There are a number of compelling reasons why photographers who create imagery for portrait, food, product and corporate subjects should consider the use of continuous lighting for their projects.

• The best approach to learning the basics of lighting, is with continuous or constant light. What you see is what you get.

• Continuous lighting is much easier to work with because you can see how the emitted light affects your subject as you (the camera), your subject, or the lighting changes position.

• Continuous lighting is easier for controlling distance and angle to the subject that helps you to get the intensity and modeling you’re trying to achieve.

• It’s easier to look at a subject that is already lit and figure out what needs to be changed with the camera’s settings, the lighting set up or the composition to get the desired effect. You do not have to keep shooting “test shots” with your subject. Instead, just look at the scene with your eyes and determine how to place your lights and your subject.

• Continuous light is a less abrasive form of lighting and live subjects are generally more relaxed and natural when being photographed without the flashing strobes. More pleasing results may be achieved for you and your client when working with non-professional models in portraits, with children or pets.

• Setting exposure values with continuous lighting is accomplished the same as you would shoot natural/ambient light. There’s no concern in getting the correct strobe exposure or sync speed. You control the exposure for both subject and the ambient environment.

• The use of continuous lighting enhances a photographer’s creativity and adds new and interesting imagery to their work.

• For photographers utilizing the video capabilities of their cameras, the use and knowledge of continuous lighting is a necessity. As video becomes more important in a photographer’s ability to promote and sell his work, continuous lighting is the tool that enables her/him to offer the distinction of a value-added service for clients.

Flash and strobes have been the norm for getting proper exposure under a variety of circumstances and not all equipment can work for every application and traditional standards are changing with advances in camera technology. After making an investment in their photo gear, photographers still struggle with “making it work, because that’s what I have”. Today, advances in camera and lighting technologies are enhancing and increasing the photographer’s ability and capacity to create artistic, beautiful or interesting imagery with continuous light. Moreover, LED technology provides a true light source across the color spectrum and is flexible in that it’s easily portable, can be used in a variety of applications and uses a lot less energy.

A very subjective proposition that depends on the subject matter and composition of the image that’s being captured. LED fixtures come in different iterations and mimic many other light sources, both in form factor and intensity. Sufficient exposure is determined by a photographer’s knowledge of the challenges a project shoot may bring to bear in consideration of subject matter and the type environment that are required for a successful result. The increasingly powerful combination of CMOS sensor & processor technology has greatly elevated the quality in image capture and combined with improved optics and faster lenses to reduce prior demands for high intensity illumination. Easily controlled continuous lighting products with lower, cooler light levels are becoming increasingly more in demand.

A LED panel is no different than any other light source; it simply uses another technology. The nuances of modeling a light source requires a knowledge of shot composition and subject placement within an environment that, combined with a photographer’s discerning eye, creates an artistic, beautiful or interesting image.

LED light fixtures may be combined with other light source technologies, provided that one knows the color temperature and what the impact of each of the various light sources they employ. The subjectivity in using a variety of light source technologies lies in the creative mind of the photographer, who may wish to deliver a particular effect in the resulting image.

Daylight balanced lighting is best for true color saturation. Lighting sources that best render the natural colors of various objects are daylight balanced. Those daylight lighting sources exhibit the broadest range of the color spectrum and most closely mimic the natural light of the sun.

It’s important to know what the ambient color temperature consists of in any environment. As an example, outdoor daylight conditions can span a broad range between dawn to dusk and generally require light sources that lean toward the blue spectrum(5600K). Office environments are generally in the fluorescent range (4700K). Other interior lighting sources may strictly be incandescent (3200K). A color meter allows for measuring changing and static environments, as well as, the various light sources that may influence the ambient color temperature. Knowing the ambient color temperature, one may opt to use or match the existing ambience or enhance, control or overpower the ambience through different means. Note that intensity is compromised when changing a fixture’s color temperature to match the environment. Blue spectrum based light sources are the most efficient in maintaining their output in such cases.

No, charging the battery requires its removal from the L50 fixture and application to a separate charger base. It’s advisable to have multiple batteries that can be interchanged to continuously power up the L50 fixture.

Battery life can be maximized by lowering intensity of the lighting fixture or turning it off when not in use. To keep the same intensity level, simply set the switch to the OFF position and consciously register the position of intensity in case the dimmer control knob is moved.

The PRL team conceptualizes and designs its own products in the US and adheres to stringent criteria for optimal performance, then outsources their manufacture under domestic and foreign contracts.

The Lustra50 is not rain-proof and proper protection is recommended if the fixture is to be used in wet conditions. In protecting the Lustra50 fixture from the elements, always allow for sufficient airflow, keeping in mind that ventilation is needed for the fixture to dissipate the heat it produces through the slots in the housing at top & bottom.