Sam Bignell

Hey Everyone In my line of work I'm really interested in spending as much time with client and lighting as possible and as little on camera as possible. I switched most mysetup to hardcases this year for obvious reasons. My camera system can be built in a basic setup in under a minuite and a half and for larger setups it would take normally 3-6 mins to build but I can leave it moslty prebuild in a iM2620 minus lens and handle, so I already have time saving killer setup but I am stilll super intersted in Tenba's bags as one of them could keep my whole system handle included, completely built (minus lens) but at the sacrice of once again the camera not being in a real hardcase and not being stackable. I'd like to get one as maybe a camera coffin and because they strap to hardcase handles it's sort of free realestate for one man bands but What are your thoughts on keeping cameras in Tenba, Petrol, Satchtler, Portabrace style bags for transport? Are they worth the loss of protection? I understand insurance + hardcases is a good combonation, Insurance + Rigid Softbags not good.

Hey Everyone I may have posted this in ther wrong section apologies if I have The Lowdown The otherday I was doing some photography and noticed my lightmeter which is usually used exclusively for Film and video was overexposing my photos by about half a stop on middle grey but only in all modes but Cine or Video mode using Incident reading I check all settings, Filter compensation, The profiles compensation, I reset the lightmeter, I changed profiles I did everything to make sure I han't left something off or on but couln't find a solution I only have an incident attachment and happens whether the white globe is extruded or not, I tried different F-stops and settings same pretty consistant results More Details In T mode (Same thing happends in all modes apart from Cine or Video modes) I measured the bounced light at 55fc - F2.0/2 (Used as F2), 1/125, 250ISO on a 18% Datacloler 24 grey chart Results from the spot on the camera was +0.7 EV /65% IRE on scopes and results where not what I would have wanted or expected from my Lightmeter In Cinemode I measured the bounced light at 55fc - F2.8/6 (Used as F3.5), 1/50, 250ISO on a 18% Datacloler 24 grey chart Results from the spot on the camera was +0.0 EV /54% IRE and results where what I would have wanted or expected from my Lightmeter Am I just missing something? I don't need to spot reading my Grey card to get the correct reading right? an Incident will always read the light falling onto the dome at 50% IRE/18% and will result in a perfectly balanced grey card? I don't understand why in T Mode My grey card would be overexposed (Just brighter) Cinemode gives results that I expect to be correct Cheers -Samuel

Thanks for this Honestly such a great shout reguarding rental houses!!

Hey All This is a pretty simple 101 question (Fake Example) I have a 800w Light beside me, When I point it at the ceeling in flood I get 34fc in bounce output, When I put it in full spot I should still get Roughly 34fc? given the spot is in generally the same place above where I'm measuring give or take some FC variables and such but it's the same amount of light output it's now just spotted into one area rarther than the whole ceeling? Is that technically how it's suppose to be? So a 800w light in full flood could output 48fc at the center of it's beam at a very large Beam Diameter of 17ft but in full spot 888fc in the center at a beam diameter of 2ft It's the same output of light I.E 800w at Full flood & Full Spot it's just in flood it's a much larger surface area it's covering, Spotting the light just pushes all the light into a tighter spot given the reflector is consistant etc etc Because I have a old Light beside me an 800w Openface ARRLITE, and it always outputs half a stop more light into my room when in Full Spot than full flood point at the ceeling, No matter it's angle or position at the ceeling it always outputs more light into the room, It's simply brighter in spot then in flood even when bouncing, but this is technically wrong right or not a disiarable effect or discrepency? Something is odd about the reflector just not a great design etc etc? Just curious! Thanks -Samuel

This is a great point and did cross my mind reguarding measuring at 3ft an unsafe distance I'm going to give it another clean sometime soon and will test at a greater distance, The reflectors are dent free and are actually pretty clean looking however I have two of these 800w heads ones an original ARRI arnold & richter really old the others a standard ARRI both have seen a lot of use and the arnold and ritcher I guess is not quite as shiny looking in terms as the dish and does measure les light in the SPOT I tried a brand new bulb however not an Osram OEM 800w and there was no difference I will post back later when I get results!

Urhmm I guess must be the case, The reflector is definietly not warped or dented but maybe the dish has just lost it's reflectiveness however it looks pretty darn clean and reflective and as I just cleaned it it looks.. well clean but it must have just "faded" slightly

Hey Everyone I must just be doing something wrong or my lightmeter is wrong but I was testing my 800w open face lights today between a few brands I have and noticed that my own Arrilite 800w Open faces put out considerably less light than what Arri's photometrics says they should? Arrilite 800w at 3ft away pointing directly at the lightmeter dome Recessed inside not out, settings (25fps, 800iso, 180d) 240v Full Flood I got a 340fc , Arri's photometrics say it should be roughly 537fc Full Spot I got a 2200fc, Arri's photometrics say it should be roughly 9871fc Is there something I'm doing wrong? I checked the bulb, Cleaned the dome results are the same I understand photometric arnt 1:1 but mine seem so far off Thanks -Samuel

Haha! To be honest I spent nothing on all of my tungsten units, despite them being clearly outdated and hot and inefficient I still love them they still work on every job I go on Even as the main light source... Im that guy who puts up a 2K open face as a main source 😁 It doesn't really even have anything to do with CRI either I've always felt happier with more tungsten units at an almost no price than only one or two really good LED units Love to get a 120D but I'm going to stick with my tungsten units 😉😉

I like my red heads I refuse

Hey Everyone Scrims especially singles and doubles always seem like such fragile materials and extra care is always good for them, thankfully I've not damaged any as of yet but if your textiles gets damaged, other than attempting to sew new ones together yourself what other options are out there? Are there any local UK companies that will happily rebuild textiles onto the frames you already own at a better cost than buying one all over again? I haven't heard of any would love to know! Thanks -Samuel

They usually have weird incerts between the crates, Not quite the same thing but thanks sir! Thought of this, I did make some apple boxes just a few weeks ago, But they are very heavy

I ended up getting 4 from Backstage carts they will keep me going for now but these look awesome to be honest! Stacking smaller ones on larger ones sounds useful already have ideas for that! Thank you Phil!

Thanks so much for this, Them Frames looks great! As you said shame I can't seem to find them! I guess glass dichroic filter (CTB) are the best option but expensive ofcourse. It's really interesting you mention how Rosco is thinner than LEE because I've heard it the other way around but noted!

Was hoping there was going to be a clever rule of thump like anything 2k and ip tugnsten you need High Temp But still Thanks for this!

Hey Everyone Not an expert with Gels alwasy used them on Barn Doors but recently tried to put inbetween a 800w Tunsgten Open face, That is 201 CTB LEE and Rosco E+ no Surprise it warped and buckled until it pretty much melted 30 seconds in I heard you can put gels Inbetween barndoors on fresnels 5k and down but that must be HMI's only, I guess one can not simply put gels in front of Open Faced Tungsten units no matter the gel used I looked up SuperGel but was surprised?? In it's specifications it says it has a lower Melting Point than Rosco E+ despite SuperGel being the High Temp option. So my Questions are Would a Heatshield fix this or do they only help with making gels last longer not stop physicaly melting Super Gel from Rosco would that help? Is there a rule of thumb for this kinda stuff? How close is too close how hot is too hot? Thanks in advance everyone! -Samuel