As any photographer, content creator, or visual artist knows, lighting is key to creating an impactful, professional, and seamless look. Whether it’s video, still photography, or social content creation, the hunt for the next best lighting tool is always at the forefront of any visual creator's mind.
When LED panel lighting became prevalent in the early 2010's and disrupted the studio lighting industry, they gave more freedom to creators with their lightweight, compact, and continuous lighting options. Now, LED panels have gone a step further with edge-lit technology.
Here, we dive into what edge-lit lighting is, why it’s revolutionizing photography and videography—and how you can incorporate it into your setup.
Edge-Lit Technology: A New Way to Light
Edge-lit lighting takes the concept of the LED lights to another level. Regular LED lights, also known as back lit lights, have hundreds of LEDs placed on the inner back wall of the light. These LEDs shine directly forward and onto a subject. The downside of a back-lit light source is that it can create hot spots within the light. It will also produce harsher light, meaning you have to manually add a layer of diffusion to your panel.
This is where edge-lit technology changes the game. An Edge-lit light has LED positioned around the inner edge of the light, instead of on the back wall, hence the name edge-lit. This means the LEDs shine inwards, bounce off the back wall of the light then travel outwards through a built in diffusion layer. Essentially, edge-lit lights become their own softbox, producing minimal shadows, evenly distributing light, and—here’s the best part—eliminating those dreaded hot spots.
Additionally, since the LEDs are situated on the edges of the panel, the housing can be smaller, creating a lightweight product that’s slimmer and sleeker than the average LED panel and makes transportation and setup a piece of cake.
So why are edge-lit lights so much better than standard LED lights? They have all the benefits of standard LEDs, including:
- Silent operation
- Continuous light
- Minimal heat
- Powerful output
But the features that truly set edge-lit lights apart are:
- Inward facing LEDs - No direct light so no harsh shadows.
- No hot spots - For an evenly lit light panel every time. Guaranteed.
- Sleeker design - Thinner build and lighter weight for easy transportation.
- Built-in diffusion - Soft, easy to look at light with no extra diffuser needed.
Edge-lit lights are the premium lighting solution for all of your creative needs, from video and photography to perfect lighting for virtual meetings.
Edge-Lit Lighting Solutions from Lume Cube
Whatever your need, Lume Cube has a selection of edge-lit products that will transform your setup—and improve your results. Try these great products on for size.
Lume Cube’s Edge Light is a great option for desk lighting or for illuminating your face during virtual meetings. Its sleek design requires minimal desk space, and the adjustable brightness offers incredible results for the tone and mood you’re looking for in your lighting. The Edge Light‘s features include:
- 360-degree rotating base with 5 adjustable pivot points for flexibility
- Universal desk clamp mount
- Adjustible hues, from cool, blue-colored light to warmer amber shades
The Flex Light Pro for Medium Shots and Content Creation
Our Flex Light Pro is a two-point lighting system built for content creators who are looking to showcase themselves, another person, or an object that’s fairly close in the frame. The Flex Light Pro is precision lighting featuring two long, sleek light panels connected to one base, making it portable and easy to set up. Other features of the Flex Light Pro include:
- Perfect color accuracy with a 96+ CRI rating
- Built in phone mount
- Adjustable color temperature and brightness
The Cordless Ring Light Pro for Even Lighting
The go-to lighting option for many creators is the ubiquitous ring light, and Lume Cube doesn’t disappoint with our edge-lit Cordless Ring Light Pro. This content creator staple provides seamless, evenly distributed light that’ll make your shoots pop like never before. It has a long list of uses—it’s great for beauty, portrait, and product photo shoots, food photography, video production, and more. Features of the Cordless Right Light Pro include:
- A Remote control
- 70 to 120 minutes of battery power
- Adjustable color temperature and brightness
The Studio Panel Lighting Kit for Full-Frame for Interviews and Photos
If you’re looking for the ultimate edge-lit lighting solution, the Lume Cube Studio Panel Lighting Kit is composed of two separate studio lights and comes with all of the accessories you need for a full, professional set up.This kit provides continuous, no-hot-spot lighting that makes any subject come alive. Features of this lightweight kit include:
- Adjustable brightness and temperature
- Rechargeable lithium battery with to-the-minute battery life updates
- Remote can be synced to control both panels simultaneously
Edge-Lit Solutions for Every Project
Lighting makes or breaks a photograph or video—and the right edge-lit light panel setup can take your work from ho-hum to holy-moly! Lume Cube’s edge-lit lighting products are designed to make photography, film, and video lighting effortless so you can focus less on the complicated physics of hot spots and shadows and more on creating flawless, captivating content—anywhere, anytime and any place.
