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Lighting using Gas lanterns and Candles ONLY


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Hello everyone,

I am planning a shoot in a little cottage in an isolated location with a working fireplace but no electricity.

I have decided, after much reflection and exchange with the lovely people of this forum, to try to shoot 'all flames': big candles, fireplace, and gas lanterns like these : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coleman-F1-Lite-Lantern-8/dp/B000GM4J72/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top with a lot of reflectors.

Has anyone used this type of gas lanterns before?

I will be shooting super 8 tri-x (200 ISO) with a beaulieu 4008.

I would be curious to know if any of you have had any experience with this!

All the best,

Jayne

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  • 2 weeks later...

I did shoot a candles-only setup once, but it was on a Canon C300 @ 800 ISO T2.1 and I managed to get skin tones properly exposed only by keeping a few of them relatively close to the subject. Shooting a Tri-X only 200 ISO seems very unlikely to me, because by comparison you should have a T1.0 lens and being a reversal stock there's very little room for mistakes.

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why dont you get yourself a little generator or 1000w car inverter to run 300w and 650w lights. would give you little more light.. just an idea ;)

I shot a test sceene with one candle recently having a subject to carry it next to her face. I used f2.8 and about 800 ISO and skin was slightly underexposed (meter registered little over 40% as opposed to usual 50%-60%), but given that action takes place in a pitch black environment I found it acceptable.

 

cheers

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Hello,

 

I've shot candlelight only but that was on Super 16mm and with a 500 ISO stock.

You can easily duplicate these sources (lanterns or candles) by using multiple mirrors. The source will also become marginally softer and the effect can be very pretty.

Choosing a 200 ISO stock and shooting super 8 are brave decisions! But as Francesco said, you are cumulating limiting factors and there is a risk you could get disappointing results. And you could be surprised by the amount of grain, even pulling the stock to 200 ISO. Also it has a very limited exposure latitude of around 4 or 5 stops.

Did you shoot tests ?

What lenses will you be using ?

 

Be also aware of possible safety issues with these types of lights.

 

If you are in France don't hesitate to MP me. I'll be shooting a film in similar conditions with these lanterns this week and might have more tips based on this experience .

 

Best,

 

G.C.

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