The Best Smart Lighting Panels, LED Strips, and Ambient ...

There are tons of smart ambient lighting panels. Here are a few we also like.

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Twinkly Dots for $100: You can stick these strings of LED dots around frames and furniture or have them hanging somewhere, and the app offers a wide range of colors and animated effects. You can map your pattern to make the most of the effects, create your own effects, and group Twinkly lights together. On the downside, the strip is split into two sections, with the power controls in the center, and you don&#;t get enough adhesive dots in the box.

Govee G1 Gaming Light Strip for $60: This is very similar to the Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC listed above, but not quite as good. It is easy to fit, comes in two sizes (for monitors 24 to 26 inches and 27 to 34 inches), and brightens up your gaming. But it relies on Govee&#;s flaky desktop software to sync. Sadly, streaming services like Netflix flag it as screen recording copyright infringement, so the syncing doesn&#;t work with them. Compatibility with Govee DreamView and Razer Chroma enables you to sync up other lights and peripherals.

Moonside Lamp One for $65: This modern lava lamp looks gorgeous and boasts 120 dynamic color zones capable of displaying millions of colors and themes (animated effects). You can even design your own themes or have the lamp react to music. Sadly, the app is a tad clunky, and the lamp is made of lightweight frosted plastic, so it&#;s a little too easy to accidentally knock it over.

Philips Hue Go 2 for $90: This bowl-shaped portable lamp has a ridge so you can angle it for reading, and it makes a good bedside lamp with dimming for nighttime and up to 520 lumens to wake you in the morning. You can tweak the temperature and choose from millions of colors. This newer version () has Bluetooth, so you don&#;t need a Hue Bridge. Battery life is limited; if you crank up the brightness, you&#;ll be lucky to get two hours, but dimmed, it can last around 10.

Nanoleaf Elements for $200: Plastic light panels can look ugly on some walls (especially turned off), so Nanoleaf offers this version of its larger hexagonal panels with a wood finish effect (they are still plastic). Like the rest of its panels, you can arrange Nanoleaf&#;s Elements in whatever pattern you want, and they support touch controls and music syncing. Sadly, they only put out white light, but with a color temperature range of K to K, you can go from cool whites to warm orangey glows.

Mpowerd Luci Solar String Lights for $46: If you want lights you can take on the road or on camping trips, this clever gadget from Mpowerd can brighten up your RV or campsite. The canister pops open to unspool water-resistant string lights (IPX4). Press the power button to use them as a torch or cycle through the string light colors. There&#;s a solar panel on top for recharging (but it&#;s slow) and a port that goes both ways (so this can double as a power bank).

Govee Outdoor LED String Lights for $70: Festoon your backyard or balcony with these hanging bulbs to bring more atmosphere to BBQs and parties. You get 15 tough plastic bulbs on 48 feet of cable. The bulbs are IP65-rated and offer dimmable warm white or colored light. The control box is IPX5, but the power adapter is not waterproof, so you must run it inside or use a weatherproof box.

Govee Flood Lights for $100: Easy to mount and angle, this four-pack of flood lights offers a wide range of colors and scenes through the Govee app using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. You can also dim or tweak the temperature. Each light can put out up to 500 lumens. They are IP65-rated and connected on a single 40-foot cord, but the power adapter is not water-resistant.

Nanoleaf Lines for $200: Our previous pick for gamers, the Nanoleaf Lines (8/10, WIRED Recommends) project light from the back of each line onto the wall, casting colors and creating a lovely ambiance. Even when turned off, the Lines look better than most decorative smart lighting because they cast shadows on the wall and could pass for sculptural art. They can also boast screen mirroring for PC to enhance gaming (Razer Chroma is supported too).

Govee Glide Hexa Panels for $180: These offer a wide choice of colors and animated effects similar to the Nanoleaf Shapes, not to mention music syncing support. But the installation is fiddly, smart home integration is limited (no HomeKit or Thread), and they lack touch controls.

Lifx Lightstrip for $90: This isn&#;t as bright as the Philips Hue Gradient Smart Lightstrip, but it offers rich colors, separate zones, and lovely animations. The app allows for scheduling and can gradually brighten a bedroom in the morning. There&#;s also music syncing using your &#;s microphone. Smart home integration is solid, and there&#;s no need for a hub, but when I tested the previous version (the Lifx Z), it frequently disconnected from Wi-Fi and was unresponsive until reset.

Govee Lyra Floor Lamp for $150: This is a tall, slim option that&#;s designed to splash colored light onto your walls. It has eight sections that can be controlled separately, supports animations, and can sync to music or other audio. It also comes with a handy remote control.

Nanoleaf Essentials Lightstrip for $50: This affordable light strip from Nanoleaf boasts Matter support, but is only recommended for folks with Nanoleaf gear already. You can choose the color, change the brightness, and tweak the color temperature, and it supports a few animations, but this light strip can only display one color at a time. The connection between the strip and power unit is flimsy, and we found the light cut out if anyone bumped it.

If you want to know about dependable LED light panels that are industry standards, this is the list you're looking for.

A professional-level industry standard LED panel is one that has proven itself in the rental field.

What&#;s so special about the workhorse LED light panels?

• These lights are designed to withstand a ton of abuse on set, getting unloaded and loaded into trucks, handled by rough crew, withstand dust, smoke, haze and a few sprays of water. This is de rigueur in the industry. Also, the build quality also extends to the cables, the power supplies, pins and anything else connected to the panel.
• They have to maintain their light output over many years of use. A cinematographer depends on a light. If he or she uses a panel today and the same one three years down the line, he or she expects the exact same response. Cheaper LEDs tend to lose their power output over time.
• They have to have the best electrical circuitry to withstand fluctuations in voltage and current. This is all too common with generators, poor wiring and long cabling.
• They have to maintain color accuracy over many years of use. Again, dependability is key. You can&#;t have a different red every time you switch on the fixture! The color accuracy reduces over the lifespan of the LED panel. In fact, it is not uncommon for the color accuracy to shift over just a few months of use!
• No color shifts while dimming.
• Flicker-free for high-speed filming.
• They must come with a ton of accessories to allow the light to be shaped and moulded. Manufacturers also augment these panels with other kinds of lights, like spotlights, tube lights, etc., so you can solve large scale lighting challenges.
• Availability of accessories. Many cheap LED products change year after year. If you want a part or accessory for a particular panel in about 5 years, you might not be able to get it if the manufacturer moves on. Higher-end panels made by reputable companies are designed after a lot of thought, and they tend to support their products a lot longer.
• They must be capable of being chained together for wireless or DMX operation without any issues.

Again, the lights in this list are rental items. They are expensive for the owner operator to buy and maintain, but there&#;s nothing stopping small crews from acquiring lights for commercials and corporate films.

Here are my top picks based on personal experience:

1 Arri SkyPanel

Arri SkyPanels are the probably the most ubiquitous LED light panels out there. You&#;ll be hard pressed to find a decent lighting truck that doesn&#;t carry a few of these.

You have the newer series like the X21, X22, and X23, and also the older time-tested series like the S30-C, S60-C and so on. Here&#;s a quick comparison of the two series:

FeatureSkyPanel S60-CSkyPanel X21Power400 Watts800 WattsWeight Light/Power Supply13/5 kg15/3 kgSize27.1 x 13.6 x 5.2&#;29.1 x 13.3 x 6.1&#;Color Range to 10,000K to 20,000KPhotometrics at K with Filter at 3.3&#; / 1 m11,100 Lux 13,589 LuxPhotometrics at K with Filter at 3.3&#; / 1 m11,322 Lux12,890 LuxColor AccuracyCRI 95 TLCI 90CRI 99 TLCI 93Weather RatingIP 20IP 66

As you can see, the newer X series draws more power but is weather proof against rain, storms, and cold water pressure washers. And, the color range is incredible, and accurate. These lights are designed for AC power on a film set.

To understand the series, the larger the number, the bigger the light in terms of size as well as light output. The most useful one is the Arri Skypanel S60-C, which has color effects and filters, but I&#;ll need to test the X21 too soon.

Any SkyPanel a versatile light that can be used in a myriad of situations. Most times I rent a truck, I have a couple of S60s in them. I&#;ve found them to be dependable and versatile panels and I&#;ve been consistently using them for years now. You really can&#;t go wrong with an Arri SkyPanel.

Buy Arri Skypanels on B&H

Kino Flo Celeb being adjusted (Celebs have been discontinued)

2 Kino Flo Image

Here&#;s the thing. Kino Flos have been around for decades, and they have established themselves as a dependable brand.

The company is the world’s best ceiling led flat panel light manufacturer supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Older accessories and products that interface with Kino Flo fixtures can be used with these modern designs that share similar physical characteristics. From a business continuity perspective, it makes a lot of sense to continue with the tried and tested.

Even if you are an independent filmmaker, I would recommend Kino Flos if you&#;re traveling around the globe. You&#;ll find replacements, dealers and accessories a lot easier to match your existing lineup or to replace them when things go south. There are lightweight options like the Diva-Lite and the Freestyle Air, that are also great as fill lights.

However, my pick is the Kino Flo Image series, the L40 and L80. These LED panels are narrow and are designed to light small to medium-size green screens, as well as for key lights in a studio setting. One of the cool features of the Image series is the light output does not change when changing Kelvin settings.

You get lux at 1m, but draw way less power than the X21.

Buy Kino Flo Image LEDs on B&H

3 Litegear LiteMat Spectrum

The Litegear LiteMat Spectrum is an extremely versatile &#;tile-type&#; LED system. I&#;ve never seen one in India, but they are popular in the USA.

If size and weight are your primary concern you should give these babies a look. These lights are designed to be rigid, lightweight, ultra-thin, and easy to rig. You can put them literally anywhere.

The downsides are that they don&#;t have the same functionality as multi-color RGB panels, nor are they as durable, but that&#;s an understandable tradeoff considering what you&#;re getting in return.

Buy Litegear LiteMat Spectrum on B&H

Litepanels Gemini Soft 2×1 used as a kicker

4 Litepanels Gemini

The biggest draw about the Litepanels Gemini is the price. Litepanels don&#;t have the pedigree of an Arri or Kino Flo, but they are a reputable brand that have been around for over a decade.

You don&#;t compromise on any features, and the build quality is there. The Gemini 2×1 Hard RGB LED panel has a decent light output of 23,000 lux at 9.8 feet.

If you want a real-world comparison of lights, check out this article I&#;ve written:

Buy Litepanels Gemini on B&H

5 Aputure Nova P300c

The Aputure Nova P300c (Amazon, B&H) is the cheapest large panel on this list. Aputure has really stepped up its game over the last decade or so.

It goes from K to 10,000K and has all the RGB and FX features. It draws 360 Watts and outputs 9,000 lux at 3.3 feet. It&#;s not as powerful as the SkyPanel but if you&#;re looking for a light to own then this will do well. Time will tell how well Aputure respond to the demands of the rental market. It&#;s not easy to change industry standards quickly.

Buy Aputure Nova P300c on B&H or Amazon

6 Astera FP6 HydraPanel

The Astera FP6 HydraPanels are a very different type of LED light. It&#;s small but packs a punch for times when space is at a premium.

It measures only 6.5 x 3.3 x 1.7&#;. The color temperature ranges from K to 20,000K. It runs for an hour and 45 minutes at maximum brightness on its built-in battery power. It draws 17 Watts. You can an impressive 516 lux at 3.3&#; / 1 m. 

You also get modifiers like a diffuser, egg crates, and a gel holder. The panel can be mounted via an included FlexBase accessory, baby pin, or rear magnet. 

Buy Astera FP6 HydraPanels on B&H

7 Aputure MC RGBWW

The Aputure MC (Amazon, B&H) is a smaller version of the Astera FP6, but is a light I&#;ve personally used. You can hide it in so many places for those accent and fill lights.

The MC has a size of only 3.7 x 2.4 x 0.7&#;. It can be mounted via a 1/4&#;-20 thread or via its built-in magnets. It&#;s not as powerful as the FP6. You get 100 Lux at 3.3&#; / 1 m. The color temperature range is also lower, at K to K.

However, it draws a ridiculously low 5 Watts and runs for 2 hours at full brightness. I&#;ve used it on three shoots and they&#;ve held up very well on rentals. For the price you can&#;t go wrong. You can buy four of them for the price of an FP6, and Aputure sells them as a 4-light kit as well, which includes a charging case.

Buy Aputure MC on Amazon or B&H

That&#;s it for my list of seven industry standard LED panels that you&#;ll find everywhere on film shoots.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website LED Spike Light.