Equipment Exposê - Light it up!-Lamicall LED Circle Halo Light
This topic is a bit unusual for an audio company. Lighting.
Why on earth would we be talking about lighting in an article and newsletter devoted to sound?
Simple.
Creating MORE content for your listener.
Many of the most popular shows in the audio space right now also have a VOD (Video On Demand) component.
Whether this is shown on Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn, or some other platform is immaterial, the important thing is that video accompanying your audio production can often enhance it substantially if done correctly.
There has been an explosion of "streamers" in 2020.
Out of necessity, many of the younger generation have taken to platforms like Twitch and Youtube Live to broadcast themselves in a variety of ways.
This has led to companies creating products designed with these new creators in mind.
One of these is the Lamicall LED Circle Halo Light.
Why do creators need a light?
Originally designed for makeup tutorial Youtubers, the Halo Light is a tennis racquet sized apparatus that sits atop an extendible 65" tripod for easy maneuvering and angling of light exactly where you need it with its swivel head.
When recording in most rooms, there are multiple sources of light, but often times these are not positioned optimally in the room, leading to shadows in undesirable places, such as on one side of the face.
Having easily movable lighting fixes this and improves the overall quality of your video efforts to accompany your audio efforts.
The extension capability of this product is one of its key features. Being able to hold a mobile device at a height of nearly 7 feet in the air for recording is an excellent feature if you ever need a wide angle shot.
Powered by USB, this light is the perfect companion for a desktop setup, but can also be run off a laptop easily without over taxing the power systems. Keeping the laptop on wall power is recommended by us here at Westport Studios to ensure your system has ample resources to light and mix your project.
Couple the lighting aspect, which has 3 different light "Heats" - Warm, Natural, and Outdoor - each with 10 intensities, and you have a lighting rig that not only helps wipe out shadows, but can match the ambient light in most any room at any time of day you may be recording.
Video can add so much to a podcast, including a whole separate area of influence via channels like YouTube and Twitch. It's important to do research regarding your show's listener demographics to see if this is a channel you should be pursuing. Generally it can't hurt, but bear in mind that moving to video opens up a whole new world of editing, which if your show or project is in its first stages, is something you don't need.
If we do have a criticism for this product it's that the power cord is far too short, a 7 foot light rig should not have an 8 foot cord, leading to limited mobility without additional extension cables and power blocks for converting wall outlets to USB. Additionally, while the unit is not "tippy", a good bump is likely to send it tumbling to the floor. Perhaps future versions will have a wider leg stance.
All in all for $49.99, solving all your beginning lighting issues goes swimmingly with the Lamicall LED Circle Halo Light.
~WPS