Mole-Richardson 250W Daylight LED Softlite

[Todd Terry]

Ok, personally I hate when I ask a specific question about a piece of gear, and then get responses that don’t answer my question but rather try to talk me out of it or tout something else… and from people who haven’t used that gear.

But I’m gonna do that myself now…

Mainly because you wanted to know if it was “travel worthy.” I would imagine so, those big hard-body soft instruments are usually built very well (I have no experience with that exact light, but have used many others). But that also points to the reason that I would never use that instrument on location (on stage maybe if I just happened to have one, but not on location). Namely, they are bulky, clunky, and heavy. I think you’d be much better off for location work with something like Astras that are half the weight, give beautiful light, are more versatile… and if you choose they can be battery powered to boot. There’s just been so many technical advances in lighting instruments these days… that Mole has been updated to LED but still it strikes me as a very 1940s-era old-Hollywood fixture.

There’s the soft version of the Astra, or you can get the harder version and pop a diffuser or a Dfuse softbox on it. You said you didn’t want to “mess with Popup umbrellas or building a soft box” but a popup box like the Dfuse literally opens and attaches in two seconds… and that’s not an exaggeration. And the softbox probably only weighs a couple of ounces, opposed to the twelve pounds that the Mole weighs (and the Astra itself it much lighter weight…6lb vs. 12lb). I’d also never put that Mole on anything less robust that a C-stand, whereas a lighter instrument like an Astra or such could be put on a much lighter-weight stand (medium-duty Matthews stand, or whatever) if needed.

I’m not shilling for LitePanels in any way, but I love their instruments and especially the Astras. I really can’t conceive why anyone would buy a hard-body softlight these days. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure they still made them.

Or maybe you’re a young buck who likes to lug around heavy and bulky things. I used to be… but those days are long gone.

Just my two cents, there’s probably people around who still love them.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Bob Cole]

Todd, I know you’re a fan of the Astra.

In B&H’s reviews, a 6X owner reports that a Litepanels tech person suggested at least a 120WH battery. I have been keeping to 90’s for air travel due to FAA restrictions (two carry-on batteries over 100WH and under 160WH are allowed at the airline’s discretion but I’d rather not risk that). How are you powering, and if you’ve used 90WH batteries, have you run into problems with the Astra 6x?

Thanks.

Bob C

[Todd Terry]

Hi Bob…

Yes, I’m a fan of the Astra (though growing more and more a fan of the Fotodiox flapjacks of late).

I wish I could help, but that’s not exactly my situation. I have no 6x Astras, only 4x (mine are old enough that that was the highest available at the time). I also general use more robust batteries than you’re talking about… so I don’t have any experience with that exact combo.

I’m gonna shoot you a private message off forum….