Depth of Options
One of the primary selling points that Rosco promotes is that LitePads can go where traditional lighting hardware cannot. In my testing, I found that this was true. In the photo below, you can see the placement of a 3”x6” LitePad on the instrument panel of a car. Few lighting options exist to service a scenario like this and the LitePad does the job. The next photo shows the brightness of the light at full power; which is only 6 watts. It evenly and effectively illuminates my face and much of the cabin via an adapter that fits in my 12 volt outlet, and requires only .5 amps of power. The slim profile and small size allows LitePads to fit into areas and create lighting angles that would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for traditional lights to achieve.
Another advantage to LitePads is the small amperage of power they draw upon. Traditional kits use many more amps for operation, and there’s always some calculations that must occur to make sure circuits don’t get overloaded. In true plug-n-play style, there are no worries when using these lights because the amps are almost negligible. So long as the light is adequate to meet your needs, you can use these with confidence.
Rosco offers a full line of accessories to increase the LitePads’ versatility. I found the dimmers (single is $149 and two channels are $299) to be very helpful. The single fader dimmer has eleven settings from 1-10 and F (for full power). The dimmer provides substantial ability to finesse the light output on a given unit. This also eliminates the need for diffusion materials, so gaffers get the truest quality of light with very fine control on its intensity. Rosco also sells eggcrates, which are essential to direct the light, for all the standard models. My view is that the depth of options for the LitePad line is found primarily in utilizing its optional accessories. These accessories range in cost from $7.50 for gels to $299 for the two channel dimmer. I definitely recommend investing in some basics such as a dimmer, eggcrate and mounting brackets if you plan to purchase anything in this line.
Finally, it’s important to mention that the light source produces an approximately 6000 degree Kelvin color temperature. This produces a cool light that replicates natural daylight (actually, a few degrees cooler, since most daylight-balanced fixtures are set for 5600 Kelvin). Unfortunately, Rosco does not manufacture any of their LitePads in a 3200 degree Kelvin color temperature. That color temperature produces a warm light that is particularly flattering to skin tones and replicates soft indoor lighting. Although Rosco recommends using their LitePads for interviews and stand ups, I found the result unflattering. The picture below illustrates a subject illuminated using LitePads for key, fill and hair or back lights. Although the units produce a soft and even light source, the color of the light makes the subject appear washed out. Given the many scenarios in which using 3200 degree Kelvin lighting is advantageous, it seems that adding that option to the product line would be profitable.
