This week on Film Jams, we check out Quasar Science’s Double Rainbow in a review of this color-tastic RGB tube light. Quasar Science has always been cutting edge when it comes to tube lights, with their original Quasar X-fades that were one of the first bi-color tube lights, and then later with their rainbow lights which changed the game for quick, easy RGB lighting.
Now that RGB tube lighting is more accessible and has a few more options on the market, including the recent SGC Prism P60 tube lights that we just reviewed, can the Double Rainbow compete? Check out our Quasar Science Double Rainbow review video to find out.
If you want to pick up a Quasar Science RR50 Double Rainbow, you can buy it here: https://amzn.to/3LYm36r
Quasar Science Double Rainbow Review
RGB tube lights are incredibly useful to have on a set: they can be set up and moved more easily than a traditional film light, they take up considerably less space and usually weigh less, and can more easily have their color or effects adjusted. They can be used for literally any type of filming, from interviews to music videos. How can that be improved upon?
The Double Rainbow light is called so because it is double the width of the traditional Quasar Science rainbow lights, making the light source larger. They also offer individual pixel mapping which can customize your FX to be very specific, and a newly designed interface and color system.
They also include a useful and dynamic mounting system that is pretty unique for tube lights. The Ossium mounting system runs along the full length of the light and includes dozens of mounting holes that can be used for almost any film equipment you might want to mount them on as well as their mount attachments. It even comes with a V-mount bracket that allows you to mount a V-mount battery snugly onto the back of this light. The light kit also comes with two Ossium Rotators, which act as mini grip heads to mount onto c-stands.
No Modes
Previously the Quasar Science light tubes had modes that you had to stick to, but the Double Rainbows adjust the HSI color to whatever Kelvin temperature you want. This allows you to define your own Kelvin setting for the specific effects and hue you’re using. This is very unique for not only RGB LED lights, but most other lights out there. This is an extremely innovative feature that can be very useful on a set for a number of effects.
Low Output Mode
Another feature that is a game changer on a set is the low output mode on the Quasar Science Double Rainbow. Often, a drawback of LED lights is they don’t dim low enough for their intended purpose, but these lights have micro-adjustments that allow you to do to the nth of a percent for the light output, even down to .10. This is helpful especially when they are being used as practical lights.
In addition to that, these lights also have double the power of the older Quasar rainbow lights and X-fades. All together, the range you can get out of these lights in specificity of color and output is vast and precise in a way that most other tube lights, and lights in general, are not.
Plus and Minus Green
Using traditional gel on a light, the color temperature is adjusted, but that has never been accounted for when it comes to LED lights. These Quasar Science Double Rainbow lights have a menu option that allows you to adjust the green by adding or subtracting, compensating for CCT color shift. This is just another aspect of these lights that allows you to precisely adjust your color output in ways that have never been done before with LED lights.
Saturated Color
Saturated colors in lights are known to clip and smother features on camera, especially blue light. The Quasar Science Double Rainbow light uses Hue Intensity Equalization to even out the output of the hues in the light to match your white light, which stops them from clipping.
Wireless Control
The Quasar Science lights don’t have an app specifically, but they are compatible with Lumen Radio which allows use of wireless DMX through W-DMX transmitters, Artnet via Wifi, CRMX wireless, and bluetooth. While not unique to LED lights, this is still a handy feature to have for any light on set.
Cost
These lights aren’t exactly on the budget end, but they will last for their money’s worth. One 2′ Double Rainbow light will cost you $1,000, while one 4′ Double Rainbow goes for $1,400. The 2-light kit with the case and accessories is going for $3,300. For the technology involved and the features, we find it well worth it, but that’s up to you and your production needs.
Quasar Science Double Rainbow Review: Wrap Up
We were huge fans of the Quasar Science Double Rainbow LED tube lights. As proponents of the entire Quasar Science line of tube lights since their inception, these ones improve upon all of the previous ones and other similar LED light tubes out now. While their price is not low, the features that this new and improved light includes offset the cost, at least for us. With an integrated Kelvin-HSI system, low output mode, plus and minus green control, hue intensity equalization, wireless control, and mount, we think these lights will prove useful on any set for many different uses.
If you’re interested in looking at a few different RGB tube light options, we also have a review of the NanLite Pavotube.
What do you think of the Quasar Science Double Rainbow LED tube light? Are these features useful? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to keep up with our videos at Film Jams on YouTube.
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GEAR USED IN THIS VIDEO
LIGHTS
- Quasar Science Double Rainbow RR50 RGB Light: https://amzn.to/3LYm36r
LENSES
- Viltrox 50mm f1.8 FE for Sony – https://amzn.to/3M1TaGn
- Sony 16-35 f/4 lens – https://amzn.to/3sf2Cys
CAMERAS
- Sony a7S III – https://amzn.to/3hbTVhZ
AUDIO GEAR
- RODE Wireless GO – https://amzn.to/2FaqmuF
Other equipment we use to film:
CAMERAS
- Canon C100 – https://amzn.to/2u04CMm
- Canon C300 – https://amzn.to/2TbymjT
- Sony A7III – https://amzn.to/2TAoYqK
- Canon EOS R – https://amzn.to/2QaPZlK
LENSES
- Canon 24-105mm – https://amzn.to/2ILo9tp (main interview)
- Canon 100mm macro – https://amzn.to/2KsZuaF (product shots & CUs)
TRIPODS
- Sachtler – https://amzn.to/2KTXbfH
MICS
- Sennheiser MKE600 – https://amzn.to/2ILulBP
- Sennheiser 416 – https://amzn.to/2INrtQy
LIGHTS
- Litepanel Astra 6x – https://amzn.to/2KUBYCB
- Kino Flo Diva LED – https://amzn.to/2BuunZp
PHOTO GEAR
- Profoto Beauty Dish – https://amzn.to/2zgfjPV
- Profoto D2 500 Strobe Kit – https://amzn.to/2J28AZx
- Canon 5D mkIII – https://amzn.to/2KRE3zl
- Profoto Air Remote – https://amzn.to/2MU7MZa
Filmed on location at: https://www.LitewaveMedia.com in St. Petersburg, FL
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