Help me buy an... LED panel
What to look for
in a LED panel
The Rotolight AEOS has a smart range of features
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Power range
As is often the case, there’s
a full range of stepless
adjustment from off to
maximum power, with
flicker-free output. This
can be a bonus for shooting
stills. The AEOS also has a
facility to fire a double-power
flash with high-speed sync.Display panel
The rear-mounted display panel is pretty
rudimentary, but enables a visual check on
the output power and colour temperature,
as well as for dialling in special effects
like flickering fire and lightning.Control panel
The control interface is based
on two pushbutton/rotary
dials, which are used to make all
available adjustments and work
in conjunction with the seven-
segment alphanumerical display.In the round
Whereas most LED panels are square or
rectangular, the Rotolight AEOS has a
circular design with a 30cm diameter.
When used for portraiture, it can give
more natural-looking
catchlights in
the eyes.LED array
Most panels use an array
of LEDs with both warm and
cool colour temperatures,
enabling a wide range of
adjustment when mixing
the two – in this case,
from 3,150 to 6,300 Kelvin.Handheld or tripod
For easy handholding of the lamp, two
aluminium handles are featured on the rear
panel. A heavy-duty ball head is also supplied
with the kit, for mounting the panel on a tripod.Battery holder
As with many LED panels,
a rechargeable lithium-ion
battery pack is available
as an optional extra. For
the AEOS, Rotolight’s
V-mount batteries
cost £275/$300 each.