FotodioX is moving into the higher end of lighting with several new fixtures in the Factor lineup. Newsshooter introduced the new line a few months ago and the lights are now shipping.
The Factor Pro V-4000ASVL 1×2 is basically two V-2000ASVL 1×1 panels in one fixture. It’s bright and soft, a combo I like a lot.
FotodioX Pro V-4000ASVL build quality
The body is all metal with plastic corners and the fixture is thin. About 2” thick. I was impressed with the lock-down knob on the frame. It holds the fixture very securely. Even when it’s fully loosened the V-4000 has enough friction that it holds in place. No chance for it to swing freely. I did notice that frame is a little wobbly but hasn’t been a problem. The factor weights just under 18 pounds. Yeah it’s heavy. For field use a case would be a good idea to protect the front plexi – and a sturdy stand too.
Accessories
The V-4000ASLV comes with a set of barn doors which are a little flimsy. They mount securely to the front by snapping into the corners. To remove them you pull down on a tab. I Like this because if you don’t need them you can easily take them off.
On the front is a milky plexi that softens and spreads the light out evenly. This is nice because with multi diode LED arrays you get micro-shadows. This form factor puts out all soft light and it’s pretty bright too, with a beam angle of 120°. That front plexi isn’t removable though. I do wish it was as sometimes you might want to get more output for punching through a 4×4 frame.
Controls and power options
On the back you have all the controls and powering options. For power you have two V-lock battery mounts. Using two 130Wh V-Mount batteries at 100% output you get approximately 1.3 hours of run time.
Want to use AC? No problem. Just snap in the AC power brick on the the V-Lock mount. This is a nice feature. Keeps the brick off the floor and the fixture lighter.
The controller has nice big dials and a easy to read readout display. The color temp dial is red and the output dial is gray. This makes it easy to remember. When you change the color the readout lets you know the Kelvin temperature. Same goes for brightness setting.
The Factor V-4000 does have a fan to keep it cool but I found that it’s not loud at all. If you do have a sound critical shoot you can turn the fan off but then you lose 20% output. I didn’t have any issues with fan noise.
The Factor V-4000 color range is 3200 to 5600 Kelvin.
I tested the accuracy of the Kelvin settings and found at 5600K it ran a little cooler. By setting the light to 5300K I was getting 5630K. Not a big difference but if you want to mix in different lights it sure helps to have accurate color.
The fixture draws 200W and puts out 6,300 lumens at full daylight ~5,000 lux at tungsten color temperature.
I took readings with the Factor V-4000ASVL set at 5600K from three feet and I got a reading of 6710 lux or 624 foot candles. While this seems low you have to factor in the diffusion that is already added to the fixture. The benefit is not needing to add a softbox or clip diffusion to the barndoors. If you need raw output an open face fixture might be a better option. I personally like the slim design and output. The Factor V-4000 is fast to setup and use. I put it on a Matthews Baby Jr. Triple Riser Stand with casters and roll it in and turn it on. Nice bright soft source.
Color
All readings were taken with a Sekonic Spectromaster C-700 at three feet (1 meter).
CRI ratings are very good. FotodioX rates the fixture at 96 CRI. My readings for R1-R8 show pretty much the same. As for the important skin tone color readings. R13 at 96.9 and R15 at 94.3 also are very good.
Above is the Spectral Distribution of the V-4000ASVL. The chart shows only a slight dip between the green and blue. This is a very solid reading.
Specifications:
- 3200-5600k±300 Tungsten / Daylight Color
- 10-100% Power Dimmer / DMX Channel Selection Dial
- Color Rendering Index ≥96
- 200w Maximum Power Draw
- DC 24V 4-Pin XLR Power Input
- DMX 3-Pin Remote Connection
Kit Includes:
V-4000 ASVL Dimmable Bi-Color FACTOR Light
- Mounting Yoke for 5/8″ Light Stand Stud
- 110-240v AC power adapter and Power Cord
- Removable, Clip-In Barndoors
Final thoughts, price and availability
Using the Factor V-4000 is really great. Yes it’s on the heavy side and pretty large so if you intend on traveling a lot you might prefer the two light kit – each fixture is half the weight and you can always double them up if higher output is needed. The V-4000 is a very nice studio light though, that puts out a good amount of nice, soft light.
I used it on a few shoots and was very pleased with it’s performance as a direct source of soft light. If you prefer punching through a 4×4 for even softer light I would recommend a fixture that doesn’t have the soft plexi insert since that does reduce the output compared to an open face fixture. However having a big soft source like the V-4000 is convenient if space is tight and you can’t set up a large frame or softbox.
The V-4000ASVL retails for $995.95 US.
