ProdMod NightVlogger 160 Kit
You can buy the parts kit or order a Custom Built NightVlogger:
.
NightVlogger LED Video Light Parts Kit Contents
Battery holder with cover and switch - choose AAA or AA
3 position switch
180 lumen LED with base - NEW
Aluminum Heat Sink
Resistors to limit current to 350mA (you can also use your own configuration)
Thermal Tape ( you can use thermal epoxy if you have it)
White Frost Filter Gel
Warm White Filter Gel
Set screw and Coupling nut - to make the thumb screw
*** you can also mount this light to the cold shoe mount on top of your camcorder or SLR. Contact me for details.
Recommended Tools:
Carving Knife
Power Drill or Power Screwdriver with 3/16 to 1/4″ drill bits
Rotary tool
Duco Cement or Crazy Glue
Note on Battery life
The battery life is dependent on the capacity of the batteries you choose to use and the current setting you have selected. This product and resistor values have been chosen to work with NiMh rechargeable batteries. I Highly recommend using NiMh because they will hold their current output longer than alkaline. If you did use alkaline you would have to adjust your resistance to limit maximum current under the LED max rating, in this case 700mA, and you may lose power much sooner than with NiMh.
To estimate your battery life you need to know the current output of your brightness setting and the mAh rating of the battery. In my design the low setting is for 350mA and the high is for 700mA. Here is an example with 900mAh AAA NiMh.
Low setting battery life = 900mAh / 350mA = 2.57 hrs
High setting battery life = 900mAh/ 700mA = 1.28 hrs
You will achieve longer battery life if you select a higher capacity battery. They currently sell AAA NiMh with 1150mA. That would bring you up to 3.3 hrs and 1.6 hrs respectively.
You can also use AA batteries. Asuming AA NiMh has 2200mAh you will get: 2200mAh/350mA = 6.28 hrs and 2200mAh/700mA=3.14 hrs.
Assembly Instructions:
User this Flickr set as a guide to make the ProdMod Video Light
This kit includes thermal tape for you to attach the LED to the Heat sink. You will then need to use Duco Cement or Crazy Glue to hold the heat sink in position in the plastic case.
You will also need a resistor for both the low and high settings.
here is a vid of the insides of the old prototype
This should give you an idea of the light output to expect.
Here is what it looks like on your tripod
Ordering your Parts Kit - $35
The LED is upgraded to 180 lumens!
Order the latest kit on makershed.com
.
SAMPLE VIDEO
Check out a video from Marvin - he was one the first bloggers to use my older generation 4LED video light and introduced me to the phrase Night Vlogger!
looks like he used it on this video as well - thanks Marvin!
Wonder if I can power the LED with just 1 AA battery(2500mAh). That would be sweet since I can using it on my compact digital camera.
BTW, where did you get the Set Screw. I guess I check the hardware section at my local store.