It always feels like the BSC Show marks the beginning of the lighting year. So, we had a great time last week at BSC Expo 2020, checking out the new LED tools and talking to clients and suppliers.

Building a better battery!

There are always great new lights to dazzle us but this year we’re obsessed with batteries. We know that having a reliable battery when you’re out and about can make the difference between a productive shooting day and an expensive waste of time. That’s why we love the Hawk Woods range. This company builds their batteries in the UK and they offer a repair service. So a boost to the local economy, lower delivery miles and fewer batteries to landfill. That’s three good reasons for us to invest in these batteries. Performance wise, hungry fixtures like our Skypanel series really need a reliable power source, and Hawk Woods fit the bill there.

Astera light family gets bigger

We’re already big fans of Astera products. Because we already have Titan, Helios and AX1 lights in our range. At the show we were interested to see the Hyperion, which is a 8ft long Astera tube! Obviously better for studio set ups than tight shoots, but a cool idea. But we think the one to watch is Astera’s new RGB practical bulb. You can use the Astera app. to dial up any colour you want, exactly the same way you use the tube lights. We can think of loads of uses for these.

Punch from a panel – Exalux cracks it

One family of lights that’s definitely on our shopping list is the LED Zep Punch series from Exalux. This clever riff on the Lite Mat series includes individual lenses in front of the LED array which gives a really punchy light from a panel.

Meet the Panalux Hybrid Generator

Let’s give a shout out to Panalux who launched a new hybrid genny at the show. As LED specialists we’re not in the generator game, but if you are, this combined diesel/lithium-ion generator looks like a good option. It claims to power a 3,000w load for 8 hours on batteries before the diesel engine kicks in. That makes it cheaper to run, with lower carbon emissions which is a great start.

Sustainable talk gets top billing at BSC Expo 2020

It’s good to see a sustainability panel at BSC Expo 2020 for the first time. There’s lots of work to do in this area, so the more we can get together at events like this the more likely it is to happen!

Getting together over a pint in the Prince Albert

Of course the BSC Expo 2020 is as much about people as it is about products. It’s a great chance to catch up with friends and colleagues from LCA, Octica, Prolight Direct and everyone else that supplies us with high quality LED lights and accessories through the season. Of course everyone ends up in the Prince Albert pub, apologies to the drinkers of Battersea who couldn’t get in for their usual pint. If you couldn’t make it this year, we’d love to hear your news – get in touch or come and visit if you want to try out the latest LED kit for yourself.