood model with a 60 degree LED beam angle, over the spot (40 degree LED beam angle) and 3200k degree models. I thought the 20 degree beam angle advantage that the flood had over the spot would produce a broader and more flexible light for my shooting needs.
The Cool Lights Website indicates the LED600 has a lot going for it and after using it, I have to agree that it does. The unit is approximately 10”x10”x3.25” and weighs about three pounds. The unit is shipped with a set of barn doors mounted, which increases the weight to 6 lbs or so. The LED600 is solid, well-made, well-finished, and offers a lot of lighting control: There is a master switch and a dimmer as well as five bank switches which allow you to select and brighten or dim various bank combinations from zero to 100% of the fixture’s LEDs. While the CL-LED600 ships with an AC cord, its rear panel has a 4 pin XLR outlet, which allows the unit to be run off a 12-18 volt battery. As an alternative, you can purchase an optional battery adapter plate, either Anton Bauer or Sony “V” mount, and attach the appropriate battery directly to the rear of the unit. Three power options: how cool! This makes the CL-LED600 a versatile tool.
According to Cool Lights’ Richard Andrewski, the CL-LED600 puts out the equivalent of a 650 watt incandescent light but uses around 50 Watts of power. As you can see from the images below, the unit does indeed put out a lot of light.
In addition to the AC cord and barn doors, the unit also ships with a shoulder bag, directions, and four filters for use in the built-in filter holder: Two minus green filters of different strengths, a full CTO filter and a diffusion panel.
For those looking for a lighting solution which offers a lot of power, tremendous control, and AC/DC flexibility, the CL-LED600 is definitely worthy of consideration. For more information on the CL-LED600 visit: http://www.coollights.biz/
hdhd!! 
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