Low Level Lighting with Lume Cube

Cathedral Gorge State Park, Nevada - Low Level Lighting with a single Lume Cube ~ © Royce Bair

Original Lume Cube 1.0
1.6" x 1.6" (about golf ball size)

Lighting with Lume Cube. This November marks the 5th year anniversary of Lume Cube, the amazing little company in San Diego, California that started a photographic lighting revolution. The initial concept came to life via a Kickstarter Campaign. Their powerful little LED lighting cubes were rugged and waterproof, making them perfect for GoPro camera users who wanted to add lighting to their adventure sports videos and still photos. Cell phone camera users and professional photographers also started adapting the Lume Cube for their needs. Once the cube started to rise in popularity, requests began to pour in for accessories to make them more useful in a variety of lighting situations. Original accessories included a snap-on filter holder that allowed magnetic diffusion filters and various color filters to attach in front of the light.

A little too bright! At 1500 lumens (750 LUX @ 1M), the Lume Cube was very powerful for its size. Manually adjustable via a power button on the top, it could do 10 different brightness levels in 10% increments, from 100% to 10%. This power range works great for my regular photo projects, especially as fill and accent lighting for outdoor portraits. However, even 10% was too bright for Low Level Lighting (LLL) of some close nightscape foreground subjects.

Dimming down the Lume Cube: Early users of the the Lume Cube found they had to use several layers of cloth or tissue paper to filter-down the intensity. Some of these same users found that Lume Cube's early mobile phone app could remotely reduce the original Lume Cube intensity even further (the above photo was lit with the early Cube reduced to 1/32 power). The current Lume-X iPhone/Android App will wirelessly control the original Lume Cube 1.0 and the new 2.0 version from 60 feet away (both are Bluetooth enabled devices). The app allows remote brightness adjustments in 1% increments, all the way down to 1 percent!

Moon Caves (slot canyon) in Cathedral Gorge lit with moonlight and a Lume Cube, with a diffusion bulb and a CTO warming gel attached to the front of the light. Brightness @ 50% walking into the cave. Lowest brightness walking out of cave ~ © Royce Bair

The NEW Lube Cube 2.0 is LLL ready! On the outside, the newly redesigned Lume Cube 2.0 doesn't look a lot different than the original, but inside, it is packed with some great new features and technology. For Low Level Lighting users, the most exciting is its new 2 button control system to increase and decrease brightness manually. Although you can use the Lume-X app to remotely go to lower light levels, you can now manually enable the LOW LIGHT MODE by holding down both buttons. This allows super fine-tune low-level brightness control from 1%-10% right from the Cube's buttons! Price is $89.95 per unit.

2.0 with included accessories

Light modification accessories included: The 2.0 also comes with a Magnetic Softening Diffuser and a Magnetic Warming CTO Gel for warming color temperature (Down from 5600K to 4500K), plus a Modification Frame for mounting those and other accessories you may chose to purchase later on.

Longer running and better light quality: Full power light output from the 2.0 is the same 1.0, but runtime has been increased to an amazing 1.5 hours (I was getting only about 20 minutes with the original)! Of course, when you lower your brightness down to 10% or less, you'll be able to get several hours of runtime, which is perfect for timelapse work. Light color quality has gone from a somewhat bluish 6000K to the more natural 5600K, and from a 91 CRI to a 95+ CRI (while this may not mean a lot to landscape photographers, portrait photographers will love the better skin tones).

Other included features: Five other features I like in the 2.0 are 1.) wider 80º angle beam coverage vs. the older 60º beam; 2.) faster USB-C charging; 3.) the new charge indicator light that more clearly shows power condition of your battery; 4.) a new 360º optical sensor for slave flash capability; 5.) and the new aluminum body that is much more rugged and durable.

Additional lighting accessories: The Lume Cube 2.0 and the original 1.0 have many other lighting modifiers available to them via the Modification Frame. Once the frame is snapped onto the front of the Lume Cube, any one of these filters or diffusers (and combinations in stacks) can magnetically attach to the frame. System items can be purchased individually or in bundles for greater savings:

Should I buy the less expensive Lume Cube AIR? The Lume Cube AIR is $20 less than the Lume Cube 2.0, and is a great product. It is a little smaller and lighter, but it has reduced features that may not be the best light product for some photographers, especially those doing LLL nightscapes. Here are some of the major differences between the AIR and the 2.0:

• AIR does not have the "Low Light Mode" feature
• AIR only has 4 brightness levels: 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%
• AIR does not have Bluetooth, so will not work with the Lume-X app
• AIR's 1000 lumens (400 lux @ 1M) at full power is 33% less bright than 2.0
• AIR's handy magnetic back is a problem for drone use (can interfere with GPS)
• AIR is not a rugged as the 2.0's aluminum frame

NEW Lume Cube Panel! I've saved this amazing new product for last. It's fast becoming my favorite light. The Lume Cube Panel is a bi-color LED panel light and also functions as a power bank to recharge my mobile phone! It's incredibly small—about the size of my mobile phone, or about 1/4 the size of other panel lights I have been using in the past for my LLL. Featuring an intuitive LCD screen on back, the Panel not only allows you to adjust color temperature and brightness, but gives you immediate feedback on how long the light will last at each brightness setting. Although its compact and sleek design allows it to fit nicely on top of your camera, where I use it as a fill light in my portrait, macro and video photography; I typically use it off-camera (on a light stand), especially for my LLL work, so I can create more modeling, texture and drama in my foreground landscapes. Price is $149.95 per panel.

Click to enlarge and view features

LUME CUBE PANEL Specs:

• Color Temperature: 3200K - 5600K
• Brightness Range 5%-100%, adjustable by 5% increments 
• Max Brightness: 400 Lux @ 1M
• CRI: 96+
• Run Time on 5% Brightness: 7.5 Hours
• Run Time on 50% Brightness: 3 Hours
• Run Time on 100% Brightness: 90 Minutes
• Rechargeable via Micro USB and USB-C
• Built-In Li-Polymer Battery: 3.85V 4040mAh
• Power bank Output: 5V 2A
• Dimensions: 151x80x9.8mm
• Weight: 180g

How does the Lume Cube Panel compare to other panel lights I've used? For many years I've used the Z96 LED Panel Lights that I've mentioned in this blog and in my Milky Way NightScapes eBook. This is one of the oldest and most compact panel light designs, yet it is about 2X larger and heavier than the Lume Cube Panel. This old design requires magnetic snap on CTO filters to change the color temperature from 5600K to 3200K (and there are no in between color temperatures available). Power comes from 5 replaceable AA batteries (about 15-20 minutes of run time at full brightness) or snap on Sony style NP-F Li-ion batteries (larger NP-F batteries sizes will give you longer run times). Batteries are not included, and the NP-F batteries can get pretty pricey. The genuine F&V Z96 brand will cost you $159. Chinese rip-offs on Amazon usually cost under $100. F&V has a newer bi-color Z180S panel light design, that allows you to dial in your color temperature like the Lume Cube Panel, but this will cost you $365.

Before the Lume Cube Panel, I used the Genaray LED-6200T 144 LED Variable-Color On-Camera Light when I wanted a bi-color panel light. It's about 4X larger and at least 20% heavier (depending the battery size you buy) than the Lume Cube; and it will cost you $139. The Genaray only uses the snap in NP-F batteries (a small NP-F550 is included). Full power brightness is about 25% greater than the Lume Cube panel, but minimum brightness stops at 10% with the Genaray, whereas the Lume can go all the way down to 1%. Two big problem I see with most light panels is that 1.) none of these other panel lights have any type of a battery meter, and 2.) nearly all use a low-tech analog dimmer knob with no brightness reference markings. The Lume Cube has a digital LED brightness readout that can be accurately referred to or repeated in future photo setups, and they have a great battery meter with accurate projections as to how long the battery will last at the current brightness.

- - -

Using Focusing Flashlights for Night Photography

Man (Phill Monson) searching under a starry night sky for the historic Chimney Rock in the remote Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monument. One, 13-second exposure (f/2.0 • ISO 6400) while holding a Duracell
Durabeam Ultra 1000 Lumens flashlight steady above the rock (beam focused to narrowest point). The
foreground in front of Phill was illuminated with his headlamp. Chimney Rock was lighted from the left
using a stationary F&V Z96 LED Light Panel placed about 250 feet to the left of the Rock. © Royce Bair

Focusing LED Flashlights can add a dramatic touch to your NightScape photography. Because their light can be focused to a very narrow beam, their high intensity light reflects off of the moisture and dust in the air, producing a near laser or light saber effect.

Typically, LED lights are very blue in their color (many are close to 8000K to 10000K), so I usually use filters to warm them up; however, in this case, I prefer the cooler look.

Focusing methods: Most focusing flashlights move the bulb up and down through the center of the reflector to achieve their focusing effect (this is how the Maglite focuses). This usually produces dark, uneven light “rings”. The best flashlights use optics or lenses to do their focusing. The “flood” or wide beam is very even (smooth, with no hot spots or dark rings) and the “spot” is very narrow and far-reaching.

Expensive but high in quality: In my opinion the LED Lenser company has always been one of the best producer of quality LED focusing flashlights (the USA distributorship is now based in Portland, Oregon). Their construction and reliability is topnotch. About two years ago, I discovered another Portland company, Coast, that produces similar quality flashlights, with focusing optics, but often at one-third to one-fourth the price of LED Lenser.

Coast HP17 

I especially like my Coast HP17 ($68 - $110) with 970 lumens output and a beam distance reach of 479 meters (1,571 ft.). Uses 3 "D" batteries (included). Product video. Warning: older stocks of this product on the Internet produce only 615 lumens instead of 970 lumens. The new 970 lumens version is available at Lights and Knives.

LED Lenser M17R

The HP17 is comparable to another favorite: the LED Lenser M17R ($300 - $400) touting 850 lumens output and a beam distance reach of 450 meters (1,476 feet). The advantage of the M17R is that it is rechargeable, compared to the 3 D-batteries used in the Coast HP17 (which some may consider an advantage over priority rechargeable systems because you are free to use either long-term storage alkalines or generic NiMH rechargeables). Product video. Available at B&H for $300.

Coast HP314

One of these days I may get the Coast HP314 ($202 - $350) with 1,132 lumens output and a beam distance reach of 683 meters (2240 feet). LED Lensers has flashlights in the 1500 to 3000 lumens category, but I believe this flashlight has the best lumen output in a long distance focusing system. Uses 4 "D" batteries (included). Product video. Available on Amazon for $202.

Great Beam Distance on a budget: The Duracell Durabeam Ultra 1000 Lumens flashlight ($20 - $35), that I used in the top photo, produces an amazing 1000 lumens and a beam distance reach of 380 meters (1,247 feet). This Durabeam flashlight uses an optical beam focusing system similar to the Coast and LED Lenser flashlights. I bought my Durabeam at Costco about eight months ago for $20, but Duracell no longer produces this amazing flashlight for their Durabeam line. Even so, you can still find some stocks on Amazon and eBay. Product video. Uses 4 "C" batteries (included). June 15, 2015 update: Selected Costco stores are now carrying this flashlight again for under $20.

Duracell Durabeam Ultra 1000 Lumens

Beam Distance in meters

Lumens vs. Beam Distance: Most flashlight purchasers only look at the lumen output when considering a flashlight. Beam Distance is a better measurement of how far a flashlight can throw light. An FL 1 Standard Beam Distance rating will tell you how far the light will shine before the brightness diminishes to the equivalent of the light from a full moon. Full moon illumination is considered adequate for safe and careful travel outdoors, and it is also about 135 times brighter than starlight, so the beam should stand out in your NightScape style photos!

               Royce's 2015 NightScape Workshop Schedule

TOTW: Flashlights for Light Painting

Today, I'm starting a new weekly blog feature: Tool of the Week (TOTW). This will include everything from equipment, gadgets, hardware, software, applications, website instruction, or any tool that helps night photographers take better photos.

David Kingham started this discussion about flashlights a few weeks ago when he asked other night shooters to share what they used for light painting. He shared his own night chaser, the UltraStinger Xenon flashlight by Streamlight ($195 list). Kingham reports, "This is the main light I've been using for a few years now. I love the xeon light, but this thing cranks out too much light most of the time." The UltraStinger is the brightest Streamlight flashlight available, putting out to 35,000 candela (peak beam intensity), or 230 lumens.

About a month ago we did a feature on Neale Smithies (a.k.a. "LED Eddie"). Neale's signature LED flashlight is 7-LED "torch" made by LED Lenser, and known as the X21R Flashlight ($600 list). The 7-LED reflector pattern of this flashlight is used as Neale's watermark on his website gallery. With up to 1600 lumens, the rechargeable X21R may be the most powerful handheld LED on the market. It's Advanced Focus System allows the light to be directed into a far-reaching spot (up to 1900-foot beam distance), or as a flood light.
 

Lighting set-up for Hole in the Wall Arch - Arches N.P., Utah USA ~ © Royce Bair (click to see more info)

Click to enlarge

Although much of my light painting is actually done with large, stationary halogen lights and studio strobes (i.e. in the above light set-up), I do employ the use of flashlights on smaller landscape features —like the orange (gel filter) glow in this 30-foot diameter hole you see to the right (which is the hole you see in the above photo). I found a company in Portland, Oregon called Coast Products that makes a line of high performance LED flashlights that are very similar to the LED Lenser line, but about one-half the cost. Their 1317 lumens HP21 ($295 list) is similar in design to LED Lenser's X21 model, but half the price. Coast lights are well made, and they have beam focusing optics (giving you a flood beam and a Bulls-Eye spot) similar to the LED Lenser brand, and most have a high and low power cycle switch.

I have two of their flashlights: the HP14 and the larger HP17. The Coast HP17 ($117 list) uses three D-cell alkaline batteries and gives me both a 615 lumens output (almost as much as a 60-watt incandescent lightbulb), and a low output of 64 lumens. This heavy-duty light will run for over 15 hours at full power. At just under 2 pounds (with batteries), it also makes a good night club when traveling in rough neighborhoods. The more compact Coast HP14 ($72 list) uses four AA alkaline batteries, yet still puts out 339 lumens and 56 lumins in the low setting. When I'm shooting at ISO 6400, in order to get the stars in one 30-second exposure, the even the low output setting is sufficient power to paint some close objects.

(Note: all of these flashlights can be purchased online via mail order houses at substantially lower prices.)

Royce Bair is the editor of this blog and the photographer of the above images. Here is my gallery of NightScape images. My schedule of workshops, tutorials, and other events is available here.