Looking for suggestions on portable task lighting with gripping/clamping capabilities

I'm after a lighting solution to specifically use inside machines as I take video trying to capture problems. Sometimes the GoPro I use needs some help with lighting the area I'm planning on recording.

I'd like to find a light that is mounted to, or can be mounted to some sort of clip or flexible arm. I was initially thinking something like a Joby Gorilla Pot, but that's just the arm. I'd need to find a light to mount to it. Looks like the LarryLight has a clip on it, but that's more of a pocket clip and certainly wouldn't allow for any positioning of the light.

Do any lights have 1/4-20 sockets?

Of course the tint snob in my wants a light with a Nichia 219....

Any suggestions you have I'd gladly look into.

Thanks.

Lots of lights have 1/4-20 (camera tripod) sockets. I have 88 of them in my database. A substantial number of those are high CRI - 23 of them.

Do you require waterproofness? If not then the least expensive and the best option for filming would be the Viltrox light panels. They can use standard Sony battery packs and have adjustable color temperature. The tint snobs over at reddit absolutely love them for work lights and room illumination.

For something that looks more like a conventional flashlight there is the 219C version of the Acebeam EC65.

I like magnets for mounting lights

and
for illuminating machinery for photography, I greatly prefer a light with No Hotspot

in my experience, lights with hotspots are problematic when used for photographing things like the engine bay in my car…

choices of No Hotspot lights include the relatively inexpensive Utorch S1 Mini and the Klarus Mi1c (only the aluminum model)
I do not love the LEDs, most of my lights have been modified to N219b
since those lights have tailmagnets, it is potentially easy to mount them for use when taking photos

l-r Hotspot from a reflector light w LED modded to N219b 4500k, Aspheric lens on Utorch modded to N219b 4500k, stock Utorch S1 Mini

do not be dissuaded by the ring around the aspheric lens beams, particularly noticeable on the right, in actual use that is outside the field of illumination in the photos I take, and I actually like being able to see clearly, where the edge of the beam is
Note the lenses on the Utorch and Klarus are plastic, and may have artifacts, such as the ring in the center of the Cool White Utorch on the right in the above photo

for real money, a McGizmo Mule (no defined hotspot, but the center is brighter than the perimeter), with high CRI
or a McGizmo Sundrop, with high CRi
are tools worthy of an investment in professional equipment
the lenses are made out of Sapphire Crystal
the mule has no ring around the beam, it diffuses gradually, the Sundrop does have the ring around the edge, which I prefer
mcgizmo beam pics
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Sun-Drop-LE&p=3077892&viewfull=1#post3077892

karlheinz3 said:

I have a shelf queen En Mcclickie Mule from Don's latest wave. This little gem features an outstanding flood beam. I recently acquired a Sundrop XP from a very famous CPF member (gotta love that one "DAD") and I am now offering this Mule with genuine McGizmo built light engine harvested from the Sun Drop! This little light now features a SOB 333 driver pushing a Nichia 083 High CRI LED. The yellow emmiter actually looks like the sun! The color and tint are excellent and ideal for close up work and reading. I am asking $225 shipped in the continental USA.

Sun Drop Left ... Mule Right (Pics are from Don's thread)

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or, for less money than a McGizmo
Bob_McBob is building some awesome Zebras with the incomparable N219b 4500k 9080, and he has floody beam options
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?438804-Zebralight-SC64c/page12

also some lights, notably ones loaded with Primaries, will stick to a magnet, sideways.. which means the light can be aimed by attaching to different sides of a portable magnet, or rotating the light on the magnetic mount

jon_slider said:

I like magnets for mounting lights

and
for illuminating machinery for photography, I greatly prefer a light with No Hotspot


or, for less money than a McGizmo
Bob_McBob is building some awesome Zebras with the incomparable N219b 4500k 9080, and he has floody beam options
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?438804-Zebralight-SC64c/page12

also some lights, notably ones loaded with Primaries, will stick to a magnet, sideways.. which means the light can be aimed by attaching to different sides of a portable magnet, or rotating the light on the magnetic mount

Click to expand...

I agree with the magnet approach and i really like Zebralights. I'd suggest gluing a magnet to a Zebralight "mule" headlamp or putting a magnet on a clip and then attaching a metal piece on your mount. The Zebralight H604 (c or d) is my favorite lighting for pictures and has high CRI with and even light throughout the 120 degree output.



Another option would be to get a Hi CRI P60 drop-in, put it in a Surefire, Malkoff, Solarforce or other P60 clone (there is a thread with a list of all the P60 hosts). Then put one of Overready's low profile ( tailcap with the ZRM mounty to attach to a clamp mount. From the Overready site:

"...Presenting the ZeroRez Mounty (ZRM). The only tailcap insert with a tripod socket, built right in. Install our ZRM into any (Z41 compatible) tailcap and gain instant compatibility with thousands of tripods and mounting accessories already available (and likely in your closet):"

jon_slider said:

Bob_McBob is building some awesome Zebras with the incomparable N219b 4500k 9080, and he has floody beam options
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?438804-Zebralight-SC64c/page12

Click to expand...

Interesting info on the Zebra build.

MX421 said:

The Zebralight H604 (c or d) is my favorite lighting for pictures and has high CRI with and even light throughout the 120 degree output.

Click to expand...

great suggestions, of those, I lean towards the D,
http://www.zebralight.com/H604d-18650-XHP502-Flood-5000K-High-CRI-Headlamp_p_224.html
because the 5000k D model is closer to daylight white balance than the 4000k C

your post also suggested to me, that glueing a magnet to the Headlamp mount would be a great option

fwiw, I am not a fan of glueing magnets directly onto flashlights.. it makes the light stick to things I dont want them to.. imo much better to use a magnet that is detachable from the light

I use this setup. I can hold lights as thick as my Nitecore TM06 and probably thicker. It is kind of specific I have all these though because I do photo stuff too. You might be able to mount a ballhead/plate/C-clamp to a gorillapod or something.

jon_slider said:

great suggestions, of those, I lean towards the D,
http://www.zebralight.com/H604d-18650-XHP502-Flood-5000K-High-CRI-Headlamp_p_224.html
because the 5000k D model is closer to daylight white balance than the 4000k C

Click to expand...

I agree that 5000k is closer to midday sun (Daylight color temperature at noon is 5600K) however sunlight color temperature can vary widely based on time of day and weather conditions. I think the 4000k is closer to a well lit dawn/dusk.I like the c (4000k) myself, but then thats all personal preference I suppose.

jon_slider said:

your post also suggested to me, that glueing a magnet to the Headlamp mount would be a great option

fwiw, I am not a fan of gluing magnets directly onto flashlights. it makes the light stick to things I dont want them to.. imo much better to use a magnet that is detachable from the light

Click to expand...

awhile back i bought a few extra zebralight tailcaps for my 18650 and AA zebralights and tried gluing magnets on them. So far, one glue is holding up pretty well against my test of time. BTW, the headlamp tailcaps also fit the SC6X series if the 90 degree headlamp angle is a problem. I can always switch back to my regular tailcap any time and indeed i do with my H604c when i wear it around my neck. In the Zebra mod thread, someone shrinkwrapped a rectangular magnet to a clip (which, one the headlamps is also removable) if that angle is a better one to mount to a clamp.

On another magnetic option, Olight makes a magnetic mount (X-WM02) for 1" diameter flashlights that is meant to mount directly to a gun barrel that is pretty handy as well:
https://www.olightstore.com/olight-x-wm02-magnetic-weapon-mount?search=x mount

martinaee said:

I use this setup. I can hold lights as thick as my Nitecore TM06 and probably thicker. It is kind of specific I have all these though because I do photo stuff too. You might be able to mount a ballhead/plate/C-clamp to a gorillapod or something.

Click to expand...

That seems like a lot of adapter on that tripod. I use a tripod setup (mine directly mounts to the light hex bolt like that with my TK75 for when i need a good worklight. I don't like the TK75 tint like i do my hi CRI lights though.

I was originally thinking flashlight format, but I'm going to try one of those Viltrox panels. Those look really nice, no hot spot (which is what I want) with a tripod mount. Sweet. Thanks for the suggestion.

Haha it is. Especially overkill just for lights, but it's super sturdy and I had most of it already besides the C-clamp for mounting DSLRs. Great for positioning lights though overhead directly on something. I use it as a positioned light for things like drawing and what not sometimes too. The nice thing about this though is it doesn't require the light to have a 1/4 inch thread mount so you can basically put any light into it you want.