[3200 to 5600K] I own or have owned every light known to man. (ok, slight exaggeration). I currently have the Gemini Soft, Gemini Hard. and Kino Freestyle LEDs of a variety of sizes. Never mind Apurtures and Nanlites plus a few of them lightweight flexible led panels. But when I need a fast and simple setup, I always got back to these Astra Softs. And when I look at the image, I wonder why I went and bought all those other expensive fixtures. Just today I shot a multicamera interview for ABC's new show Impact with the U.S Attorney investigating the Matthew Perry case and because going thru security was so complicated and time was of essence, I chose to bring these lights instead. I loved the picture to much I wondered to myself why I keep buying these way more expensive fancy lights. And the beauty of these is that I can fly them with a micro 150 battery and because I rarely have to turn them up all the way, they will last the length of some of these long interviews no problem. I did notice on this thread some folks complaining about these lights failing them, and have heard similar complaints from other Astras too. I have never had any issues with these or my other Astras, but that's likely because I read the instructions that clearly state you should dim the lights all the way down before you turn them on, wait until the flashing green light stops flashing, and then dim up at your heart's desire. And always before I turn them off, I dim them down all the way, as not to forget. That might be the secret. I see people using them wrong all over the place.

[Proprietary] These are universal in the industry. Everyone uses them. Great color, great punch, battery operated, etc. It's a no-brainer.

[3200 to 5600K] We keep it on a C-stand most of the time, but the battery design is perfect for occasional outdoor work. If we have a person hold it up (human c-stand), the controls are accessible by the right thumb, so the light operator can make adjustments without moving the fixture. The specs say 7 pounds but it feels light.

Excellent build quality and low fan noise. The light it outputs gives plenty of control. Flattering for talent. I purchased two during a b&h promotion, will buy more for my studio in the future.

I put this on one side of talent, then compared a 1,000 watt fluorescent daylight bulb on the other side of the talent, looking for shadowing. This light keeps up. Two lights with a silk and I can light just about any interview. Matches my tungstens, and everything between. The specs on this light say it's an 850 watt tungsten equivalent.

LED is the craze and so much of it is cheap garbage that does not belong in a professional studio. I think if you are a professional but don't want to spring for high-end LED fresnels and bigger panels, you can get two or three of these and you'll be very happy. The light quality speaks for itself, but you just have to see that for yourself.

[23 W ] I use these lights for most of my photography needs. The fact that they have batteries makes lighting so much easier on the go. The color temp adjustments on the lights makes this product extremely versatile. A must have for my kit.

[23 W ] I'm normally not a big fan of 1x1 LED panels but the Astra does have a good punch. The Snap Bag is a must. Smooths the harsh sourciness of the panel.

[3200 to 5600K] Best panel I've ever used for interiors and exteriors. Can't wait to get 2 more!

[23 W ] I purchased these lights on recommendation of a industry Grip friend of mine. They put out a nice amount of even light. However, for a 4 story walk up, the carrying case is SUPER SUPER heavy. That's just a dumb side thought that I didn't think of when purchasing. I recommend these lights.

[3200 to 5600K] Perfect Astra, prefer over the 6x if you don't need the punch. Use often and has worked great so far. Lightweight

[Proprietary] I bought 4 of the Astra Softs and have been using them daily for the past 4 months. The light output is great and the built in diffusion is perfect for the type of work I do which is mostly interviews and product videos.

However, having read so many reviews about the quality control/power issues with the Astra series has me constantly on edge. I always turn the output down before powering on and off to avoid the issue that so many other owners have experienced. This can be quite annoying since the output is just a knob and is not tied to an LED or graphical indicator. So if your previous shot was at say, 79% and you dial it down to 0 between shots you'll never really get it back exactly.

The same holds true for the color temperature. The color rendering is excellent, but if I'm at a setting somewhere between tungsten and daylight, it would be nice to have an actual readout of the value. The only indication are preset color temp numbers along the ring making it difficult to set all 4 lights to the exact same value.


These aren't deal breakers and I knew this before I bought them. I'm just reporting back my feelings after 4 months of use in the field. (I have countless other bi-color LEDs that have digital displays which cost less than half of the Astra Soft).


I gave the lights a 5 star review but in actuality, I'd rate them a 4.5. Add a digital readout and then definitely a solid 5+.

[50°] Totally love the Astra 1x1 LEDs. Great light, easy to work with, and can run all day. I was concerned that I would pick up the sound of the cooling fans, but it has not been an issue, they are very quiet. Definitely recommend these!!