Better / cheaper LED light than HDV-Z96?

Former user wrote on 8/31/2011, 11:45 AM

I just ordered one. I'll let you know how it works when I receive it (should be about a week).

Thanks for the link.

Jim

Grazie wrote on 8/31/2011, 12:11 PM

Interesting ......

Grazie

michael_morlan wrote on 8/31/2011, 4:14 PM

Read this review of cheap LED camera lights:

http://frankglencairn.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/the-cheap-video-led-light-shootout/

Laurence wrote on 8/31/2011, 4:43 PM

One thing really cool about the Z96 is that you can use Sony batteries instead of AAs. That is a huge factor for me.

farss wrote on 8/31/2011, 4:48 PM

" Anyone have any experience with it?"

Never owned one but a business I work for was selling them so I've had them in my hands.

The arm doesn't lock very reliably. The one that comes with the Z96 is better but still a bit fiddly but it will lock reliably.
There's no door on the battery compartment and the batteries can fall out.
The gel retaining system is no better than what Lightpanels use, they can get lost very easily.
The dimmer control is a bit frail and I've read reports of them failing completely.
The Z96 and this light have pretty much identical light output but the Z96 seems to deliver more even lighting.
The CN160 does have a battery test function that is lacking on the Z96. On the other hand the Z96 will run from a quite wide range of voltages and has an external DC in socket.
The Z96s can be ganged together, much to my surprise we've had a few people using them this way.

Bottom line, both are a steal for the money. The price difference is around $20. The extra $20 gets you a light with better build quality and the price is still incredibly cheap compared to other offerings that are not even as good. In my experience though none of these are really good enough as a light source I'd put on a camera. They simply lack the punch and hence reach of the more serious and expensive offerings such as the Comer 1800. They are of course better than nothing but you need to understand that if your intent is to avoid your camera upping the gain and hence the noise and your subjects are going to be beyond a couple of meters you just need more light.

Bob.

amendegw wrote on 8/31/2011, 5:39 PM

I ordered one - report back when it arrives.

...Jerry

Former user wrote on 8/31/2011, 6:50 PM

According to the description the NEEWER 160 can use: Panasonic CGR-D16S, Sony NP-FH70, NP-FM55H, NP-F550 or 6 AA batteries. I also ordered an L-bracket handle to mount it on.

I really ordered this rig for my daughter to use with her new little point and shoot Sony camera when taking photos and HD video of our new grandson. I would rather her use this light than flashing the cameras strobe in his little face ;-)

Jim

craftech wrote on 8/31/2011, 9:21 PM

Read this review of cheap LED camera lights:
===================================
I read it and noticed that in the summary the reviewer stated the following:

None of the provided Tungsten filters is usable IMHO with the exception of the one from Litepanels Micro. I use normal gels instead.

That means that the orange filter for tungsten indoor shooting that comes with the Z96 that I purchased is useless.

John

MUTTLEY wrote on 8/31/2011, 10:47 PM

Laurence, I'm the exact opposite, I have a Litepanel that runs on AA's and love it just for that very reason. If I want to use rechargeable AA's of course I can but love the freedom of not having to be stuck with Sony or other brands, I can pick up spares just about anywhere and for me that's proven invaluable.

- Ray
Underground Planet

ushere wrote on 8/31/2011, 11:17 PM

well i don't know about using aa batteries at all....

i bough ta couple of np750 batteries off ebay (wouldn't use them in the camera mind you) for $40. so far i've run my 2 X 96's for 6 hours straight and i reckon there was probably another few hours left in them....

Serena wrote on 8/31/2011, 11:54 PM

>>>>That means that the orange filter for tungsten indoor shooting that comes with the Z96 that I purchased is useless.<<<<

John, is that a 'tongue-in-cheek' statement?
Seems a very much a throw away line, without justification, by the reviewer. Useless because the filter doesn't stay in place? Not the correct correction? I don't agree for the Z96.

Serena

Rory Cooper wrote on 9/1/2011, 1:57 AM

I bought something very similar to try out with the exact same cold shoe and turkey leg. The LED panel is good, lasts for 2 hours straight. Take the middle leg out and connect shoe to LED.
The turkey leg evolves into a wing and starts flapping around first the top joint then the bottom one. You end up being the turkey. I used it for run and gun interviews for in house clips. In the end stopped using it.

This is a bit more but shoots up to 4 hours and comes with a free L 150 battery & Sony battery holder

http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/product.php?productid=343&cat=281&page=1

BRC wrote on 9/1/2011, 2:18 AM

I have 2 of the 126 LED version of this light - seems identical apart from number of LEDs.

I bought my first in April 2011 but due to personal circumstances had been unable to use properly in a project until 27 August when I filmed a wedding. I bought the 2nd unit about 2 weeks ago as the wedding venue was going to be a dark walled interior. Having used both units on Sony NP-F570 batteries (over 4 years old) for well over 2 hours shooting I can safely say that I am pleased with the operating time.

I have viewed the footage taken and am more than happy with the light output, having used the standard diffusion filter, and matches well with the available natural light from a single large(ish) window in the venue. The claimed colour temperaure is 5400K, though I have not been able to check this.

I paid £32.99, including delivery, from Amazon UK, which to me seems a bargain. The mount is not the best in the world by a long way but careful use makes them acceptable for on camera mounting. I am very pleased with the units as workable lights and, as I have to work to a strict budget, consider these exceptionally good value for money. The Z96 may have features that justify the many times higher cost, however if budget constraints make them expensive for others then these units, and probably the 160 LED units are well worth considering.

farss wrote on 9/1/2011, 2:31 AM

"The Z96 may have features that justify the many times higher cost"

Many times???

You can buy the Z96 for around USD70. Of course you can find it being sold for over USD200 from bricks and mortar retailers.

Bob.

Grazie wrote on 9/1/2011, 3:19 AM

Yeah, my only R&D complaint thus far is that ALL the lights are non-Canon battery-friendly. I've got plenty of Canon BP945s and i ain't investing in other batteries and chargers JUST to go Lithium.

Hey ho.....

Grazie

Grazie wrote on 9/1/2011, 3:26 AM

Hah! the Auto expletive-bot just corrected my "Hey h(remove this)o"! Heavens knows what will happen when we get to Xmas? H O. H O. H O!

Cheers

Grazie

Rory Cooper wrote on 9/1/2011, 3:40 AM

What.. noel!

ushere wrote on 9/1/2011, 5:09 AM

what happens if you scrabble letters:

gergub, dman, fkuc, etc.,

paul_w wrote on 9/1/2011, 5:38 AM

Very happy with my Z96's going to buy some more. I think the little bit extra in cost is justified. Better functionality as i read it, saying that, I have not experienced these other panels. I will gladly pay an extra $20 (£10 in uk land) difference if i know the panel is built better. Like anything else in video.

Paul.

BRC wrote on 9/1/2011, 6:02 AM

farss
Your comments

"Many times???

You can buy the Z96 for around USD70. Of course you can find it being sold for over USD200 from bricks and mortar retailers."

Yes many times - depending on who you buy from in UK. Warehouse Express £149.99 - I'd call that many times - or £59.99 from Amazon, which is till dearer. If I buy outside the UK I have to add on taxes and handling charges which increases the price.

I am sure other UK forum members would have understood my remark but not sure what point you were trying to make in the circumstances. It came over very much as 'nit-picking' to me, rather than helpful.

farss wrote on 9/1/2011, 7:12 AM

I wasn't nit picking, simply pointing out that you can get burnt these days.
In fairness the Internet and eBay poses a huge challenge to the traditional sellers. They can do a deal with a manufacturer in China, get the goods into the country and then find out that they are being sold through eBay at the price they paid for them. Unless they want to sell with no markup they're kind of screwed.

The best current price I can find for the Z96 is AUD 77 inc postage.
At current exchange rates thats GBP 50, You will have to pay VAT on top of that.

However why don't you and the other UK forum members do what I've done. Get together and organise a group buy?
For 10 off units I've been able to get around a 10% discount from one eBay seller. That's not a huge discount I know but better than nothing.

Bob.

paul_w wrote on 9/1/2011, 7:31 AM

Z96 - Uk based ebay trader, doing them for £55 each but i made a multiple purchase and he agreed to give discount. Down to 52 each. And that includes all VAT and free postage.

Paul.

BRC wrote on 9/1/2011, 7:58 AM

Thank you for your response, though it would have been more useful had you said that in your posting to which I responded.

There is a danger here in moving away completely from the point of the original poster, which concerned the CN-160 – the 160 LED version of the CN-126, the 126 LED version that I have and gave comment on in my first response.

I have seen paul_w’s response and agree he has got a good deal, however that is still nearly 2/3rds more than I paid for the CN-126. The CN-160 sells at Amazon UK for £39.99 (including VAT) so the extra cost there for a Z96 is over 1/4 more than the CN-160.

Going back to the originating posting perhaps I should have said ‘no, I haven’t used the CN-160 but I have the CN-126 unit’. I haven’t made a side-by-side comparison of performance with the Z96 – and don’t intend to – though the CN-126 performs very well in my experience and represents very good value for money. I note paul_w is happy to pay the extra for what may well be a more robust unit, which is fine. People pay their money and make a choice based on their particular needs, both functional and financial.

Incidentally it appears the Z96, CN-126 and CN-160 are all manufactured by BV Electronics.

John_Cline wrote on 9/1/2011, 8:28 AM

Here is a video review of the Z96 in which he also compares it to the CN-126. As you can see toward the end of the video, the Z96 produces a much more even light. My Sony NX5 also give a numeric color temperature readout when in the manual white balance mode, it reports that the Z96 is indeed 5600K as advertised.