Reviewing Portable LED Lighting Solutions -- Flexible Panels and Light Stix for Video & Photgraphy

Professional Videographers, Gaffers, and Photographers are constantly traveling with their lighting equipment. Having lights that are made with portability in mind makes ENG (Field) work easier related to transport and quicker to set up. To use the phrase, "time is money" may sound a bit cliche, but for a small crew or one-man team, a fast and simple lighting set-up with a variety of mounting options will make the shoot go by smoothly and with less headaches.

Intellytech offers two new LED lights made specifically for portability, ease of use, and lots of versatility -- the Intellytech Light Stix & Socanland FL-40 Airlight. The two fixtures offer so much in terms of portability, ease of use, and mounting options. Both lights also integrate effortlessly for battery set-up. Read more below to learn more about the Flexible FL-40 Airlight and Light Stix and why they are great lights for the traveling film-maker and photographer.

Overview of Socanland FL-40 Airlight - Flexible LED Light Kit

The FL-40 is as lightweight as an LED Panel can get. Weighing just ounces, the 10"x10" Flexible LED mat can fit into a backpack or the included carrying case with ease. The Airlight is only millimeters thick, so it can go anywhere. The included dimmer, battery plate, and AC allow for an easy attachment for either battery or AC power right out of the box.

The Flexible frame allows the light to be mounted virtually anyway a gaffer requires. It can be placed around a car visor, wrapped around a pole or corner, gaff tapped to a wall, or it can simply be attached to a light stand with the included X-Bracket. The FL-40 Airlight also has magnets in each corner allowing the light to securely connect to metal objects.

Additionally, because the FL-40 Airlight is flexible, you can direct the light exactly where it is needed without the need for light modifiers or barn-doors. You can control the degree of the light from 0-360 degrees by simply bending the light to your desired position. The included cloth diffuser bends with the light and can be added or removed in seconds. A variety of extension cables are also included to allow the light to be powered and controlled from a distance.

Because the light weighs almost nothing, traveling with one or several units reduces the carrying load drastically compared to traveling with traditional bulky and heavy LED Panels or Fresnels like Arri's. Additionally, the FL-40 is extremely bright. It is similar to a standard 1x1 Litepanels in terms of output, as the Bi-Color FL-40  reaches 1950 Lux at 3 feet.

 Light Stix - So Much Built Into So Little

The Light Stix require no yoke, no battery plate, no cables or... anything really. All that is needed is the Light Stix itself. It can light your subject simply by placing it to your desired position whether vertically or horizontally. If using a light stand or C-stand, the light can be put into places where most other lights would intrude into the shot or fall short in length. 

Really, what you see is what you get--a self-contained, self powered LED Light Panel that has all of the controls built into a frame 2 feet long, 3 inches wide, and weighs 2 pounds. It is dimmable and has a huge color range from 3,000k-8,000k. That is over 3,000k more range than a typical bi-color light panel. Simply use the battery to power the light and you are set to go!

Variety of Accessories

Intellytech offers a lot of accessories for a variety of uses. The optional Tilting Bracket allows for the light to be positioned with precision. It can be tilted and aimed to exactly where you need the light. When more power is needed, a yoke is available allowing up to 4 units to be attached. The Light Stix simply screw into the 4 thread slots on the yoke. The lights can also be tilted in unison or individually when on the yoke. When adding lights, the output drastically increases. The Light can also be used as a handheld option either on its own or with the optional external handle. 

*1 unit reaches 1600 lux @ 3 feet. 2 units reach 2300lux @ 3 feet. 4 units reach 4600 lux @ 3 feet.

The Light Stix unique frame make it a simple light to use and set-up. Traveling is simple with the included case which securely holds one Light Stix along with a charger and optional external handle.

When considering which lights to purchase for portable ENG filming or studio use, the Flexible FL-40 Airlight and compact Light Stix are the perfect solutions for a variety of lighting scenarios whether being used for key, fill, hair, or back lighting.

To learn more on the FL-40, click the following link (video reviews are also included): http://www.intellytechusa.com/collections/light-stix

To learn more on the Light Stix, click the following link (video reviews are also included): http://www.intellytechusa.com/collections/flexible-led-panel-airlight