WANTED: Arri 650w Fresnel

[Bradley Stearn]

I am looking to purchase an Arri 650w fresnel. Does anyone in London or UK have one that they are looking to part with? I have around £150 to spend on one.

[Bill DiPietra]

Have you checked ebay? There appear to be a few genuine Arri 650s on there, right now. But I believe they are located here in the U.S.

[Bradley Stearn]

Yeah I've been checking ebay quite regularly. The UK site is filled with all of those 'AS Arri' knockoff lamps.

I suppose if postage isn't too bad It might be worth checking the US sight. Thanks for the link

[Stuart Brereton]

Call Arri Lighting Sales and ask if they have any ex-demo lamps for sale. They sometimes have units that have only been used for a few hours at a trade show. Not sure they'll be as cheap as £150, but it can't hurt to ask.

[Gregg MacPherson]

Does it have to be Arri? Mole Richardson are good. Lots go on eBay in the states. Saw some Baby Solar Spts, and this cutie, at your price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mole-Richardson-2821-650-Watt-TWEENIE-II-Fresnel-W-500W-Sylvania-Bulb-/321839958978?hash=item4aef280bc2#ht_2118wt_1403

[Bradley Stearn]

Those MR 650w tweenies look great, i'll definitely keep an eye out for them as well. It's a shame the one you shared doesn't come with barn doors.

[Mark Dunn]

Insured postage from the US is eye-wateringly expensive considering how long it takes, unfortunately. $35 for a 2-ounce package that took 8 days, for example, and that was USPS. Still, where else can you get a DR-83 belt for a Steenbeck for under €125 these days?

Edited August 25, 2015 by Mark Dunn

[Phil Rhodes]

I'm not sure what can possibly be that wrong with the clones, to be honest. How bad can a tungsten fresnel be? Fine, plan on rewiring it, but if you're looking at a used one that may be on the cards regardless.

[JD Hartman]

I'm not sure what can possibly be that wrong with the clones, to be honest. How bad can a tungsten fresnel be? Fine, plan on rewiring it, but if you're looking at a used one that may be on the cards regardless.

 

It's not a clone, it's a counterfeit. Certainly copied, but cheaper construction and materials. Don't encourage more of this behavior from companies with no ethics.

[JD Hartman]

If you buy the genuine article off the US Ebay site, Ebay does handle the international shipping. The item will ship from the seller to a consolidator in the southeast where it goes either airfreight or seagoing container to the U.K. You should be able to get a firm shipping price before bidding.

 

Rewiring?? What would that entail, a new mains plug?? The lamp socket, power leed and switch will certainly be rated for 240VAC or above.

[Phil Rhodes]

Much as I agree with you, there does come a point at which resistance does nothing but disadvantage anyone trying to take the moral high ground (and I don't think it's really a counterfeit unless they're claiming it's genuine). As a practical matter, I don't think this sort of thing is really likely to disadvantage Arri (or whoever) that much. High-end productions won't touch them with a ten foot pole and lower-end stuff can't generally afford the real thing regardless of their desire for it. It's much in the same vein as DVD piracy, inasmuch as most pirate copies don't, in any practical sense, represent a lost sale.

 

It doesn't make me particularly happy, but my comments stand. How bad can it be? It's a cylindrical enclosure with a lampholder and a lens.

 

Regarding rewiring, I'm just thinking of normal wear and tear on insulation at pinch points, heat damage, and so on. I do find myself wondering if our correspondent is intending to refit the thing with a metal halide or LED source, though. It's an increasingly popular pastime.

 

P

[Bill DiPietra]

Guys...it's a matter of safety. Not corporate morality or ethics (or lack thereof.) I've heard from a number of people - one recently on this forum - that the Arri knock-offs pose quite a danger to anyone handling them. No one should have to worry about potential shocks or electrical fires when they're adjusting a key light.

[Freya Black]

Guys...it's a matter of safety. Not corporate morality or ethics (or lack thereof.) I've heard from a number of people - one recently on this forum - that the Arri knock-offs pose quite a danger to anyone handling them. No one should have to worry about potential shocks or electrical fires when they're adjusting a key light.

 

 

I think that's why Phil is talking about re-wiring them.

In the UK rewiring something doesn't just mean replacing the plug and such like as it's still considered somewhat normal for anyone to replace a mains plug...no big deal but what Phil means is removing all the wiring etc and replacing it all.

 

Phil is suggesting also that it would be quite sensible to check a used lamp for electrical safety and to possibly replace parts in that too.

 

Freya

[Bradley Stearn]

Thanks for the responses everyone! Personally I would want to stay away from the Chinese knockoffs at all costs, I'd rather invest a second hand light thats older than me, knowing that it was built to last forever. Even if it means taking it to a qualified electrician/spark to get it refurbished or re-wired for safety. I'd be afraid of the knockoff arri lights falling apart after a year of using them, or internals melting due to heat etc..

 

Though these lights are for my personal DOP work that I am doing on the side of camera assisting, so at the end of the day i'm not after top equipment. But I think safety will always be first.

 

If anyone here is selling any lighting kit please do let me know.

[Freya Black]

Thanks for the responses everyone! Personally I would want to stay away from the Chinese knockoffs at all costs, I'd rather invest a second hand light thats older than me, knowing that it was built to last forever.

 

I think it's worth keeping an eye out for other brands than Arri as someone else here suggested.

Arri is presently a well known name but in the past there were plenty of other brands that were probably far more popular than Arri with Mole and Richardson being one of the more obvious ones. I think that if you can find one you are probably better off finding an older quality brand and giving it a good look over.

 

Freya

[Phil Rhodes]

 

you are probably better off finding an older quality brand and giving it a good look over

 

Seconded. That said, a lot of people know that trick, and the prices aren't necessarily that low.

 

Consider theatrical and event lighting, too. It is made in vastly larger numbers than movie stuff and can be fine for some tasks.

 

P

[JD Hartman]

Guys...it's a matter of safety. Not corporate morality or ethics (or lack thereof.) I've heard from a number of people - one recently on this forum - that the Arri knock-offs pose quite a danger to anyone handling them. No one should have to worry about potential shocks or electrical fires when they're adjusting a key light.

 

It's about all of the above. By not supporting those individuals or businesses that make and sell counterfeit goods, we get the safety aspect as a bonus. Doesn't matter if it's a Fresnel light or fake prescription drugs.

 

They're also knocking of the Stand Redhead, but they don't support the fixtures with any replacement parts. Why waste your money?

[JD Hartman]

Yeah I've been checking ebay quite regularly. The UK site is filled with all of those 'AS Arri' knockoff lamps.

I suppose if postage isn't too bad It might be worth checking the US sight. Thanks for the link

 

Does it have to be a Mole or an ARRI? Have purchased a few B&M (formerly Bardwell and McAllister) 650 Fresnels. They look like: http://bmlighting.com/site/products/maclite-fresnels/maclite-650/ Have a used one with barn door, I'd let go for your price. Used but not abused. I can send you a photo of the actual head.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Altman, I think, makes some Fresnels for theater, generally with/o much of a wire on 'em, but a TVMP adapter and some cable and you've a light there. Also I think Colortran/Lee had things in the 650 range.
Also, not 100% sure on this as I've never thought to do it; but if you just want the output of a 650/power draw, you could re-globe a 1K as well without too much effort.

 

Also I would 100% avoid the clones for this type of thing. They post serious safety issues, and even beyond that, something as simple as the 650 open-face knock-offs I've bought just too see eat through globes like I drink coffee.

[Phil Rhodes]

He does drink a lot of coffee.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

More when you're not looking.

[Gregg MacPherson]

..... something as simple as the 650 open-face knock-offs I've bought just too see eat through globes like I drink coffee.

 

I've heard people who bought knock-off redheads complain about that. Why do you think it is? Are the bulbs cheap? Are the lamps overheating the bulbs somehow?

[Adrian Sierkowski]

You know I haven't the damnest. Even when I put in a proper Osram bulb or the like, it'll pop in a matter of hours. In face the original bulb lasted the longest. And when I say pop, I mean EXPLOSIVELY, in a way I've never seen happen so-- readily-- on other heads.
It's not voltage at least not when my meter is on it, where it reads a pretty common 120, it may well be heat, though that doesn't make as much sense, I am almost curious if somehow there's just intermittent shorts in them. I haven't sat down to take the head apart just yet, but I will eventually just to give it all a look. But honestly, this unit was something like $50 with a bulb and doors. Kinda worth it for what is essentially a bulb-holder and a yolk, and if it doesn't work, well it'll make a lovely doorstop.

[Gregg MacPherson]

Could the bulb holder contact point be giving an inconsistent connection? The contact surface ageing too quickly and the pressure reducing as the lamp heats up. So much fun speculating when you don't really know enough. I suppose one could try increasing the contact pressure and cleaning the contact surface and seeing if the next bulb lasted.

[Phil Rhodes]

Overheating, I would suspect, due to inadequate lamphouse design.