Victor Bareno

Thanks Phil & Stuart for the insightful information. I plan to use these with a standard 180 shutter, so I don't believe flicker issues will arise. I understand they are not continuous spectrum; however is this not the case with your run-of-the-mill HMI's? That's unfortunate, but if a good exposure is produced, and I can have some control, then they do seem like a good source to use at night. I can vaguely see the difference between a good continuous source and one that isn't. It's rich, but at night, I don't feel one requires that same level of richness, unless you're in Hollywood, of course... :-)

Hello, I've been scouring for some info on the usefulness of these lights, and found a variety of answers which haven't answered everything yet. I noticed there are some metal halide lamps for sale locally. http://tucson.craigslist.org/mat/3725934718.html http://tucson.craigslist.org/bfs/3726091526.html For $45, 1000w of that type of light must be very powerful. It's the one I'm primarily interested in. I like to rely as much on my tungsten I can. But I only have up to a 2kw which could probably handle backlight well, but not much else, plus, what if I have a larger area and I need a stronger rim of light, etc.. I have little experience lighting this style... I admire the look on "Last of the Mohicans" as it's very natural and convincing, yet there is obviously powerful lights. 1:07 is a great look. I can see it would require 2 units for the kicker (or is it rim?) and top light, which is not actually natural, yet it still looks absolutely convincing because the top appears to come from the kicker's direction. Another unit for the fill, and I think a little white edge light to motivate the fill. I am wondering if similar results could be had with the likes of 3-4 1kw MH lights arranged properly. These lights are appealing because they are dirt cheap compared to HMI's, and even with a 4000k temp, it leaves room good room for temp changes. I don't know what type, if any, color casts will be involved, I speculate +magenta might help if so? Again, I don't know how useful or practical such lamps may be. Another issue is mounting.. how the heck would I stick one on a stand? They're meant to be "bay lights". If everything is out the window, I would hope at least some of the smaller units (400w or 250w) would serve as good practicals in an urban setting, not necessarily doing much illumination. I have seen this done and it typically looks more cyan than blue, which makes me wonder how to get it true blue. Terminator 2 also used MH's I believe, and it added to the cold, already cyanic atmosphere. Thanks for all the help.

This thread also interests me (probably more grip-oriented myself) but heavy gauge stringers are a must, make sure they can handle your lights. A 10/3 50ft. is safe for upto around 2400w+, and a 12/3 of equal length around 1800w. Shorter stringers let you carry more juice - around 2800w is safe for a 12/3, 4000w+ for a 10/3 @ 25 feet. Although I didn't consider it before, I do think of Duvetyne as part of 'essential lighting'. Very useful. As is Blackwrap

(cannot edit above post) O.K... so today I ended up trading 2 old junky used guitars for 3 1K fresnel and 2 400w non focus 8' scoops, plus a par64. not bad. I feel like I'm nearly rounded out somewhat. ...And another thought entered my mind regarding Generators. Some Ford work vans are equipped with Onan 4.5K generators, and often have very nice enclosures and external outlets. Since I may be purchasing my first vehicle in the foreseeable future it might be wise to consider one of these vans. They might be quiet enough to park real close to the set without much noise, but I really have no clue. might be worth checking out...?

pretty sure this applies to all fresnels, I heard it referenced as an elementary mistake one time. Probably because heat rises, and the fixtures cant allow the heat to escape properly at those angles. But I could be wrong.

...I will almost positively have a mag ballast rather than electronic when I get an HMI. Does PFC apply? I always believed mag's ran at a few less amps than electronic ballasts and had less to worry for generally. As I am not too concerned with shooting any other than 1/50 shutter speed, flicker won't an issue. That's just perfect. A 30A 250v twistlock equates to 60A of power coming from that distro box, which conveniently boosts the voltages to proper levels(do you calibrate/adjust the transformer for this compensation? Isn't it dangerous to go even 1 volt over 120 feeding the instruments?). Where would I acquire such a transformer, or find plans to build one? I'm very intrigued... However, I think I will probably settle for the EU3000, but it's 120v operation only if I am not mistaken - Meaning I'd have to park the genny closer to the set and utilize 10/3 stringers... I suppose.... But it would still be significantly quieter than my Generac, and could give me a shot at real location audio I believe. ...My Generac does have a 240v twist-lock output but only at 20A. Could such a distro be created to split it into a 40A 120v load? I do like the idea of using heavier gauge 250v cables. It just makes sense for those long runs when I'd wanna hide it behind an alley or something. If I could get my 5500w Generac to distribute 40A of power 200-300' away, it -might- just be possible to record audio. sounds like higher voltages overall make for much easier power distribution..naturally, 240v makes for a better electrical system there..

accidental post..

Guy, I've read your informative posts regarding that particular distro system. It's a truly effective way to power smaller sets... What an amazing package. Unfortunately the only real hurdle is money.. I really prefer to own as much gear that I can use effectively, as possible. Such a beast system sounds pretty pricey, and probably only within my reach as a rental if such a system was available out here. I suppose one would definitely have to be running Bates or heavy 250v cabling to get high distance and wattage...Makes my 10/3 and 12/3 stringers totally irrelevant. And all this sounds quite budget un-friendly. However, seeing the kind of shoots you've done, I realize how necessary this gear is. Especially with night shoots, since the sound travels further it just seems like an impossible feat for me right now to accomplish on my current budget. My last-ditch effort is to design and construct a folding, semi-enclosure that will acoustically project the sound of the generator a certain direction. Sound crazy? ... Maybe I'll simply have to settle for the tiny EU2000i, and use smaller lights. That sounds very possible. Hey, that's still enough juice for a 1.2K and then some! And in a handheld package if I recall. Yes yes... How does that work out anyhow? Doesn't 240v just mean you have double the voltage and half the amperage, so the power is really the same? Man, I just wish you could get more than 20A out of a standard socket (120v).

ah, and I will probably sell the 5000 watt Generac generator I bought and planned to use.. Even with a car muffler mounted to the exhaust, the volume is only brought down from "incredibly ****ing loud" to "****ing loud"... My stringers can only safely carry most lights 50 ft, smaller lights 100 ft. I will probably experiment with dubbed audio even though it's more tedious. Renting a Honda EU when the need arises sounds better to me..

Hi, this is my first post here. I was hoping to earn some advice or direction on my first lighting kit. I would like to have a general selection of tools that will allow me to tell a story.. I'm trying to achieve a strong sense of cinema. I need to be prepared for most if not all situations, at least some what. I like the use of natural light.. I'm only a student starting out, and have a smallish budget, but fortunately the used market for lights in my area is great. For not too much money, I currently have.. 1- 2k, 10'' Fresnel (Can be lamped @ 1k, 1.5k) 2- 750w 6'' Fresnel 3- 500w 6'' Fresnel 1- 200w 3'' Fresnel 1- 1k spot w/irises 1- 750w spot w/irises Now, I think I may be getting three 1K's and a 750w Scoop this week, but that's a maybe.. I think having a few 1k fresnels could be useful. I think I might need a few open-face lights (750w? 1k? 2k?) for broadly lighting bigger areas. I'm also set on buying another 2k as well, but with a 6'' lens instead. I like the idea of having two 2k's to light through window areas. If possible, I will try to get a few more 3'' fresnels, but they are hard to find used. For soft light, I've thought about buying a 2k zip or something, but to save money I've built some frames out of PVC that hold different fabrics. I will have to buy C stands and mount a rigging point somehow, but I think using fabrics in general to diffuse and bounce my light, rather than using expensive softboxes or zips, is the economical (and resourceful) way to go. Then there's the issue of daylight balancing - None of these would be very effective in balancing a room lit mostly by daylight. I am thinking of looking into some LED's or Fluorescent type setup just for lighting with daylight. Daylight LED Fresnels are just coming out, but out of my budget. I am a little lost when it comes to which of these fluoro/led technology is the best. I was thinking of constructing my own hardlight/softbox out of multiple CFL bulbs. Would this be sufficient? Because I see people selling these things manufactured, for sale.. They look cheap and ineffective.. I'm worried about color rendition too. Anyways.... When the opportunity presents, I will buy a 1.2k HMI. It'll be a very effective tool that can be used different ways. But I'll still need other daylight sources to use indoors..(probably?) In addition to lights, I'm set on getting dimmers for the <1000w fixtures, and practicals. What else should I be worried about? Rigging clamps and special stands or other grip stuff might be important. I'm a little concerned about not having 300w lights - they seem like a staple of every kit. Can I get close with some ND gel on a 500w? I have never used neutral density on lights so I don't know their effectiveness.. i would only like to dim 10% or so to avoid orange shift unless it calls for it. Thanks very much in advance, any advice appreciated. Man, this stuff can get pricey, especially the accessories. It's ironic that I'll be paying more for the sets of barn doors than the actual 1K's. Same with power extension cords, gels...:)