Mobilephone light in dark scenes

[Mathew Collins]

Hi,

 

I have seen in some films characters are using mobile phone light in the dark scene for searching and all. That is the only available light in the scene. Is there any special powerful lights available which give good exposure to replace the mobilephone lights?

 

I think those lights are fitted into to mobile phone covering for cheating.

 

Please share your inputs.

[Stuart Allman]

The closest lights I've seen to a phone form factor are the Rosco litepads and Cineo Matchbox. The Rosco product is 0.3mm thick, so it could literally be taped to the front of a phone. I have a Cineo Matchbox and the front panel on that light is about the same size as a smartphone and it's very bright. I know the Matchbox can be battery powered. Rosco sells a AA battery pack for the Litepad.

 

Stuart Allman

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illuma.BlogSpot.com

[Akos Baranya]

A cheaper alternative with high CRI is the aputure M9. 50 bucks, about as big as a screen on an iphone 5, a bit thicker than an iphone 5. should have enough light for a mobile phone scene, you may be able to cheat it into an iphone case or something like that.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Akos Baranya

[James Compton]

I have posted a visual example of scene where the character's face is lit up the the actual phone. The scene was shot on Kodak 500T 5219 35mm with fast Zeiss lenses.

 

 

This small Aputure M9 LED fixture can easily hide in the palm of an actor's hand while holding the phone.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1268206-REG/aputure_al_m9_amaran_pocket_sized_led.html

 

[Mathew Collins]

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

 

Stuart, Are you discussing about Rosco litepad in the following link?

http://us.rosco.com/en/product/litepad-ho90

There is one light with dimension 3" x 6" would work here. But I think Cineo Matchbox is bigger than a smartphone.

 

 

Rosco litepad 3" x 6", Aputure M9 are great lights when using the front panel of smartphone phone as the scene light. But for using the smartphone torchlight(back side light of smartphone), any alternatives are available?

Edited January 20, 2017 by Mathew Collins

[David Mullen ASC]

I'd almost consider making a prop where you used a bright LED mini flashlight sticking through a flat plastic panel, the backend of the flashlight hidden by the panel as long as you didn't shoot a side angle. Or figure out how to separate the flashlight's bulb and reflector dish housing from the battery so you could run a wire to a separate battery. The reflector dish could be hidden by the bright flare of the bulb.

[Mathew Collins]

I'd almost consider making a prop where you used a bright LED mini flashlight sticking through a flat plastic panel, the backend of the flashlight hidden by the panel as long as you didn't shoot a side angle. Or figure out how to separate the flashlight's bulb and reflector dish housing from the battery so you could run a wire to a separate battery. The reflector dish could be hidden by the bright flare of the bulb.

 

Thanks.

 

Any link to LED mini flashlight?

Edited January 20, 2017 by Mathew Collins

[Stuart Allman]

Matthew,

 

The Cineo Matchbox is deeper than a cell phone, but the remote phosphor panel is about the same size as a cell phone display. I didn't know if you wanted to actually show the character holding the phone or produce a light similar in quality to a cell phone. If you want to show the phone in the shot (i.e. not hidden by a torso) then the Cineo light isn't the right tool.

 

You found the Rosco product I was talking about. Those types of lights seem to work well for lighting up a car's interior at night since they fit just about anywhere.

 

I hadn't seen the Aperture product yet, so that's an interesting find.

 

Stuart Allman

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illuma.blogspot.com

[Mathew Collins]

Thanks Stuart.

 

I want to shot the character holding the phone and the source of light would be the phone.

[David Mullen ASC]

 

Thanks.

 

Any link to LED mini flashlight?

 

 

Have you tried searching Google under terms like "brightest mini LED flashlight"? If I had a specific product in mind, I would have given its name...

[Mathew Collins]

 

 

Have you tried searching Google under terms like "brightest mini LED flashlight"? If I had a specific product in mind, I would have given its name...

 

I have searched. All the results are related to torch lights.

[David Mullen ASC]

We call a torchlight a flashlight in the U.S. My suggestion was to use a "torchlight" sticking out of a flat panel prop as if it were the phone and either hide the back end of the light (by keeping the prop light facing the camera) which contains the batteries -- or take it apart and just use the reflector dish and LED bulb and run a wire to power it.

[Mathew Collins]

Thank you very much.