Litepanels, a Vitec Group brand, and an innovator in LED lighting solutions for the feature, photographic and broadcast industries, has introduced the Astra Soft Bi-Color LED panel. With a new diffused lens, the one square-foot Astra Soft Bi-Color provides a soft light alternative to the original Astra 1×1 Bi-Color LED panel and mimics the effect of a softbox in a compact, portable design.
Response from key industry insiders to the new light has been enthusiastic. “With these new Astra Soft Bi-Colors, the diffusion that they have built-in on the front of them makes it like it’s one nice, flat, soft source. They’ve got pretty good throw. You can dim them and they are not going to change colour temperature,” said Emmy Award winning DP and director Jody Eldred. “Also, I can run these off batteries if I want. That’s huge for me because it allows me to work much faster. And the faster I can work, the more creative I can be, the more coverage I can get out of my day.”
The Astra Soft Bi-Color output rates among the highest of soft LED panels. This intensity illuminates a wider area, allowing the panel to compete with strong exterior light sources or illuminate a large area effectively with just a single fixture. These light output levels, combined with continuously variable colour temperature settings mean there is no need to install expensive fixed colour temperature plates.
“The real value with the Astra Soft is the continuation of this Astra family of products. There’s passion in the design and an understanding of how our products are used. The uniqueness of the light is the luminescent quality of the light. This light can match existing colors with a soft, beautiful quality that those with the professional knowledge of lighting can understand and those who are beginners can see,” said Pat Grosswendt, one of the founders of Litepanels.
Following the functionality of the Astra 1×1 Bi-Color, the pioneering Astra Soft Bi-Color panel features a high CRI that yields exceptional colour reproduction and precise colour temperature. The Astra Soft Bi-Color can adjust between daylight and tungsten to accommodate different lighting situations and supports smooth transitional dimming with no noticeable colour shift and a flicker-free performance at any frame rate or shutter angle. Like all Astra panels, the design of the Astra Soft Bi-Color has custom-designed optics with surface mount LEDs, offering a light output that is four times higher than the original 1×1 fixtures and can therefore effectively brighten a larger surface area. Additionally, the internal microprocessor of the Astra Soft Bi-Color includes dual cooling modes – active and passive- manages the temperature of the panel and assures long panel life.
The Astra Soft Bi-Color uses the same technology as the rest of the Astra family so all the accessories can be used interchangeably. The new Astra Soft Bi-Color panel is also compatible with the new communications modules that allow the user to control the lights via 512DMX standard protocol with the DMX communications modules or wirelessly with the Bluetooth Communications Modules with your Apple device through the Litepanels SmartLite app. The app also lets users control multiple lights at once, with distinct controls for intensity, color temperature, fan, and more.
