USER REVI EW | L I TEPANELS GEMI N I 1X1 HARD
A truly versatile light that’s renowned for its brightness and ease of use LITEPANELS GEMINI 1X1 HARD PR I CE £ 1 920 / $2 1 38
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH / P I CTURES L I TEPANELS
To widen and soften the beam of the Gemini Hard, Ultra Light and Domed Diffusers are supplied as standard. These cut down the intensity, but soften and widen the beam. It means you have the option of a harder, more directional light, or a softer, wider spread using a diffuser panel or dome, or both. Our tests showed the diffusers corrected, fine-tuning the colour output using the three control knobs on the rear panel. You can alter the light in terms of RGBWW, gel mode or HSI (hue, saturation, intensity). To store one of these did alter colour temperature marginally, but this is easily settings for instant recall, just push and hold one of the preset buttons. Usually they have a range of white balance settings, but you can store whatever you require. The Gemini 1x1 Hard is compact, weighing 6kg/13.25lb including yoke and power supply, and has a maximum draw of just 200W. It’s ideal for use on location, and a separate power plate can be fitted with one or two V-Lock batteries. And several Geminis can be fastened together to make a much larger, super-bright light source. In addition to the rear control panel, there are lots of remote options, including DMX, RDM, wireless DMX and Bluetooth, so you can control all your lights from
ABOVE The Gemini 1x1 Hard is supplied with two diffusers, and other accessories are available from Snapgrid, too
itepanels was truly innovative with the Gemini 1x1 Soft RGBWW LED panel. It
a distance. The Bluetooth setting requires an optional plug-in dongle in conjunction with a smartphone app (iOS only, at the moment), but it’s a shame this isn’t built in. We also got to try the LED panel with a range of accessories from Snapgrid. There is a quick-assemble softbox that fastens to the front of the light and makes it softer, and a honeycomb grid can be fitted to the front of this to make the light more directional. The Litepanels Gemini 1x1 Hard combines a very punchy, hard light with modifiers, which do cut down intensity, but make the light softer and with a wider spread. It’s a great all-round performer that has enough power to be used in lots of different ways.
was one of the first to market with a full-spectrum white light, as well as full RGB output and a range of creative cinematic effects. Over recent years, others have come out with similar products, so Litepanels has hit back with a new version: the Gemini 1x1 Hard RGBWW. Essentially, this is very like the Soft version, but uses intensifying lenses in front of the LEDs. This focuses the light output into a more tightly controlled, narrower beam that’s significantly brighter, with a harder edge. It puts out more than 3000 lux at 3m/10ft, and Litepanels claims it is the brightest and most accurate 1x1 panel ever. It really is very bright – too much for interviews without dazzling your sitter. It even works outside on a bright day, as long as it’s not too far from your subject. The beam angle is around 46°, where the Soft is more like 120°.
SPECI F I CAT IONS LED types: RGBWW Beam angle: 46° CCT range: 2700-10,000K
Output: Daylight 5600K, 3023 lux at 3m/10ft L ight modes: RGBWW/CCT/HIS/gel/FX single dial with LCD menu control. 300 gels, 11 FX I P rating: 20 Mobile power options: Gemini 1x1 14.4V battery plate
“The Gemini 1x1 Hard has a maximum draw of just 200W. It’s ideal for use on location”
Power draw: 200W Weight: 6kg/13.25lb Dimensions (wxhxd): 320x320x110mm/12.6x12.6x4.3in
42 DEF I N I T ION | JULY 202 1
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