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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