Within the macro images world, gentle is a vital ingredient. Nonetheless, within the everlasting battle for gentle, we frequently discover ourselves both battling its shortage or coping with its uninspiring high quality. A preferred resolution for macro images is a flash – however there’s additionally a spot for fixed lights. On this evaluation, I’ll talk about the latter: a small, inexpensive, but versatile LED for macro images referred to as the Rollei Lumis Solo 2.
The nice macro photographer and entomologist Pavel Krásenský lately confirmed me these lights in his studio, and once I noticed what he may do with them, I instantly ordered three.
For those who check out the scene I shot in my dwelling studio for demonstration functions, you’ll perceive why I name them “studio lights.”
As you may see, they’re like miniature variations of basic studio lights! In brief, the Rollei Lumis Solo 2 is able to being a whole LED lighting system for small topics. Constructed-in magnets permit you to simply connect quite a lot of gentle modifiers, together with a diffuser, conical snoot, barn doorways and grid. If you wish to alter the default colour temperature of 5,500K (CRI 95+), you are able to do so with one of many eight colour gels included.
This dimension will not be sufficient for on a regular basis lights, however for macro and close-up images, it’s lots. You may marvel why somebody would trouble with a lighting setup like this when a basic studio gentle would additionally work – and the solutions are worth and portability! The Rollei Lumis Solo 2 is simply €35 on Rollei’s web site, and it measures simply 4.1 x 4.1 x 3.7 cm (1.6 x 1.6 x 1.5 inches) in dimension.
The Rollei Lumis Solo 2 has an influence output of 4W and gives an illumination of 1,000 lx at a distance of 0.5m. Brightness might be adjusted in 4 ranges by way of quick presses of the ability button.
The runtime of the built-in 800 mAh battery depends upon the exterior circumstances and the age of the battery, however in accordance with the producer, it ranges from 60 minutes (at most energy) to 240 minutes (at minimal energy). Sadly, charging requires a proprietary magnetic cable – fortunately Rollei consists of two within the package deal.
Check out the 2 images beneath – the primary with pure gentle, and the second utilizing a Rollei Lumis Solo 2:
For outside use, an enormous plus is that the sunshine is waterproof to 10 meters (for half-hour) and dust-proof, assembly IP68 requirements. So, you don’t have to fret about dropping the lights in moist grass – and past that, it additionally opens up thrilling artistic prospects. Place the sunshine below the water lilies in a pond, and you’ll look forward to the fairies (or frogs) to seem. To not point out the purposes in underwater images.
One of many greatest benefits of LEDs over flash is their ease of use. As a result of these lights present steady illumination, they require far much less expertise to function. There’s no want to visualise the lighting in your thoughts’s eye – you see the outcomes proper in your digital camera’s viewfinder and may shortly alter the setup if mandatory.
The identical applies to setting the proper publicity, which basically follows normal images ideas. You don’t have to fret about flash sync speeds or tips on how to steadiness the flash output along with your publicity settings. As an alternative, you may simply depend on your digital camera’s metering as standard.
Capturing at evening can be way more predictable with LEDs. As a result of they illuminate the scene, composing and focusing is way simpler. Nonetheless, not each creature is born to be a stage star, and a few might not respect being bathed in gentle from an array of LEDs, so please use them fastidiously.
The Rollei Lumis Solo 2 gives three mounting choices (aside from merely holding it in your hand). The next mounting options turn out to be useful: a 1/4″ tripod thread, a chilly shoe mount (with included adapter), or a magnet on the again of the sunshine.
Within the subject, essentially the most sensible resolution is usually the tripod thread mixed with a small, versatile tripod (corresponding to a Gorillapod). This setup means that you can connect the sunshine to a department, rock, or the leg of a bigger tripod. Personally, I exploit a lightweight stand paired with a small ballhead for this goal.
Understand that this can be a small gentle, and even with the sunshine modifiers, you aren’t going to light up a large space. The Rollei Lumis Solo 2 is subsequently greatest suited to illuminating small particulars corresponding to flowers, mushrooms, bugs, or different widespread macro images topics.
For those who want a full-size LED for one thing like portraiture or videography, this isn’t the sunshine I might get. The truth is, for a lot of conditions, a flash could be preferable within the first place – primarily as a result of they’re able to outputting a lot extra gentle.
However as is usually the case, the most effective resolution is the one you’ve gotten with you. And for the reason that whole Rollei Lumis Solo 2 package deal – together with all modifiers and a carrying case – weighs solely 200g, it’s going to actually discover a place in my backpack.
The present worth on Rollei’s web site is €35. For the time being, it’s not obtainable by main retailers like B&H or Amazon, however it does seem that Rollei ships worldwide.