If you’re looking for an LED light for your 360 camera, check out the versatile Falconeyes RX-12T ($179). I’ve been using this panel for more than a year and here is a hands-on review.
Falconeyes RX-12T is a flexible 12 x 18 inch LED panel with 280 LEDs. It can be used as an ultraslim, lightweight softbox and can also be used as a 360 camera light. The RX-12T includes a foldable frame that stretches across the back of the panel and has a 5/8 stud. The kit also includes a light stand bracket to mount the RX-12T on a light stand. It can be powered by a standard V-mount battery (sold separately) or with the included AC adapter. There is an optional 10-meter extension cable. Incredibly, the panel itself is also waterproof although obviously the adapter is not.
LIGHT MODIFIERS
The light stand bracket has a standard umbrella holder, but there’s no way to use an umbrella because it will be blocked by the panel, and the frame can only be attached to the back of the panel, so the panel can’t be used facing toward the bracket. (In theory, it might be possible to put a hole in the panel through which the umbrella shaft can pass through, but the fabric is very thick) Fortunately, there is an optional softbox with an eggrate ($49) or without an eggcrate (approx. $37). There is also a modifier that looks like a shoot-through umbrella or lantern softbox. The Falconeyes also has a 1-inch wide velcro strip around its edges, which enables you to link two or more of them together to create a huge LED panel at a reasonable cost.
USE AS A 360 CAMERA LIGHT
To use the Falconeyes as a 360 camera light, I either fold it in half, or roll it up into a tube and secure it with an elastic band. When folded in half, it is about 2 inches thick and illuminates primarily in two directions. For larger 360 cameras such as Insta360 Pro, I roll the Falconeyes into a tube to light up evenly in 360 degrees. When rolled up horizontally, the diameter of the cylinder is about 5.7 inches. When rolled up vertically, the diameter is as little as 3.8 inches. Alternatively, the RX-12T can also be used for unidirectional lighting. Because of its slim profile, it should be unobtrusive, even when mounted to its frame.
BRIGHTNESS AND COLOR; SAMPLE VIDEO
The RX-12T is very bright. The manufacturer claims 3680 lux at half meter, 1230 lux at 1 meter and 351 lux at 2 meters. It has a dimmer, although I found that the lowest setting is still too bright for a dark room. When I was using it for videos, I often placed TWO white towels over it to dim it further.
The color temperature of the light is approximately daylight (5600K +/- 300) and the manufacturer claims color accuracy CRI of RA 90. There is also a different version called the RX-12TD with bi-color LEDs. Here is one of several videos where I used the RX-12T (note that the video has already been graded):
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The RX-12T is reasonably priced and there are other versions with different sizes. Note that the larger sizes need more powerful batteries:
- RX-8T 8 x 8 inches with softbox (around $73)
- RX-12T 12 x 18 inches with lantern softbox (around $179). This is the one shown in this review.
- RX-12TD 12 x 18 bi-color (around $300)
- RX-18T 18 x 24 inches with softbox (around $286)
- RX-18TD 18 x 24 inches bi-color with softbox (around $370)
- RX-24TDX 24 x 24 inches bi-color with softbox (around $586)
- RX-29TDX strip light 47 x 9 strip light bi-color with softbox (around $390)
- RX-36TDX 48 x 18 strip light bi-color with softbox (around $798)
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Very interesting. Please include some indoor 360 photo examples.
OK I will try to post a sample.