Why is led panel light Better?

Because LED lighting has such high energy efficiency, long lifespan, and an impressive flexibility on which to be based, it is becoming the choice for modern homes and businesses. Among the numerous selections of LEDs on the market, LED panels and LED downlights top the list as most desired indoor lighting. What's the difference, though? Learn the differences between LED Panels and LED Downlights in this article.

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Getting to Know LED Panels

LED panels can be used for broad, uniform illumination in an area, which makes them very popular. Here is what you need to know about LED panels:

Design and Style: LED panels are fairly flat, slim, and rectangular or square-shaped. They are often incorporated into ceilings without being noticed. With clean, sleek lines, they add a modern look to otherwise cluttered or messy spaces.

The effect on the lighting: LED panels manufacture soft and diffused effects of lighting, which mainly evades glare or shadows. For this reason, they become ideal applications for places requiring gentle illumination over a wide spread. Offices, conference rooms, schools, and hospitals are ideal places to make use of LED panel lights.

Applications: LED panels offer the application for some investment needs of high uniform brightness. They find general use in commercial spaces but are also finding their usage in residential segments, especially where low ceilings exist or in applications associated with task lighting.

Energy Efficiency and Lifespan: LEDs panels are of high energy efficiency and can last up to 50,000 hours or more. The brand and usage define the longevity of LEDs panels, saving energy costs and the hassle of frequent replacements.

LED Downlights

LED downlights are handy fixtures for various installations where directional lighting is required. Here's what you should know about LED downlights:

• Design and Form: The appearance of LED downlights is always circular in shape and mounted into ceiling cavities directly so that they have a clean, flush look. Comparatively, LED panels are more compact and, therefore, optimal for smaller spaces.
• Light Impact: While LED panels tend to give a diffused lighting effect, LED downlights impact with sharp, directional lighting. Thus, these lights are fantastic for accent lighting, creating focal points, or highlighting a certain area of a room.
• Applications: LED downlights are also in high demand within residential settings. Their applications cut across common areas such as living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. They're also applied in retail for focus purposes between products or goods put up for sale and in galleries to highlight art pieces.

Energy Efficiency and Lifespan: Similar to the LED panels, LED downlights are also energy efficient and have a long lifespan, hence providing a very sustainable lighting source that also goes along with electricity saving. 

Differences Between LED Panels and LED Downlights

Feature

LED Panels

LED Downlights

Shape

Flat, rectangular, or square

Round, recessed

Light Distribution

Broad, even illumination

Focused, directional light

Best For

Large spaces needing uniform brightness

Accent lighting or small, targeted areas

Common Applications

Offices, hospitals, conference rooms, homes

Living rooms, kitchens, galleries, retail spaces

Installation

Integrated into ceilings

Recessed into ceilings, often adjustable angles

Which To Consider?

The selection between LED panels compared to LED downlights would depend on your lighting 

needs and space and requirements:

LED panels : Then you should go for LED panels if you have a large area that needs uniform, bright lighting. They are perfect for commercial spaces because you could provide high-quality, glare-free light output to be used in workplaces.

LED downlights: For accent lighting or directed lighting, you can use LED downlights. Sometimes, downlights can create and add depth to a space by making it look complex because of highlighting areas of space that would form layers of lights.

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Final Thoughts:

Both the LED panels and the LED downlights are excellent sources of efficient and long-lasting lighting options that can provide an outstanding resource to uplift any environment. While suitable for broad, even lighting within a large hall, LED panels need something to create a cozier atmosphere and make it welcoming. LED downlights serve the purpose of targeted lighting for those areas; consider an example of setting up an office, redesigning a home, or creating a retail space. Knowing the difference between the two types of LED lighting will come in handy for choosing the appropriate one.

Frequently Asked Questions-

1. What is the difference between an LED panel and an LED downlight?

The biggest difference is in the design and light distribution. LED panels offer a better overall, uniform lighting scheme. They are better suited to large areas. LED downlights are direct, focused lighting, often best used with accent lighting or smaller spaces.

2. Are LED panels available in dimming configurations?

Many LED panels are dimmable, but you need to ensure that you check the specifications of the product you are buying and have compatible dimmer switches .

3. Are energy-saving?

Well, yes indeed. Actually, many people use LED downlights because they save a lot in terms of electricity use compared to conventional lighting. In fact, it is an eco-friendly option for saving energy as well as saving energy costs .

4. Where do LED panels work best?

The applications for LED panels include more commercial uses, such as offices, conference rooms, schools, and healthcare facilities. They are also well-suited for residential applications that require uniform ambient lighting, like kitchens and large open living spaces.

5. Should I be using LED downlights for task lighting?

Yes. LED downlights are also very applicable for task lighting. Their direct illumination makes them ideal for reading, cooking, or for focusing attention on displays and product offerings in retail and display settings.

6. Are LED panels and down lights easy to install?

Both the LED panel and the LED down light can be mounted pretty easily, though installation requirements for each tend to be different. Some LED panels may need extra support in ceiling grids. The installation process of downlights will involve cutting out holes in the ceiling and proper electrical wiring.

7. How long do LED panels and LED down lights last?

Both LED panels and downlights are used with a long lifespan, generally going from 30,000 to 50,000 hours or more. Again, this will depend on quality, usage, and external environmental influences.

8. How do downlights work with high ceilings?

Yes, LED downlights work very well for high ceilings, where adjustable angles can direct light downward. However, LED panels may be preferable for lighting large even areas in rooms with high ceilings.

9. Can I use LED panels together with LED downlights?

Absolutely! That's sometimes called layered lighting. You're providing general lighting of a space, combined with LED downlights in the same space. That creates beautiful layers of lighting that can really add interest and depth to a space.

10. Are LED panels and downlights safe to use?

Both LED panels and downlights are also safe to use: they produce very low temperatures, nontoxic, and no harmful UV radiation; they are also tough and can withstand impacts, making them a good choice.

There are two kinds of light sources for video: LED lights and panels. Both have advantages and drawbacks. Which is the best choice when you’re on a budget? Should you choose an LED light or an LED panel? I made my choice, but now, I have my doubts.

If the amount of ambient light isn’t enough, we need to bring our own lights. That’s one of the reasons why we use strobes. With a flash of light, we can produce our own creative way of illuminating the subject. But this doesn’t work for video, obviously. For that, we need continuous light.

When I was asked to film on location, I brought my Profoto B10 strobes with me. The built-in model light offers some continuous light. It was just enough, as long as I could keep the distance between the subject and the B10 unit within limits.

I agree, it wasn’t the ideal situation for shooting video. I had to crank up the ISO to get a good exposure. When I got asked more often to video, I decided it was time to buy something that was more suitable for the job. Although the Profoto B10 worked for the few times I needed more light, I knew it eventually wouldn't be enough.

An LED Panel for a Reasonable Price

There are a lot of different continuous lights available. The price ranges from less than a hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars. I had to find something that would be good for my work without breaking the bank. That’s why I decided to buy a couple of cheap LED panels to start with.

There was one thing that was important for me. It had to produce enough light to suit my needs, more than the model lights on my Profoto B10 at least. On top of that, an LED panel that could change its color temperature would be nice — not an RGB, but a bicolor light. The panels I bought were the Viltrox VL-S192T LED light. 

It sounded good: 192 LEDs that could change color temperature from 3,300-5,600 Kelvin, with 5,300 lumens. I’d read some reviews, and they were quite positive. But after I have used the panels a few times, I’m not that sure these LED panels were the best choice.

Downsides to an LED Panel

First of all, 5,200s lumen sounds great, but it turns out that the amount of light depends on the color temperature setting. Although it has 192 LEDs, it’s divided between 96 white LEDs and 96 orange LEDs. If both are at full power, the maximum amount of lumens is reached, but vary the color temperature, and you end up with half of the LEDs at a lower power to achieve the requested color temperature or completely turned off.

Although the LED panel measures 28.6 cm by 19 cm, it’s still a relatively small light source. If you keep it at close distance, it can produce a reasonable light quality, but the light falloff becomes prominent. The panel at a larger distance solves the light falloff, but the light becomes a bit harsh.

There is another downside to this kind of LED panel. If any shadow is visible behind the subject, it isn’t a very nice one. It shows a pattern because of the distribution of the LEDs. To avoid this, a diffuser needs to be placed over the LEDs, making the light more even. The downside to this is the loss of two stops of light.

I realized that this kind of LED panel has a lot of downsides, which you have to take into account. It helped me to get my shots, but it felt a bit limited. Let’s make one thing clear: this isn’t a downside of the Viltrox LED panels itself, but it's more about this kind of LED panel. I’m sure every other brand of LED panel that has a similar design will show the same downsides. Te Viltrox is not bad, even though it’s a cheap plastic product. But this is something I was aware of and the reason why it's so affordable.

Is a LED Light the Better Choice?

The best alternative is a big daylight lamp in a large softbox, but that is not workable if you have to take the lights with you on assignment. Such a big light is perfect for a stationary studio setup. The other alternative is a compact LED light, which might be more suitable for my needs. 

I’ve seen the Amaran LED lights in 60 watts, 100 watts, and even 200 watts. It will require a diffuser of some kind, like an umbrella, a lantern softbox, or just a regular softbox. One thing is for sure: it will provide more flexibility to shape the light compared to an LED panel.

There are a few requirements for this kind of light, though. It has to be able to work on both battery and wall socket, the amount of light it produces has to be sufficient for my needs, and the light has to be quiet. In other words, no loud fan noise.

I think a 100-watt or 200-watt light should be a good choice, especially when the loss of light by the softbox or umbrella is taken into account. But I have some doubts about the noise levels produced by these LED lights. I’ve been told how the fans of some LED lights can be quite loud or even disturbing.

Both LED lights and LED panels have their pros and cons. I believe both are perfectly usable, but the situations in which these type of lights shine may differ. Looking at my experience, I now see more downsides to the LED panels. Or perhaps it’s because of my choice of a cheap panel, which would mean more expensive panels would perform much better. That said, I do believe a LED light is more suitable in a wide range of situations, and it offers more possibilities with light-shaping accessories.

What do you think? Is an LED light better compared to an LED panel? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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