Starting kit

Magnus OverRein · May 25, 2007

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7215...en_3_Light.html

What do you think of this as a starting kit for movie making? Any coments appreciated.

Adrian Sierkowski · May 25, 2007

I'd say if you're doing mostly video work then that's a good place to start. You can get a strong key out of those units and they can still run on household circuits. You might also want to look into getting a 2K eventually, the highest you can run off of 120V 20A household power, as well as few smaller heads, 650s, 300s and, hell, even a 150 just for when you're doing specials [like punching up a natural light in a room etc].

Also, head over to filmtools.com they have some good starter gel kits. I think they have a color correction, a diffusion, and a cosmetic kit all for 'round $50 each. Not a bad deal.

Magnus OverRein · May 25, 2007

I'd say if you're doing mostly video work then that's a good place to start. You can get a strong key out of those units and they can still run on household circuits. You might also want to look into getting a 2K eventually, the highest you can run off of 120V 20A household power, as well as few smaller heads, 650s, 300s and, hell, even a 150 just for when you're doing specials [like punching up a natural light in a room etc].

Also, head over to filmtools.com they have some good starter gel kits. I think they have a color correction, a diffusion, and a cosmetic kit all for 'round $50 each. Not a bad deal.

Just remembered that here in Norway where I live we have 230v household circuits. Now, i don't know that much about electricity, but that would be a problem with a 120v kit, wouldn't it?

Jonathan Bowerbank · May 25, 2007

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7215...en_3_Light.html

What do you think of this as a starting kit for movie making? Any coments appreciated.

As a starting kit, anything is good really.

3 x Arri 1k fresnels are always good to have, but then there are instances when you'll need smaller units or overhead softkeys & such. I'd also consider possibly getting only 2 x 1k's a lil' 300w Arri or Dedo and building yourself some China balls for real cheap. That'll make your kit more dynamic rather than having only the 3 relatively large sources to work with.

Adrian Sierkowski · May 25, 2007

Just remembered that here in Norway where I live we have 230v household circuits. Now, i don't know that much about electricity, but that would be a problem with a 120v kit, wouldn't it?

If you're up in Norway, I'd not buy from an American company, but look for a European alternative to BH. I know Arri (based in Germany) makes lights as either 120/240V including that head you're looking at, but I'm not sure whether BH carries it. Give them a call, or an e mail and specify you need a 230V model.

Jonathan Bowerbank · May 25, 2007

Not to hijack this thread, but I was told by a Photoflex rep a few weeks ago that Arri's lights are all made in China, not surprisingly. But also, that another company has contracted Arri's manufacturer to construct basically the same lighting kits, just with a different brand name...like "FilmLights" or something similar to that.

Anybody else heard of this?

Richard Andrewski · May 25, 2007

Not to hijack this thread, but I was told by a Photoflex rep a few weeks ago that Arri's lights are all made in China, not surprisingly. But also, that another company has contracted Arri's manufacturer to construct basically the same lighting kits, just with a different brand name...like "FilmLights" or something similar to that.

Anybody else heard of this?

I know a little about this as I constantly am searching for products here in China for my company to export to the USA. There are what I would call "Arri clones" floating around from different factories over here--primarily on the 650w model. How they came into existence is a mystery but could be a number of ways including that the model was stolen or copied from whichever factory is actually contracted by Arri to manufacture for them here. This kind of thing happens all the time and there isn't much that can be done about it even through legal channels. It's just part of making things in China. 2 or 3 companies are exporting the 650 clone and sell them in the USA. I was considering the 650 model for my 150w metal halide fresnel I'm getting ready to sell but it may take major modifications to put a G12 socket in it instead of the GX9.5 that's in there now. The version I found is painted black but the really common one you see looks just like the blueline model with the aluminum body and medium blue colored frame on front and back. The build quality seems fine but the bulbs they send with it are about as cheap as anything so you may end up replacing the bulb if you get one. I believe its that Image West company that sells the clone in the usa.

Richard Andrewski · May 25, 2007

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7215...en_3_Light.html

What do you think of this as a starting kit for movie making? Any coments appreciated.

Hi Magnus,

Wherever you buy from, on a tungsten kit the only real part that's voltage sensitive is the bulb. The bulbs operate off the line voltage of whatever country they are made for. A 110v bulb for USA and 220v bulb for much of the rest of the world. Moving a fixture from one country to the next usually just involves changing from one voltage bulb to another. Fluorescents and HMIs are more complicated in that they have a ballast or something like a power supply which either must sense the voltage and adapt or must be replaced with the correct model for whatever country's voltage.

JD Hartman · May 25, 2007

Rearding clones, I see that the Strand Redheads are being cloned. The seller claims that they are an "improved" version. I see cloned maffer clamps, c stands and grip heads, all the time on Fleabay. I wouldn't trust a maffer "type" clamp cast from unknown metal.

But back to the real topic. Three 1K's won't help you when you need a small head for an eyelight. I'd look at a kit with greater variety in the heads. Maybe a 650/1000 kit.

Richard Andrewski · May 26, 2007

Boy you aren't kidding. I see these redhead clones everywhere I go. Must be one popular light for so many factories to be copying it. I've even seen green heads and yellow heads too ;-)

Magnus OverRein · May 26, 2007

But back to the real topic. Three 1K's won't help you when you need a small head for an eyelight. I'd look at a kit with greater variety in the heads. Maybe a 650/1000 kit.

Can't you just dim the 1k's down if less light is needed?

By the way, does anyone know of any good european based internet sites that are selling lights?

Jonathan Bowerbank · May 26, 2007

Can't you just dim the 1k's down if less light is needed?

Sure, if you want your scene to be more orange.

Dimming not only lessens the light, but decreases the color temperature, thus warming up your lighting.

Being stuck with just the 3 bigger 1k units and nothing else will limit your lighting capabilities. Try and diversify a bit more.

M Joel W · May 26, 2007

Sure, if you want your scene to be more orange.

Dimming not only lessens the light, but decreases the color temperature, thus warming up your lighting.

Being stuck with just the 3 bigger 1k units and nothing else will limit your lighting capabilities. Try and diversify a bit more.

Yes; dimming can be an unfortunate practice. With cheap dimmers, you can create tons of noise that will destroy your audio. Also, the orange factor. No fun.

"For movie making" isn't exactly enough information as everyone has pointed out. If you're limited to $2500, though, I'd get one 1k, preferably with a softbox and even an open face is fine, a couple 650s and a couple 350s.... Remember, you'll probably want three lights per person, although often times I just use a lot of bounced soft light as a fill for everything when I'm rushed. None of this wil help you outdoors, though. Also, two 1ks will max out most circuits so if you're shooting video or 200ISO film or higher, try to stick with more efficient or less powerful lights, even if it means renting kinoflos.

Also load up on CTB, CTO, and diffusion gel, and consider cheap fixtures like photo floods and china balls when you need more than four or five lights, which will be often. I DP'ed a short with a few 300s, 1ks, 2ks, a few 650s, a kino bank, and a few inky dinks and I was still running around with a couple standard light sockets throwing 100w bulbs in them to fill the background or provide edge lights, etc. I also rarely used more than one 1k or 2k in a given scene, but the shoot was almost entirely interiors. Renting is also a nice option when need be.

Also, say what you will about Arris but the quality of their stuff is pretty top notch. (It should be for the absurd prices they charge.) Also, they look so cool.

Edited May 26, 2007 by Matthew Wauhkonen

Alexander Joyce · May 27, 2007

Can't you just dim the 1k's down if less light is needed?

By the way, does anyone know of any good european based internet sites that are selling lights?

http://www.brighttech.no/

These are the dealers for ARRI in Norway. Talk to Dagfinn.

Alexander Joyce · May 27, 2007

Not to hijack this thread, but I was told by a Photoflex rep a few weeks ago that Arri's lights are all made in China, not surprisingly. But also, that another company has contracted Arri's manufacturer to construct basically the same lighting kits, just with a different brand name...like "FilmLights" or something similar to that.

Anybody else heard of this?

I had to run down to the studio to check one of the lights just to be sure and the fixtures are clearly marked made in Germany, so I highly doubt that they are made in China.

You are thinking about Filmgear

Here in Norway they are sold by Deluxefilm.

The rep I met who is based in the UK used to work for ARRI and although he did take a swing at Kinoflo(they make cheap Kino knock-offs also) he didn't mention anything about them being from the same factory as ARRI's lamps.

Alexander Joyce · May 27, 2007

Just found the email he sent me. Here is his contact info. He's called Robert J. Williams.

London Office Address

FILMGEAR (Europe) Ltd.

Unit 30, The Metropolitan Centre, 8 Taunton Road, Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 8UQ, England.

Tel. +44 (0) 208 255 2050

Fax. +44 (0) 208 255 2060

Web www.filmgearlighting.eu

Email bob@filmgearlighting.eu

Lana Loukota · May 28, 2007

I'm also trying to put together a beginning light kit. I went to the link posted (filmtools.com, that is) and looked for china balls, then I did a google search and quickly found that I could get white paper chinese lanterns for cheaper at a place that sells them for parties rather than for film. (www.paperlanternstore.com is the best I've found so far, the prices seem cheap and they have a lot of options)

Anybody have an opinion on this? would I be better off going w/the ones from the filmstore, or would these be just as good?

Another question, (and this may be dumb) but can you use chinese lanterns with different colors of paper to get different effects, or does that look weird?

also, what sizes would you recommend? We have to light a small church, among other things, and I just would like functional lights that we could reuse.

Thanks,

Lana

Jonathan Bowerbank · May 28, 2007

I went to the link posted (filmtools.com, that is) and looked for china balls...
Anybody have an opinion on this? would I be better off going w/the ones from the filmstore, or would these be just as good?

Another question, (and this may be dumb) but can you use chinese lanterns with different colors of paper to get different effects, or does that look weird?

Here's a recent thread on china lanterns: http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...p;hl=china+ball

Regarding color, you'd get more accurate colors by just gelling your china balls...plus colored tissue paper I believe would cut down your light's transmission a lot more than just using your basic white china ball with a gel.

Magnus OverRein · May 28, 2007

http://www.brighttech.no/

These are the dealers for ARRI in Norway. Talk to Dagfinn.

Thanks!

Magnus OverRein · May 28, 2007

"For movie making" isn't exactly enough information as everyone has pointed out. If you're limited to $2500, though, I'd get one 1k, preferably with a softbox and even an open face is fine, a couple 650s and a couple 350s.... Remember, you'll probably want three lights per person, although often times I just use a lot of bounced soft light as a fill for everything when I'm rushed. None of this wil help you outdoors, though. Also, two 1ks will max out most circuits so if you're shooting video or 200ISO film or higher, try to stick with more efficient or less powerful lights, even if it means renting kinoflos.

I am an amateur so I don't think I need a truck full of equipment and I certainly can't afford it, but what I'm after is a reasonable starting kit that I can play around with and learn basic lighting by making short movies. So I am really looking for a minimum of what is needed to light a scene, but at the same time I don't want to buy some crap that I would want to dispose later when I buy some more lights.