buying my first lighting kit

[Lee Tamer]

What would be a better buy in the long run between these three?

 

 

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/541089-REG/Arri_571959W_Compact_Fresnel_Three_Light_Kit.html

 

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/504311-REG/Kino_Flo_KIT_D42_120_Diva_Lite_400_Two_Fluorescent.html

 

 

http://www.lowel.com/kits/DVcreator1.html

[M Joel W]

Depends what you want to use them for.

 

The Arri kit is versatile but lacks punch and soft lights. A 1k softbox or something would really make that kit useful. Arri fresnels are excellent lights--very durable, nice aesthetically, etc. You can make a makeshift soft light by bouncing the 650 off a piece of beadboard or using diff frames, but you won't ever get much punch for your key with that kit, especially if you have to light for daylight ever.

 

Divas are nice. I prefer the four banks and two banks for narrative use because the quality of light seems better for some reason and they're big and soft, but they are hard to set up and take down quickly. Divas have the advantage of being daylight/tungsten switchable, inherently soft, and with a lot of punch for a soft light that can run off edison power. But how are you going to add hard light and kickers with just two soft lights? Divas are great for commercial and corporate use and you can key with one fill with the other, but they won't let you shape things very much.

 

That lowel kit has both soft and hard sources so in theory it could be best, but I strongly dislike lowel lights and would recommend against them.

 

I'd look to supplement the Arri kit with a 1k softbox, but only because that's similar to the kit I first bought and like.

 

A lot of big productions use cheaper lights, chinese lanterns with skirts, practicals, etc. now that cameras are so light sensitive and dr has been expanded so much on the low end. With a dSLR that can shoot 2000 ISO you can get by with some very small lights and a lot of bounce. It really depends on what you plan to use. So just go with what you've liked in the past, but don't get the lowel! For corporate the divas will get used a lot, for narrative frensels are nice but that kit alone won't get you as far as would be ideal--not enough punch or soft light.

Edited September 2, 2012 by M Joel W

[Adrian Sierkowski]

I would go with the Arri kit and some diffusion material to start. I actually have a similar kit; though mine included a Chimera.

As you go, you'll start augementing with Babys and Juniors and the like, if you're going towards a tungsten kit. I use a lot of very cheap VNSP PAR64 "Rock and Roll" Cans. They are SUPER punchy; light, cheap, though not necessarily durable. I know, however, that I can use them and soften as needed, if needed, or use them as a poor-man's Sun-ray.

 

China balls are also very useful; and I tend to carry a range of standard and Photoflood globes for china-balls and households when I'm shooting (from 25 watt all the way up to 500W in e26 bases.) Though the china ball can be a bit hard to control.

[Ari Davidson]

I would go with the Arri kit and some diffusion material to start. I actually have a similar kit; though mine included a Chimera.

As you go, you'll start augementing with Babys and Juniors and the like, if you're going towards a tungsten kit. I use a lot of very cheap VNSP PAR64 "Rock and Roll" Cans. They are SUPER punchy; light, cheap, though not necessarily durable. I know, however, that I can use them and soften as needed, if needed, or use them as a poor-man's Sun-ray.

 

China balls are also very useful; and I tend to carry a range of standard and Photoflood globes for china-balls and households when I'm shooting (from 25 watt all the way up to 500W in e26 bases.) Though the china ball can be a bit hard to control.

 

I would get the kino's and pickup tungsten sources as you grow as a filmmaker. People are always dumping their moles and arris these days because everyone wants soft light, so you can get moles nothing.

I bought two 2k's and a 5k for $600…