Turn 4 Old Laptop Screens into a 'Fake Window' Light Panel with this In-Depth Tutorial
Ever wondered what happens to old laptop screens? Well, they mostly get thrown away. Here's an inexpensive way to reuse those panels.
At roughly 5 watts per panel, the final product creates a large soft source, which has widely become the preference for digital cinematography (as cameras get more sensitive, we want larger lighting sources). This project only works with relatively new laptop screens that are built with LED backlights, and there's no telling what the CRI of the panels are as they likely differ between laptop manufacturers. The final product is quite impressive though, and could have a number of useful applications for film. The thin profile of the light is its best asset, allowing soft daylight in areas that are normally too small to have lights. The sheer thinness of the light reminds me of a DIY version of the new Westcott Flex light (without the flexibility, of course).
If you find yourself with some extra time and the thirst for a DIY experiment (or if you're just deprived of a window in your room), this might be something for you. And even if this whole operation seems too complicated to actually justify the time to build, it's still an informative video about DIY electronics and electricity and well worth the watch.
Source: DIY Perks
