Alternatives to Inkies

[M Joel W]

Building myself a lighting kit for DV. I want some inky dinks but they're kind of expensive so I'm considering this instead:

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...oughType=search

 

With barn doors, of course. Would this work as well? I want to use it strictly for backlighting, and it needs to have a sharp, sharp beam that is very bright (since I like to put CTB 1/2 on my backlights, if I can motivate it.) Are there any cheaper alternatives to inkies?

 

Also, I need a 1k for bouncing of walls/ceilings and using with a soft box. Will a Britek compare with Arri? I know the build quality will be poor by comparison, but I don't need much control--just a lot of soft light. Is this a good idea?

 

I'll be using these with two 300w and two 650w Arri fresnels. I can't afford much more Arri gear now, though, since I'm a poor college student.

 

Thanks!

[Frank Barrera]

I own about five small lights and the Lowel your looking at and the Inky are in that number. The Lowels are ok. But you get what you pay for. The spot flood range is minimal; the reflector is not as efficient as it could be and the whole thing is built prosumer style. You can get away with it but for less then another hundred dollars more you could buy the Mole version which has a wider spot flood range; a brighter reflector; a larger lens and it's built to last.

 

As for the Britek open fgace: I have never used them but in theory they should be fine as a bounced light.

 

good luck.

 

f

[Nathan Milford]

Don't quote me, but I remember hearing that Lowel repairs the lights for free, for life.

[Stephen Williams]

Don't quote me, but I remember hearing that Lowel repairs the lights for free, for life.

 

Nathan,

 

You mean like Oakley sunglasses! :D

 

Stephen

[JD Hartman]

The body of the Lowel light is small and so is the on/off switch, hich is mounted on the body. Not a good combination if you are fond of the skin on your hands. Not particularly rugged, but the Lowel DP open face 1k, is not bad on a bang for the buck level.

[M Joel W]

Thanks for all the help. I've decided to keep looking around for used inkies, and save on the 1k by buying the lowel rather than an arri, since I'll be bouncing it 90% of the time anyhow. The advice has been really helpful.

[Mark Sasahara]

Dedolights are going to be a bit expensive, but I really love them. The light is fantastic and they are 12V, or 24V depending on the bulb. So you can power it from your 12VAnton Bauer, or 24V camera battery. They need a ballast to run on house power. I use them as hair lights and background lights as well as key lights.

 

You might look for some used Inkies and/or Midgets on ebay. The Arri 150's are really great, they're small and are quite nice and can take an FEV 200W globe.

 

The Lowels are pretty good, they're inexpensive and robust. A lot of people poo-poo Lowel, but if you are on the road, a visit to the local hardware store will fix pretty much what ever is wrong. They deliver a decent bang for the low bucks.

 

I always have leather gloves as part of my kit. If you are using lights, you'll need to protect your hands.

 

For a larger light, I really like the Desisti Magis. It can be lamped with a 300W, 500W, or 650W globe. The Magis is small and puts out as much light as any 650 on the market. They pop up on ebay every now and then. For some reason the B&H website has a pic of it without it's mounting yoke.

[Chris Pritzlaff]

I like using Par 16's. While they arn't able to be adjusted from spot to flood without changing the bulb, they are small and easy to hide on a set, and are very cheap. I bought mine used for $12 a piece. Again, not the most controllable light out there, but a good deal for the price.

[Stephen Williams]

Dedolights are going to be a bit expensive, but I really love them. The light is fantastic and they are 12V, or 24V depending on the bulb. .

 

Hi,

 

I am a big Dedo fan, as far as cost of ownership goes they are FREE after 2 years. The bulbs don't break if you drop them on the ground or in Water!

 

Stephen

[Hal Smith]

Used 6" 1kW Strand and Colortran studio fresnels go for around $100 or less on eBay - I even scored a six pack of brand new Strands for $480 a couple of years ago. You'll need baby pin adapters to use them on movie stands. They're not as rugged as Arri gear but are constructed from cast aluminum, not sheet metal like cheap theatrical fresnels.