Perhaps more than any other variable, including your camera and lens, lighting can make or break an image. And while natural light is all well and good, for truly creative photography and videography you simply need supplemental illumination.

I've used a lot of lights over the years, both for commercial shoots and teaching lighting to photographers. But the best, most adaptable light I've ever used is the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro.

Not only is it powerful enough to use for stills as well as video, it's also large enough to create soft, flattering, wrapping light. And it's packed with HSI gel packs from professional photographers, as well as special effects from Emmy-winning lighting artists.

This comes at a cost, though, as the Aeos 2 Pro isn't a cheap light, carrying a price tag of $2,049 / £1,799. However, they've been dramatically discounted in the both the US (to just $1,050) and the UK (down to £849) as part of the Cyber Monday camera deals.

Which is still expensive, I know, but honestly – this light is worth every penny even at twice the price (as in, its regular retail price). I've used it in professional environments as well as for my own portfolio work, and there's just nothing like it.

For starters, I love the way they handle. The full-color touchscreen on the back makes using them as simple as swiping a smartphone; just tap the gel you want, or touch the variable you want to adjust whether it's intensity or temperature, and you can drag sliders to get the lighting to taste. Or use the Rotolight app to literally control it with your smartphone.

It makes lighting with gels an absolute breeze, especially if you've never shot with them before. Yes, it's an expensive light, but bear in mind that it packs 2,500 filters from Lee and Rosco – so you'll never need to buy physical gels again.

I also love clever technological tricks like Source Match – a one-touch tool that instantly duplicates the dominant light, whether it's standard indoor room lighting or colorful ambient illumination. It makes it incredibly easy to match and amplify the existing light in the room.

And the quality of both the light and the gels is gorgeous. As you can see from my sample photographs, the colors are punchy and vivid while the light remains soft rather than harsh and overpowering. And obviously, because it's constant light, it's perfect for photo and video in equal measure.

You get what you pay for with lighting, but at half price you really are getting so much more than you bargained for.

🇺🇸 US deal

🇬🇧 UK deal

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I thought I'd take my flower portraits to the next level by submerging them in water and adding milk and food colorants to create an ethereal result.

I used a fish tank (another suitable container for water will do) as it’s best to have a flat glass surface, as a curved one will create distortion and possibly bring in unwanted reflections. You can get a 25L children’s fish tank for around $30 / £25 / AU$45 if you shop around.

The rest of the setup should include a light source – I used an LED light panel – as room lights may cause unwanted hotspots, shadows and reflections. You’ll need a macro lens and a tripod for the camera, some milk (whole milk is best) and some cheap food colorants that you can add to the water for even more effect.

Items such as a long-barrelled pipette to accurately squirt the substances are handy, but not essential.

Shooting steps

1. Fill up the fish tank
Work out where you’re going to do the shoot. I recommend setting up near your water supply; when it’s full of water the tank will be heavy, so you won’t want to move it far. I filled my tank with warm water, as hot or cold water will create condensation on the outside of the tank.

2. Submerge the flowers
I placed a blank background behind my tank and cut the flowers (you can use real or plastic ones) to size, so there was a gap between the top of them and the water’s surface. Weigh them down or they will float. I carefully lowered the flowers into the tank and used a knitting needle to remove any air bubbles.

3. Add the milk and food coloring
Set the camera up with the composition you want. I used a fairly wide aperture (f/4) and manually focused on the largest flower, or group, nearest the front of the glass. Pour in some milk to make the water misty, then add more milk and the colorants and shoot as they swirl around.

Tips and tricks

• The more milk and colorants in the water, the more ethereal the images will get, so keep shooting.
• Put the light directly above the water, because if it hits the same side of the tank as the camera you’ll get reflections.
• Avoid using a potted plant (like I did first time around) as the soil floats on the surface and bits circulate around.
• An aperture of around f/4-f/5.6 offers a good combination between flower detail and out-of-focus areas with a 105mm macro lens. The shallow depth of field should ensure that the background is out of focus.
• If you want to try something even more creative, use a low ISO and an ND filter to drop the shutter speed to 1-2 secs.

And here are my results...

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Rotolight, the British maker of specialist lighting equipment used by everyone from amateur photographers to big-budget Hollywood productions, has entered administration.

I spoke to Rotolight this morning, which confirmed the situation. 

"The business is in administration, although we remain hopeful that the brand may have a future."

It's no secret that the economy has been hit hard around the world, with British businesses facing their most challenging time since the 2008 global financial crisis. According to a GOV.UK report for Q3 2023, "This quarter saw the highest quarterly total insolvencies since Q4 2008 and the highest quarterly number of CVLs [creditors' voluntary liquidations] since the start of the time series in 1960."

Rotolight has had an extraordinary history over the past 14 years. A family-run business, it started from a garden shed and bloomed into a hugely successful enterprise that racked up well over 40 awards for innovation. 

It sold some 150,000 lights, which were used by feature films such as Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the James Bond movie Skyfall, as well as shows like Gray's Anatomy and Amazon's The Expanse. 

As a Rotolight user myself, I have been wowed by products such as the Aeos 2 Pro and the Rotolight SmartSoft Box, which I called "the future of lighting". I certainly hope that the brand finds a way forward.

What is administration?

"When a company goes into administration, they have entered a legal process (under the Insolvency Act 1986) with the aim of achieving one of the statutory objectives of an administration," explains GOV.UK.

"An appointment of an administrator (a licensed insolvency practitioner) will be made by directors, a creditor or the court to fulfil the administration process.

"The administration puts in place a statutory moratorium. This is a 'breathing space' that frees a company from creditor enforcement actions, while financial restructuring plans are prepared to rescue the company as a going concern where possible. This may take the form of a sale to an unrelated party."

"If it cannot be reasonably saved, the administrator will aim to achieve a better return for creditors than would be likely if the company were wound up (without first being in administration)."

Jonathan Bass and Giuseppe Parla of Menzies LLP have been appointed as joint administrators of Rotolight Group Ltd.

You might be interested in the best LED light panels, in particular the Rotolight Neo 3 Pro and Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro.

The Anova Pro 3 LED panel is an all-weather constant light system, delivering a class-leading output of over 22,000 lux (at 1m), more than double the output of the previous-generation Anova. 

Featuring an IP65 water resistance rating, it has been designed for use in the most challenging of weather conditions, from heavy rain showers to snow. 

Color temperature is adjustable from 1,700 to 20,000 kelvin, and a patented Magic Eye optical light sensor has been built right into the front face of the light, which automatically measures and can match any Kelvin or HSI Color – eliminating the need for a light meter and enabling filmmakers to easily balance lights on set.

An all-new Rotolight app enables you to easily switch between lighting modes to adjust color, power, flash settings and much more, with the ability to create custom groups and projects on up to 20 lights simultaneously.

The light also features a suite of CineSFX special effects (including Fire, Lightning, TV, Gunshot, Paparazzi and much more) to add drama to a scene at a moment’s notice. You can customize, save and instantly recall your favorite settings to reduce time.

The Rotolight Anova PRO 3 retails for $3,410 / £2,399 / AU$6,495. See it at The Photography & Video Show on stand K201

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Lighting manufacturer Rotolight has been diversifying  its product range to appeal to camera phone-centric content creators. Whether you are a vlogger, filmmaker or photographer, chances are you struggled to get decent light levels when you broadcast yourself on YouTube or joined video conferences with friends and family. Even if you were able to repurpose some of your core camera kit, perhaps it all felt a tad over-elaborate, like using the proverbial sledgehammer to crack a nut. 

That has all changed now, with the very reasonably priced Ultimate Vlogging Kit. You get an LED light and all the accessories you need to illuminate your video selfies; it’s battery-powered and like your camera phone, simplicity itself to use. What’s
more, you’ll get some change from £100 or $100. 

Specifications

Light source: Stealth RL48-B LED

Lux (at 1 metre): 242 (1,000 lumens)

Powered by: Three AA batteries

Filters included: LED 204, 205, 216, 184

Beam angle: 140 degrees

Circumference: 13.3cm (5.24in) 

Depth: 2cm (3/4 in)

Mount: Shotgun mic or RL48 stand

Pack contains: Stealth RL468-B LED light panel. Rotopod three-legged stand, Support arm and clip, Twin accessory bar, Four-piece filter set, Adjustable phone clip

The kit is based around Rotolight’s Stealth RL48, a circular LED panel with a diameter of 13.3cm (5.25in). It’s powered by three AA batteries that are inserted on the rear panel, and which will give continuous light for four hours – far more than your cameraphone’s storage capacity for byte-hungry video footage. 

A set of four drop-in filters ships with the kit; these are inserted under the transparent front cover and enable you to tailor the light’s output to suit the lighting conditions. They comprise two color temperature filters (LED 204: 3200K and 205: 4100K) and two diffusion filters (184: skin tone and 216: white diffusion). The diffusion filters can be used with the color temperature filters if necessary, and an insert that summarises when to use which filter is included in the kit. 

Performance

This kit is user-friendly and can be set up in seconds. Place the support arm on the rear of the light panel and secure it by snapping the Rotolight-branded clip through the front of the panel. Then screw the three-legged stand into the accessory bar before mounting your cameraphone and light panel at either end. Use the push-button clamp to on the stand to get the desired angle and you’re ready to go. We attached a lavalier mic to our phone to capture some video game player footage, and were very pleased with the outcome – using the 184 (skin tone diffusion) filter in daylight produced an even spread of light that warmed up the scene and flattered
the faces of our subjects. Niall Hampton 

Verdict

Pitched at content creators and YouTubers, Rotolight’s Ultimate Vlogging Kit feels like great value for money. Easy to set up and straighforward in use, it certainly does what it’s designed to do – and for those occasions when you might not actually be creating any content, you could use it for reading or for casting yourself in a better light in these times of regular videoconferencing. 

LED lighting has come a very long way in a short space of time, first looked down upon by photographers and filmmakers alike for their weedy power and inconsistent results, LED lights have turned opinions, and are now becoming the gold standard for creatives.

Rotolight has been one of the companies pioneering LED lighting since its founding in 2009. Winning huge acclaim, Rotolight's Anova series has been a staple in the TV and film industry, finding its place in BBC productions and blockbuster movies such as Ghostbusters: Afterlife. But with this impressive reputation among professional filmmakers to maintain, the development of the Anova Pro 3 has spanned seven whole years, which reflects the commitment to preserving its illustrious legacy.

Now finally (almost) ready for primetime, the Anova Pro 3 is Rotolight’s most powerful and versatile light yet, while also seamlessly joining the Rotolight family, offering familiar features like the user-friendly touchscreen interface and full color spectrum. But with so many other excellent Rotolight lights to choose from, what sets the Anova Pro 3 apart?

Rotolight Anova Pro 3: Specifications

Rotolight Anova Pro 3: Key Features

The Anova Pro 3 offers impressive illumination capabilities, delivering 22,000 Lux of light at a one-meter distance. This substantial brightness makes it suitable for both indoor spaces and outdoor lighting, and the Anova Pro 3 is designed to withstand outdoor conditions with its IP65 weather resistance rating. To enhance portability, it supports two V Mount lock battery plates, which can draw up to 200W of power, ensuring sustained full-brightness operation for extended shooting sessions.

In terms of color accuracy, the Anova Pro 3 stands out with a TLCI rating of 99+ and a wide color temperature range spanning from 1,750K to 20,000K. Its versatility extends to reproducing the complete color spectrum, making it well-suited for creative and unique lighting applications. It also features a range of special effects, such as police sirens or lightning, crafted in collaboration with professional cinematographers to achieve results akin to those seen in mainstream productions.

Operating the Anova Pro 3 is straightforward, with connectivity options including Bluetooth, radio, and WiFi through the Rotolight companion app. Additionally, it offers built-in wireless compatibility with various other brands, such as Godox and Profoto, expanding its usability.

An innovative feature is Rotolight's 'Magic Eye' technology, which adjusts the Anova Pro 3 to match ambient lighting conditions, making it valuable in scenarios with mixed light sources of varying color temperatures. 

For users of Rotolight's Anova series, existing accessories like barn doors are compatible with the Anova Pro 3, as well as Rotolight’s exciting addition of the electronic diffuser accessory, which electronically softens the light output, with wireless control options through the rear of the light or the companion app.

Rotolight Anova Pro 3: Build & Handling

Let's just get this out of the way, the Rotolight Anova Pro 3 is heavy, if you have used the Anova Pro 2 then this won’t come as a huge shock, but if you are coming from Rotolight’s smaller offerings or some of the best COB lighting, then you might be surprised when you pick it up. That is not to say it isn’t maneuverable, there are grab handles on the frame and an able-bodied gaffer will be able to move the light around on set, or even hold it aloft for brief periods, but it's not a light you're going to be traipsing round with.

All that bulk serves a purpose however, as this light is not only very powerful but also serves a broad and even output of light which off the bat is just easier to work with than lights with one very concentrated source. The Anova Pro 3 follows the design of other Rotolight lights with a large flat dish with those signature little domes to diffuse and enhance the light evenly, which meant that I wasn’t rushing for my usual collection of umbrellas, scrims, and softboxes to soften the light into something that was actually useable like I would be forced to with my usual COB lighting, but more on that in a moment.

The quality of the Anova Pro 3 is undeniable, the whole package feels so solid and rugged, and now for the first time, the Anova Pro 3 is water and dust resistant, so you can take it out in the rain, snow, sand or any other weather you can think to throw at it. As standard, the Anova Pro 3 comes with an attached bracket for angling the light, which can be locked onto any sturdy enough light stand.

The Anova Pro 3 continues Rotolight’s signature color touchscreen controls, which are just the easiest controls I have used on a light. The touch screen is relatively small (or maybe the Anova Pro 3 is big), but it is still simple to navigate with big icons and easy-to-drag sliders for the temperatures and colors. Working in the studio it only took seconds to dive into the right setting and adjust it. If you are going to be working far away from the light, or have several to control then Rotolight’s app is here for you to remotely change settings.

Rotolight Anova Pro 3: Performance

As I have touched on briefly already, the quality of light from the Anova Pro 3 without any additional accessories is just sensational. The light manages to possess a unique ability to be both incredibly powerful and broadly even. I used this light pointed directly at a model’s face with no modifiers, and the photos were downright usable. 

My style is still much softer than the Anova Pro 3 used directly, but anyone who likes hard contrasts in their work will love this light on its own. Just quickly throwing up a shoot-through umbrella gave me more of the quality of light I was after. The Rotolight SmartSoft Box was unfortunately not available for my testing but looks like it might be the perfect complimentary accessory, and I can’t wait to try it out.

The Anova Pro 3 can get bright, I found that for a lot of my shoot in my small studio, I needed only hover around 50 percent, anything more was overblown at a couple of meters distance, but this light could comfortably light a much bigger set on its own. The Anova also has a huge color temperature range (separate from its creative colors), which is a nice feature, but will only be useful in quite limited situations.

The Anova Pro 3 also has so many lighting tricks up its sleeve. The most exciting of all is the new ‘Magic Eye’ feature, which is like Apple’s TrueTone on steroids. Magic Eye allows the Anova to take a reading of the ambient light in the room and adjust its color/temperature accordingly to match. As someone who has collated a collection of different lights from different brands, this feature allows me to broadly match the subtle color differences in color with the Anova Pro 3 for more consistency, which will save me so much time in post-production making masks to alter competing hues.

Rotolight Anova Pro 3: Verdict

The Rotolight Anova Pro 3 has truly impressed me with its remarkable power and versatility. It seems like there are very few tasks this light can't handle. With an incredibly extensive color temperature range and the ability to cover the entire spectrum of colors, it can function as a manual flash and offers a wide array of special lighting effects. What's more, it's worth noting that this light is even waterproof, and comes with dual V-Mount batteries for long-lasting power.

New features like ‘Magic Eye’ which can match the color of the light output to ambient light make the light easier to use than ever. Rotolight’s simple wireless connectivity and unique color touchscreen are also present. This might just be the sole lighting fixture that most professional setups will need.

Editor's note: As with all crowdfunding projects, there is no guarantee that the final product will match the early depictions in the campaign – or that the final product will be completed or delivered at all. DCW does not endorse this or any other crowdfunding campaign. 

Read more: check out our top picks for the best video lights or the best photography lighting kits.

Rotolight has just announced the Anova Pro 3, taking everything that made the previous model great but updating it to offer a more powerful and versatile light for studio and location shooting.

The previous generations of Rotolight’s Anova range have been used widely across the TV and movie industry, featuring in shows made by the BBC and movies like GhostBusters Afterlife, so as you can guess, it has a pretty solid reputation amongst professional filmmakers. Getting the sequel perfect and maintaining this legacy may go some way to explaining why it has taken a whole seven years for Rotolight to launch this latest model after the Rotolight Anova Pro 2.

If you are familiar with Rotolight's other lights, the Anova Pro 3 is still right at home in the family, continuing with familiar features like the touchscreen interface for controlling the light. Rotolight lighting has always been some of the most straightforward to control and looks like this light will continue that. 

Controlling the light for a distance is just as simple, with Bluetooth, radio, or WiFi connectivity to control the light using the Rotolight companion app. Rotolight is taking this a step further with the Anova Pro 3 by including built-in wireless compatibility with a huge range of other brands including Godox and Profoto.

But let's talk about the quality of light from the Anova Pro 3. The light itself is now exceptionally powerful, with 22,000 Lux of output at one meter, so you can really light up a large space, and is much more practical for lighting outdoors. However, the light also has a dimmable brightness offering percentage increases in single digits from one to one hundred, so you can also get the Anova Pro 3 right up close to your subject.

For color-critical work, the light has a TLC of 99+ and is capable of covering a temperature scale of 1,750K to an unprecedented 20,000K. Not just limited to ambient light, the Anova Pro 3 can also display colors across the entire color spectrum, for creative or unique lighting. The Anova Pro 3 also is capable of producing a range of effects like police sirens or lightning for creative filmmaking, with some presets included in the light that have been made alongside professional cinematographers to give an authentic look right out of mainstream productions.

New to the Anova Pro 3 is Rotolight’s ‘Magic Eye’ technology, which will take a reading of the ambient light in the room and adjust the Anova Pro 3 to match, which is especially useful if you are using a mix of light sources with different color temperatures, such a tungsten and natural daylight, or more color-matching other brands of lights. I use several stones from different brands that all have slightly different color hues to them, which is always a frustration, so this sounds like an incredibly useful feature.

For use on location, the Anova Pro 3 is IP65 rated for weather resistance, so can withstand rain, dust, or snow while filming outside. For ultimate lighting power while on the go, the Anova Pro 3 also has two V Mount lock battery plates to mount compatible batteries drawing up to 200W of power depending on brightness settings. This allows the light to operate at full brightness, and with the option of dual high-capacity batteries, should be able to keep you going through long shoots.

For those who have already invested in Rotolight’s Anova range, the current lineup of accessories, like the barn doors will carry over to the new model. However, there is a brand new and exciting electronic diffuser accessory exclusive to the new Anova Pro 3, it works by electronically fogging the glass cover that goes over the light, which diffuses and softens the light output. This can be controlled wirelessly from the rear of the light or from the companion app. I saw this in action today at Rotolights demo session and it looks very simple and effective, and I can’t wait to try this out further.

The Rotolight Anova Pro 3 is launching on Kickstarter today and is ready for early backers. As with any Kickstarter, we are obliged to remind you that you are not buying a product directly, and you might never receive the product you pledged for.

However, Rotolight is a very established brand, and there are already working models of the Anova Pro 3 out in the world. If you do want to get in early, there is around a 25 percent saving on the RRP of the light when it eventually launches for $2,999 in March 2024.

Interested in more lighting solutions to suit your work? You can find our top picks of the best video lights and the best photography lighting kits.

It has been announced that Rosco Laboratories has agreed to an IP licensing agreement with Rotolight, in reaction to the British lighting specialist's cinematic effects "CineSFX" patent portfolio in the US, UK, and Europe.

This isn't the first time that Rotolight has come to an agreement about its patents. Arri, one of the leading cinema brands in the industry, also 'came a cropper' to Rorolight, and after a 16-month legal battle Arri settled outside of court.

In light of this agreement with Rosco, Rotolight CEO Rod Aaron Gammons said: "We are very pleased to welcome Rosco to our CineSFX licensing program and appreciate their proactivity and professionalism in approaching us for a license for use within their DMG Lighting products. 

"Rotolight continues to invest millions each year into research and development in order to bring industry-first innovations to market, that save filmmakers time and money on set. Any other infringing companies should now proactively approach Rotolight directly, to secure a licensing agreement on reasonable commercial terms."

Following on from this Mark Engel, CEO of Rosco, said: "Rosco is a leading manufacturer with a rich history of innovation, product development, and respect of intellectual property and we are therefore pleased to have officially joined Rotolight’s CineSFX licensing program. 

"Our history includes over 100 years of developing solutions for creative professionals. The True Rosco Color library contains our gel colors, names, and numbers which have been technically validated and trademarked by Rosco. Customers around the world know and trust Rosco for its color quality and associated name and numbering system. 

"We appreciate Rotolight joining other manufacturers in our license program by adding True Rosco Color digital gels to its product line up in Q2 2023."

It's great to hear two companies officially coming together and supporting each other, even if sometimes a finger might be pointed in a "who did what" situation. 

If this has been of interest you might want to look at our best video light guide. Or if you're looking for a new camera on set, I'd highly recommend checking out our best cinema cameras and best cine lenses – and while you're at it, it might be a good idea to peruse our guide to the best LED panels if you want some extra light on set in a compact package. 

Some 16 months after its "shots fired" press release, revolving around legal action brought about by Rotolight, motion picture powerhouse Arri has settled its lawsuit with the British lighting specialist. 

Arri disputed the validity of a number of patents granted to Rotolight, claiming that they were not inventions so much as existing technical solutions, and took the matter to court – with Rotolight also undertaking legal action over the disputed patents.

• The Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro and Rotolight Neo 3 Pro will change the way you light your images

The lawsuit has now been settled, with the two parties releasing the following joint statement:

"Arri has agreed to a settlement with Rotolight, relating to Rotolight's cinematic special effects 'CineSFX' patent portfolio in the US, UK, and Europe. Arri no longer contests the validity of Rotolight's patents and has withdrawn its Inter Partes Review in the US accordingly. 

"Simultaneously, Rotolight has withdrawn its US District patent court action against Arri. All Arri products will continue to be offered as always. Arri and Rotolight respect intellectual property and value fair competition."

The complaint arose over the patent granted for Rotolight's CineSFX and Magic Eye technologies (co-developed by Emmy winning visual effects artist, Stefan Lange), which encompass 18 patents relating to user-customizable special effects such as fireplaces and lightning strikes. 

In being awarded these patents, a number of Arri products – namely the SkyPanel line, which includes the Orbiter LED lighting system – were found to infringe them. Thus the intellectual property lawsuit ensued, but the matter between the two companies has now been settled.

"We are therefore pleased to have reached a settlement with Arri, and shall continue to take all steps necessary to protect our intellectual property from ongoing infringement," said Rotolight CEO, Rod Aaron Gammons. 

"In so doing, this will allow us to continue to invest in bringing industry-first innovations to market. Any other infringing companies should now proactively approach Rotolight directly, to secure a licensing agreement on reasonable commercial terms."

Rotolight was also victorious in defending those same patents from a challenge brought by Vitec – the parent company of lighting brand Litepanels, as well as big names like Manfrotto, Joby, Loweprowe and Gitzo. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board found in Rotolight's favor, and the company then filed its own patent infringement action against Vitec. 

The world of LED light panels, eh. Who would've thought it was such a legal pitfight? 

The Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro Edition is the latest iteration of the British brand's continuous lighting panel – but it is far from iterative. While it isn't a full-blown 'version 3' follow-up, it may as well be.

If the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro had a tattoo on its chest, it would be "Bigger, better, more". It takes everything that was great about the Aeos 2 and makes it greater, from the power to the creative options.

Given its pedigree, it goes without saying that this is one of the best LED light panels money can buy – but here's why this is a light that any serious photographer or videographer absolutely needs to add to their arsenal…

Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro review: Key features

The Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro boasts a 25% boost to the brightness of earlier models, giving its continuous output the extra punch to make it more adaptable to more shooting situations.

It also features near-universal compatibility with the most prominent flash triggers, featuring built-in receivers for Godox, Profoto, Elinchrom, Neewer and Pixapro, making it easy to incorporate into your existing setup.

The creative possibilities are even richer, with over 100 presets – including many custom designed by some of the greatest lighting artists in stills and cinema. There are special effects presets from Emmy winners like Roy Wagner (Nightmare on Elm Street, House, Ray Donovan) and Stefan Lange (Batman (1989), Tomb Raider, No Time to Die), with gel and HSI packs from fashion photographers Jake Hicks, Sam Nash and Jason Lanier.

If you use a meter to measure and control your lighting setups, you will definitely appreciate the new True Aperture Dimming (FDIM) function. Like a light meter you enter your desired ISO and shutter speed, along with the approximate distance from your subject. The Rotolight then calculates the required output as an f-stop – and you can change any variable (like moving the light closer or further, or dragging the shutter) to quickly recalculate the necessary power.

Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro review: Build and handling

We're largely looking at the same excellent build as the base Aeos 2 (this is, after all, an iteration rather than a new model), so you can refer to our original review for a full rundown.

Suffice to say, everything that was great about that is great about this. The color touchscreen with smartphone-like sensitivity is a joy to use, especially when it comes to choosing gels – you get an absolutely true rendition of the tones and pantones, so what you see on the screen is what you get on the subject.

The big physical difference here is the addition of anodized handles in the signature Rotolight red, adding a sleek professional touch to the unit.

Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro review: Performance

If you've used earlier Rotolights, or you're a flash shooter who has concerns over the lack of power in traditional LED lamps, be prepared for the punch packed by the Aeos 2 Pro.

We're seasoned Rotolight users at DCW (for reference, this reviewer owns three units) and the difference in output is noticeable right away. If the high speed sync was the 'kick', the 25% improvement in power is definitely the punch that completes the combo.

And, yes, this light can be used outdoors – something that still can't be said of many LED panels. If you're doing location work, this is a tool that you absolutely need to bring with you.

In flash mode the recycling is instantaneous (remember, this is an LED device so there's no xenon flash tube to refill), which can improve workflow for fast-paced shooters (or flow-posing subjects!).

Where the Rotolight truly shines brightest (well, in a metaphorical sense) is in its continuous color capability, though. The addition of gel and HSI presets isn't just an excuse to ape the work of the likes of Jake Hicks; it gives you a starting point and an insight into color theory, and how a leading creative lighter chooses complementary palettes.

We're also big fans of the one-touch Source Match, which instantly duplicates the dominant light for organic amplification of the existing illumination.

Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro review: Verdict

For stills and video shooters alike, the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro is an absolute game changer. If you've never used gels but always wanted to try them, this is the best entry point; if you rely on gels for your imaging, this is utterly essential.

Like the original Aeos 2, the Pro Edition carries a premium price tag – but when it comes to lighting, you get what you pay for. And what you're paying for here is the most versatile, adaptable lighting instrument on the market.

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The Rotolight Neo 3 Pro Edition is the latest iteration of the British brand's continuous lighting panel – but it is far from iterative. While it isn't a full-blown 'version 3' follow-up, it may as well be.

If the Rotolight Neo 3 Pro had a tattoo on its chest, it would be "Bigger, better, more". It takes everything that was great about the Neo 3 and makes it greater, from the power to the creative options.

Given its pedigree, it goes without saying that this is one of the best LED light panels money can buy – but here's why this is a light that any serious photographer or videographer absolutely needs to add this to their arsenal…

(Note: Much of this review is similar to that of the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro, since in many ways the Neo 3 Pro is the smaller, less powerful 'little brother'. If you want maximum power with a much bigger form factor, the new Aeos is the way to go; if you need small and light, or multiple strobe-like lights for complex setups, Neo is for you.)

Rotolight Neo 3 Pro review: Key features

The Rotolight Neo 3 Pro boasts a 25% boost to the brightness of earlier models, giving its continuous output the extra punch to make it more adaptable to more shooting situations.

It also features near-universal compatibility with the most prominent flash triggers, featuring built-in receivers for Godox, Profoto, Elinchrom, Neewer and Pixapro, making it easy to incorporate into your existing setup.

The creative possibilities are even richer, with over 100 presets – including many custom designed by some of the greatest lighting artists in stills and cinema. There are special effects presets from Emmy winners like Roy Wagner (Nightmare on Elm Street, House, Ray Donovan) and Stefan Lange (Batman (1989), Tomb Raider, No Time to Die), with gel and HSI packs from fashion photographers Jake Hicks, Sam Nash, and Jason Lanier.

If you use a meter to measure and control your lighting setups, you will definitely appreciate the new True Aperture Dimming (FDIM) function. Like a light meter you enter your desired ISO and shutter speed, along with the approximate distance from your subject. The Rotolight then calculates the required output as an f-stop – and you can change any variable (like moving the light closer or further, or dragging the shutter) to quickly recalculate the necessary power.

Rotolight Neo 3 Pro review: Build and handling

We're largely looking at the same excellent build as the base Neo 3 (this is, after all, an iteration rather than a new model), so you can refer to our original review for a full rundown.

Suffice to say, everything that was great about that is great about this. The color touchscreen with smartphone-like sensitivity is a joy to use, especially when it comes to choosing gels – you get an absolutely true rendition of the tones and pantones, so what you see on the screen is what you get on the subject.

The big physical difference here is the addition aluminum control dials in the signature Rotolight red, adding a sleek professional touch to the unit.

Rotolight Neo 3 Pro review: Performance

If you've used earlier Rotolights, or you're a flash shooter who has concerns over the lack of power in traditional LED lamps, be prepared for the punch packed by the Neo 3 Pro.

We're seasoned Rotolight users at DCW (for reference, this reviewer owns three units) and the difference in output is noticeable right away. If the high speed sync was the 'kick', the 25% improvement in power is definitely the punch that completes the combo.

In flash mode the recycling is instantaneous (remember, this is an LED device so there's no xenon flash tube to refill), which can improve workflow for fast-paced shooters (or flow-posing subjects!).

Where the Rotolight truly shines brightest (well, in a metaphorical sense) is in its continuous color capability, though. The addition of gel and HSI presets isn't just an excuse to ape the work of the likes of Jake Hicks; it gives you a starting point and an insight into color theory, and how a leading creative lighter chooses complementary palettes.

We're also big fans of the one-tough Source Match, which instantly duplicates the dominant light for organic amplification of the existing illumination.

Rotolight Neo 3 Pro review: Verdict

For stills and video shooters alike, the Rotolight Neo 3 Pro is an absolute game changer. If you've never used gels but always wanted to try them, this is the best entry point; if you rely on gels for your imaging, this is utterly essential.

Again, the Neo 3 Pro is like an Aeos 2 Pro that's been shrunk in the wash – which means you're getting the most versatile, adaptable lighting instrument on the market, in footprint-friendly form. It's ideal for shooting in tight spaces, for embedding an effects light into an alcove, or for content creators who need a kiss of light rather than a full fledged shout.

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British light wizard Rotolight has announced its latest products, the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro and Rotolight Neo 3 Pro – updated professional editions of its award-winning LED lighting products, featuring a slew of new features and upgrades. 

As you might expect, the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro (review) and Rotolight Neo 2 Pro (review) are successors to the manufacturer's existing models, the award-winning Rotolight Aeos 2 and Rotolight Neo 3.

Headline features include a brightness boost of up to 25% greater output to continuous light, making the Pro lights even more capable in outdoor situations and other environments where abundant available light exists. 

Those who use triggers, as well as lights from other manufacturers, will also be delighted to know that both lights now feature integrated flash receivers for Godox, Profoto, Elinchrom, Neewer and Pixapro – making them uniquely universal. 

Perhaps most exciting to creatives, though, is the wealth of packs and presets designed by some of the most decorated and exciting lighting wizards in the photography and cinema industries. 

Both the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro and Rotolight Neo 2 Pro feature over 100 built-in gel, HSI and special effects presets. Cinematic SFX packs have been designed by Emmy winners such as Roy Wagner (Nightmare on Elm Street, House, Ray Donovan) and Stefan Lange (Batman (1989), Tomb Raider, No Time to Die), with gel presets from fashion photographers Jake Hicks, Sam Nash and Jason Lanier. 

In addition to physical improvements, such as the aluminum dials and red anodized handles, the lights also feature an exciting new mode called True Aperture Dimming (FDIM). 

This works like, and effectively replaces, a light meter; simply enter your subject's distance along with the ISO and shutter speed, and the Rotolight will calculate the required light output as an f-stop – and you can change any variable (such as moving the light closer or further away) to quickly recalculate the requisite power. 

The crowdfunding campaign for the Rotolight Aeos 2 Pro and Rotolight Neo 3 Pro Editions is live now on Indiegogo, and runs until November 18. For more information, you can also visit the Rotolight website.

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We were recently invited by Rotolight to try out their new AEOS 2 and NEO 3 LED lights at the stunning Knowle Hall, UK with a mixture of models and lighting setups, hosted by The Creativity Hub.

Flash is the conventional light source of choice for portraiture, so we were eager to see how these two LED lighting options from Rotolight performed. Along with the best LED light panels, the AEOS 2 and NEO 3 lights were certainly powerful and we were able to create some fantastic portraits. As they are constant LED lights you can see how your lighting is working in real time, a bit like a modeling lamp on a flash head. They also feature built-in color gel options, meaning you don’t have to carry around plastic gels which would also reduce light output on a flash.

Modifiers like a diffuser and barn doors can also be attached to change and manipulate the light, and there's a high speed sync flash mode that charges up the LEDs for a super bright burst that works with a wireless radio trigger on your camera.

Constant lights like the Rotolight AEOS 2 and NEO 3 are also ideal for video, making them versatile accessories. See for yourself how we got on and why not try out some of our tips and lighting setups on your own portraits.

1. Add a 'fill' light

For this portrait we had our model, Betsy, pose on a sofa lying down. There was natural light coming in from a window out of shot to the right, which was lighting her from the right and behind. However, this meant that her face was in shadow and details were lost.

To bring back some definition to the face we used the smaller Rotolight NEO 3 LED with the handgrip so that her face was illuminated, this could also be positioned on a lightstand to free up our hands to take photos. Having the bright white ‘key’ light shining down from a 45º above has lit her beautifully.

2. Inject some color

The Rotolight AEOS 2 and NEO 3 have 16.7 million colours and 2500 filters to choose from, so you can apply gel lighting without a physical gel, which would reduce light output. This can be set on the back of each LED panel or through the Rotolight app available for free via the Apple iOS or Google Play Store.

We asked our model, Simone, to pose against this fantastic embellished wall with natural light coming through a window to the left. The Rotolight AEOS 2 was then positioned to the right with a medium purple digital filter switched on to add a touch of colour to the shadows.

3. Try a moody mono

After experimenting with the built-in colour filters we wanted to try something different and decided to ditch colour for a moody mono portrait. We kept the setup simple with a single AEOS 2 positioned at 45º to the front of our model Hamish.

To see the mono effect in real-time we went into the Canon Menu and set the Picture Style to Monochrome, this then shows you a black and white version when using the Live View, so you can just concentrate on the lighting and composition. Shoot in Raw so that you can always create a colour image edit later if you decide that you prefer that.

4. Try mixed lighting

For this setup we mixed together two different colours on our lights to give our shots even more colour, and shot through candle flames with a shallow depth-of-field to turn these into bright and contrasting foreground interest.

Our large AEOS 2 light was set to green and lit our model, Alexandra, from the right side, it was also the main light for the background, while our smaller NEO 3 light was set to a purple colour to fill in some of the shadows. The lights can also be set to a flash mode for twice the output and synced with a remote trigger, this boosts the LED light output by double for when you need to freeze a moment in time.

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What does a "smart" softbox do that a normal one doesn't? Well Rotolight has just unveiled its world-first electronic softbox, called the SmartSoft Box, and it will enable photographers and filmmakers to control the amount of diffusion and adjust the focus with the touch of a button. 

Being able to change the light source without having to buy extra accessories means that photographers could potentially save a fortune on kit, not to mention time changing between different gels and modifiers.

The Rotolight SmartSoft box was unveiled earlier in the year at the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for the popular Rotolight NEO 3 and the Rotolight AEOS 2 and it has been a very anticipated product. The Rotolight NEO 2 has already been popular among photographers and videographers due to its portability, power and ability to double up as a flash unit, and the SmartSoft Box looks like it could be as innovative.

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We haven't had a chance to test it yet, but Rotolight says that "the SmartSoft box mounts in just seconds to the AEOS 2, and is adjustable via the intuitive touchscreen display or, via the Rotolight App."

Since 2009, Rotolight has designed and manufactured its products in the UK, and it has become synonymous with making high-class LED lights such as the Rotolight AEOS . It has patented and pioneered several industry-firsts such as CineSFX and now SmartSoft, so it’s no stranger to breaking the mould when it comes to lighting. 

SmartSoft technology was first seen in Rotolight’s Titan Cinematic range but this is the debut for a consumer-grade removable electronic softbox. Famously, the Rotolight Titan X2 panels were used to shoot some high-budget Hollywood films including James Bond and Batman.

Initially, Rotolight launched a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of raising £15,000 (roughly £18,720) to fund the research for the new lights, but with 640 backers it has managed to raise a whopping £641,911 ($801,126). Those who have pledged will be the first to receive the new lighting kits and one of the benefits of pledging is that you will be able to access the SmartSoft eclectic diffusion panel as an add-on at a discounted price.

Having had a chance to use the new kit, Sam Nash, an award-winning commercial and fashion photographer said, "The new SmartSoft™ Box has revolutionized how I can control light. It simply allows me to create pictures with just one modifier that has never been possible before. It’s a game-changer in how I control light for both my commercial photography and has saved me so much time. The ease of use is phenomenal."

The software will be preinstalled on the AEOS 2, however the electric diffusion panel itself is purchased separately. Using Rotolight’s Native iOS or Android App, you can switch between different lighting modes as well as remotely adjust color, power and SFX making the whole experience efficient and up-to-date.

Rotolight SmartSoft Box is now available to pre-order directly from Rotolight’s website for $499/£439. Shipping will commence in August 2022 which is when we will also start to see the products in official Rotolight resellers. 

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The DSLR vs mirrorless debate has been around as long as the two camera systems – we've even written an entire guide around it. You might think that mirrorless has won... but the result isn't as one-sided as you might think. Whatever the technology might say, everyone has their own preference of camera, so we thought we'd put the two to the test in a real world shootout.

Read on, as two technique editors travel back in time to the Roaring Twenties for a test of Rotolight’s latest LEDs including the Rotolight AEOS 2. Alistair Campbell from Digital Camera magazine and Dan Mold from Photo Plus go head-to-head in a day full of photography. Alistair on the Fujifilm X-T3 mirrorless system and Dan with his tried and tested Canon EOS 6D Mark II DSLR.

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Alistair - “I’ve been photographing people for a long time now, typically performers in extravagant costumes, or avant-garde portraits with larger-than-life hairdos – theatrical make-up and outfits that wouldn’t look out of place in the latest series of Bridgerton. I love being able to experiment with a variety of lighting and shooting styles, so I was really looking forward to this shootout alongside Dan.”

Dan - “I have been writing for photography magazines for over a decade, and have a strong interest in wildlife and landscape photography. I currently work as Technique Editor on the leading Canon magazine PhotoPlus, and as such am an expert on the Canon EOS system. In my spare time I love nothing more than visiting wildlife hides in my local area or planning trips around the UK to photograph the best of British landscapes."

Challenge 1: Capture a vintage noir-style image with a single light

Challenge 1, Alistair Campbell

We began our day with a briefing from event producers The Creative Hub. Its team had sourced six models to be photographed in different rooms of the house, each possessing a distinct theme. First up, a Peaky Blinders vibe in the library with Hamish Scott. Decked out in his suit, Hamish certainly looked the part. Alistair said he often shoots with just a single light, so began the day in his element, quickly setting up his camera to fire a test shot and get a rapport with the model from the off. 

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“I’ve never shot photography with continuous lighting before,” said Alistair.
“I used to use it for filming video, but the constant changing of gel filters held on with clothes pegs became tedious. Back then, the lights would also get really hot, so I didn’t like using them. Being able to shoot today without having a wireless trigger stuck to the top of my camera was a welcome change, as they usually bash me in the head all day! I really enjoy using a single light – for me, photography is as much about the dark areas in an image as it is about light ones.”

Setting up the scene 

Alistair picked out a corner of the room that had a combination of dark and light backdrops to position Hamish. Then using the Rotolight AEOS 2 with some strategic barn doors, Alistair was able to make the light fall onto our Tommy Shelby-inspired model to bring out the contours of his face. To finish the shot, Alistair used a white and warm colour for a vintage look. 

Challenge 1, Dan Mold 

To introduce a variation, Dan asked Hamish to don his peaked cap, and for a second we thought we had found a portal back to the 1920s, as Hamish had now gone full Peaky Blinder. Adopting a different approach for this shot, Dan used a 90mm focal length and got a little closer to the action, filling the frame for his portrait. Hamish looked fantastic in this get-up, and would not have looked out of place on the Peaky Blinders set.

Dan says: “I wanted to try something really moody and atmospheric, and there was actually another light from across the room that was bleeding into my shots and giving them a green colour cast. This gave me the perfect excuse to shoot in mono and drain the shot of all colour. To see the mono effect in real-time using Live View, I went into the camera menu and set the Picture Style to Monochrome. I kept the lighting style simple with a single Rotolight AEOS 2 positioned at 45º to the front of Hamish and waited for him to strike a pose where the lights created a pleasing catchlight in his eyes.”

Try using facial recognition

Positioning himself side-on to Hamish and using a cooler light selection, Dan utilised Canon’s facial recognition system and engaged its eye-detection mode. This works well even in low light and when perpendicular to your subject. Shooting this way means you can capture more images – it wasn’t particularly necessary in this setup, but is a great tool nonetheless.

Challenge 2: Capture a mixture of warm and cool light

Challenge 2, Alistair Campbell

It was off to The Pastel Room next, where we met Betsy, our champagne showgirl, ostentatious with feathers, shimmers and sequins. Alistair set the first light to an orange/red and placed it off to one side, and set the other to a party-style aqua/blue. 

“I went with these colours primarily to mimic the decor of the room,” he recalls. “I’m typically quite a conventional photographer and use white off-camera flash, so having the option to mix colours was a lot of fun. I kept the 35mm lens on to retain some of the environment around Betsy and give the shot a little breathing room.”

Use extra props 

Production team The Creativity Hub had done a terrific job and there were lots of artifacts dotted about Betsy’s room, which added to the party vibe. Alistair brought some of the glistening beads and sparkles close to the lens, shooting wide open at
f/2 and creating some extra foreground. Shooting slightly lower than waist height also gave the shot a pleasing angle. 

Challenge 2, Dan Mold

With the Roaring Twenties now in full swing, Dan also adopted a low shooting position, sitting on the floor and asking Betsy to kneel on the extravagant disco ball to the side. Again choosing to stick with his original lens, Dan continued to shoot quite close up on his 90mm Tamron. Even at a slightly slower aperture of f/2.8, the extra focal length allowed Dan to punch in and blur the background as he captured his portraits.

“For this setup we mixed together two different colours on the lights to produce even more colour,” says Dan.  “Our large AEOS 2 light was set to red and lit Betsy from the left, while the smaller Neo 3 light was set to a blue colour to highlight the right-hand side of her face – this had a fantastic effect, mixing the warm and cool colours in-camera. There was also a window behind that added a little ambient light to the background. Having Betsy crouched down next to this huge disco ball produced loads of reflections and sparkle that draws the eye into the scene. If I could retake this shot I’d dial down the reds slightly, as they’ve come out a bit too overpowering for my liking.” 

To see the rest of the challenge results be sure to pick up the latest Issue 255 of Digital Camera Magazine (on sale until 26th May). Keep an eye out for more events by The Creativity Hub for Rotolight and Sony. If you're keen to attend we're offering a special discount. Use ‘digcam22’ to get 15% off a full-day ticket for an upcoming 2022 event: info@creativityhubevents.com

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The Rotolight AEOS 2 bucks a recent trend. LED panels aren’t exactly ten a penny these days but there are plenty of ultra-cheap options on the market. They’re universally good rather than great, with typically basic features and mediocre build quality. 

The AEOS 2 takes an opposite path, packing a mighty range of advanced features plus high-speed sync flash into a compact and lightweight, yet fully pro-grade build. The original AEOS was a favorite of many enthusiast and professional photographers and videographers, but the second edition takes everything to a whole new level.

Specifications

Max output (constant): 11,500 Lux at 3 feet
Max output (flash): 17,500 Lux at 3 feet
CRI/TLCI: 95/99
Beam angle: 50 degrees
Wireless control: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Mounting: 1/4" tripod, yoke
Power consumption: 120W
Battery type: V-lock 24V 150W
Dimensions (dia x depth): 295 x 25mm
Weight (excl battery): 2,400g

Key features

Gone are the bi-color LEDs of the original AEOS, replaced by a bank of top-end RGBWW (Red Green Blue White Warm white) lamps. This makes a full 16.7 million color range available in the AEOS 2, for both constant lighting and flash output, the latter boosting the impressive maximum power output by more than 50 per cent. There’s a built-in RF receiver making wireless HSS triggering available via an Elinchrom/Rotolight HSS trigger, sold separately in Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and Olympus/Panasonic dedicated options.

Extending the color capabilities, the AEOS 2 adds 2,500 digital filters, including the emulation of favorites from the likes of LEE and Rosco, which are easily accessible via the new color touchscreen interface, again for both constant lighting and flash. The range of cinematic effects is extended from the original AEOS, and now includes the likes of fade, lightning, strobe, cycle, fire, police, TV, gunshot, neon, film, weld and paparazzi. F-stop dimming and the ‘designer fade mode’ are also inherited, as in the similarly uprated but smaller Rotolight NEO 3.

The AEOS 2 also adds built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so you can control the full range of functions from the companion iOS and Android app, as well as easily managing multiple units in groups. Another smart new feature is that you can store user-defined presets, making the wealth of lighting options available at the press of a virtual button.

Build and handling

As with the original, the AEOS 2 has the same high-grade feel to its construction, with excellent build quality throughout. A neat handling enhancement that’s retained is the aluminum grab handles at either side of the rear panel, making it easy for an assistant to hold and maneuver the lamp during on-the-move video sequences. There’s also a tripod mounting socket and the option of a yoke. With mobility in mind, the AEOS 2 is refreshingly lightweight for such a powerful lamp, at an entirely manageable 1.4kg, excluding battery pack.

The battery itself is a V-lock 24V 150W Li-ion type and you can also power the AEOS 2 directly from the mains, via a PSU (power supply unit). Indeed, the basic kit only includes the PSU and no battery, although it does come complete with a good-quality diffuser dome. The Explorer Kit adds a battery and charger, plus a padded soft case. Next up the price ladder, the Masters Kit doubles up on lamps and diffusion domes while also adding light stands and a padded soft case, but this time batteries aren’t included. Top of the range is the Ultimate Kit, which is essentially the same as the Masters Kit with the addition of two batteries and chargers.

A range of accessories is available, including a ‘SmartSoft Box’, which enables you to dial in diffusion electronically, on the fly. This wasn’t available during our tests, but should avoid the time and effort required to attach or remove the regular diffusion dome. The fitment of a large variety of other modifiers is enabled by Rotolight’s optional Bowens S-mount and Universal Speedring adaptors.

Arguably the biggest enhancement to handling, over the original AEOS, is the color touchscreen panel that makes the wide range of CCT, HSI, gels, flash, special effects and user-defined presets quick and easy to access and adjust.

Performance

For an LED lamp with a 295mm diameter and slim 25mm or 1-inch depth, the maximum power output of 11,500 Lux at 3 feet is highly impressive. This increases to 17,500 in flash mode. Performance is similarly superb in terms of color accuracy, the TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) rating increasing to 99/100, compared with an already very good 91 in the original AEOS.

In regular CCT constant white lighting mode, the color temperature range is increased to 3000-10,000 Kelvin, compared with 3150-6200 Kelvin in the original AEOS. HSI mode with easily adjustable hue, saturation and intensity was naturally off the menu in the previous model, as were the digital gel filters. Again, these work with simple efficiency.

In flash mode, our tests gave a maximum output of Gn 7.1 (ISO 100, meters) which is much less than from a ‘proper’ flashgun. On the plus side though, the lamp is relatively large giving softer lighting and you get a full range of color options. Also, recycling is instantaneous after even a full-power flash, so there’s no waiting around for your flashgun to recharge during continuous shooting.

Verdict

As an all-in-one solution, the AEOS 2 packs enormous constant lighting and flash versatility with real power into a compact and lightweight build. The color touchscreen interface makes all the advanced features easily accessible, and the extras like digital gel features and special effects are a real bonus. The AEOS 2 certainly isn’t cheap to buy, but it’s a joy to use and a top performer, making it worth the money.

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• Rotolight NEO 3 review

The Rotolight NEO 3 builds on the success of the preceding NEO 2, adding a raft of impressive new features. Both models deliver flash output as well as constant lighting, but the NEO 3 delivers a full range of color in both modes, with full RGBWW options. It comes in various configurations and kits and accessories will vary according to which you choose.

The Rotolight NEO 3 also adds an integrated Elinchrom Skyport RF receiver, enabling wireless flash triggering if you have (or buy) the companion Elinchrom/Rotolight HSS Transmitter. As its name suggests, the hotshoe-mounting trigger comes in dedicated options for different makes of cameras and enables high-speed sync, with shutter speeds of up to 1/8000th of a second. It also comes complete with a hotshoe adaptor so you can mount it directly on the camera, and features a 3.5mm sync socket.

Specifications

Max output (constant): 5,443 Lux at 3 feet
Max output (flash): 10,700 Lux at 3 feet
CRI/TLCI: 95/99
Beam angle: 50 degrees
Wireless control: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Mounting: 1/4" tripod, cold shoe
Power consumption: 50W
Battery type: NPF-750 24V
Dimensions (dia x depth): 145 x 50mm
Weight (excl battery): 354g

Key features

In regular CCT mode, the color temperature range is extended to 3000-10,000 Kelvin in the new model, compared with 3150-6300 Kelvin in the NEO 2. The change is even bigger when it comes to color lighting, as the NEO 3 adds an HSI mode, where you can select output from a full range of 16.7 million colors with full control over hue, saturation and brightness. Next up, there’s a new filter mode in which you can match the output to as many as 2,500 digital filters, complete with a ‘source matching’ option for directly setting gel filter effects like ‘D65’ daylight and ‘D32 tungsten.

Strong features of the NEO 2 are carried forward, like wide-ranging special effects that include fade, lightning, strobe, cycle, fire, police, TV, gunshot, neon, film, weld and paparazzi. F-stop dimming and the ‘designer fade mode’ are also inherited. However, with so many more features at hand in the NEO 3, another key upgrade is the full-color touchscreen which eases navigation through the extensive menu system. It also adds the ability create user-defined presets, so you can quickly and easily return to favorite settings.

Build and handling

The NEO 3 is conveniently compact, with a diameter of 145mm, a depth of 50mm and a weight of 354g, excluding the battery pack. The battery itself is a clip-on NPF-750 24V Li-ion type, and weighs around 200g. That makes the whole package easily manageable to handhold, or to slot into a camera’s hotshoe via the supplied adaptor. The lamp itself also features a tripod mounting socket. As an alternative, you can power the lamp directly from the mains, if you buy the optional Rotolight NEO 3 PSU (power supply unit).

Three different kits are available. The NEO 3 Starter Bundle includes the lamp and battery plus a USB charging cable and carrying bag. The NEO 3 Ultimate Kit adds a good-quality clip-on diffusion dome and a pretty basic USB dual-channel fast charger. Finally, there’s the NEO 3 - 3 Light Kit, which contains three lamps, three diffusion domes, three batteries, one dual-channel fast charger, three light stands and a hard case. For our money, the NEO 3 Ultimate Kit is the best value.

Build quality feels of a pro-grade standard and handling is much improved over the previous edition, thanks to the addition of the color touchscreen and availability of user-defined presets. Another serious handling upgrade is that the NEO 3 adds integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so you can control one or multiple units direct from a smart device if you download the companion iOS or Android app.

Performance

Rotolight is keen to point out that the NEO 3 is the world’s most powerful on-camera LED to date. It certainly packs a punch, with a maximum constant output equating to 5443 Lux at 3 feet. Running at full pelt for prolonged periods will bring the dual cooling fans into play, but they’re pretty quiet.

Color accuracy is excellent, with a CRI (Color Rendering Index) of 95 and a TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) rating of 99 out of a maximum of 100. That’s entirely reassuring, given that anything in the 85-100 range is considered to need no color correction.

In our tests, measuring flash output with a Sekonic flash meter, the maximum power worked out to Guide number of Gn 4.5 (metres, ISO 100). As a point of reference, the tiny pop-up flash of low-budget cameras like the Nikon D3500 and Canon EOS 4000D have ratings of Gn 8 and Gn 9.2 respectively. In its favor though, the NEO 3 enables high-speed sync as well as instantaneous recycling for repeated flash output.

Verdict

Small but powerful and extremely versatile as a constant LED light, the NEO 3 is a quantum leap forward from the previous NEO 2 model. It delivers a full color range in both constant and flash modes, with a huge range of electronic color filters and special effects, all available via a simple and intuitive color touchscreen menu. Maximum flash output is disappointing compared to a ‘proper’ flashgun but, even so, it’s a brilliant solution for anyone who needs to shed a little extra light on both stills and video capture.

Rotolight has launched its brand-new Kickstarter campaign giving you the ability to support and be among the first to receive the incredible next generation lineup of innovative Rotolight products: the Rotolight NEO 3 and AEOS 2.

The duo of next-generation lights is set to give photographers unprecedented lighting control with a white balance that can be adjusted to one of 16.7 million colours or have one of 2,500 digital filters applied to it. Recycling times are usually a hassle causing delays between shots when using a conventional flash. As both the NEO 3 and AEOS 2 make use of super bright LED technology you get an astonishingly bright light source with no downtime between shots so you'll never miss a moment. 

The new NEO 3 and AEOS 2 lights are compatible with the previous generation’s accessories, while they’re also introducing a new Rotolight Universal Speedring Adaptor which unlocks a suite of Bowens-mount modifiers as well.

Benefits to pledging not only involve being the first in the world to get their hands on these state-of-the-art lighting products when they start shipping in February next year, but also give you access to exclusive early bird prices.

Rotolight NEO 3: Portable, powerful and packs a punch!

The Rotolight NEO 3 is the smaller of the two lights announced and although small it still manages to pack a powerful punch. In-fact it’s the brightest LED light ever produced that's designed to sit on a camera’s hotshoe.

Building on the success of the Rotolight NEO 2, the NEO 3 adds greater power, an innovative touch screen interface on the back of the light and is designed to fit seamlessly into your workflow with the Rotolight iOS & Android App. It also features a brand-new high-performance Lithium battery so you can shoot brighter and for longer.

Save up to 20% on the Rotolight NEO 3 Starter Bundle which has an earlybird price of £352/$479 down from £429/$599. There's also huge savings to be had with the NEO 3 Ultimate Bundle which comes with the NEO 3, Diffuser Dome and Fast Charger which has a discounted price of £380/$519 down from £459/$649.

The biggest saving comes from the Rotolight NEO 3 Kit which comes with a trio of NEO 3 lights with diffuser domes, light stands and batteries for each light as well as a dual channel fast battery charger and a hard case to keep your lights protected.

Learn more about the Rotolight NEO 3, or click here to buy. 

Rotolight AEOS 2: Professional lighting redefined

The Rotolight AEOS 2 builds on the success of the highly-rated original AEOS and offers image-makers unmatched versatility. Uniquely lightweight with an ultra-thin design, this new LED from the world’s most innovative lighting brand is the thinnest and lightest 1x1 panel ever made weighing in at under 1.4kg. 

The AEOS 2 incorporates the brilliant new SmartSoft Box feature which, allows you to switch from a beautiful soft output to a harder light source at a moment’s notice. Electronically adjusting the diffusion, focus and spread of the light. 

Just like with the NEO 3 there’s some massive savings to be had with the AEOS 2 including the base Rotolight AEOS 2 package which comes with the AEOS 2 light, a diffuser dome, and a power supply unit which is just £825/$1119, down from £999/$1399. There’s also the Ultimate, Masters and Explorer bundles which are worth checking out and have varying amounts of lights, spare batteries and accessories, all with 20% off the RRP.

Learn more about the Rotolight AEOS 2, or click here to buy. 

Brand-new touchscreen

Both the NEO 3 and AEOS 2 feature a brand-new two-inch touchscreen display on the back of the panels giving photographers and videographers an intuitive way to dial in settings and access key features at a moment’s notice. The intuitive display allows users to quickly switch between presets, change the white balance, choose gels, change between flash modes and much more without delay.

Rotolight iOS & Android App

With an all new Rotolight iOS and Android native app, you’re always in control. Easily switch between lighting modes, adjust power, SFX and change the quality of the lights from one in 16.7 million colour options. You can even match colours using the camera on your smartphone. Create custom groups and projects on up to 20 lights simultaneously; right from the palm of your hand.

Rotolight NEO 3 and AEOS 2 price and release date

The Rotolight NEO 3 and AEOS 2 is available now, with prices starting at £352/$479. For more information and the full list of kits, accessories and bundle options, head to the Kickstarter campaign.

The Rotolight NEO 3 is a new version of Rotolight’s popular NEO 2 on-camera LED light and the AEOS 2 is a larger, more powerful LED panel for pro filmmakers and photographers. Uniquely, these two lights will not only offer continuous lighting for video, but the world’s first adjustable color High-Speed Sync RGBWW flash mode.

Rotolight’s clever flash mode uses high-intensity, short-duration LED ‘bursts’ to duplicate the effect of regular flash, but with zero recycle time and extended battery life. It’s like having a continuous light and flash in a single unit. Both new lights have an integrated Elinchrom Skyport flash receiver (you will need a transmitter for your camera).

Rotolight has made its name with powerful on-camera and studio LED lighting systems for videographers and photographers, which are amongst the best LED panels and video lights you can get – and the NEO 2 and original AEOS have been two of its most successful models. This time, it’s launching their replacements as a Kickstarter campaign, which starts now and will run through to November 16 2021.

Rotolight NEO 3 key features

The original Rotolight Neo and its successor the NEO 2 have been amongst Rotolight’s most successful products. The NEO 2 offers high output with continuously variable color temperature and a high-intensity flash mode.

The NEO 3 takes this to a new level, with what Rotolight claims is the “brightest on-camera LED ever produced”. This new version allows flash in any one of 16.7 million colors and with no fewer than 2,500 different filters.

Other big changes include a new USB-chargeable lithium ion battery to replace the 6 AA cells used by the previous version, and a new full-color touchscreen display to control the light settings.

The Rotolight NEO 3 will be available on its own or as part of a three-light kit. Not only that, there will be a new Rotolight iOS and Android app offering remote control of multiple lights, whether they are NEO 3 or AEOS 2 models.

Rotolight AEOS 2 key features

The AEOS 2 is a larger, more powerful light that would normally be used on a stand but, uniquely, has grips for two-handed use on the move. The AEOS 2 has the same High-Speed Sync RGBWW flash features as the NEO 3 and the same ability to offer 16.7 million colors and 2,500 digital filters.

It’s also very light for a panel of this size and power output; indeed, Rotolight says that at 1.4kg it’s the thinnest and lightest 1x1 type light yet made. Like the NEO 3, the AEOS 2 has a colour touchscreen control panel and can be controlled remotely via the Rotolight app.

It also offers more than one way to create light modifier effects. The AEOS 2 has a built in SmartSoft Box feature to create an electronic diffusion effect and alter the light’s focus and spread via the touchscreen or app.

The AEOS 2 will also accept a new Rotolight Universal Speedring adaptor to allow the attachment of numerous Bowens-mount lighting modifiers.

• You can find out more about the Rotolight NEO 3 and AEOS 2 on the Rotolight Kickstarter campaign website.

The Rotolight Titan X1 is pitched at a growing and broadening market. With more stills photographers enjoying the benefits of continuous light, especially those who are edging towards filmmaking, an LED light panel makes a lot of sense. And of course, for serious video users, it’s an essential buy.

See the Rotolight Titan X1 in action

The best LED panels use silent LEDs, in an RGBWW array which means they can be used to set all different color temperatures and tints of white light, plus can put out all the colors of the rainbow for creative effects, if you so wish.

Rotolight’s current Titan X2 2x1ft panel had all this and added some unique new technology, by not only being the brightest light in its class, but the only one to offer electronically-adjustable diffusion at the turn of a dial. This also affects the focus and light spread of the beam. 

So no additional diffusion is required, and you adjust the quality of light using the rear controls or by remote control. The front panel changes from fully translucent to frosted, softening the light. 

It also has an SFX mode to mimic a flickering fire, lightning, TV, gunshot, camera flashes and more. Plus high speed sync flash at up to 1/8000th, using an integrated Elinchrom EL-Skyport flash receiver. 

However, at 2x1ft, the Titan X2 is no lightweight and can be tricky for a single-shooter to use on location. It also doesn’t fit on a normal photo-style light stand, as it requires a much larger cine-style stand. And coming with a custom fitted case, clamps to hold the transformer power unit and a barn door set, the Titan X2’s price proved a bit too much for many.

The new Titan X1 has exactly the same technology and features, but is half the size, a lot lighter, easier to hide on tight sets, fits on a normal light stand and, while it's still expensive by regular stills photography standards, it costs much less than its predecessor. And like its big brother, it is the most powerful in its own class, claims Rotolight. 

Specifications

Max light output: 8290 lux/ 770 foot-candles at 1m
White light: 3000-10,000K variable correlated color temperature
Colored light: RGBWW color gamut with hue, saturation and diffusion control
CRI: >97 @ 3200K, >95 @ 5600K
TLCI: 98
Beam angle: 60-150 degrees, electronically variable
Dimming: 0-100% continuous
Diffusion: 0-2 stops continuous
Power consumption: 230W nominal
Battery voltage: 20.5-26V DC
Control: Touchscreen interface, local five-pin DMX, RJ45, Bluetooth via Luminair app, LumenRadio, wired DMX, Elinchrom Skyport
Flash: Skyport HSS to 1/8000th sec, up to 200m range
LED lifetime: 50,000 hours
Mount: 28mm junior spigot or 16mm baby spigot
Light aperture: 340x300mm
Estimated color shift over lifetime: +/-5%
Dimensions (WxDxD): 350x150x705mm
Weight: 6.8kg

Key features

The Titan X1’s RGBWW lighting array use five different colored LEDs. One set is cool white for daylight and one is warm to produce a tungsten-style color temperature. Then there are red, green and blue LEDs. These are all dialled in to set a precise color temperature and green/ magenta balance from 3000-10,000K for white light, or any bold color you like. 

There settings to match the light output to around 1400 Lee or Rosco gels which are sorted by color grouping, name and number. Then if you want to tweak the color even further, you can by using the on-screen sliders or control dials. 

The LCD touchscreen color display lets you access all key features with quick-start icons and up to 50 user-customisable presets. In the home screen mode, one option is to select CCT where you can set the color temperature and green/magenta tint to produce white light.

HSI mode allows you to alter the hue, saturation and intensity while RGBW mode lets you adjust the red, green and blue colors. XY mode lets you select the color space you are working in, either full gamut, Rec. 709 or Rec. 2020 for HDR. 

And SFX mode offers some special effects for filmmakers. There are customisable settings to mimic the light from a fire, lightning, gunshot, camera flashes, welding sparks and more. 

And the electronically-adjustable SmartSoft diffusion changes the softness and quality of light, as well as its spread as the beam angle changes from 68-150 degrees.

The Titan X1 also has high-speed sync RGB flash at up to 1/8000th for stills, using an integrated Elinchrom EL-Skyport flash receiver. To make it work, however, you have to buy the EL-Skyport Pro transmitter separately. There is also a standard flash sync port for basic triggers.

Build and handling

All Rotolight’s professional Titan series are built for daily TV, broadcast and film use so you know they are well built and rugged. The Titan X1 has a solid build quality with stylish touches like red anodised dials to make the unit far more than just an industrial-style light fixture. 

The touschcreen is easy to use and navigate, and the dials are solid and have a very tactile feel. However, you have to adjust these quite slowly as the light sometimes doesn’t quite keep up with the adjustments.  

For remote control, the light is DMX ready and comes with built-in compatibility with the Luminair 3 app to control the Titan via DMX radio units or bluetooth from your smartphone. 

There are barn doors on the light which control the beam well, and these can be removed if you like. Rotolight is also launching a range of accessories like softboxes and grids to fit, too.

The standard light comes with a yoke fitment for a conventional photo-style light stand. A single knob on the side allows you to adjust the angle. You can also buy a Swan Neck fitment which also goes on a light stand and has an adjustable top clamp to alter the angle of the light. And there is a pole-operated yoke for mounting it to an overhead lighting rig.

To use the Titan on location, Rotolight has also launched an optional two-way V-Lock battery adapter that enables the light to run at 100% power on location. This unit fixes onto the light stand using Rotolight’s own connector on a standard-style superclamp. A new range of high-capacity batteries will be available in 155Wh and 310Wh versions.

The standard light comes with a mains power transformer and clamp that can either be clamped onto the light stand, or fixed directly to the back of the Titan X1. All the connection are high-quality, professional-style fittings.

Performance

The Titan X1 puts out a maximum of 8290 lux/ 770 foot-candles at 1m which is very bright – probably too bright for a sitter up close. This is roughly the equivalent exposure of f/2.8 at 1/500th sec using ISO 100. If you switch to flash mode, the power is doubled.

At different levels of diffusion and colors, the actual brightness output does vary. But it’s always obvious just how high the output is and how easy it is to turn it down. This power means the light can be moved further away which makes the light a harder, more punchy source. Move the light closer to the subject and it becomes softer, and you can dial in diffusion too. 

The quality of the light output is excellent, and it’s especially good for skin tones which is where many LED lights can struggle. Our tests showed the color temperature and hue to be totally accurate with no odd color shifts. 

And although the SFX settings might seem a bit of a gimmick, they are actually really useful for filmmakers who want an easy way of replicating things like light from a fire, or the blue-and-red flashes from a police car. 

Verdict

If you are looking for a lighting solution that works well for both stills and video, then the Titan X1 delivers. It’s a professional light that offers the same features as the larger Titan X2 but is actually more portable and easier to rig up, and obviously cheaper. Although it’s still a high-end price for a high-end light. 

Up close, with the diffusion dialled in, it’s a lovely soft light that gives great skin tones. Or move it further away, dial out the diffusion and it’s a much punchier source.

The creative use of colors is a plus, as are the SFX and flash settings. But it’s the light’s high power output and dial-in diffusion that put it into a league of its own.

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The new Rotolight Titan X1 is not only claimed to be the most powerful 1x1ft LED light panel on the market but allows different levels of diffusion to be selected at the turn of a dial. 

Using the same technology as the award-winning Titan X2 2x1ft light, the new X1 is much smaller, lighter and more affordable – although at £2880 (US pricing TBC) it’s still of most interest to professionals and well-heeled enthusiasts.

The British-made panel puts out a maximum of 8290 lux/ 770 foot-candles at a range of 1m/3.3ft, which roughly equates to an exposure of f/2.8 at 1/500th sec at ISO 100. It also has a unique set of technologies that make it ideal for filmmakers and stills photographers as it can be used as a continuous light or a high-speed sync flash. 

Rotolight has made this video (above) to showcase the Titan X1 and its capabilities.

Using RGBWW LED diodes, the precise colour temperature and green/ magenta tint for white light can be set from 3000-10,000K using the dials on the back of the panel, the colour touchscreen or via remote control. 

Or for more creative effects you can set any colour you like, dragging the sliders or turning the adjustment dials for different hue, saturation and intensity, or precisely setting a mix of red, green and blue. There are also settings to match the light output to around 1400 filters to match Lee or Rosco filters.

The unique SmartSoft function allows you to dial in the diffusion, focus and spread of the light output without the need for diffusion gels. The light comes with barn doors to control the light spread, and can be fitted inside Rotolight’s range of softboxes to soften the output even more. 

SFX mode offers filmmakers lots of different special effects, all of which are customisable. There are settings to replicate fire, lightning, TV, gunshot, camera flashes, welding sparks and more. 

Check out the video below: Filming a music video with Peter Neill and the Rotolight Titan X1

High speed flash with zero recycle time worries

For photographers who don’t want to use continuous light, the Titan X1 is the world’s first High Speed Sync RGB flash with support for shutter speeds up to 1/8000th sec. It has a built-in Elinchrom EL-Skyport flash receiver but you need to buy your own transmitter. There is a normal flash sync port, too. 

Weighing in at 6.8kg/ 14.9lb, the Titan X1 fits onto a normal light stand rather than a large cine-style stand, and comes with a choice of mounts. It comes with a separate mains transformer, but can also be powered by V-Lock batteries on location. Rotolight will offer these, along with a charger unit, as an optional extra. Other extras include a fitted, wheeled aluminium case or padded bag. Everything will be on sale this month with special introductory pricing until December 31.

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Whether you’re a remote working dialling into video conferences, an executive replacing the board room with your spare room, or a creator who wants the best quality content, the single most important part of your setup is the lighting. 

Content creators have long understood the need for great situational lighting, but for millions of people now working remotely it’s something they’ve never had to consider before. 

However, it’s just as true for vloggers as it is for VPs; you need a dedicated desktop lighting setup to create a professional appearance, whether you’re using a webcam on your computer or your smartphone for YouTubing. 

Thankfully Rotolight, the leader in the field of continuous LED lighting, has created two bespoke kits that provide the perfect solution: the Ultimate Vlogging Kit and the Video Conferencing Kit.

Ultimate Vlogging Kit

For content creators, the Ultimate Vlogging Kit offers a lightweight, portable rig that can be taken and set up anywhere – and even used handheld. Makeup tutorials, YouTube videos, Instagram content and even TikTok videos will drastically improve by adding quality lighting.

This kit is built around the award-winning Rotolight RL48 ring light, which achieves sumptuous and soft illumination that fills unflattering shadows. It also adds beautiful and distinct catchlights to your eyes, creating a look worthy of high-end productions. 

The light can also be modified with diffusion filters, skin tone filters, and even color temperature filters. This means you can soften the light, give your makeup an artificial boost, and get perfect lighting at any time of day.

Using the mini desktop tripod, universal smartphone mount and accessory bar, you can mount the light, any phone and even a microphone (not included) for an all-in-one video solution. And if you need to vlog on the go, the tripod can be used as a grip for those dynamic walking-talking pieces! 

Powered by three AA batteries (not included), giving you over four hours of continuous shooting, the Ultimate Vlogging Kit is ideal for creating great content wherever you go. 

Learn more about the Ultimate Vlogging Kit, or click here to buy. 

Video Conferencing Kit

It’s not just YouTubers who need good light, though. Maybe you’re one of the many people now working from home, and attending digital meetings via Zoom. Perhaps you’re an educator, hosting training and webinars on Bluejeans. Or you could be an executive, whose business lunches have been replaced by Skype sessions. 

Either way, you don’t want to be the person on the call with dark, grainy, low-fi video. Put your most professional foot forward and look your best, with the desk-based Video Conferencing Kit.

The award-winning Rotolight NEO 2 delivers powerful, adjustable light that creates the best virtual first impression. This high-quality, dimmable light eliminates shadows and can be electronically adjusted to produce the right amount of power, and the perfect color temperature – enabling you to get great video in daylight, mixed light and even sunset.

The height-adjustable desktop stand makes sure that your light is coming from the right position, and the 360-degree ballhead enables you to angle it perfectly for clean, corporate illumination – or more artistic lighting, if you prefer. The NEO 2 can be powered by mains or by six AA batteries (not included) for up to three hours, meaning you can easily take the light with you should you need to move your home working station. 

Again this kit comes with a four-piece filter set, with skin tone filters for a quick touch-up, a diffusion filter to soften the light even more, and color temperature filters to save you adjusting it manually. 

Learn more about the Video Conferencing Kit, or click here to buy.

Both the Ultimate Vlogging Kit ($89.00 / £66.65 / €79.00) and the Video Conferencing Kit ($299.00 / £208.32 / €269.99) are available to purchase from Rotolight.com and at leading retailers now (prices exclude tax). 

Rotolight's game-changing range of award-winning, professional-grade LED lighting systems have transformed the way that both stills and video photographers light their shots. 

At The Photography Show this month, not only will the manufacturer be presenting its full range of products – from the ultra-portable Rotolight NEO to the ultra-powerful Titan X2 – it will also be hosting a series of talks from leading professional photographers, who will share their experience and lighting secrets. 

Taking place from 14-17 March at the NEC in Birmingham, United Kingdom, The Photography Show will play host to the biggest and best brands in the imaging industry. The Rotolight stand, situated at C101, will feature a stage area where professional photographers will be demonstrating throughout the show. 

In addition to seeing Rotolight kit in action, from the 'shoot what you see' continuous lighting to high speed sync flash capabilities, you'll be able to listen to talks from these heavy hitting professionals… and take advantage of some exclusive, unmissable show-only offers!

Terry Donnelly

Another Rotolight Master of Light, Terry Donnelly is a Sony ambassador and one of the most decorated photographers in Europe, holding multiple fellowships and winning hundreds of international awards, including numerous Photographer of the Year titles. 

A general practice photographer, Terry is known as much for his striking portraiture as his sports portfolio, as well as his commercial and conceptual work. “It’s okay to shoot lots of different genres of photography – the skills always overlap and that’s what makes your work stronger. I’m a firm believer that everyone should just shoot what they enjoy because that’s how you grow.”

Terry's talk explores fuss-free portraiture and how to take beautiful shots with a single-light setup, which he often does using his favored Rotolight AEOS. “Because I’m always shooting on location, I love using the AEOS. It delivers a beautiful soft light straight from the unit, that can be used without the need for modifiers and has the advantage of being portable enough to hand hold when working alone.”

Talk schedule:
Saturday 14th March – 12:45
Sunday 15th March – 15:00
Tuesday 17th March – 13:30

Jean Noir

A Rotolight Master of Light, German portrait photographer Jean Noir is well known for his focus on color and emotion. His recognizable and intimate portraiture emphasizes playing with light, using items such as prisms, and getting creative with shadows using less common objects like colanders!

Often shooting close to his subject, he employs striking composition to complement his colors and uses textures to add visual interest. Using supplemental light to add fill and create unique effects in his edgy, industrial NOIRstudio is key to his work.

"My photography is really focused on color, so being able to change the color temperature really helps me to adapt depending on the time of day or mood and mix it with the ambient light available. I even use the AEOS and NEO 2 to support my work with natural light because it lets me get the last kick in the eyes bringing the image to life."

Jean’s talks at The Photography Show will covering how he uses artificial light to capture emotion in his portraits, as well as how he uses everyday items to create unique images.

Talk schedule:
Sunday 15th March – 10:30, 15:45
Monday 16th March – 13:30
Tuesday 17th March – 10:30, 12:45, 15:45

Donna Crous

Professional food photographer and blogger Donna Crous is highly respected in her field. Winner of Paleo Blogger of the Year, and always highly ranked in the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards, she is an Ambassador for Photo Boards and also runs Eighty 20 Nutrition. 

Shooting from her home studio, Donna is a convert to the compact and versatile Rotolight NEO 2. The light's adjustable color temperature means that she can shoot no matter the time of day or prevailing lighting conditions – a far cry from the "chasing the sun" method she used before, limiting her to only shooting when the ambient lighting and weather was good enough!

The NEO 2 affords Donna the freedom and flexibility that her work demands. As she will explain in her talk, her work is characterized by the unique juxtaposition of the vibrant food she prepares against the rustic backdrop of her shooting space.

Talk schedule:
Saturday 14th March – 12:00
Sunday 15th March – 13:30
Monday 16th March – 11:15, 15:45
Tuesday 17th March – 11:15, 14:15

Luke & Mandy

Like some of the most successful professionals over the years, Luke and Mandy are a husband and wife duo that have been creating fine art portraiture since 2014 – and the creative union draws equally from each photographer's strengths. “Everything is done together," says Luke, "it’s a 50/50 process between the two of us from concept to completion."

The duo used to shoot 100% using natural light, but Rotolight's continuous LEDs have liberated them from only being able to work what the sun gives them. “There’s usually only one angle that looks the best when it comes to natural light so it really restricted our shots, but we just got used to it. However, Rotolight has now given us the freedom to develop and experiment with any angle or position.”

In their talk at The Photography Show, Luke and Mandy will be sharing their expertise in creating ethereal portraiture using continuous lighting to shoot fine art images on location. 

Talk schedule:
Saturday 14th March – 10:30, 13:30, 15:45
Sunday 15th March – 11:15, 12:45
Monday 16th March – 10:30, 12:45, 15:00

Rob Pugh

Portrait and wedding photographer Rob Pugh left the armed forces in search of a new challenge, and today owns RP Photography by Design – a business that specializes in unique "wedding photojournalist" images and corporate headshots. 

When shooting the latter, his clients aren't necessarily confident in front of the camera – and don't have time to waste. "With corporate photography I only have my client for such a short period of time and, even then, they’re often still trying to organize meetings or respond to emails on their phone.”

Rob's talk at The Photography Show will focus on how he captures corporate headshots designed to help clients build their brands, and how using lightweight kit like the Rotolight AEOS and NEO 2 to remain mobile and agile.

Talk schedule:
Saturday 14th March – 11:15, 14:15
Sunday 15th March – 12:00, 14:15
Monday 16th March – 12:00, 14:15
Tuesday 17th March – 12:00, 15:00

To listen to these world-renowned speakers, see live lighting demonstrations, get hands-on with equipment and take advantage of exclusive show-only offers, visit the Rotolight stand at C101. The schedule below (click for full size) details the timetable for speakers and their demonstrations, so make sure you don't miss out! 

Those Black Friday camera deals are getting closer and closer every day, but it's going to take a really great offer to beat this bargain: for today only you can save $656 on the Rotolight AEOS LED Light bundle including a battery!

This is one of the amazing early B&H Black Friday deals, but you'll have to act quick as the deal expires at the stroke of midnight tonight! 

Continuous LED lighting offers many benefits over flash, since it gives you WYSIWYG shooting results – something that makes a perfect pairing with the EVFs and Live Views offered by mirrorless cameras (Black Friday deals are also in abundance for those, too!).

With this bundle, you can shoot using a power outlet indoors and also plug in a battery to shoot on location. Take your images and lighting to the next level!

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Rotolight has announced "a new era of cinematic lighting", the Rotolight Titan X2 LED soft light – which it claims is "the brightest 2x1 soft light ever made".

The Rotolight Titan X2 offers an unparalleled level of control, enabling photographers and cinematographers to electronically adjust lighting properties such as diffusion, focus and spread. 

Controllable wirelessly or directly via the unit's toughened LCD touchscreen, the Titan X2 boasts customizable presets and quick-start shortcuts to save searching through a cavern of menus. The device can also display on-screen previews of its lighting effects, making it much easier to find and fine-tune results. 

Encompassing the entire CCT (correlated color temperature) spectrum from 2,800K-10,000K, the Rotolight Titan X2 makes gels redundant. Over 16.7 million colors are accessible across distinct lighting modes CCT, HSI, RGBW, XY and Filter – which boasts a library of over 1,300 industry standard gel presets.

For cinematographers and videographers, Rotolight's CineSFX suite (designed in association with visual effects specialist Stefan Lange, whose credits include Batman, 007 Skyfall and Tomb Raider) offers realistic full-color cinematic lighting effects such as fire, lightning, TV, gunshot and paparazzi (check the video to see this in action).

In addition to continuous lighting, the Titan X2 also features high speed sync flash of up to 1/8000 sec for studio photography and portraiture completely free of recycle time. Up to 10 Titans can be triggered using the Rotolight HSS transmitter.

The unit possesses an integrated Elinchrom Skyport flash receiver, and also features wired / wDMX, Bluetooth, LumenRadio and RJ45 support, promising problem-free connection whatever your preferred method or system. 

The Rotolight Titan X2 is available for pre-order in standard yoke, pole yoke and swan neck mount, starting at $4699 / £4300, and begins shipping in November.

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 Location lighting always presents certain difficulties due to the uncontrollable nature of ambient light and lack of access to mains power sources. Equipment must also be easy to transport and safe to hold or set up on a tripod or light stand. Off-camera flash is the most common choice, but there are some appealing continuous LED lighting options now available to photographers.

LED light panels, such as those in Rotolight range, provide steady, reliable lighting with minimum weight and low heat output. This makes them perfect for dynamic lighting styles out in the field. Advantages of continuous sources are predictable intensity and ease of placement and composition. Since the light is always visible, it is easier to shape than flash.

However, associated challenges are lower light output, battery life and a deficit of diffusion options. Since flash has a short duration, it is possible to freeze movement even in darker environments, while shots lit continuously can suffer from camera shake. If output is set to maximum this can result in light fall-off or blown highlights – adding a diffuser for softer light can reduce the already dimmer light too much. The photographer must thus find the correct balance of exposure and additional artificial light for sharp, flattering shots.

Step 1: Support the camera 

Due to the lower power, it will often be advisable to set up your camera on a tripod when shooting in low light. Unlike flash, which simulates a short exposure, continuous sources cannot aid camera shake.

Step 2: Compose the shot 

Use your light to arrange the frame. Don’t worry about exposure yet, simply use the illumination as a modelling light to estimate how the final image may appear. Pay attention to background brightness.

Step 3: Find the minimum exposure

Experiment to find the shortest shutter speed possible before sharpness begins to suffer, as a result of subject movement. This will vary, but as a standard try not to go below around 1/50sec. 

Step 4: Adjust output

Use this minimum shutter speed as a baseline and adjust the light intensity to maintain this base value. Once this has been guaranteed, focus on highlight detail and alter output to fit dynamic range. 

Step 5: Arrange lighting angle 

Place your light as you would a flash, often above the subject at a 45-degree angle. Since the light is small and undiffused, the source was moved to ensure shadows fell in a flattering way on the face.

Step 6: Adjust color temperature

Lights such as the Rotolight allow warmth to be adjusted. Set a lower Kelvin value for greater warmth. Choose to blend or contrast with the ambient color temperature. 

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• Photography tips and techniques

One of Rotolight’s most popular LED lighting creations is the AEOS. Blending power and versatility, it's the ideal tool for on-location portrait lighting and a whole lot more.

Put simply, the Rotolight AEOS is a bi-colour, location LED light with an ultra-thin design – weighing just 1.4kg and measuring just 1in thick, it’s one of the most portable lights on the market. This makes it perfect for location shooting and working on the go, whether you’re working in stills, video or both.

Entirely British-made, the Rotolight AEOS combines power with efficiency. It delivers a light output of 5,750 lux at three feet, but is also able to run at maximum power for up to two hours on a single 95W battery, thanks to its low power consumption of 42W. This is more than double the industry standard.

The first location light to include integrated aluminium handles, the Rotolight AEOS allows the user to “work the light” at unique and unconventional angles and positions. Instead of a traditional yoke, the AEOS uses a professional level ball head, which allows for complete 360-degree rotation and 200 degrees of tilt when the AEOS is mounted to a light stand. Whether you’re shooting portraits, product images, videos or anything else, this is the kind of flexibility that promises to make your shoot so much easier.

Award-winning photographer and Sony Artisan of Imagery Jason Lanier has already spent some time using the Rotolight AEOS on a portrait shoot. His impressions? 

“The Rotolight AEOS really is the ultimate light for location and portrait photographers who want something powerful, yet portable and easy to carry, with a beautiful soft light output. AEOS will simply enable you to get shots no one else can,” he says.

You can see Jason in action with the AEOS in the shoot video here, and we’ve also managed to get a sneak peek at some of the images he produced. All were shot using the AEOS, a 7ft parabolic umbrella with a diffusion panel and scrim jim. Let’s take a closer look…

Want to shoot images like these on location? The AEOS makes it simple and straightforward. With dual controls for brightness and a highly accurate colour temperature display, the AEOS gives you the kind of feedback and responsiveness necessary for getting your shots in a timely, efficient manner.

Other features packed into the AEOS include AccuColour™ LED phosphor technology that delivers accurate colour rendering (CRI:96+), with a Television Lighting Consistency Index (TLCI) score of 91. There’s also True Aperture Dimming™ to automatically calculate aperture setting for a subject at a given distance, and also on board is High Speed Sync (HSS) flash that is colour temperature-adjustable, providing 250% of the maximum continuous light output that works out to an extra stop of power. If you’re a hybrid photo and video shooter, you’ll find the Rotolight AEOS is the tool you’ll use across disciplines.

Whether you’re a working professional photographer or a passionate amateur, we’re positive the Rotolight AEOS will find a place in your kit bag. If you'd like a chance to try it out for yourself, Jason Lanier will be holding a lighting masterclass on May 8th at Pinewood Studios. Sign up here, but don't delay as spaces are limited!

To find out more and to put an order in for the AEOS, head to Rotolight’s website.

Rotolight is a major player in the TV and cinema lighting industry, but its powerful, colour-controlled LED lighting panels are also priced to appeal to bloggers, vloggers and content creators at all levels. Rotolight's ANOVA PRO 2, AEOS and NEO 2 lights are aimed equally at stills photographers, using their power and the increasing sensitivity of digital cameras to offer the speed and intuitiveness of continuous lighting with unique high-intensity short-duration 'flash' modes to offer the best of both worlds.

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For those who want to try these lights out first-hand and see how they're used by  photographers and videographers, Rotolight has booked its biggest stand yet at The Photography Show 2019, which takes place at the Birmingham NEC, UK, from March 16-19.

Rotolight has recently secured substantial investment capital for future development and has announced that it has no fewer than 15 new products in development. Obviously we wanted to know more!

Q: The news that you’ve secured £5/$6.5 million investment is very exciting, and you have said this will fund the development of 15 new products. That sounds very specific! Is there anything more you can tell us about this – without giving too much away, obviously!

"Yes, it’s very exciting indeed! My lips are sealed unfortunately, but what I can tell you is that LED lighting technology is developing at an astonishing rate, so we’re working hard to not only to keep pace with this but lead the way. With each product, we promise to deliver more power, performance and functionality in ways that have never been seen before."

Q: The list of film and TV credits where Rotolight equipment has been used is impressive. What do Rotolights have or do that other products don’t?

"Even our first light, the RL48, was used on star-studded sets! The chief gaffer on Captain Phillips (that starred Tom Hanks) Harry Wiggins, loved it for its small size and ease of use, but our entire range has been used in productions worldwide. The unique round shape of the lights that we’re known for looks really eye-catching, so it’s no surprise that DOP Chris Yacoubian designed the set for ITV’s 2018 Dancing on Ice glamour shots to feature 30 Anova PRO 2s in-shot! Our industry-first features like CineSFXTM were used on the set of Barbara Broccoli’s Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool to simulate movement on a completely static set by Stefan Lange; letting them create great, spur of the moment effects that other lights would have required flicker-boxes to control them."

Q: Many stills photographers are still locked into the idea of flash as a default artificial light source for stills photography. Do you think that will ever change?

"Absolutely, and it’s already happening. Continuous lighting is so much easier and faster to use than traditional flash. You’re able to shoot exactly what you see, which synergises particularly well with the live view within mirrorless camera systems. Of course there are those that still like to use traditional flashes, which is why all of our products include High Speed Sync flash as well as the continuous output, and we’re the only manufacturer to offer that dual functionality in one product."

Q: What are the next technical hurdles for continuous lighting? Do you think it will ever achieve the same power output as electronic flash?

"At the moment, continuous lighting certainly doesn’t represent the same output as flash, but it offers more useable power. Traditional flashes require layers of diffusion, essentially cutting the light output until you can get flattering results, while LED is inherently softer so only minimal diffusion is needed. Many photographers use the lights completely bare without any diffusion and produce fantastic results. But in terms of power output, as LED technology progresses, we will be able to harness more and more from each bulb."

Q: The advantage of continuous lighting for stills is that you can see the light as you work and you can use your camera’s own meter – do you think stills photographers properly appreciate this?

"With the continued growth of mirrorless cameras, it’s definitely something that photographers are beginning to appreciate more. Those who have used continuous lighting, with any camera system, have found that it drastically increases the speed at which they are able to work. Rotolight Master of Light and Sony Europe Imaging Ambassador, Terry Donnelly, used the AEOS whilst shooting alone in New York City with tight time constraints. The light weight of the AEOS let him easily carry the light around with him, compose the shot, and capture it in moments. Those using traditional flash are used to inefficient trial and error methods of shooting that really slow down your workflow, but it’s what they’re used to so they continue with what they know."

Q: We see more and more professionals needing to shoot video as well as stills. Do you feel this is a growing market?

"This is the exact reason why we founded Rotolight 11 years ago. With the launch of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, creatives were for the first time able to shoot high definition video as well as capture stills – all at an affordable price point and this trend has only continued with the latest cameras all providing a wealth of video functionality inside stills cameras. Especially when shooting events like weddings, photographers find they’re being asked more and more to also shoot videos of the special day and we are the only light on the market that can truly cater to both formats."

Q: You have three different products at the moment, the NEO 2, AEOS and Anova PRO 2 – do you see these as appealing to three different types of user or are they interchangeable?

"Whilst the products all have the same broad functionality, the difference in size, output and cost affect their appeal to different users. The entire range is built from the same high-quality LEDs and can be used interchangeably whilst still achieving consistently great results. A great example of this is the NEO 2 which, whilst targeted primarily at aspiring or semi-professional photographers, is equally loved by professionals because of its small size, allowing it to be used as a flattering and reliable extra fill."

Rotolight at The Photography Show 2019

Q: You have a stand at The Photography Show where visitors can see Rotolight products in action – do you this is what it takes for people to really understand their potential?

"If creatives haven’t used LED before, they often find it’s a very different way of working so this new approach can take a while to get used to, but we consistently hear from our customers that it’s worth the investment. Changing what you’re used to is no small step, but we find there is no better way to teach people than in person. We always see such a great response when we’re able to demonstrate our lights at trade shows or workshops, which is why we’ve taken on our biggest stand yet at The Photography Show this year. We’ll have an integrated stage where we’ll be hosting talks led by professional photographers across multiple genres; with live demonstrations and behind the scenes looks at some of their most creative shoots. They’re completely free to attend and, run by some of the most proficient photographers in their craft, you’ll be able to learn how to use our lights to create stunning results."

Q: A lot of attention is given to colour rendition, colour accuracy and full spectrum coverage in Rotolight lights – can you tell us a bit more about this?

"When LED technology was first introduced to the industry, there was a real issue with green casts affecting the skin tones of subjects, so since we launched the first RL48, we’ve been meticulous in ensuring they produce the best possible light quality to save users time in post-production and produce flattering results first time. Using our own specialist phosphor technology called AccuColourTM, we use the industry standard Colour Rendering Index (CRI) as well as the more accurate Television Lighting Consistency Index (TLCI) to measure our lights, which assesses the reproduction against a spectrum of individual colours. Whilst many other lighting manufacturers will quote a high CRI and TLCI, this doesn’t necessarily cover the full colour scale. Our lights, on the other hand, scores on average CRI 96 and TLCI 91 across the entire colour spectrum and particularly high on skin tones, which is why our products are so fantastic for portraits."

Q: Cameras are producing better image quality at high sensitivity settings and fast primes are becoming more popular – is this starting to erode the power advantage of electronic flash to the point where continuous LED lighting is a serious alternative for stills?

"Gone are the days where you could only shoot at ISO 100 to get high-quality results! Modern cameras are easily capable of shooting up to 1000 ISO with minimal noise, so you no longer need to focus on having as much light available as possible. This means that the extra benefits that LED lighting provides easily outweigh what traditional flash offers; the light is naturally softer and more flattering, and the output can easily be adjusted to suit your needs. The added bonus of energy efficiency not only lowers studio operating costs, but also allows photographers to shoot on location for longer."

Q: Finally, if a regular stills photographer were to ask you which Rotolight to buy instead of an electronic flash, what would you tell them? 

"To most closely match a traditional on-camera flash, it would definitely be the NEO 2 due to its size and form factor. Whilst it doesn’t offer the same power output as a traditional flash, the NEO 2’s light is flattering and soft even when completely unmodified and offers far more functionality and versatility, like the CineSFXTM, adjustable brightness and colour temperature, and continuous modelling light. However, whilst not mountable on-camera, the AEOS and Anova PRO 2 also offer the same beautiful light quality and functionality whilst providing that extra power, if that’s what you need."

Read more
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The Photography Show 2019: Everything you need to know

If you’re looking for a portable and creatively flexible lighting solution then the critically acclaimed AEOS LED light from UK lighting specialist Rotolight has got to be top of your list.

An industry first on launch, the agile AEOS is a bi-colour LED light that’s ideal for location work due to its unique, ultra thin design, just 1inch ‘thick’. Weighing less than 1.5Kg, it’s one of the most portable photography and video lights on the market – and for its size, one of the most powerful with it. The two heads in its current kit option deliver more than 11,000 lux at three feet, when combined. And did we mention the AEOS is both a continuous LED light and HSS (High Speed Sync) flash with no recycle time, all within the one compact package?

A further facet that makes the versatile Rotolight AEOS perfect for location shoots is that it’s also one of the most energy efficient LEDs on the market, able to run for two hours at full power, using a single 95W battery.

In addition the AEOS is the first location LED to integrate aluminium handles, giving users the freedom to creatively position the light and work at angles otherwise impossible. There’s excellent colour rendering too – increasing speed of workflow by avoiding laborious hours in post-production – while both colour temperature (3150-6300K) and brightness (0-100%) is manually adjustable, so you can adjust the head to match daylight or balance out harsh fluorescent light.

The AEOS 2 Light Kit plus Rotolight HSS Transmitter bundle offers great value for money. The value added kit – available for a limited time only – includes not only two portable Rotolight AEOS lights and two portable light stands to go with them, but also two pro aluminium ball heads, two four piece filter sets (including 1x 216 diffusion, 250 diffusion, 1x 184 Cosmetic Peach Skin Tone diffusion, plus 1x 279 Minus Green filter), two AC/DC power adapters, local mains cable and a sturdy Rotolight soft bag to transport it all in. The AEOS’ built in Elinchrom Skyport receiver pairs up with the Rotolight HSS transmitter for wireless control of both units up to 200 metres away. The latter offers compatibility with Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus, Panasonic and Sony systems.

But don’t just take our recommendation as gospel. Pro commercial photographer and Nikon ambassador Christine Meintjes’ work has graced the covers of magazines the world over – with no one shoot ever the same. That’s why she values the Rotolight AEOS 2 Light Kit in allowing her to work a wide variety of angles, in a wide variety of locations, to fulfill a wide variety of briefs and client requests.

As she’s always travelling, usually around her native South Africa, the portability and efficiency of the kit she packs – as well as the speed at which it can be set up – is of the utmost importance.

Rotolight meets these requirements perfectly for Christine. Put simply, its AEOS 2 Light Kit allows photographers and videographers to take on a broader array of creative requests and commissions – Christine undertakes food photography, shoots weddings, portraits and interiors, as well as dealing with commercial clients and publishing her lifestyle blog – while the lights’ simplicity, ease of use and effectiveness empowers rather than restricts, and solves problems via agility that could otherwise cause headaches with less flexible tools.

“The convenience of these lights has added a whole new dimension to my work,” she confirms. “I love the fact that the kit is completely mobile, with no cables required! As it provides a constant light, with the ability set strength and colour temperature, it’s been a game changer for me. If I’m shooting in an office to produce stock imagery for a client and I’ve got two AEOS lights, I can balance the power and colour exactly to match the natural light coming through the window!”

Professional recommendation aside, there is an added reason for you to invest in ownership; namely that, for a limited time only, you can save a generous £425 when buying. That’s when grabbing the 2 Light Kit + Rotolight HSS transmitter for just £1,703 during its November 19th to 28th Black Friday promotion (normal price £2,128.99).

So don’t delay! Head to Rotolight now to discover more and place your order here 

Rotolight’s advantage illuminated

A pioneering British company based at world renowned Pinewood Studios, Rotolight creates award winning LED lighting solutions. These include on-camera, location and studio lights, as used by photographers and filmmakers. A succession of ‘industry first’ solutions have been critically acclaimed and received awards globally for innovation, technical excellence and quality.

A case in point: Rotolight developed the round LED light, producing signature catch lights in a subject’s eyes. The company has become renowned for its ability to combine powerful output with soft, flattering effects, allowing photographers and filmmakers to effectively ‘wrap’ light around their subjects.

The current Rotolight range includes the on-camera NEO 2 LED, the ultra-portable AEOS LED, as discussed, plus the pioneering Anova PRO 2 studio light.

Furthermore, Rotolight offers photographers with unique features to help save money, reduce workflow and enhance results. These include:

High Speed Sync Flash

A powerful HSS flash with ZERO recycle time, boasting up to 5x the maximum continuous light output for traditional photographic workflows. This single piece of equipment provides both flash and continuous light – not only delivering convenience in only having to set up one lighting kit for both purposes but also serious cost savings

True Aperture Dimming™ 

Removing the guesswork from calculating exposure, this automatically determines and displays the correct f-stop for subjects at any distance, eliminating the need for a separate light meter.  

AccuColour™ 

Save time in Photoshop by avoiding the need to correct skin tones as you get the colour correct when the shot is taken. Also, dual controls provide fast, tunable colour, aided by an accurate colour temperature display.

Head to Rotolight to find out more. 

Rotolight has fast made a name for itself among photographers and videographers who require complete control over their lighting, with a whole suite of well-respected on- and off-camera solutions for enthusiast and professional users. And now, the company has made its award-winning lineup even more accessible through a range of exciting offers.

For a limited time only, you can shave a generous £100 off the price of the portable AEOS unit, and save a further £100 if you opt for the two-light kit. Need something more powerful? A free battery and charger bundle worth £331 is all yours when you go for the Anova PRO 2, and if you just want to pimp your existing setup with some useful accessories, you can take 10% off selected products.

The flagship, revolutionary Anova PRO 2 manages to be one of the brightest LEDs of its kind, with an output of 10,700 lux at 3 feet, despite its class-leading power-to-consumption ratio of just 72W. It works with a range of accessories to help the user modify and control its output, and even boasts a fully integrated Elinchrom Skyport flash receiver, which allows for wireless flash triggering from as far as 200m (656ft) away from the subject. No wonder it walked away with the Best of Show accolade at NAB 2018, and hailed as “love at first sight” by the judges.

The award-winning AEOS, meanwhile, is a versatile location light that weighs less than 1.5kg and measures less than 1in thick. With a powerful output of 5750 lux at 3 feet, it soldiers on for 3 hours on a single charge of the optional battery, while the aluminium handles crafted into the body help you move and position the light exactly how you need to, something that’s made even easier with the included ball-head that allows for 200º tilt and 360º rotation when mounted on a stand.

So why else have these products have found so many devotees? Aside from the broad appeal to both photographers and videographers – and those who flitter between the two – the various models within the range are united by a marriage of innovation and high performance. Rather than simply doing what their peers cannot, they also match them for what they can do with better performance and greater reliability. 

So, whereas an ordinary flashgun will be limited to simply outputting flashes, all of Rotolight’s LEDs provide the ‘shoot-what-you-see’ benefits of continuous light and High Speed Sync flash, right up to shutter speeds of 1/8000sec. Furthermore, zero recycle times get round one of the main bugbears of even modern flashes, and makes the range more suited to modern high-speed cameras with fast continuous shooting rates. 

Add to that always-cool LEDs, which means that nothing is too hot to touch, regardless of how long its in use, and the result is that there’s no hanging around and no separate modelling lamps, together with no concerns over heat or comfort when working in confined spaces – just all the light you need, as often as you need it, wherever it is you’re shooting.

Accuracy and control are also key benefits of the range. Rotolight’s LEDs offer electronically adjustable brightness, together with colour temperature adjustment between 3150-5600K, which allows you to tailor their output to the ambient lighting environment. Meanwhile, the outstanding colour reproduction (CRI 96, TLCI 91) of the AEOS and Anova PRO 2 mean that you needn’t worry about inaccurate tones or problems with lifelike reproduction.

Celebrity photographer Mark Mann, who uses both the AEOS and Anova PRO 2 to shoot some of the most respected film and TV stars such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Margot Robbie and Martin Freeman, says: “As a photographer who is being asked more and more to shoot video and stills at the same time, Rotolight has really improved my workflow. Especially in a situation like this which has a very high turnover of people, I really have to have reliable equipment.” 

These exciting offers are only available for a limited time, both at participating retailers and on Rotolight's website. So whether you want to try LED lighting for the first time or add a few accessories to your kitbag, now’s the time to make it happen.

Click here to find out more. 

British lighting manufacturer Rotolight, based at the world-famous Pinewood Studios where it rubs shoulders with mega-budget Hollywood productions, knows that only the most innovative and moreover practical solutions will satisfy its customer base. 

You may therefore already be aware of its award-winning portable LED light in the Rotolight NEO and successive iteration in the newer NEO 2. Being and LED it's cool to the touch, and as suitable for video work as it is shooting stills. Further innovation comes via the fact that the NEO 2 is essentially two lights in one: both a continuous light source and rapid fire flash too, able to keep up the with blisteringly fast capture speeds of the latest premium cameras.

For more information on Rotolight NEO2 Explorer Kit, please see here

Inventive and creative lighting set ups

Now Rotolight has introduced a new Explorer kit, containing not one but three portable NEO 2 lights, along with a lightweight weatherproof bag to transport them in. This answers the requests of its existing NEO users and provides them with even greater flexibility whether in studio or on location. Now, even more inventive and creative lighting set ups are possible, whether using the lights handheld or mounting them on stands, or using them on camera. 

It comes with High Speed Sync Flash (HSS), which provides a powerful HSS flash mode when you need more power, with zero recycle time, at up to 500%* of the maximum continuous light output for photographers. This enables you to freeze action, and shoot at wider apertures for better subject isolation. The NEO 2 eliminates the need to buy two separate products if you shoot both stills and video, as it provides an all-in-one solution.

At the suggested cost of £1199.99, the NEO 2 offers practicality to your budget, ensuring value for money is the top of your priority on your shoot.

Packed full of innovative tech and the latest features 

The NEO 2 is not only brighter than its predecessor but it also now comes with the aforementioned flash capability. In fact, it features a built in Elinchrom Skyport 2.4Ghz HSS wireless flash receiver, enabling control of up to 10 lights in four groups at 200 metres.

For such a technically advanced product, the NEO 2 is easy to use, allowing you to concentrate on how the image is going to look, rather than if the flash is going to fire or not. With no recycle time, you will never miss a moment, and you'll get up to 85,000 full flashes from using 6xAA batteries. The NEO 2 also provides a wide adjustable colour temperature range, which can be controlled manually for both flash and continuous lighting, with a 3150-6300K range capability.

Plenty of included extras

Included in the travel kit bundle are light stands, colour effect filters and power supplies. At just 6.8kg, the kit is extremely light and the bespoke soft case is made from a high-quality, water-resistant material.

What's more, added creativity is provided via Rotolight's very own CineSFX™ capabilities, allowing effects such as a fireside glow or the flashing of a police siren to be created on the fly. 

It all adds to a triple whammy of creativity, versatility and practicality for those that want an innovative lighting kit that will let them deliver when on the go! 

So whether you've got a photo or video outdoor shoot, it'd make sense to use the Rotolight NEO 2 Explorer Kit, especially as it provides functionality for both disciplines. 

For more information on Rotolight NEO2 Explorer Kit, please see here

*500% increase in flash power on Rotolight V-Lock battery or PSU, 250% flash power on AA (NiMh or Lithium Ion)

Rotolight’s NEO 2 was billed as an industry first upon its release last year: an LED panel married with high-speed sync capabilities (up to 1/800sec) and no recycle time. It’s proven popular ever since, finding its way into both the kit bags of amateur photographers and filmmakers and also on the sets of major movies.

If you were a photographer who liked the convenience of always-on, shoot-what-you-see light, but also the power of a flash unit, here it all was in a single package. Indeed, there’s a reason it was the best on test in our recent round-up of LED panels. 

And now, with the new Explorer kit, Rotolight has emphasised the NEO 2’s usefulness for on-location shooting, making a three-light kit that weighs just 6.8kg, and all in its own carry bag.

It represents a weight saving of 50% compared to the standard three-light hard case, and its material is resistant to water for greater security outdoors. The kit also includes light stands, colour FX filters and power supplies, and the lights come with a new suite of CineSFX effects and a range of modes for filmmakers (fire, lightning, TV, gunshot, paparazzi and others).

"The NEO 2 has revolutionised how people use light," says Jason Lanier, a Rotolight Master of Light. "It can be used as both a modelling light and flash, and has eliminated the need for an external flash. If you have those moments that you just cannot afford to miss, this is an incredible light for you. You’ll never miss a shot."

Jason also points out that the NEO 2 is a good choice for users of fast cameras like the Sony A6500, as its lack of a recycle time means it can keep up with the camera’s fast maximum frame rate of 11fps.

Read more: Sony A6500 review 

Rotolight NEO 2 Explorer Kit price and release date

The Rotolight NEO 2 Explorer Kit is available now, priced at £1,199.99/$1399.99. For more information, head to Rotolight's website.

Read more: Rotolight's new Anova PRO 2 is "one of the brightest LED lights in its class"

Photographers and videographers are fast becoming switched on to the advantage of Rotolight’s ever-expanding line up of portable and practical LED solutions. Ideally suited to both stills and video by virtue of being flicker free, silent in use and cool to the touch, a growing number of Rotolight products also offer the market-leading advantages of ‘shoot what you see’ continuous light of HSS flash with no recycle time when you need more power, all combined in the one unit.

Long-lasting light, time-limited offers

Now, for a short time only, you’ve the chance to grab a great deal on existing Rotolight products, suitable for both studio and location shoots. The manufacturer is currently running five product promotions but here we highlight our top three:

• Purchase a Rotolight NEO 2 – recipient of Digital Camera magazine’s Gold, Best on Test and Lighting Gear of the Year awards  – for £299, plus get two FREE accessories worth £40 (pack of 10 coloured filters and a foam hand grip)

• Purchase a Rotolight AEOS for £899.99 and get a FREE soft bag carry case worth £149.99

• Purchase Rotolight NEO barn doors for £119.99 to control the light and grab a FREE softbox with two diffusion screens and an egg crate, worth £74.99

Place your order today – as these offers are only valid until the end of April, or until stocks last! Click here to get these offers.

The Rotolight advantage – at a glance

A pioneering British company based at the legendary Pinewood Studios, Rotolight specialises in creating award winning LED lighting, include a range of on-camera, location and studio lights, for use by photographers and filmmakers. Its countless ‘industry first’ solutions have been recognised via rave reviews and global awards for innovation, technical excellence and quality.

By way of example, Rotolight developed the round LED light, producing signature catch lights in a subject’s eyes, and is acclaimed for its ability to combine powerful output with a gorgeous, soft light that photographers and videographers are able to ‘wrap’ around their subjects.

Its current product line up comprises the on-camera NEO 2 LED, the ultra portable AEOS LED and the pioneering Anova PRO 2 studio light. All three have won industry plaudits (including three awards from Digital Camera for the NEO 2 alone).

The Rotolight range also offers up patented features unique to the company, including:

High Speed Sync Flash

A powerful HSS flash with ZERO recycle time, boasting up to 5x the maximum continuous light output for traditional photographic workflows. Just the one piece of equipment can be utilised for both flash and continuous light – not only delivering convenience but also cost effectiveness.

True Aperture Dimming

Removing the guesswork from calculating exposure, this automatically determines and displays the correct f-stop for the subject at any given distance, also eliminating the need for a separate light meter, speeding up your workflow. 

AccuColour

Save time in post-production and avoid the need to correct skin tones – simply by getting the colour correct in camera when the shot is taken. Dual controls provide fast, tunable colour, aided by an accurate Kelvin display. Providing the ‘magic’ is LED phosphor technology.

Find out more about these great deals here

Do you need the intensity of flash, or the lasting attraction of a constant light? Would you rather have the stamina of a mains-powered kit, or the go-anywhere portability of a battery-powered lamp? 

The Rotolight AEOS aims to keep everyone happy. It’s an LED-based circular constant lamp with a wide colour temperature range of 3,150 to 6,300K, but its killer feature is that it's capable of high-speed-sync flash.

Features

• Easy-to-use control panel
• Rear-mounted digital display
• Ultra-high-efficiency LEDs
• Aluminium handles
• Tripod-mounting ball head
• Filter pack
• Power pack

The basic kit comes complete with an AC mains power pack, a sturdy tripod-mounting ball head with a 5kg load rating, together with a filter pack that includes neutral, cosmetic peach and magenta diffusers. 

For getting out and about, you can add a clip-on 95Wh V-mount lithium-ion battery pack for £275/$300. It adds 720g to the weight but has enough juice to run the lamp at maximum power for three hours. The battery charger costs an extra £50/$55. Other accessories include an AEOS Yoke (£75/$85) for use with a lighting stand, and barn doors (£180/$195).

Switching to HSS flash mode, the AEOS can deliver double the maximum constant power output, along with instantaneous recycling. This means that you can fire a rapid burst of shots with flash, up to and including your camera’s maximum shutter speed and drive rate.

Performance

A major disappointment of many LED lamps is that they simply lack output power, but the AEOS is more impressive than most. 

In our tests, even sticking to a base camera sensitivity of ISO 100, we could place the lamp one metre from the subject and shoot at 1/60 sec at f/4.5. 

In HSS flash mode, the AEOS lived up to its ‘200 per-cent power’ claim, enabling an aperture of f/9 (one metre, ISO 100). Maximum light intensity is consistent throughout most of the colour temperature range.

Verdict

It’s a powerful and versatile constant LED lamp with the bonus of HSS flash, but it soon gets pricey when you start adding in the accessories.

Rotolight AEOS Specifications

Maximum output 5750 lux at 3ft

Colour Range 3,150-6,300K

CRI > 96  

LED lifespan 100,000 hours

Diameter 29.5cm

Depth 2.0cm (8.5cm with protrusions)

Weight 1.4 kg

Rotolight has broadened its lighting range with the Anova PRO 2.

The fourth generation of Rotolight’s studio and location light, the Anova PRO 2 provides a light output of 10,700 lux at 3 feet – a 70% increase on its predecessor, the original Anova PRO.

Rotolight also claims that the panel's 72W power consumption not only trounces it competitors, but also makes it one of the most energy-efficient LED panels ever designed.

The Anova PRO 2 is said to provide photographers with faithful colour reproduction (CRI>96, TLCI 91) and electronically adjustable colour temperature in both its continuous lighting and flash modes. 

The unit also features a host of applications for broadcast and television/film production. These include a customisable selection of Rotolight’s CineSFX modes, which are specific lighting presets that can be controlled wirelessly if required.

Rotolight Anova PRO 2: Photographic features

The high-speed sync capability of the Anova PRO 2 has been upgraded from the previous unit to 1/8,000sec, with a 250% boost to its power and zero recycling time.

Like its predecessor, the Rotolight Anova PRO 2 has a circular shape, which the firm says will provide a “naturally soft, flattering light output”, as well as a catchlight effect for portraiture. The flash and continuous light functions can also be used in tandem with one another. So, if you’re shooting portraits in dark conditions, you can use the continuous modelling light to acquire focus on your subject, then the flash to properly light them.

Rotolight has also released a selection of portraits lit with the Anova PRO 2 to show off its capabilities. You probably already noticed Gillian Anderson at the top of the post, but take a look below – you might just recognise a few more of the faces featured.

Rotolight Anova PRO 2: Pricing and availability

The Anova PRO 2 will be available from December, priced at £1,249 (ex VAT)/ €1,399/$1,625. It will ship with integrated DMX, V-lock battery plate, wireless Elinchrom receiver and a kit of four filters, while other accessories will be available to purchase separately. Visit Rotolight for further details.

Read more: Rotolight unveils NEO 2

Sponsored From its compact NEO 2 to its flagship ANOVA PRO units, Rotolight’s range of LED lighting solutions has changed the game for portrait photographers and filmmakers worldwide. 

The recently released AEOS redefined expectations for both markets, with a bi-colour LED panel that offers all the benefits of continuous lighting and flash and none of the traditional drawbacks – and now, it’s just got a whole lot better.

The company has partnered with lighting specialist Elinchrom to integrate its Skyport 2.4Ghz HSS wireless flash protocol right into the design of the unit, which negates a separate receiver. That’s right: no extra kit or added expense, just all the control you need direct from your camera’s transmitter straight to the AEOS.

Easy adjustment for fine control

From adjusting the output, flash power and colour temperature of LED panel through to triggering the flash itself, you can do it all from a distance of up to 200m (656ft) away. And adjusting the output from the unit itself is as simple as it can be, with fine control over both brightness and colour temperature with just a simple rotation of a control.

You can even synchronise up to ten AEOS units set over four groups at once, or a combination of AEOS and Rotolight NEO units if you prefer, ensuring consistency of output and colour temperature across every panel. Filmmakers can even take advantage of this to trigger one of the CineSFX options, such as fire, gunshot and paparazzi.

The High Speed Sync option provides 250% of the maximum continuous light output, working to shutter speeds of up to 1/8000sec. Those using it for flash can also have it operate as a modelling light and flashgun at the same time, and thanks to the LED technology on which it’s based, you have no recycling times to worry about – just all the power you need, as soon as you need it.

Rotolight AEOS: now even better

Light, and ultra-thin

This in itself makes it ideal for portraiture, but its benefits here extend beyond simple practicalities. The unit’s round design, for example, help to produce perfectly round catchlights in the model’s eyes, while the supplied diffusion, cosmetic peach and magenta filters allow the photographer to get perfectly flattering light and accurate skin tone.

Weighing just 1.5kg and with with an ultra-thin 1cm design, the AEOS defies its compact form and light weight by easily meeting the needs of even the more demanding professionals. Furthermore, thanks to aluminium handles on either side of the unit, you can easily adjust the light to whatever position you need it to be in, with the ballhead allowing a full 360 degrees of rotation, and a wide 200 degrees when mounted on a light stand.

While its difficult to believe something so compact can be powerful enough for the professional’s needs, the LED panel can run for up to three hours on a single charge of its 95W battery, with a power output of 5,750 at three feet – more than twice as long that what we’d expect at this level – and optional barn doors to hep you control spill.

Compatible with Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic models, and soon to arrive for users of Fujifilm’s X-series system, those who already own an AEOS unit don’t miss out: right now, all AEOS owners can take advantage of the integration with a free flash receiver upon purchase of Rotolight HSS transmitter.

For more information visit http://www.rotolight.com

Lighting manufacturer Rotolight has expanded its NEO series with an intriguing new product that marries a continuous LED panel with high-speed-sync (HSS) flash capabilities. 

Dubbed the NEO 2, the model is primarily aimed at portrait photographers and videographers, and follows the NEO unit that was announced back in 2014. 

The result of a collaboration with Swiss lighting specialist Elinchrom, the unit integrates Elinchrom's Skyport 2.4Ghz HSS wireless flash receiver in its design, which makes the use of a separate flash receiver unnecessary. 

This system promises compatibility with Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic cameras at launch, although support for Fujifilm models is said to be on the way.

Not only does Rotolight state that the NEO 2 can be effectively used as a modelling light and high-speed flash at the same time, but also that this construction means there is no recycle time. 

This is in contrast to regular hot-shoe mounted flashguns, which typically require a moment after a flash has been fired before the next once can be deployed.

Rotolight goes on to state that the unit is 85% brighter than the previous NEO when set to its continuous mode, but, no doubt thanks to the use of energy-efficient LED bulbs, also claims it can deliver 85,000 full-power flashes on a single set of rechargeable AA batteries.

The NEO 2 can sync with shutter speeds as high as 1/8000sec and works on the same AccuColour LED technology as the original. As with that model, it's possible to adjust the colour temperature of the light in Kelvin, but here it applies to both flash and continuous lighting.

The company has also updated it CineSFX lighting effects for the new model, which include fire, lighting and gunshot among others.

“The NEO 2 is going to revolutionise how people use light, and eliminate the need for external flash," says Jason Lanier, a Sony Artisan of Imagery and professional photographer. "If you have those moments that you just cannot afford to miss, this is an incredible light for you. You’ll never miss a shot."

The Rotolight NEO 2 is available to buy now at £249.99 (ex. VAT).

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