Lighting Modifiers: Cinematography Test

Description for Modifiers Video

This video is meant to test the various ways you can modify an Aputure 300d Key Light and compare those scenarios against each other. I tested everything from a spotted fresnel to a light dome bounced off bead board.

Methodology:

For this test, the camera was about six feet from the subject and the light source was also six feet from the subject at a 90 degree angle off axis.

The key was metered at an f/4 for every scenario to match the lens aperture. Although, the light was pushing 100% for a couple of them to reach that point. The only variable that was changing was the different modifiers being swapped in.

Do take note of the caveats I lay out at the beginning of the video. The room that I shot this in (my living room) is not a controlled environment. There is a fair amount of spill. In an ideal world, this test would’ve been conducted in a black box. Oh well!

I also missed that the rim light was hitting the lens, reducing the contrast in the shadows and making them warmer. I do think I moved the rim light after the first two fresnel tests, so that’s why those shots have more contrast to them.

Despite all these notes, I still found the test helpful personally, so I figured I’d upload it.

Modifiers used:

-Aputure 2x Fresnel
-Aputure Hyper Reflector
-Aputure Lantern (2.2’)
-Aputure Light Dome Mini II
-Aputure Light Dome II
-4x4 Bleached Muslin
-4x4 Unbleached Muslin
-4x4 Matthews Artificial Silk
-4x4 Matthews Roadflag Silver Lame
-4x4 Matthews Roadflag White Fabric (reverse side of Silver Lame)
-4x4 DIY Bead Board (from Lowes)
-2x1 DIY Bead Board

Camera Details:

Red Gemini w/ 58mm Dulens @ f4.0
24fps, RAW 12:1, Full Sensor 1.7:1 -
5600k, 800 ISO

Color Space Transform in Davinci Resolve:
RedWideGamutRGB, Log3G10 to Rec 709-A
No other adjustments made in post.

Downloads:

Scenarios with BTS: https://f.io/V2O7RNGf

Head to Head Comparisons: https://f.io/6lyl4f82

Chapters:

00:00-00:23 Intro
00:23-01:27 Test Caveats
01:27-03:57 Modifier Clips w/ BTS Photo
03:57-04:56 Fresnel - Head to Head
04:56-05:59 Hard Light - Head to Head
05:59-06:35 Lanterns & Domes - Head to Head
06:35-07:04 Fabrics & Silks - Head to Head
07:04-07:58 Bounce Light - Head to Head
07:58-08:15 ALL Modifiers - Grid View
08:15-08:35 Outro

Music from Audiio.