I tried out Elinchrom’s new LED lights and they a MUST for photographers who are starting to shoot video

Elinchrom has just released a new continuous LED light, and I think it's a must-have for photographers who are starting to shoot video content.

I've long been a fan of Elinchrom, having used its strobes throughout my portrait and commercial photography career. But there’s always been a gap in their lineup – a continuous light.

Continuous lighting is typically associated with videographers and filmmakers, providing a constant, consistent light source instead of the brief flash of a strobe. But with the rise of social media, photography has changed forever. Photographers who once focused solely on still images are now adapting to a more hybrid workflow.

Whether it’s to meet the demands of commercial clients who now expect short-form video alongside stills or to create social media content to remain visible, photographers have, in many ways, been pulled into video whether they like it or not. This transition is made far easier with products designed for hybrid shooting, and the new Elinchrom LED 100 C does exactly that.

Elinchrom has a long history of innovating in the world of photography lighting, and the LED 100 C is a clear example of that. It’s designed with photographers in mind, making it a seamless addition for those looking to integrate video into their practice.

Mirrorless cameras and continuous lighting go hand in hand, making photography even more intuitive, and dare I say, easy. With a constant light source, you can see exactly how the light interacts with your subject in real time without the need to take a test shot and chimp the screen. You can dial in your settings, know precisely what you're getting, and when it’s time to switch to video, simply hit record; keeping the settings and lighting exactly the same.

This ability to move effortlessly between stills and video makes hybrid shooting faster and more dynamic. For portrait photographers like myself, it means I can capture both traditional portraits and moving portraits in a single session, adding an extra layer of storytelling to my work.

While the LED 100 C is fantastic for video, it also works well as a fill light, providing additional control over the lighting environment; and thanks to its ability to communicate with Elinchrom strobes via the Elinchrom app, blending flash and continuous lighting has never been easier.

One of the biggest drawbacks of many LED lights, particularly cumbersome LED light panels, is their lack of flexibility when it comes to shaping light. This is where the LED 100 C shines. It seamlessly integrates with Elinchrom’s extensive range of light modifiers, enabling photographers to sculpt and diffuse the light as they would with traditional strobes. The result? A beautifully even spread of light with edge-to-edge diffusion.

Having used the LED 100 C for only an hour, I can already tell it’s going to be a staple in my kit. It opens up more creative possibilities for short-form video content while maintaining the high-quality lighting Elinchrom is known for.

The Elinchrom LED 100 C represents the start of a new and exciting journey into continuous lighting for Elinchrom, with more powerful models penciled in for the future. The reason for the delay in constant lighting is that Elinchrom wanted to do it right and was able to shape light with the same quality as its strobes. It feels like Elinchrom has hit the nail on the head with this one, and for the price of just £499, there isn't any other light like it on the market.

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Check out our guide to the best photography lighting kits, and why Elinchrom is now my go-to lighting brand.