Zylight - Anyone tried it?

TimG

TimG

PRO user
This seems to be a pretty interesting product. A headlight you can switch between 3200k and 5600k (or any other color under the rainbow) with a push of a button or the turn of a knob. Just wondering if any of you have used it out there. . .

http://www.zylight.com/servlet/StoreFront

Tim
 
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Tim,

This was the darling of NAB 06'. I believe Brian (Flaca Productions) has one. He has talked about it here before. Perhaps a search will locate his earlier impressions.

cm
 
I'm waiting on the newer version, the Z-90, to demo. They keep pushing the release date back further and further. Their website says Sept., now, but it said June in June, too. I also thought LED lights were supposed to be energy effecient, it produces the equivelant light of a 35 watt lamp but still pulls 35 watts.
 
i've got the Z50 and i really like it. i don't use it very much, but when i do i like the flexilbility of it. it's really solid (physically) and is a nice little toy to have.

i'm going to take a look at the Z90 when it (finally) comes out and will probably get one due to the increased output that they claim for it over the Z50.

the only down side is that it's fairly expensive and that will keep it out of a lot of peoples bag of tricks.
 
Flaca Productions said:
i've got the Z50 and i really like it. i don't use it very much, but when i do i like the flexilbility of it.
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I'm wondering why you don't use it often? Do you use it as a headlight? Any idea how it compares to something like and Ultralight 2 with a 20 watt lamp? I'm looking for something to replace my UL2 and I'd be willing to spend a grand if it put out at least as much light and was a bit less punchy (more diffused). I love the idea of having a 5600 and 3200 light in one. Sounds like the Z90 could be a good solution.

Tim
 
Save your money!

I dropped some serious coin on the Zylight 50 and some accessories a few months back. Not worth the money IMO. Makes for a very poor on camera light; and on both my DVC-Pro and my DVCAM there are faint black lines in the darker areas of the viewfinder, that fortunately don’t appear on tape.

Great design, good idea, OK as an accent light in a corner or close to a product, but the 30 watt version has very little throw. You’d be better off with a Frezzi that has a dimmer and a dichroic than one of these.
 
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it'll have more punch than a UL with a 20 - but F4 is right - its not going to have much more. my D50 is pretty sensitive - and i hate toplights - so i'll be honest that i rarely use it. but for a gang-bang walk down a dark hall or having to grab a quick bite with someone outside of a hotel conference ballroom, it's been good.

the Z50 is ok - and just ok - if the z90 is just like the z50 but with more power, it should be really good.
 
Thanks for the info guys,

Looks like I should get my hands on a Z90 before I buy it.

I appreciate the input.

Tim
 
F4 Fan said:
.....and on both my DVC-Pro and my DVCAM there are faint black lines in the darker areas of the viewfinder, that fortunately don’t appear on tape.
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F4, that’s interesting, what you think are the cause and what those black lines look like? Are those interference or uneven coverage? Have you contacted the manufacturer?

I’m working on a section of EFPlighting.com totally dedicated to better use of on camera lights. I’m interested to know any problems that shooters have been experiencing with any of the new on camera lights.
 
Response to Nino

Years ago, in the tube camera days, I had a couple of instances where we couldn’t shoot at radio stations because the transmitters were putting out so much RF that it was creating black diagonal lines in the video. My viewfinder looked like the second cousin to a zebra. CCD’s and better shielding have pretty much eliminated that type of problem in this day and age.

I use to have a half-inch DVC-PRO camera some years back that had a similar problem, only this was when ever I had to gain the camera up. Black lines, pulsating though the darker areas of the picture. The engineers said that there was a screw blocking the optical path. Funny that if they knew what the problem was why on earth they could they never totally fix it.

But I digress…


Yes I did contact the manufacturer. I explained the situation but since they didn’t have either of the two camera models I have to perform tests on, they wouldn’t be able to duplicate the problem. From then on they pretty much washed their hands of me, although in fairness I honestly believe that they would have refunded my money had I asked. But I did my homework, thought about the purchase and have decided to keep the light. Now the trick is finding ways to use it. As I’ve said it does make for a nice accent light but has very little throw. Would I buy a Zylight again – no! Not at least until they produce a model that can actually be used as an on-camera light under real world conditions at a cost that is more in line with most of the other standard on-camera lights. I’ve shot too many important, ambush-type interviews lately to trust anything but a workhorse like my Frezzi.

But it is odd that on two different camera models, by two different companies, with two different battery systems I get faint black lines in the dark areas of the picture that only appear in the viewfinder. Can’t explain it, perhaps its got something to do with the voltage of the light interfering with the electronics in the viewfinder. Don’t have any problems with the other three on-camera lights I have. I also tested it on a BETA SX and did not see any problems.

Very strange.
 
I just won a zylight in the b-roll contest and I've only used it twice but I've played with it and its really cool. It came with an arm that can extend the light off to the side so the light isnt so flat and the fact that you can fine tune the color temp is amazing. The only negative thing I have to say about it is that it doesnt get as bright as my other top light. But we are getting new cameras that do very well in low light situations so it shouldnt be a problem after that. other than that, its an amazing toy.
 
I would definitely like to get one. If it doesn't get to at least 35 watts of halogen light than I think I would pass. I have both the Anton Bauer single light and the HMI light but the HMI is too spotted and if you defuse it than it doesn't make enough difference. I would love to have light that I could use outdoors to fill in someones face. The thousand bucks is steep but I'm not paying.
 
i just got a z90 on my dvcpro about a month ago...works great...until today...got caught in a rain storm and it seems to be acting funny (rolling through the colour combinations by itself - that is when it stays on)...doesnt like to get wet it seems...gonna wait till it dries out and see if the ticks persist...hmmm
 
jeff-in-ottawa said:
i just got a z90 on my dvcpro about a month ago...works great...until today...got caught in a rain storm and it seems to be acting funny (rolling through the colour combinations by itself - that is when it stays on)...doesnt like to get wet it seems...gonna wait till it dries out and see if the ticks persist...hmmm
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How does it compare to other lights say a frezzi or anton with a 50 watt bulb ?
 
I checked the photometrics out a while back and I believe it's comparable to a 35 watt tungsten lamp. And it pulls 35 watts, so there is no power savings.

The only real benefit is the ability to dial in any color you want and less/no heat. I thought about this light, but I'm sticking with my Frezzi with the softbox w/changeable front screens. You can't kill a Frezzi...

If you're shooting with a 50 watt bulb, what the heck are you shooting with? I hate it when I'm shooting an interview at night or in a locker room and someone comes up with a 50 watt(or brighter) light and completely screws those of us with 20-30 watt lamps(which is all you need on a camera built in the last decade). You go from a nicely exposed interview to having to close down the iris so much to compensate for the other guys insanely bright light, your side of the face is almost 100% silhouette and the background becomes a black hole.
 
Run&Gun said:
If you're shooting with a 50 watt bulb, what the heck are you shooting with? I hate it when I'm shooting an interview at night or in a locker room and someone comes up with a 50 watt(or brighter) light and completely screws those of us with 20-30 watt lamps(which is all you need on a camera built in the last decade). You go from a nicely exposed interview to having to close down the iris so much to compensate for the other guys insanely bright light, your side of the face is almost 100% silhouette and the background becomes a black hole.
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In those instances I use a 20 watt, I have two bulbs I switch out. I was just curious to know how it compared to a 50. For instances at night when you need a bit more for a scene or in the shade when a 50 w/ dicro would be good. Just trying to get and idea of comparison.

Thanks for the info, that will help me out !
 
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