2ft 2Bank Kino Flo Select

[Jonathan Bryant]

Are these enough to use as a small key light with video? I am thinking about buying two for chroma keys and for something faster than a Chimera Softbox.

[Frank Barrera]

The 2'X2 Banks are very useful as an eye light but as a key light I don't think so. I have used 2' X 4banks all the time for talking head interviews with good results. Not to mention even if the 2X2 had the out put required it would still be too small of a source for a key. In general you want a good sized source for a key light to get some wrap around your subject and I would say a 2X4 is the smallest I would ever go in most situations. Of course I would prefer a 20'X20' in most situations but that's another story entirely.

 

f

[Tomas Koolhaas]

Depends on what ISO/ASA you're shooting, most video (at 0db gain) is around 320 so at that speed a 2x2 would have to be VERY close to be much of a key, but with the gain up or on faster film stocks you can use a 2x2 from a few feet away as a decent key (if you lack anything bigger). I once shot 500T on 35mm pushed a stop and used a 2ft single as a key from about 5 feet away and it looked great (it was a pretty hard key becasue the source was so small -not much wrapping effect, but thats what I was going for in that particular case).

Cheers.

Edited November 21, 2006 by Tomas Koolhaas