Review of the Dynaphos LDX100 Bi-color LED Panel

We are sharing a review by Ivan Maslarov of the Dynaphos LDX100 Bi LED panel, which you will also see later on Photo Cafe.

 

I continue with Dynaphos' new lighting line, and today I will focus on the Dynaphos LDX100 Bi LED panel. In a previous article, I mentioned the collaboration between Godox and Dynaphos and Dynaphos' decision to have its own branded line of continuous lighting.

I admit that I haven't tested LED panels in a long time. Perhaps I underestimate them a bit, considering that ever since projectors with micro LED panels appeared, and the ability to attach light control accessories that I am used to, I believe they are more effective for creativity.

I think as a photographer, while many video content creators rely on panels. They are easy to transport, silent, easy to attach batteries to, and easy to position, taking up little space. In fact, I still shoot my videos with 3 LED panels because I like to be "flooded" with light. My panels are getting old; they don't have as good color characteristics as the new generation, and I decided to replace them with other lighting, but more on that in a future encounter.

Dynaphos LDX100 Bi is on the agenda, and as always, I start with:

 

Design

All-metal body, excluding the front where the LED panel is located, of course. The back has fine ribbing to achieve maximum cooling, i.e., passive cooling without fans – absolutely silent. A U-shaped frame allows the panel to be attached to a lighting stand. There are tightening bolts on both sides. This is convenient because you can use one to create balanced tightening – to have some resistance while loosening the other bolt, so the panel doesn't "flop" suddenly, especially if it has barn doors attached, which add weight.

At the front, there are grooves where diffusers or barn doors slide in, and a locking system to prevent accidental falling out. There are two diffusers, one more ethereal, let's call it A, and one denser, let's call it B.

If you want to use barn doors (purchased separately) and a diffuser simultaneously, you should combine them (as indicated in the instructions) and then slide them into the grooves.

On the back, there is a V-Lock battery mount, and below it, a control module with dual-action potentiometers and a few buttons. A cable from a transformer adapter plugs into the control module, and the power switch has 3 positions: off, battery, or DC power.

The power adapter has an option to be attached to one of the stand's bolts or the arm of a boom, if you are using one. There's a strap and a steel wire provided for this purpose. I always advise attaching it to the stand instead of letting it drag on the ground.

 

Power Supply

I mentioned the DC power adapter, but the great extra is the direct attachment of a V-Lock battery. Yes, some lower-power panels use Sony NP-type batteries in pairs to provide enough power. This is a cheaper solution but would hardly provide normal operation for the LDX100 Bi panel. The illumination time depends, of course, on the power used, color temperature, and of course, the size of the battery.

Since I am a homebody, I haven't invested in such batteries because I prefer the secure environment of the studio, but soon you will see the results obtained with the lighting with batteries.

The use of this type of battery reinforces the professional orientation of the panel. Such type of lighting... actually further down, when I get to the usability of the lighting.

 

Light Quality

I darken the studio well, take out the Sekonic Spectrometer C-800, and begin one of my favorite moments – determining the quality of a given light. As always, in the galleries below, you can see results measured at different color temperatures: 2800; 3200; 4300; 5600 and 6500K. These values appear in the control application, which is why I focused on them.

I also mentioned the two diffusers that come with the Dynaphos LDX100 Bi, so I decided it was appropriate to test with each diffuser attached. To easily see the differences on one screen, I will present them in galleries of 3 rows, where row one is without a diffuser, row 2 is with diffuser A, and row 3 is with diffuser B.

 

Color temperature 2800K

 

Color temperature 3200K

 

Color temperature 4300K

 

Color temperature 5600K

 

Color temperature 6500K

 

According to my observations, the best CRI values are found with warm diodes – 2800-3200 Kelvin. This is a trend in perhaps all new lighting fixtures I have tested. For studio work, it is ideal because we control the environment there, and as strange as it may sound... it creates comfort, compared to using daylight temperatures, if I can call them that. In short, if you are a photographer, I recommend using 3200K as the best color temperature.

However. This lighting is more video-oriented. And looking at the TLCI values, for daylight lighting at 4300-5600K, the TLCI index reaches 99, compared to 98 at warmer temperatures. This means that video content creators are better off using higher color temperatures, and I should note (as will be seen below) that the Dynaphos LDX100 Bi shines brightest at around 5600K.

Something else interesting. The diffusers in the kit slightly improve the quality of light. This is more noticeable at lower color temperatures of 2800-3200K and less so at higher ones. Over time, of course, they may tend to yellow or be affected by various contaminants, which could lower their quality, but when new, I recommend using them actively instead of using "naked" diodes. Don't worry about light loss; here's why:

 

Light Output

Reading the name of the light - Dynaphos LDX100 Bi or rather the numbers, I conclude that this is a 100-watt panel. In fact, its output power is 120W, and this maximum power is only at around one color temperature...

In the table, you can see the measured results with the Sekonic Speedmaster L-858D at one meter from the LED panel. Respectively, without a diffuser, with diffuser A, and with diffuser B.

The set data on the light meter are 1/60 sec. and 100 ISO, so everyone can calculate for themselves how the aperture would change at a different speed or ISO. I give the results with the decimal stop of the aperture (for example: aperture 4.0.1 is 4 and 1 tenth). The selected color temperature values are: 2800; 3200; 4300; 5600 and 6500K. Because they appear as standard in the application, and also when pressing the color potentiometer (excluding 2800K)

 

Color temperature	Without diffuser	With diffuser A	With diffuser B
2800K	4.0.1	4.0.0	2.8.8
3200K	4.0.2	4.0.1	2.8.9
4300K	4.0.4	4.0.4	4.0.1
5600K	4.0.5	4.0.4	4.0.2
6500K	4.0.4	4.0.4	4.0.2

 

We get the most light at 5600K, almost half a stop compared to 2800K. Initially, I was skeptical about the diffusers because they reduce the intensity of the light output. It turned out that diffuser A only reduces the aperture by one-tenth of a stop, which is negligibly small, and at the same time noticeably softens the light. Diffuser B reduces it by about 1/3 of a stop, even a little less than 1/3, which is also easily digestible, and here the softening is significant.

I return for a moment to the Dynaphos SL300III Bi – an LED projector that, to soften it, I place a deep parabolic octagon 55 cm, which is approximately equal to the illuminated area of the Dynaphos LDX100 Bi LED panel. The results in terms of light intensity are similar with diffuser B. I have the feeling that the light from the softbox is more homogeneous and soft, but it might be purely subjective. Besides, in terms of occupied space, if I'm in a small room... I'll have to wonder how to position the projector with a softbox, unlike the panel, which, with a little more ingenuity, I can hang on the wall like a painting.

Not to mention that at the end of the shooting day, I would have used half as much electricity if I were a Scrooge McDuck type producer. The latter can be taken as a joke.

 

Control

Three options, as with most modern LED lights: a smartphone application (Godox Light), a dedicated remote control (Godox RC-A6 or Godox RC-A6 II, purchased separately), or from the control panel on the back of the light.

Here, the potentiometers can not only be rotated but also pressed to quickly select a specific light output or color temperature. The interesting thing is that the range 3200-6500K is selected, while 2800K is ignored. Apparently, the manufacturer decided that 2800K is not used as often.

Regarding remote control, whether with an app or a remote, I've written more about it in the article about the Dynaphos SL series LED projectors, so here's an occasion to go and read about it there.

And in the gallery, you can see more about controlling through the application.

 

Dynaphos LDX100 Bi

I think the main idea behind this LED panel is to be mobile. It comes with a very sturdy and reliable bag, which not only holds the panel but also has space for power, the second diffuser, and barn doors, if you've bought them.

You can equip it with lighting stands of the type where the legs are plate-like rather than tubular and flip upside down. They will be stable enough to support the panel and compact enough not to take up much space.

You can quickly and easily set up a mini studio for interviews, and this can be used in a small room. The absence of fans is also a great advantage in small spaces.

The barn doors have a matte black finish and serve to limit light, because without barn doors, panels scatter light at 180 degrees, which is not always good for artistic lighting.

For example, I don't use barn doors because I like to flood with light, but the modern concept of lighting is much more restrained regarding light flooding, so it's not a bad idea to think about barn doors...

Yes, it's good to invest in a system of V-Lock batteries if you want to be fully mobile. There's already a wide choice of brands and capacities on the market, and with some models, you can power both lighting and a camera, or another smart device, simultaneously.

Of course, it can be the main lighting in a small studio for a modern podcaster or vlogger. A set of 2 or, even better, 3 units will illuminate one or two participants well. I share from personal experience, because I am currently shooting with exactly three 100-watt panels.