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 (opens in new tab) and video lights (opens in new tab) 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.